There are 11 stored owner reports matching the electrical system leading-label group for the 2002 Cadillac Escalade in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 11 of 11 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)VEHICLE CUTS OFF WHEN IDLING. ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE CUT OFF AFTER A TWO-HOUR DRIVE WHEN DRIVER SLOWED DOWN WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE LIGHTER AREA. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND A PENNY IN THE LIGHTER AREA. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S CHANGE HOLDER WAS POSITIONED IN A MANNER WHERE CHANGE COULD FALL INTO THE LIGHTER COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD, SEATS, AND ELECTRICAL WIRING WERE BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE FRONT MIDDLE CONSOLE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FLAMES WERE SEEN COMING FROM THE CONSOLE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. NEITHER A POLICE NOR A FIRE REPORT WERE FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT A PENNY FELL INTO THE LIGHTER AND CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS REPAIRING THE VEHICLE HIMSELF. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED WITH THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SWITCH BACK TO TWO WHEEL DRIVE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 4/30/15*CN UPDATED 10/23/2015 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE DROPPED A PENNY INTO THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER, WHICH CREATED A THERMAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED THERE WAS SMOKING COMING FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE FUSE BOX. THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT HIS INSURANCE COMPANY OR REPAIR THE DAMAGE HIMSELF. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FIRE ORIGIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE IGNITION INDEPENDENTLY DISENGAGED FROM THE START POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V153000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE AND STATED THAT THE HIGH BEAM/ LOW BEAM HARNESS ON THE STEERING COLUMN SHORTED OUT. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONTACT COULD PROVIDE PICTURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,800, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000. *AK
DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT. IGNITION SWITCH BROKE. AAA SENT LOCKSMITH. LOCKSMITH SAID HE HAS CHANGED APPROX. 14 OF THESE IN LAST 1 AND 1/2 WEEKS. BRASS PART AND SPRING BREAK OFF LEAVING IGNITION DEAD/UNABLE TO START OR MOVE VEHICLE. I WAS FORTUNATE THIS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT OUT ON THE ROAD. $347.00 LATER AND IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME. BEFORE LOCKSMITH SHOWED UP CADILLAC WANTED TO DISCONNECT TRANSMISSION AND DROP DRIVE SHAFT PLACE ON FLATBED TO TRANSPORT TO DEALERSHIP. WHAT WOULD THAT HAVE COST ME? CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT BE HELD HOSTAGE WITH THIS POOR QUALITY PART. *NM
IGNITION SWITCH: THE TRANSMISSION MAY GET STUCK IN THIRD GEAR AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAY STOP WORKING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. *NM
THE PASSENGER DOOR DID NOT CLOSE PROPERLY, DUE TO A FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.