2023 Escalade, the dealer did the oil change recall to put the thicker oil and oil filter in it a few months ago after the motor was ticking. They had to get recall approved by GM, due to it not showing up under my VIN for the recall. They approved it and on Friday 1/16 driving on a 55mph 3 lane highway with my newborn baby the car just stopped driving and shut off with no warning and not enough time to pull into a shoulder or out of the way. Sat in the car for 30 mins with my newborn baby until cops arrived to help with safety and we waited 45 mins for a tow truck. Cars were swerving nearly hitting us multiple times and you cannot neutral override them to atleast push or pull the car out of the road while waiting for a tow truck
2023 Cadillac Escalade engine complaints
Page 3 of 5: complaints 41 to 70 of 124, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Component/System Failure: The engine experienced catastrophic failure related to Recall N252494000 (the federal safety agency 25V‑274), resulting in complete loss of power and immediate engine shutdown. The original engine was removed and replaced by the Cadillac dealership. The failed engine should be in possession of the dealer or manufacturer and should be available for inspection upon request per manufacturer retention policies. Safety Risk: The vehicle lost all power while traveling at highway speed on Highway 70 with three children and two adults in the vehicle. I was forced to coast into a center turning lane between oncoming traffic in both directions, with no ability to accelerate or move out of traffic. The shutdown occurred without warning, creating a high risk of rear-end or head-on collision. Loss of life was narrowly avoided. Confirmation of Failure: The failure was confirmed by an authorized Cadillac dealership, which determined the vehicle was affected by the active engine recall and replaced the engine under recall service, confirming the failure matched the known defect. Inspections: The vehicle was inspected by the Cadillac dealership acting on behalf of the manufacturer. No police or insurance inspection occurred since no collision took place and the issue was handled through recall repair. Warnings or Symptoms: There were no prior warning lights or drivability symptoms. While driving, a message stating “not safe to drive” appeared, and within approximately five seconds the engine shut off completely. There was no abnormal engine noise before shutdown. After failure, the vehicle could not be restarted, turned off, or shifted and automatically placed itself into park.
Vehicle was running with the driver side door open and driver out of vehicle. The vehicle slipped out of gear and reversed quickly. Driver went to get back in while moving backwards to try and stop vehicle. The driver got smashed between the garage and vehicle door. The vehicle door hyperextended and caused damage/injury to driver. The emergency brake did not come on until after the accident. Prior to this happening recalls were not preformed due to GM advising us that our vehicle was not next to get it done. Throughout ownership the vehicle has slipped out of gear two other times. We took it in each time and were told it shouldn’t happen again and they could not replicate. GM did an inspection after and fixed recalls and told us they would not assist us with damage or any compensation.
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormally loud motor sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle unexpectedly shut off while in a parking lot and failed to restart after several attempts. The contact was picked by her husband. The contact stated that her husband later returned to the vehicle and was able to restart the vehicle. The contact then received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair and passed a vehicle inspection, and the dealer added a higher viscosity oil, installed an oil fill cap, replaced the oil filter, and updated the Owner’s Manual. The contact stated that two weeks later, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic inspected the vehicle and discovered there was no oil in the engine. The contact was informed that the vehicle was unsafe to operate. The dealer that had serviced the recall was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was serviced according to the recall. The mechanic informed the contact that the dealer had possibly drained the oil and refilled it with 0W-40 oil to pass the recall inspection and not have to replace the engine. The contact asked the dealer if the practice was performed during the recall repair, and the dealer avoided answering the question. The contact stated that a service member from the dealer arrived at the residence to top off the engine oil. The dealer suggested that an oil consumption test be performed every 1,000 miles to monitor the oil consumption. The contact stated that the recall remedy was insufficient and failed to properly address the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact believed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
We took the vehicle in for the recall inspection. They pass it and changed the oil. Weeks later, as I was driving home (was on holiday vacation in another state), the engine failed immediately. I was able to get it to the side of the road but the engine would not properly run. Had to call the tow truck and hauled back to the dealership near my home of record.
Engine stopped running while driving. Took to the dealer. Engine was making a load grinding noise. Dealer replaced the engine. Drove home vehicle dripped oil in the driveway. Took vehicle to dealership. Engine block was cracked. Dealer replaced engine. Took vehicle to dealership for oil change . Engine had 1,800 Miles . Engine oil was contaminated with large pieces of metal. I took the used oil filter home cut it open and filter was full of metal as well. Took back to dealership and ask to replace the failing engine and was denied by the regional service manager as well as the general motors engineer. Their answer was if the engine fails AGAIN the vehicle is under warranty. The engine oil continues to be full of metal chunks. In my opinion metal in oil is engine failure. This vehicle is unsafe to drive with the engine full of metal.
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Numbers: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and another recall; however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission made a whining sound. The vehicle lost power and shut off without warning. The failure had occurred while driving at various speeds, or while idling at a stop sign or red traffic light. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The engine was not replaced. The dealer confirmed that the recall repairs could be performed. The failure persisted after the recall repair was completed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
On Sunday, September 14, 2025, while driving northbound on the Palisades Parkway at approximately 11:30 PM, the vehicle suddenly lost all propulsion without any prior warning. I was traveling around 45– 50 mph when the dashboard lights began flashing, and the vehicle shut down completely in active highway traffic. All systems—including power and acceleration—dropped instantly. I was unable to maintain speed and was not even able to brake, and had to fight to steer the vehicle safely onto the shoulder as it slowed down. There were no warning lamps, messages, or irregular behavior prior to the failure. The shutdown occurred instantly and without cause, creating an extremely dangerous situation on a dark highway late at night.
On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, while driving in regular city traffic, the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion without any warning or dashboard alerts. There were no warning lights, messages, or abnormal sounds before the failure occurred. The vehicle instantly shut down while in motion, causing a total loss of acceleration power and leaving me stranded in the middle of traffic. This occurred the second time I was driving the car after prior service, and the vehicle again stopped completely, forcing me to pull over and contact OnStar roadside assistance. This was the second major propulsion failure in a short period, each time occurring unexpectedly while driving. The repeated sudden shutdowns without warning present a serious safety risk and indicate an unresolved defect in the vehicle’s electrical and propulsion systems.
On Friday, September 5, 2025, while driving with my family, the vehicle suddenly stalled while in motion. There were no warning lights or error messages before the failure occurred. While traveling at normal road speed, the vehicle instantly lost propulsion, steering assist, and braking power, leaving me without control in live traffic. For several seconds I was unable to steer or slow down normally — it was an extremely dangerous situation. The vehicle briefly restarted twice, then completely died and could not restart again. I had to pull over to the shoulder and call for assistance. This repeated sudden loss of power while driving, without any prior warning lamps or messages, creates a severe risk of collision or injury to occupants and others on the road. The vehicle’s unpredictable failure to maintain propulsion or braking control is unsafe and unacceptable.
While driving about 60–65 mph westbound on NY Route 17 near Exit 125, a warning message appeared on the dashboard reading “Restart Engine.” Within seconds the vehicle lost all propulsion, steering assist, and braking power. Pressing the accelerator did nothing and the car began rapidly decelerating in live highway traffic at night. I struggled to steer into the shoulder with great effort because the steering and brakes had become extremely heavy. Once stopped, the engine would not restart — there was no crank and no response when pressing the start button. The vehicle was later towed to the dealership for inspection. This failure occurred without any prior warning other than the single “Restart Engine” message that flashed moments before the loss of power. There were no check-engine lights, alerts, or performance issues beforehand. Unity Chevrolet Cadillac confirmed that the engine had seized and replaced the entire engine assembly, starter, and battery under warranty. The vehicle remained out of service from August 7 to August 22 2025. This sudden failure created a severe safety hazard — a complete loss of propulsion, steering assist, and braking at highway speed could easily have resulted in a high-speed collision.
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the crankshaft, resulting in damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); the VIN was included but the vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 36,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that there were several unknown codes and unknown electrical issues displayed. The vehicle was taken to an unknown local dealer approximately eight or nine times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was a Lemon. The manufacturer was contacted regarding a buyback, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
UNKNOWN. Weather related - rain water incoming on floor board under steering column. Effecting electronics and vehicle driving safety. Vehicle has propulsion control issues as a cause.
Sometime during the month of May, 2015, I received a letter in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act in reference to a recall for the 6.2L V8 gas engine (RPO L87) that applies to my vehicle. I have reached out to Randy Marion Cadillac, 4700 Southside Blvd.m Jacksonville, Fl., 32216, on several occasions, but to no avail. I spoke with service department personnel who, could not provide any information concerning the recall and informed me that they would have the service manager to call me. However, after 3 months, I have yet to receive a response from the service manager or any other service personnel. On Monday, 08-26-25, I logged into my Cadillac app and searched under Recalls and Warranties and noticed a message indicating there were no incomplete recalls. Prior to my last log-in, there was informed acknowledgeing the recall and that my vehicle would be inspected as a result. I am confused and have major concerns about my recall status and the lack of communication from the Cadillac dealership. Can someone shed some light as to why there are no recalls that are displayed on my Cadillac app and what other steps that I need to take in order to remedy this matter. Thank you! [XXX] -Ph# [XXX] GM safety recall N252494000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Waiting months on inspection had an appointment called and verified that was the appointment was for inspection . Took care of in and was told not opened. That was in July. The value of car has dropped because of this issue and can’t trade in or loss a ton
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact was notified of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V274000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
GM engine replacement recall. The engine could blow up and give out causing a crash. Problem has been confirmed by dealer as "unremedied" Vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer.
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V274000(Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the message "Check Oil" was displayed. The contact's husband checked the oil level and noticed that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.
Recall Info: The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure. If the engine fails during vehicle operation, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. This information creates anxiety for myself and my wife who already suffers from a medically documented anxiety disorder every day that we drive somewhere. Because of the location of our residence, we have to drive on the highway most of the time for convenience which exaggerates this situation. We have owned/leased GM vehicles our entire lives and particularly Cadillac for the last 24 years. We own this vehicle out right and planned to keep it indefinitely. The fact that there is no immediate remedy for this situation and one day possibly providing a higher viscosity oil, an oil filter replacement and requiring a new oil fill cap is very disappointing and insulting for a vehicle that we had to wait for and then pay over $130,000 for. At this point, thank God there is no incident, I would like to keep it that way and would like to have an immediate resolution of possible switching from our 2023 model to a comparable 2025 and be reassured that it does not have these mechanical defects with no additional costs incurred on my part.
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The contact called on behalf of a dealer who owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The dealer received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V274000(Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had 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. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
My vehicle was recalled under N252494002 L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion. The car was taken to the dealership June 19, 2025 and determined to require a engine replacement. The dealer has had the vehicle for a month without repair of the vehicle. This seems like an unreasonable time to replace the engine.
My 2023 Cadillac Escalade is part of the federal safety agency Recall 25V274 involving a potential engine failure due to defective crankshaft or connecting rod components. It has now been over four months since this recall was issued, and there is still no remedy or parts available, according to both my dealership and GM customer service. This defect poses a serious safety risk, as sudden engine failure while driving can cause the vehicle to lose propulsion, potentially leading to a crash. I use this vehicle for business, so it’s driven frequently with passengers, increasing the danger and financial impact. Despite contacting the dealership regularly and calling GM directly, I’ve been told the same thing every time: the parts are not yet available and there is no fix yet. The vehicle has not been inspected, and I’ve received no alternative solution or loaner vehicle. I am concerned about the length of the delay and the risk to my safety and others on the road. I’m asking the federal safety agency to investigate and ensure that GM provides a timely resolution.
Currently under an open, incomplete safety recall (GM Program #N252494000 / the federal safety agency 25V274) for the L87 engine defect that can cause catastrophic engine failure and complete loss of propulsion.
I was in car. I just stepped out of the car its stop working car couldn't start. I need to get started to start the car. It happens a lot. I went to caddilac dealer service they everything good. This car for work not luxury. I drive Uber and always on road. So I afraid something will happen. I want to change this car for new without recalls. Thank you
The vehicle stop in middle of the road. And can't start without starter. Noises coming out from the car. I went to caddilac dealer they just give me power to battery and saying everything ok. And happened a lot
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended and the contact heard a chugging sound coming from the engine. The dealer was contacted. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road awaiting towing assistance. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred before receiving notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V274000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The manufacturer was notified on the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 16,575.
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the rear end seized which cause the vehicle to skid. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the result was unknown. The vehicle was repaired, and the rearview camera and bolts were replaced. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V274000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the dealer confirmed that the failure was not related to the recall. The manufacturer was not notified on the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 37,000.
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