There are 9 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2004 Cadillac Escaladein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I HAD A BADLY CORRODED BRAKE LINE RUPNTURE AND NEARLY WRECKED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER 2 DAYS THEY SAY THEY WON'T FIX IT. THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH LINES ROUTED THROUGH THE FRAME, OR BETWEEN FRAME AND BODY. THEY RECOMMEND A FULL BODY REMOVAL AND THEY REFUSED. FAULTY TRANS MODULES AND PEELING/LEAKING STOCK RIMS.
I PURCHASED A 2004 CADILLAC ESCALADE IN MARCH 2010, HOWEVER SOON AFTER PURCHASE MY WATER PUMP HAD A LEAK WHICH THE DEALERSHIP STATED THEY COULDN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT IT, A MONTH LATER WHEN I WENT TO BACK UP MY VEHICLE THE REVERSE DID NOT WORK MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE NO REVERSE I HAVE CONTACT CADILLAC DEALERSHIP AND THEY ACT LIKE I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT AND ALSO THE TRANSMISSION GAUGE INSIDE VEHICLE IS PASS THE LIMIT LINE OVER HEATING. *TR
FRONT DIFFERENTIAL GOING BAD AND CAUSING THE TRANSFER CASE TO GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING, CAR DEALER UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *TR
HAD MY ESCALADE ESV IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR SERVICE ON THE TRANSMISSION, AT 122,000 MY 3RD AND OVERDRIVE BAND BROKE LEAVING ME STRANDING IN GILROY CALIFORNIA, NOT A BAD PLACE REALLY NICE PEOPLE. WROTE A LETTER TO THE CHAIRMAN OF GM, RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM SOMEONE NAMED AMY, AND HERE IS THE DIALOGUE: I AM SORRY THIS HAPPEN WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING, NO WONDER GM IS LOSING MARKET SHARE. *TR
I STOPPED AT THE POST OFFICE WITH MY 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. I PUT THE ESCALADE IN PARK WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON IN A PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WITH MY DAUGHTER IN IT. A LADY NEXT TO MY CAR SAID SHE HEARD THE VEHICLE MAKE A NOISE AND POPPED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. THE ESCALADE WAS MAKING GRINDING NOISE FROM THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AS IT WAS BACKING UP. THE VEHICLE BACKED INTO A PARKED CAR. *TR
TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WOULD GO INTO GEAR WITH THE IGNITION BEING IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS SON WAS IN THE VEHICLE THE KEY WAS ON ACCESSORY POSITION, AND THE CHILD PULLED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO REVERSE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STRIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT, THE REASON THAT YOU CAN PULL THE GEAR SHIFT IS IN CASE YOU NEED TO TOW THE VEHICLE, SO YOU CAN SET IT IN NEUTRAL. CONTACT CAN PROVIDE PICTURES IF NEEDED. *AK
1ST INCIDENT 1) I WAS GOING TO PARK IN A SPOT BETWEEN TWO BUILDING, ONLY LARGE ENOUGH FOR ONE VEHICLE. I CAME DOWN THE ROAD, WHICH HAS A DECLINE TO IT, AND TURNED RIGHT, INTO THE PARKING SPOT. DUE TO THE ROAD BEING 1 WAY, AND THE PARKING SPOT BEING TIGHT, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY INTO THE PARKING SPOT. I TURNED THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO BACK UP TO GO STRAIGHT INTO THE PARKING SPOT. I PRESSED THE BRAKE, SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, AND PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. MEANWHILE, A LADY WALKED IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE ON THE SIDEWALK. 2) THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD, EVEN THOUGH THE RPMS WERE AT APPROXIMATELY 2200 RPMS AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE. I HIT THE BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE HAD ALREADY HIT THE LADY. SHE WAS FORTUNATELY FINE, AND CONTINUED ON HER WAY. 3) I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY TOLD ME IT WAS WORKING WITHIN IN DESIGN PARAMETERS. THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING MORE THAT COULD BE DONE. I CALLED CADILLAC CUSTOMER CARE, AND INFORMED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO SAID AT THE TIME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, AND CHALKED IT UP TO A FLUKE. 2ND INCIDENT 1) I PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AGAIN WITH A DECLINE. ABOUT 2 FEET IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS A CEMENT POST. I CAME OUT, STARTED THE TRUCK, PRESSED THE BRAKE, AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. 2). I PRESSED THE GAS, THE RPMS WERE OVER 2000 RPMS, AND THE VEHICLE ONCE AGAIN DID NOT REVERSE BUT RATHER ROLLED FORWARD INTO THE CEMENT POST, CRACKING MY FRONT BUMPER. AFTER THAT, THE REVERSE ENGAGED AND THE TRUCK STARTED REVERSING. 3). THE DEALERSHIP CURRENTLY HAS THE VEHICLE, AND IS TELLING ME TO COME PICK IT UP, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I ASKED WHAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE BEFORE THEY DID SOMETHING, AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I HAVE CALLED CADILLAC CUSTOMER CARE AGAIN, LEFT 3 MESSAGES, AND STILL AHVE NOT HEARD BACK. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIABILITY OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AT THIS POINT.
THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED ON A NEW 2004 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON AND THE A SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGE ON THE DASH. THERE WAS NO NOISE OR WARNING PRIOR. AFTER THE BEARING SEIZED, THE AXEL SNAPPED AND THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE WHEEL ON WAS THE BRAKE CALIPER. THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENTIRE REAR AXEL, DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY. I HAVE HEARD OF WHEEL FAILURES ON CHEVROLET AVALANCHE TRUCK'S ALSO (SAME CHASSIS). MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE IS A COMPONENT PROBLEM WITH THE WHEEL BEARING ON THESE TRUCKS WHICH COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM THE BACK AND SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER NOTICED OIL SPLATTERED ALL OVER THE TRUNK AND THE ROAD WHEN THEY PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, AND INDICATED THAT THE SERVO WASN'T INSTALLED PROPERLY AT THE FACTORY, WHICH RESULTED IN TRANSMISSION TO LEAK OIL. *LA
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.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026