NHTSA vehicle safety data

2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 22 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Cadillac dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV owner complaints

Owners have filed 22 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV, describing incidents dated November 2, 2020 to July 17, 2026.

Most-cited components

Engine 14 complaints
Air Bags 4 complaints
Wheels 4 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System 3 complaints
Power Train 2 complaints
Structure 2 complaints

Of the 22 complaints on file, 3 report a crash; across all 22 complaints, owners report 3 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11765856 · Filed September 21, 2026
Torque convertor shutter, hard shifts, delayed shifts
ODI #11743653 · Filed June 12, 2026
This vehicle is equipped with the 6.2 V8 engine we have experienced catastrophic engine failure twice. The vehicle is relatively low mileage.
ODI #11736511 · Filed May 8, 2026
Purchased a 2020 Cadillac Escalade Suburban about three months ago from GMC dealership at 8155 Interstate 35, San Antonio, Texas 78224. This vehicle had about 50,000 miles when we bought it. We were not driving the Escalade everyday, we use it occasionally and about a month after we purchased it the…

Read all 22 complaints

Tire Failure may Cause Sudden Air Loss

NHTSA #21V115000 · Tires · NHTSA notice

Reported February 25, 2021 · General Motors, LLC

Potentially affected: 33,838 vehicles

Repair completion: 81.78% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign N212329050 · Owners notified March 22, 2021

Defect description

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.

Safety consequence

Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Fuel Pump Missing Pressure Regulator

NHTSA #19V837000 · Fuel System, Gasoline — Delivery — Fuel Pump · NHTSA notice

Reported November 21, 2019 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 502 vehicles

Repair completion: 96.22% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign N192283991 · Owners notified December 18, 2019 · Vehicles built September 5, 2019 – September 6, 2019 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Camaro, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump may be missing a pressure regulator, allowing for over-pressurization of the fuel system.

Safety consequence

Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192283991.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV SUV RWD

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Rollover

20% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control Forward Collision Warning (Optional) Lane Departure Warning (Optional)

2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV SUV 4WD

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Rollover

21% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control Forward Collision Warning (Optional) Lane Departure Warning (Optional)

22 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV.

Power Train

ODI #11765856

Incident: July 17, 2026 · Filed: September 21, 2026

Torque convertor shutter, hard shifts, delayed shifts

Engine

ODI #11743653

Incident: June 11, 2026 · Filed: June 12, 2026

This vehicle is equipped with the 6.2 V8 engine we have experienced catastrophic engine failure twice. The vehicle is relatively low mileage.

Electrical System; Air Bags; Structure

ODI #11736511

Incident: May 4, 2026 · Filed: May 8, 2026

Purchased a 2020 Cadillac Escalade Suburban about three months ago from GMC dealership at 8155 Interstate 35, San Antonio, Texas 78224. This vehicle had about 50,000 miles when we bought it. We were not driving the Escalade everyday, we use it occasionally and about a month after we purchased it the battery went dead. Before the battery went completely dead we were on the road one day and we rolled down the window and it would not roll back up, then the back window popped open and it would not shut back down. GMC dealership we bought it from came to our home and used a charger to recharge the battery. We took it to the dealership service department and dealership determined it was a bad battery, they gave us a new battery. On May 4, we attempted to use the Escalade and once more the battery was dead. Service person from GMC dealership came back to our home to charge the new battery but it would not start at all this time. We no longer feel safe driving this vehicle and want to turn it back in as a lemon and get our money back.

Engine

ODI #11734715

Incident: May 13, 2025 · Filed: April 29, 2026

There is something causing an engine misfire, and this was the first time it happened. It has happened again, and I realized that there were a lot of class action lawsuits about lifter failure in these engines

Engine

ODI #11731123

Incident: March 19, 2026 · Filed: April 14, 2026

While driving on a highway, my wife abruptly experienced warning lights, loud rattling from engine and loss of power. Check engine light indicated cylinder misfire. Troubleshooting revealed a bent push rod and later discover broken lifter. While researching the issue it was found to be a very common issues with vehicles using active fuel management. Issue is so widespread parts are replacement parts are unavailable. If more traffic were around situation could resulted in loss of control in traffic and collision.

Engine

ODI #11727921

Incident: June 20, 2025 · Filed: March 30, 2026

My original factory 2020 Escalade 6.2L engine suddenly without warning seized while driving on a two lane undivided highway. I was forced to steer and brake the vehicle from 70mph to the shoulder of the road. My Vehicle had to be towed to GM dealer who diagnosed a seized engine. GM Replaced engine under warranty. This incident is identical to the 6.2L engine failures of the 2021 to 2024 recall.

Engine

ODI #11724916

Incident: November 3, 2025 · Filed: March 17, 2026

The colling system is not working properly and damage the engine

Power Train; Engine; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11712596

Incident: August 8, 2025 · Filed: January 22, 2026

Persistent Engine Failure and Safety Hazards – 2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV 97000 miles The vehicle suffered a major engine failure while traveling at highway speeds. The incident began with a loud mechanical knocking from the engine, followed by a sudden loss of propulsion and the vehicle entering "limp mode." Both the Check Engine Light (flashing/solid) and multiple safety system warnings illuminated simultaneously. Diagnostic reports confirmed multiple cylinder misfires. Despite thousands of dollars spent at various independent service centers, the underlying mechanical issues persist, rendering the vehicle unreliable and unsafe for operation.

Engine

ODI #11710428

Incident: November 24, 2025 · Filed: January 12, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact allowed the vehicle to coast to the shoulder of the roadway and shifted into park(P). The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,236.

Engine

ODI #11697952

Incident: October 2, 2025 · Filed: November 6, 2025

My Engine is experiencing rough idle. This vehicle has the l87 engine that has been recalled on other year models. Rough idle is one of the symptoms described before complete failure of the l87 engines.

Other Cadillac Escalade ESV model years

Check your 2020 Cadillac Escalade ESV VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Cadillac Escalade ESV at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Cadillac VIN