Cadillac · Escalade ESV · 2018
1
Recall
12
Complaints
4/5
Safety Rating
The 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV has 1 recall and 12 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: engine (5 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Frontal Crash Test

Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
20.4% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
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."
Remedy Status
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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
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.
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.
ENGINE STOP WORKING HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE 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
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.
The 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV has 1 recall recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 12 owner-reported complaints for the 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV.
The 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV are engine (5 reports), electrical system,forward collision avoidance (1 reports), power train,engine (1 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 1 recall on record for the 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.