There are 10 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2005 Cadillac Escaladein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND SAYS CHECK AIRBAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,977.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATED SHOWING THE INCORRECT FUEL LEVEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE WHEELS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON POWERS BLVD AND CROSSING THE BRIARGATE INTERSECTION IN COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO ON MAY 2, 2015, HONDA CIVIC VEHICLE RAN RED LIGHT TRAVELING WEST AROUND 32 TO 33 MPH (HIT GAS INSTEAD OF BRAKE). AND IMPACTED 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT ON DRIVERS SIDE. COMPONENT PARTS IN QUESTION ARE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT BELT AND PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT. DRIVER SUPPOSIVELY REPORTED TO ONSTAR THAT DRIVERS SEATBELT HAD DISENGAGED SOMETIME DURING IMPACT. POLICE REPORT STATES CADILLAC CAME TO STOP 219 FEET FROM IMPACT. ONSTAR CALL ONLY AVAILABLE IF SUBPOENA IS REQUESTED. INJURIES TO PASSENGER WAS SIDE WHIPLASH, BACK INJURY, AND ROAD RASH TO KNEES, BRUISING AND SORES AS A RESULT OF KNEES IMPACTING GLOVE BOX IN FRONT OF PASSENGER. INITIAL INJURIES TO DRIVER WAS CONCUSSION, CLOSED HEAD INJURY, WHIPLASH, LEFT RIB CONTUSIONS, BRUISING AND SORES. BOTH OCCUPANTS IN CADILLAC WERE TRANSPORTED TO ER. PICTURES TAKEN OF VEHICLE ONCE LOCATED 3 DAYS LATER ILLUSTRATE DRIVERS SEATBELT IN NORMAL POSITION AND PASSENGER SEATBELT IN PULLED DOWN POSITION. PICTURES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. ACCORDING TO POLICE REPORT, PICTURES TAKEN AT SCENE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV.. INTERMITTENT SERVICE AIR BAG MESSAGE. AFTER DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH OF THE PROBLEM I FOUND HUNDREDS OF OWNERS OF SIMILAR GM VEHICLES 2003 TO 2005 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NOT KNOWING IF YOUR AIR BAG IS WORKING IS A SCARY SITUATION. *TR
THIS IS THE EMAIL I SENT TO CADILLAC A FEW MONTHS AGO. THE SEAT BELT HAS SINCE BEEN REPLACED BUT THE DANGER STILL EXIST. MY SON IS LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AFTER THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RELEASE; NEARLY RESULTING IN WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL STRANGULATION. HERE IS THE EMAIL: I AM CONTACTING CADILLAC TO REPORT A PROBLEM I'VE EXPERIENCED WITH YOUR SEATBELTS. I HAVE AN 05 ESCALADE ESV AND MY SON WAS IN THE BACKSEAT SLEEPING AND SOMEHOW MANAGED TO GET THE SEATBELT WRAPPED AROUND HIS NECK. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF WITH HOPES THAT IT WOULD LOOSEN UP SO I COULD GET IT OFF BUT IT ONLY BECAME TIGHTER THE MORE I WORKED TO GET IT OFF. AT THE POINT WHERE HE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME BREATHING AND STARTED TURNING PURPLE I HAD MY HUSBAND OBTAIN SCISSORS AND WE HAD TO CUT IT OFF. MY SONS NECK IS NOW CUT AND BRUISED FROM THE SEATBELT. IS THIS HOW ALL THE SEATBELTS IN YOUR CARS WORK (DOESN'T LOOSEN UP EVEN AFTER THE CAR IS OFF) HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET SCISSORS TO FREE HIM THIS MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE SAME OUTCOME. THE DEALER THAT REPLACED THE SEAT BELT UNTIL SAID IT WAS "COMPLETELY LOCKED AND AGREED THAT IF WE HADN'T CUT IT THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO RELEASE IT. I ALSO HAVE PHOTOS OF MY SONS NECK DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT. I WOULD HAVE REPORTED THIS SOONER BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO REPORT IT TO UNTIL I WAS INFORMED OF THIS WEBSITE. *TR
HAD A FRONT END COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AND NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS 4 WEEKS OLD AND HAD 1850 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. CALLED CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS GIVEN AN AIRBAG HISTORY LESSON VIA TELEPHONE FROM SOMEONE THAT HAD NEVER SEEN MY VEHICLE OR INSPECTED IT FOR DAMAGE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. AT THE END OF OUR CONVERSATION I WAS TOLD ALL WAS OK, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE WAS KNOCKED OFF, THE FRAME HAS MULTIPLE CRACKS AND IS BENT AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION AND THE COLLISION CENTER IS 90% CERTAIN THE VEHICLE IS NOT REPAIRABLE. *JB
ON JULY 16TH, 2005; I WAS INVOLVED IN A LIFE CHANGING, SINGLE VEHICLE AUTO ACCIDENT. I STRUCK A HILL WITH THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH ENOUGH EXCESSIVE FORCE TO FLIP THIS CADILLAC ESCALADE HEAD FIRST. THE ESCALADE FLIPPED TWICE, IMPACTING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND LANDING UP SIDE DOWN. ASTONISHINGLY, OUT OF THE FOUR AIR BAGS IN THIS VEHICLE, NOT ONE OF THEM DEPLOYED. I PURCHASED THIS 2004 ESCALADE BRAND NEW AND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IT ONLY HAD 15,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS AND IT IS UTTERLY UNBELIEVABLE THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE RAVED REVIEWS, CONSUMER REPORTS INCLUDING SAFETY FEATURES, AND STYLISH BODY THAT THIS CADILLAC ESCALADE BECAME THE VEHICLE OF MY DREAMS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MY CADILLAC EXPERIENCE. I DO NOT TRUST THIS VEHICLE ENOUGH TO GET INTO ANOTHER ONE. I KNOW THAT I AM ONLY HERE BECAUSE GOD DECIDED THE SPARE MY LIFE. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT I FREQUENTLY SUFFER SEVERE MIGRAINES, DIZZY SPELLS, BLURRED VISION, MEMORY LOSS, AND ANXIETY/PANIC ATTACKS ALL WHICH KEEP ME FROM SLEEPING. IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO COMMUTE FROM DOCTORS APPOINTMENTS AND WORK FOR FEAR OF ANOTHER ACCIDENT. THE NEXT WEEK I HAD SEVERE CHEST, SHOULDER AND LOWER BACK PAINS; ALL OF WHICH I AM BEING TREATED FOR ON A REGULAR BASIS. I ALSO SEEK TREATMENT FROM A NEUROLOGIST FOR THE HEAD INJURY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAGS AND GM SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER. *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.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026