NHTSA vehicle safety data

2020 Cadillac Escalade Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2020 Cadillac Escalade has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 14 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, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2020 Cadillac Escalade owner complaints

Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Cadillac Escalade, describing incidents dated April 13, 2020 to July 30, 2026.

Most-cited components

Engine 8 complaints
Power Train 3 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance 2 complaints
Electrical System 1 complaint
Exterior Lighting 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint

Of the 14 complaints on file, 2 report a crash and 1 a fire (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11760128 · Filed August 27, 2026
ABS lights come on, engine misfireing, camshaft position senor codes, and vehicle will lunge at stop light. Bought the car 30 days ago and has been in service at the dealership for the past 3 weeks.
ODI #11733688 · Filed April 24, 2026
My vehicle doesn’t even have 66k miles on it and the lifters have gone bad. The check engine came on and the vehicle has stopped working.
ODI #11727310 · Filed March 26, 2026
Engine Failure According to Chevrolet dealership my engine needed to be replace due to tapping coming from the engine. In addition, they found lifter damage along with the camshaft. Cylinder 3 lifter roller failure causing noise and camshaft damage, Yes this was confirmed and engine replaced at that…

Read all 14 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 6, 2019 – September 10, 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 SUV 2WD

—

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

22% rollover risk

Safety Technology

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

2020 Cadillac Escalade 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

23% rollover risk

Safety Technology

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

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

Power Train

ODI #11760128

Incident: July 30, 2026 · Filed: August 27, 2026

ABS lights come on, engine misfireing, camshaft position senor codes, and vehicle will lunge at stop light. Bought the car 30 days ago and has been in service at the dealership for the past 3 weeks.

Engine

ODI #11733688

Incident: April 24, 2026 · Filed: April 24, 2026

My vehicle doesn’t even have 66k miles on it and the lifters have gone bad. The check engine came on and the vehicle has stopped working.

Engine

ODI #11727310

Incident: November 20, 2025 · Filed: March 26, 2026

Engine Failure According to Chevrolet dealership my engine needed to be replace due to tapping coming from the engine. In addition, they found lifter damage along with the camshaft. Cylinder 3 lifter roller failure causing noise and camshaft damage, Yes this was confirmed and engine replaced at that same dealership No warning light or any other symptoms prior to the problem. I have a copy of the receipt and the complete work order from the dealership.

Engine

ODI #11725325

Incident: March 8, 2026 · Filed: March 18, 2026

Engine has been making a knocking sound and shaking and vibrating very loud loudly. The engine light has been on as well as the traction light and it is acts like it’s going to stall every time I turn on the engine. Because of safety concerns, especially on the very busy highway, where I do a lot of driving, I have been afraid to drive the car. Sewell Cadillac is aware of the engine problem and they informed me I need a $10,000 engine replacement! My 2020 engine falls outside of the current recall by one year. I feel as if GMC should be responsible for this unbelievable and totally unexpected problem! I have several friends who are experiencing the same issues with their GMC with the same year and comparable mileage.

Engine

ODI #11721402

Incident: March 2, 2026 · Filed: March 2, 2026

Noticed smoke in rear view mirror while driving at 65 mph. Towed to repair facility. Engine has a piston rod broken and pushed through the block.

Power Train

ODI #11716653

Incident: February 2, 2026 · Filed: February 9, 2026

THE CALAPSABLE LIFTERS HAVE FAILED AND I NEED TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AS WELL AS THE CAM SHAFT. WHY ISNTTHE 2020 ESCALADE ON THE RECAL LIST OF 6.2L ENGIN RECALLS?

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #11710600

Incident: January 12, 2026 · Filed: January 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while starting and driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made abnormal sounds. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the year and VIN were not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,571.

Engine

ODI #11669904

Incident: June 1, 2025 · Filed: June 28, 2025

Scary, driving with my 3 kids. Engine lights and hazard lights saying pull over. Loud sound coming from the hood. We immediately pulled over. Dealership and private Mechanic told us we need a new engine. We just spent $15k on a new transmission. Dealership won’t help us, said our 2020 wasn’t part of the recall. We can’t find an engine if our life depended on it. It’s the same engine as the recall yet they haven’t recalled the 2020 engine yet. The dealership didn’t even tell us what to do or where to complain besides their dealership. No help. Our Cadillac now sits un drive-able. We have to try to get a loan and buy another vehicle. So upset. GMC is not admitting ANYTHING with the 2020’s

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #11660029

Incident: March 5, 2025 · Filed: May 9, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, before the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the lifters, resulting in damages 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 NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 106,000.

Engine

ODI #11650769

Incident: March 25, 2025 · Filed: March 26, 2025

Engine has 64k miles and at stop lights and while parked drops idle to below 500 makes a random knock like sound shudders like it is going to cut off or have engine failure but no check engine lights.

Other Cadillac Escalade model years

Check your 2020 Cadillac Escalade VIN

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

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