The check air bag light stays on and will not go off. The light stays on with the seatbelt on or off.
The worst 2005 Cadillac Escalade problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical11
- Airbags10
- Brakes8
- Fuel system8
- Engine7
- Transmission7
- Lights2
- Suspension2
- Acceleration1
- Steering1
- Tires1
- Visibility1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2005 Cadillac Escalade
Recalls 2
Seat belts: rear/other
- What is wrong
- On certain crew cab pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the 2nd row center occupant seat belt routing may make it difficult to position the lap portion of the safety belt low around the hips of occupants, especially smaller occupants, seated in this position. Appropriate use of a child seat or booster seat, as recommended for small children, does improve the fit condition for this user group. In addition to instructions on proper infant and young child restraint (with child seats or boosters), special verbiage for restraining older child is included in the owner's manual. Also, the suggested seat belt fit/routing for adults, irrespective of seating position, is described in the owner's manual text.
- Risk
- A lap portion of the seat belt routing that is not low and snug on the hips can allow the lap belt to ride up on an occupant's abdomen instead of fitting low around their hipbones, and therefore, can expose them to more risk of abdominal and internal organ injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will cut open the guide loop, remove a portion of the loop, and then the remaining two sides should be folded over and secured with a retainer free of charge. The recall began on july 21, 2005. Owners may contact cadillac at 1‑866‑982‑2339, chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463, or hummer at 1‑800‑732‑5493.
Recall number 05V163000 · Recall details
Power train: manual transmission: shift pattern indicator
- What is wrong
- Certain sport utility vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock and transmission braking effect." under certain vehicle starting conditions, the shift lever position indicator located in the instrument panel cluster may not illuminate. If the shift lever position indicator does not illuminate, the driver may not know which gear the vehicle is in.
- Risk
- The vehicle may move in an unintended direction resulting in possible injury to others outside of the vehicle.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster free of charge. The recall began on february 14, 2005. Owners may contact cadillac at 1‑866‑982‑2339, chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, and gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.
Recall number 05V055000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2005 Cadillac Escalade 743
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This PI Communicates information to ensure Memory Recall is enabled to ensure memory mirrors return to set...
- This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- Electrical system
- Unknown or other
- This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on When and How to Submit a Field...
- Unknown or other
- Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles
2005 Cadillac Escalade crash test ratings
Government 5-star crash tests. Higher is safer. Each row is a body style and drivetrain that was tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadillac Escalade 4-DR. w/SAB;w/updated ESC | Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms. | Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms. | Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms. | 3 |
| Cadillac Escalade EXT w/SAB; w/updated ESC | Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms. | Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms. | Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms. | 3 |
2005 Cadillac Escalade fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8‑cyl | RWD | 14 | 19 | 15 |
| 6.0L 8‑cyl | RWD | 13 | 17 | 14 |
| 6.0L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 12 | 16 | 13 |
What 2005 Cadillac Escalade owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Brake/abs system locked up on me and I couldn’t stop. I accidentally hit someone from behind and was proven to be an accident. My traction light my abs light and my brake light all came on at the same time right before I wrecked. The suv swerves over to the other lane randomly while on the interstate and does stop on time. Every time I fuel up gas leaks out from somewhere and its pumps gas really slow and takes so long
The contact owns a 2005 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while refueling, the gasoline was spilling out of the filler neck. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The failure mileage was unknown.
While driving down the road under any condition the brakes start to apply themselves ultimately leading the vehicle to not being able to pull itself. The more throttle you give it the more the brakes apply. I believe this is the same as the 2002-2004 chevy hydro boost recall. Also around the same time the resistor for the blower motor caught fire while driving down the road.
The contact owns a 2005 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 62 MPH, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the sunroof. The contact stated while attempting to exit the highway, the sunroof detached from the vehicle and hit the road. The contact drove to nearby auto glass repair shop. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact drove another vehicle to the local dealer and was informed that the sunroof was not the original equipment but was an aftermarket sunroof. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 10V427000 (Equipment). The vehicle was not repaired. The contact attempted to speak with a representative from Webasto Product North America, Inc. manufacturer but was not successful. The failure mileage was approximately 235,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac escalade. The contact stated that the gear shift lever light failed to illuminate during the daytime. The contact stated that during night time driving, the gear shifter light operated as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 05v055000 (power train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 126,000.
Speedometer quit working on the instrument cluster. Only around 55,000 miles on vehicle. You can drive it awhile and then it quits working. Let it sit for a few minutes and it will work again for a little while and quit again. No other gauges are affected yet. Lamp assembly is fading from the inside of the light housing.
I was driving and the vehicle was acting like it didn't want to switches into the next gear. Transmission fluid was empty. Filled it up and the next day it still has the same issue.
The lighting for the gear indicator doesn't work. I cannot tell what gear it is is
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac escalade. The contact stated the instrument panel on the gear shifter failed to illuminate as designed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that similar vehicles were included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 05v055000 (power train) however, the VIN was not included. Cadillac of new orleans located at (3100 lime st, metairie, la 70006) was contacted and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Compare the 2005 Cadillac Escalade
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Questions about the 2005 Cadillac Escalade
Is the 2005 Cadillac Escalade reliable?
Owners have filed 43 complaints about the 2005 Cadillac Escalade, fewer than a typical Escalade model year.
What is the 2005 Cadillac Escalade year score?
The 2005 Cadillac Escalade scores 78 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Cadillac Escalade: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Cadillac Escalade?
Electrical system, with 11 complaints, typically around 90,000 miles. Next is airbags (10).
How many recalls does the 2005 Cadillac Escalade have?
2 recalls, covering seat belts and power train.
Is the 2005 Cadillac Escalade safe in a crash?
The 2005 Cadillac Escalade was crash tested, but no overall score was published. Partial scores: rollover 3 out of 5.
What year does the Cadillac Escalade have the most electrical problems?
The Cadillac Escalade model years with the most electrical complaints are 2007 (34 complaints), 2003 (23 complaints) and 2008 (23 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2005 Cadillac Escalade get?
Official estimates for the 2005 Cadillac Escalade range from 13 to 15 mpg combined. The most efficient version (5.3L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 14 city and 19 highway.
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