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2005 Cadillac Escalade Esv

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Compare all Escalade Esv years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 13 of 14 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

14 reports
52,000 miles · Mar 19, 2010
Seat BeltsInjury

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 EXPE…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10321057

83,000 miles · Jan 27, 2009
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicTires

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…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10256451

95,987 miles · Jan 19, 2009
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH THE SPEEDOMETER FROZE. WHEN I PULLED ONTO AN EXIT RAMP AN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE GAUGE FEEL TO ZERO BUT WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE THE GAUGE WOULD NOT MOVE, IT STAYED ON ZERO FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY DRIVE. ONSTAR COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. I HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO TAKE IT …

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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH THE SPEEDOMETER FROZE. WHEN I PULLED ONTO AN EXIT RAMP AN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE GAUGE FEEL TO ZERO BUT WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE THE GAUGE WOULD NOT MOVE, IT STAYED ON ZERO FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY DRIVE. ONSTAR COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. I HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER YET. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS A RECALL OR TSB FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10255601

15,000 miles · Mar 1, 2006
Electrical System

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE USING THE DVD PLAYER AND THEN SWITCHING TO THE RADIO, CD OR SATELLITE, THE SPEAKER VOLUME INCREASES TO A DEAFENING LEVEL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SEEN BY THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT A REMEDY WAS UNAVAILABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10151556

Official recalls

1

05V055000 · Power Train:manual Transmission:shift Pattern Indicator

Feb 14, 2005

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT." UNDER CERTAIN VEHICLE STARTING CONDITIONS, THE SHIFT LEVER POSITION INDICATOR LOCATED IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER MAY NOT ILLUMINATE. IF THE SHIFT LEVER POSITION INDICATOR DOES NOT ILLUMINATE, THE DRIVER MAY NOT KNOW WHICH GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VEHICLE MAY MOVE IN AN UNINTENDED DIRECTION RESULTING IN POSSIBLE INJURY TO OTHERS OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, AND GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.