2016 Cadillac Escalade problems and complaints
Owners have filed 104 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Cadillac Escalade. The most-reported areas: Engine (31), Power Train (22), Electrical System (18).
Key takeaways
- 104 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 4 involve a crash, 3 a fire, 5 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 31 | 30% |
| Power Train | 22 | 21% |
| Electrical System | 18 | 17% |
| Unknown Or Other | 17 | 16% |
| Suspension | 15 | 14% |
| Steering | 7 | 7% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 6% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 4% |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 4% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 3 | 3% |
| Wheels | 3 | 3% |
| Structure | 3 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Cadillac Escalade SUV AWD | Not rated | Not rated | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| 2016 Cadillac Escalade SUV RWD | Not rated | Not rated | 5/5 | 3/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Power Train - filed 2026-08-15
The transmission has experienced ongoing shifting problems, including extremely hard shifts at low speeds and difficulty shifting properly at higher/highway speeds. The hard shifting could cause the vehicle to jerk unexpectedly, and the difficulty shifting at higher speeds caused concern about the vehicle’s ability to ...
Engine - filed 2026-07-22
At highway speed, the engine lifters associated with the Active Fuel Management system failed and caused catastrophic damage throughout the engine. The sudden loss of power on the highway almost caused vehicles traveling behind me to collide.
Engine - filed 2026-07-13
The first engine failure occurred while my vehicle remained under warranty. While driving with my children and a couple of her teammates to an AAU tournament in [XXX], the vehicle just began emitting white smoke. We pulled to a gas station and were stranded until we could arrange transportation for the 7 of us. It was ...
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More for the 2016 Cadillac Escalade
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.