There are 10 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2005 Cadillac Escaladein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Brake/abs system locked up on me and I couldn’t stop. I accidentally hit someone from behind and was proven to be an accident. My traction light my abs light and my brake light all came on at the same time right before I wrecked. The suv swerves over to the other lane randomly while on the interstate and does stop on time. Every time I fuel up gas leaks out from somewhere and its pumps gas really slow and takes so long
BRAKE PEDDLE GOING TO THE FLOOR
FEBRUARY 14, 2016 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK GOING ABOUT 50 MILES PER HOUR UPON APPROACHING 60 THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO LOSE POWER SO I STEERED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND HIT THE ONSTAR BUTTON TO TELL THEM THAT I WAS LOSING POWER AND THAT WOULD THEY RUN A DIAGNOSTIC THEY STATED THAT WOULD. THEY STATED ALSO WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO CHECK, BRAKING SYSTEM, ENGINE, TRANSMISSION ETC. WHEN THEY CAME BACK ONLINE ME NOT KNOW WHAT THEY REALLY DID CHECK I WAS TOLD THAT ALL WAS A GREEN LIGHT, SO I PROCEED TO CONTINUE ON MY WAY TO WORK, BUT IT HAPPEN AGAIN AND I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. NEVER ONCE DID THEY DIAGNOSTIC ONLY MEANT THAT THEY WAS JUST CHECKING FOR CODES AND IT WAS NOT A TRUE DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. THEY ALSO NEVER OFFER TO TOW THE VEHICLE HOME OR TO THE DEALER. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME AND TOOK IT TO THE FIRST MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE YAW RATE SENSOR NEEDED REPLACED AT $500 SOMETHING DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT SO I TOOK IT TO A GM CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE HYDO-BOOST, PRESSURE HOSES NEEDED REPLACED AT $2600 ALONG ON THE PHONE BACK AND FORTH WITH ON STAR WHICH CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY ON STAR STATED TO ME THAT GM TECH WANTED THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS TO SEE WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM. SO GM CAME AND PICK THE VEHICLE UP AND TRANSPORTED TO BOMMORITO CADILLAC OF WHICH THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REPORT BACK TO ON STAR WHICH STATED THAT THEY WASN'T RESPONSIBLE AND THAT THEY BELIEVED THAT GM SHOULD HANDLE IT FROM HERE. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT GM CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS EVEN THOUGH YOU GUY'S AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS WARNED THEM ABOUT THE ISSUE WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM BEFORE AND THEY DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. MY COMPLAINT THAT THIS ISSUES SHOULD NOT BE MY RESPONSIBILITY NOR THE COST CAUSE THEY NEW THE POTENTIAL OF THIS FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT DROVE ONTO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID CRASHING INTO ONCOMING VEHICLES. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT, WHO WAS AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND NO BRAKE FLUID WAS PRESENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000.
BRAKES COMPLETELY WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. BRAKE LINE RUST BUSTED THE BRAKE LINES. THIS WAS OUT OF NO WHERE AND COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE. *TR
DRIVING AT 35 MPH CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON BRAKES CAR STOPPED DASH BOARD LIT UP WITH VARIOUS WARNING LIGHTS. AS I TOOK OFF I WENT TWO BLOCKS PUT ON BRAKES HAD NO BRAKES.THE FRONT BRAKE LINE WAS TOTALLY CORRODED THROUGH AND ALL BRAKE FLUID HAD DRAINED OUT.AFTER CHECKING LINE FOUND OUT ENTIRE FRONT BRAKE LINE FROM LEFT WHEEL TO RIGHT WHEEL IS CORRODED .CADILLAC IS CLAIMING TO MANY MILES WILL NOT STAND BEHIND IT.THE CARS ORIGINAL BATTERY HAS OUTLASTED BRAKE LINES. *TR
AT HOME IN THE DRIVEWAY, STARTED THE ENGINE AND PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND A BRAKE FAILURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON IN THE VEHICLE. UNDER THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A LARGE POOL OF BRAKE FLUID AND A LEAK FROM ONE OF THE BRAKE PIPES UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. ON CLOSER INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED BADLY OVER A SECTION LENGTH OF AROUND ONE FOOT IN LENGTH, AND COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH, SUDDENLY GIVEN WAY - LUCKILY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STANDSTILL. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A SALTY ENVIRONMENT OTHER THAN NORMAL VIRGINIA WINTER ROAD SALT, OR USED OFF ROAD. *LN
THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE RELEASE MECHANISM HAS BROKEN TODAY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS MECHANISM HAS FAILED. IT WAS REPLACED WITH A GM OEM PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER ON 8-13-2011. THIS VEHICLE HAS 68932 MILES ON IT AND WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FAILURE IN THIS PART. *TR
THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FRICTION LININGS BECAME SEPARATED FROM THEIR METAL SHOE WHICH RESULTED IN COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. ADDITIONALLY, THIS RUINED THE ROTOR AND BRAKE PADS OF THE REAR BRAKES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND BEGAN TO COAST. THE CONTACT LOST STEERING ABILITY, BUT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE GEARS IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $3,200. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DID NOT RECEIVE A TRANSMISSION FLUSH AND FAILED DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE, NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,050. UPDATED 3/11/09 *CN THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE TIRES BLEW OUT. UPDATED 03/16/09. *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 26, 2026