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2011 Cadillac Escalade problems

The most common problem on the 2011 Cadillac Escalade is airbags, typically around 110,598 miles. Its complaint count is close to a typical Escalade model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Year score
72/100
Owner complaints
49
Recalls
6
Service bulletins
1,567
Worst area
Airbags
Crash rating
4/5
Fuel economy
14-21mpg

The worst 2011 Cadillac Escalade problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Airbags
    34
  • Body
    3
  • Brakes
    2
  • Driver assistance
    2
  • Electrical
    2

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Airbags
    34
  • Body
    3
  • Brakes
    2
  • Driver assistance
    2
  • Electrical
    2
  • Suspension
    2
  • Transmission
    2
  • Lights
    1
  • Seat belts
    1

Recalls 6

Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator moduleReported February 5, 2021 · 2,641,272 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020; Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006; and GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328760.

Recall number 21V050000 · Recall details

Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator moduleReported February 5, 2021 · 1,778,128 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020; Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006; and GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

Recall number 21V054000 · Recall details

Electrical system: ignitionReported December 30, 2014 · 84,192 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.
Risk
If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006 (Cadillac), 1‑800‑222‑1020 (Chevrolet), or 1‑800‑462‑8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

Recall number 14V827000 · Recall details

Steering: linkagesReported June 28, 2011 · 739 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Gm is recalling certain model year 2011cadillac escalade, escalade esv; chevrolet silverado hd, silverado ld, suburban, tahoe; and gmc sierra hd, sierra ld, yukon, and yukon xl vehicles. The intermediate steering shaft attaching bolts may not have been tightened to the proper specification.
Risk
This could allow the joints to separate, and the driver could experience loss of steering increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Gm dealers will inspect and ensure that the intermediate steering shaft bolts are tightened to the proper specification. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about july 13, 2011. Owners may contact cadillac at 1‑800‑458‑8006, chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 and gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.

Recall number 11V339000 · Recall details

Suspension: rear: axle: spindleReported January 6, 2011 · 30,566 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, colorado, express, silverado, suburban, tahoe; and gmc canyon, sierra, savana, yukon and yukon xl vehicles. The rear axle cross pins were not properly heat treated and could fracture and become displaced within the rear axle. Should the pin shift out of position, it could create an interference condition and cause the rear axle to lock.
Risk
The driver may not be able to maintain directional control of the vehicle and a crash could occur without warning.
Remedy
Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge. The safety recall began on january 11, 2011. Owners may contact cadillac at 1‑866‑982‑2339, chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463 and at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Recall number 11V007000 · Recall details

Suspension: rear: axle: spindleReported December 17, 2010 · 1,262 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 cadillac escalade ext, chevrolet avalanche, silverado ld and gmc sierra ld vehicles. The rear axle cross pins were not properly heat treated and could fracture and become displaced within the rear axle. Should the pin shift out of position, it could create an interference condition and cause the rear axle to lock.
Risk
The driver may not be able to maintain directional control of the vehicle and a crash could occur without warning.
Remedy
Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge. The safety recall began on january 11, 2011. Owners may contact cadillac at 1‑866‑982‑2339, chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463 and at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Recall number 10V643000 · Recall details

See all 6 recalls for the 2011 Cadillac Escalade

Defect investigations

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpened September 17, 2021, still open

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

EA21002

Technical service bulletins for the 2011 Cadillac Escalade 1,567

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 1,567 bulletins for the 2011 Cadillac Escalade

2011 Cadillac Escalade crash test ratings

Government 5-star crash tests. Higher is safer. Each row is a body style and drivetrain that was tested.

VersionOverallFrontalSideRollover
Cadillac Escalade Hybrid SUV AWD4553
Cadillac Escalade Hybrid SUV RWD4553
Cadillac Escalade SUV AWD4553
Cadillac Escalade SUV RWD4553
Cadillac Escalade EXT SUV AWDPhrases 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

2011 Cadillac Escalade fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
6.0L 8‑cyl HybridRWD202321
6.0L 8‑cyl Hybrid4WD202321
6.2L 8‑cylRWD141816
6.2L 8‑cylAWD131814-15

What 2011 Cadillac Escalade owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Mar 21, 2025 · Transmission · TX

The Transmission , the vehicle came to a sudden stop while driving, confirmed by a mechanic, no it has not been inspected by insurance or others accident was avoided, no warnings lights, transmission began to jump in gear like a lunge forward. Double checked it and it would not go forward then it would let you reverse only and then it will not go forward or reverse. The vehicle had to be towed. Engine starts fine but can't drive

Filed Mar 18, 2025 · Transmission · GA

The whole transmission kept jerking and finally went totally out. I only have 189,000

Filed Aug 21, 2022 · Suspension · NH

Swaybar mount is ripped from the frame. Only on the passenger side

Filed Mar 15, 2022 · Electrical · MO

-Driver seat would not heat or cool. -When troubleshooting, discovered a melted wire and burnt plug. Could have caused fire. Various others online had the exact issue. There should be a recall. -Not reproduced or confirmed by dealer. The damage is visible, not necessary to take in. -Not inspected, see photos. -No warning lights.

Filed Aug 13, 2021 · PA

the top of the dash cover cracked. There was no reason, it just cracked.

Filed Mar 29, 2021 · Airbags · AL

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 cadillac escalade. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 21v050000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called devan lowe inc cadillac gmc lincoln (al-77 & steele station rd, attalla, al 35954, (256) 344-4832) where it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Oct 16, 2020 · Airbags · CA

Nothing has happened other than there is a current airbag recall on this vehicle. Many other makes and models also have this takata airbag issue and they have been fixed/or replaced and the recall is lifted. Yet cadillac/gm is still refusing to have this done so I am currently driving a vehicle which the federal safety agency says it not safe yet cadillac says it is and no one has taken the step forward to remedy this problem. My husband recently passed away in a horrifying manner and all I want to do is give my stepson who lives in canada (I live in los angeles) I just want to give my stepson his fathers truck and because no one wished to solve this problem I am unable to do this. I simply cannot understand how the federal safety agency can allow us to drive a vehicle they deem to be unsafe yet not force cadillac/gm to solve this problem they feel is no problem. Can you imagine the possible lawsuit that could be placed against cadillac/gm and the federal safety agency if anyone was to get seriously injured because none of you took the step forward to force to have this issue solved just like toyota, bmw, tesla, saab and so many others have done. Someone needs to do something rather than allow this issue to sit in a state of limbo as "incomplete/remedy not available. And what a name a person would make for themselves to push this to be solved. Some has to help me, please! I just want my stepson to have his fathers truck..please help me!!!!

Filed Sep 20, 2020 · IN

Just checked VIN # and said 0 unrepaired recalls. Does this mean they meed to be fix or that my vehicle isnt affected and is it is affceted where or what can I do about it.

Filed Jun 22, 2020 · Body · 115,000 miles · FL

The rear lift door access unlocks on it's own frequently. The whole rear door lifted open while I was driving.

Filed Apr 14, 2020 · Airbags · 50,000 miles · TN

No remedy for air bag recall - recall issued in 2016.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 2011 Cadillac Escalade before you buy

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Questions about the 2011 Cadillac Escalade

Is the 2011 Cadillac Escalade reliable?

Owners have filed 49 complaints about the 2011 Cadillac Escalade, close to a typical Escalade model year.

What is the 2011 Cadillac Escalade year score?

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade scores 72 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 2011 Cadillac Escalade?

Airbags, with 34 complaints, typically around 110,598 miles. Next is body (3).

How many recalls does the 2011 Cadillac Escalade have?

6 recalls, covering air bags, electrical system and steering.

Is the 2011 Cadillac Escalade safe in a crash?

In government crash tests the 2011 Cadillac Escalade scored 4 out of 5 stars overall, depending on body style and drivetrain (5 versions tested).

Was there a recall on the 2011 Cadillac Escalade airbags?

Yes, 2 recalls: 21V050000, 21V054000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Cadillac Escalade have bad airbags?

The Cadillac Escalade model years with the most airbags complaints are 2007 (116 complaints), 2008 (74 complaints) and 2011 (34 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2011 Cadillac Escalade get?

Official estimates for the 2011 Cadillac Escalade range from 14 to 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (6.0L 8-cyl hybrid, RWD) gets 20 city and 23 highway.

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