2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV Problems & Complaints

Had to get cam shaft replaced last year. Now the lifters are going bad

Traction light and engine light flashing at 95,900 miles took Cadillac ESV to authorized dealer and he advised their was a misfire on cylinder 3 after several attemps to repair now advising he hear a knocking in engine that needs to be replaced.

Cue system delamenated cracking glass options not working correctly Many recalls for cue GPS entertainment system in all Cadillacs. This needs to be addressed because safety system backing up doesn't work properly. Cadillac has had problems with this part since 2014 recall and with lemon law class action on many Cadillacs for this same problem. Even if I purchase new cue laminated glass still happens in gel on glass. This is a major flaw and Cadillac knows there is a major problem .1500.00 for new cue system and problem still happening because of weather where car sits .the government needs to address because it's a safety issue when system doesn't work. Heat wont work cameras or radio! What can I do? Please help me?

It been twice that I have experienced lifters issues and damage caused to engine because of these. First time I fixed it in a NY mechanic shop because dealer workflow and expecting dates (all lifters, crankshaft, and seals were replaced new), less than 1 year later again the lifters failed (2) but this time ruined my engine. Went to local GM dealership and asked at service department if they could fix it complementary due to all reported lifters issues from GM as we all can see online and rejected my offer. So far vehicle is still not fixed and it’s been 5 months in shop looking ways to see if engine could be solved but have to replaced. Also on the Escalade 2018 the seats (middle seat row and 3rd are really being noisy, I purchased vehicle 3 years ago with about 80K miles but these seats are not fully locked in the bottom and metal with metal makes sounds on bumps and bricks streets. When purchased I used to take vehicle to dealer but actually it continues with issues and I just lost confidence and pricing and turnaround were not convenient. Unfortunately, the 2018 Escalade is the worst vehicle decision I have made in my life. When told service manager that I couldn’t believe how a 2018 vehicle was failing engine and again, he told me he has seen 2024 so it shouldn’t be surprising. More to say but will keep simple

Vehicle caught fire in seatbelt harness

Engine started making strange noises and i had to pull over due to it not driving correctly. I was stranded two hours from home. There were no warning lights. I have a video of the noise it was making. Upon getting it towed back to a local mechanic I was told I have the 6.2 GM engine that has been recalled on other vehicles. I found out that the lifters and cam shaft were bad along with the bearings in my engine. I also had to replace the timing chain. My vehicle only has less than 170,000 miles on it. The car was serviced regularly. A local mechanic has already repaired the problem.

I stopped to get gas and put the car in park. Turned the car off and when I started it back up the car thought it was in drive but was in park still. The gas pedal won’t not work and the car is now stuck in park. The Chevy Caddilac dealership said it is a failed TCM. Part is on back order and I was told there is no eta and could be 7 months to a year before I get my car back.

On Juy7, 2025 while operating my 2018 Cadillac Escalade, which at the time of the incident had an odometer reading of approximately 57,600 miles. felt an immediate loss of power (inability to accelerate efficiently) and shortly thereafter the amber check engine light flashed on and off and I could hear ticking coming from the engine. Following the aforementioned ,I had th vehicle towed to Turnersville Cadillac in Turnersville ,NJ for evaluation. Upon the vehicle being evaluated I was advised by service mechanics there that I needed a new engine and that the cost would be approximately $17,500 dollars. The cause of this catastrophic engine failure was attributed to lifters failing. Prior to this catastrophic mechanical failure, there were no warning lights or tapping noises and the vehicle was operating normally.

I had purchased the car [XXX] from dealer "Kars R Us" in Dearborn Heights, Mi. On [XXX], I was driving on a highway at 70 mph with my family when I lost control of gas pedal. There was No warning of any kind! I was in the middle lane at the time and noticed the speedometer was decreasing and gas pedal was not working. For the safety of my family, I had to act fast however panicked. I was able to pull myself over to the far lane off the shoulder and within seconds, the car abruptly shut down, entirely. We barely made it to safety! My family was stranded on the highway, unsafe conditions for approx 3 hrs waiting for a tow truck. I had the car towed to the dealership's mechanic shop, with my family riding alongside. The following day I briefed the dealer about the incident and he recommended that I contact my auto insurance and make a claim. His mechanic diagnosed it as an "engine lock", something triggered it to shut down completely to prevent any more damage is what I was told. The engine would need to be replaced as well. I have since made a claim however, 2 months later and 2 appraisals since, claim was declined. The insurance company claimed that there was "internal damage" to the engine and that was not covered under the policy. I'm not sure what to do, obviously I don't have the $$ for a new engine and the dealership has not made any other recommendations since it was sold "As Is". Please advise!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Had to replace the camshafts about 10,000 ago. Vehicle is now having what sounds like lifter clattering. Engine is operating rough when gas is applied. I’ve seen a lot of recalls on 6.2 motors and don’t want my engine to die if it can be helped. I’ve taken the vehicle to my mechanic several times and he thinks it’s the lifters or something more serious. Hopefully the connecting rods aren’t the issue

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 108,000 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 230,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the lifters had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rod bearings had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,142.

2018 Escalade with 84 k miles. First issue was the front struts went out at around 80k miles 3200 repair. Second issue which is the major issue. Was driving and started hearing a clicking noise as I pressed on gas the car didn’t want to move and started slowing down. Car started shaking. Check engine light wasn’t on. Drove straight to dealership and was told I had a bent push rod and my lifters would need to be repairs and possibly cam shaft. Was quoted 8-13 thousand dollars. Car got regular oil changes and premium gas only since day 1.

The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was stiff, and the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to exceed 35 MPH while driving. The contact stated that occasionally the vehicle failed to properly shift to driver(D) from park(P). The contact stated that the check engine, low oil pressure, and TPMS warning lights remained illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,107.

There was an internal failure in the engine causing loss of power, misfire, and loud knocking from inside the engine. Check engine light came out and the car was shut-off and towed to a repair facility. The facility found metal shavings in the oil filter and said the engine needs to be replaced. I became aware of an open recall (25V-274) on the same engine for model years 2021-2024, and think the same manufacturing defect may be responsible for the failure in my 2018 model year. My mechanic tells me his small shop has seen this problem with four other vehicles with the same engine.

The front cue system has spiderwebs caused by normal sun exposure, all safety radar features don’t work due to electrical defect that makes the car not function perfectly

Pulled out of gas station and in 1/2 mile down the road pulled into oil change facility that I had scheduled to do. Heard a loud ticking of engine that was unfamiliar. Did oil change and engine still had sound after warm up. Pulled oil filter and found metal particles in filter/filter oil.

Escalade would experience loss of acceleration 15-20mph under light/moderate throttle, appear to go in to neutral when going from 3rd to 4th (best I can tell,) and then slam in to gear. While doing 50-55mph Escalade would have a converter shudder or go in and out of neutral. This would leave me unable to accelerate if needed and would place me in a precarious position if I was turning out in traffic or needed change speeds. On a repeat trip to the dealer it was determined there was metal in the transmission pan and exact source of metal was not able to be identified. It never triggered a check engine light or any other visible warning. Transmission was replaced with partial cost assistance from Gm and is back to operating properly.

When I started car I heard knocking. Engine failure. According to mechanic the lifter, rod and camshaft are bent. The car was always serviced and had regular oil change according to owners manual. The dealer recommends a new engine

I paid 8600 on my engine for lifters exc...in 2022 the now in 2025 I was told I need a new engine [XXX] The whole engine is messed up INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The vehicle shut off in traffic going 60 MPH. No electric, just off like it was shut off but wasn’t. (Different occasion unknown related 5k miles later) The motor has to be replaced because the piston. Which in return caused the rest of the motor to fail.

On July 28th 2024 my wife backed the vehicle out of the garage and the vehicle locked out the steering wheel. The cluster and gauges went completely out. The vehicle did not start or turn on after that point. It was no longer drivable as we could no longer start the vehicle. The vehicle had to be towed to Penske Cadillac of Torrance where it took them a week to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle fuse box went out which locked out the steering wheel if my wife would of been driving the vehicle she would of been involved in a major accident. The problem was confirmed by the dealer a new fuse box was installed. I have the fuse box here as I requested it to follow up with the NHTSA. There was no warning that the vehicle had any malfuncitons. All electircal componenets and steering went out suddenly and abruplty.

I noticed my brakes started squeaking when I would push the braking pedal. One day, I was pulling up to a bank, drive-through, applying pressure to the brakes, and I had stopped. I let off the break to pull up a little farther, but when reapplying the break, the pedal went all the way to the floor and there was a warning light saying something about servicing the brakes. I immediately picked up my foot and reapplied it to the brake pedal two or three times and the pedal did come back up to normal position. Then stopped me from hitting the car in front of me. The warning light turned off a few minutes later. The squeaking went away as well. That was a couple months back. But this week my brakes are starting to squeak again when I apply the pedal. So I’m worrying that the brakes may go out again. This vehicle has a very rough ride. I hear rattles when driving. It sounds like something is going to fall off soon. Since the warning light turned off, I did not take my vehicle to the dealership for service.

I was pulling forward in a parking garage and it nearly pinned a pedestrian into a parked car. The brakes didn't respond as normal. I had to put most of my weight on the pedal to bring the car to a stop. It was really scary. I took it to the dealer and they said it is a known issue covered under warranty and has to do with a vacuum pump used in the electronic brake system. I thought this was reckless and it should be fixed and not wait until a serious incident. The service advisor [XXX] from Tom Kelly Cadillac, Fort Wayne, IN) even commented that it scared him the first time he drove a customer's car with this issue. He was shocked how hard it was to stop. If this hasn't already, it will cost someone their life. Please help!!! I don't want someone to die for a known issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The low beam headlights are too bright. I get flashed constantly, and then some drivers leave their bright lights on, blinding me, and creating a dangerous driving situation. Almost crashed last night due to being blinded by oncoming vehicle.

Cam shaft lifters are failing. Cam shaft needs to be rebuilt. Rough idle and tick sound from engine. Can cause catalytic converter to stop working and is hazardous and not solving right away can cause further damage to vehicle and damage vehicle while driving. Many have reported same problems.

FRONT STRUTS HAVE FAILED AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. GM HAS CHANGED DESIGN ON REPLACEMENT STRUTS WHICH INDICATES THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS REPAIR COST SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS AND FIR A NEW VEHICLE IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. AFFFECTS STEERING. NO CONTROL ON BUMPY SERVICE.

ENGINE STOP WORKING HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE ENGINE

LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME, AND I WASN'T GOING FAST OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY BAD ESPECIALLY HAVING MY SON WITH ME. MY BRAKES LITERALLY QUIT WORKING. I HAVE A 2018 PLATINUM ESCALADE. ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED TO DATE. I CALLED ON STAR AND NOW WAITING ON A ROLL BACK TO TAKE TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS PULLING INTO A GAS STATION WITH MY SON AND FELT LIKE I COULDN'T STOP BUT THOUGHT MAYBE SOMETHING WAS SLICK, I DROPPED HIM OFF TO HIS GRANDMA, PULLED INTO MCDONALD'S DRIVE THRU WHEN IT DID IT AGAIN. I BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVE THEN AND CALLED MY FIANC. THERE'S A FAST CHANGE LOL AND LUBE A MILE FROM WHERE I WAS, SO I SLOWLY PULLED INTO THE HIGHWAY TO MAKE IT THERE. ONCE THERE EVEN GOING SLOW IT WAS HARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I PUSHED THE BRAKE AS FAR AS IT WOULD GO TO THE POINT IT WAS ON THE FLOOR, IT MADE A GRINDING NOISE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO SCARED IN MY LIFE. KNOWING I HAVE HAD MY BABY IN THE CAR WITH ME.

MOON ROOF DRAIN LINE OBSTRUCTED POSSIBLE PINCHED DURING MANUFACTURE. DRIPPING BROUGHT TO DEALERS ATTENTION . SERVICE TECNITION MAY HAVE APPLIED AIR PRESSURE TO DRAIN LINE BURSTING IT. WATER FROM RAIN THEN LEAKED ON ELECTRONICS PACKAGE UNDER DRIVER SIDE DASH. DRIVER BECAME LOCKED IN AUTO DUE TO WET MALFUNCTIONING ELECTRONIC PACKAGE. POSSIBLE HAZARD IN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

AN 8 INCH CRACK MYSTERIOUSLY APPEARED FROM THE BOTTOM MIDDLE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THERE ARE NO EXTERNAL MARKS ON THE SURFACE OF THE GLASS. JUST NOTICED AS WE WERE TURNING INTO OUR GARAGE.

WHILE DRIVING THE 2018 ESCALADE ESV RWD ON INTERSTATE 87 NORTH YESTERDAY, DRIVING ABOUT 33MPH, THE ESCALADE SUDDENLY SWERVED LEFT AND SLID INTO THE MEDIAN AND THEN ROLLED OVER ON ITS ROOF. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I NOTED I HAD RECEIVED DIAGNOSTIC ONSTAR EMAILS THAT MORNING WHILE DRIVING THAT THE VEHICLE STABILITRAK AND ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WERE EXPERIENCING ISSUES. I ALSO PHONED ONSTAR TODAY ABOUT IF AND WHEN THEY RECEIVED A CRASH NOTIFICATION. THE CRASH NOTIFICATION DID NOT OCCUR WITH ONSTAR UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED BACK OVER, NOT WHEN THE CRASH OCCURRED BUT AN HOUR LATER. THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 60 DAYS NEW.