The Lemon Index

All cars · Cadillac Escalade · 2018

2018 Cadillac Escalade. Advanced data.

The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.

Lemon Index19100 = average car
Complaints7NHTSA, first 3 years
Sold36,872U.S. model year
Per 100K sold19complaints
Complaint rank#2 of 16among the 16 scored Cadillac Escalade model years (2000–2022); #1 = fewest complaints per car sold, not the YouTube rank

Complaints by system

SystemShare of complaints
Engine29%
Suspension29%
Stability control14%
Steering14%
Wipers & visibility14%

One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.

Severity, all complaints

TotalCrashesFiresInjuriesDeathsTows
711001

As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.

Recall campaigns 2

  • 20V603000 Oct 2020 Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Power Assist / Vacuum

    Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine. The output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.

    Risk. A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N202300860.

  • 18V673000 Sep 2018 Seat Belts / Rear/Other

    Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk. If the child seat is not properly secured in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18315.

Manufacturer communications 1220

Cadillac filed 1220 service communications for this car with NHTSA.

Crash ratings by version

VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Cadillac Escalade SUV RWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆
Cadillac Escalade SUV AWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆
Cadillac Escalade ESV SUV AWD★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆
Cadillac Escalade ESV SUV RWD★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆

Safety equipment

Electronic stabilityForward collision warningLane departure warning
StandardOptionalOptional

Engines and drivetrains 2

EngineTransmissionDriveCity / hwy / combinedFuelFuel cost/yr
6.2L 8-cylAuto 10-spdRWD14 / 23 / 17Premium$4,550
6.2L 8-cylAuto 10-spd4WD14 / 21 / 17Premium$4,550

EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.

Nearby model years

YearLemon IndexComplaintsSoldTop system
2015913235,921Electrical
20161044139,092Transmission & drivetrain
2017823337,694Brakes
201819736,872Engine
201919735,424Lights
202032824,547Airbags
2021512040,505Engine

Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.

Updated · Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data

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