IllustrationDURING ROUTINE REPAIR WORK TRANSMISSION LINES, BREAK LINES AND POWER STEERING LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE ROTTEN OR BADLY LEAKING. IN ADDITION, FUEL PUMP, REAR BACKING PLATES AND POWER STEERING AND TRANSMISSION COOLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO ROT.
2004 Cadillac Escalade
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 Cadillac Escalade do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 47.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Escalade 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
110–25K
525–50K
650–75K
975–100K
11100–150K
9150K+
51 reports with mileage · 18 unknown
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 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports6 fire reports12 injury reports
Steering complaints
4 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AS THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND BARRING NEED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE TO THE VE…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AS THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND BARRING NEED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING TURNS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A CLUNKING NOISE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAS EXCESSIVE WEAR AND FILLED IT WITH GREASE.
WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IT PRODUCED A WHININNING NOISE. DEALER REPAIRED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING TWICE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
Official recalls
205V163000 · Seat Belts:rear/other
Apr 22, 2005
ON CERTAIN CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE 2ND ROW CENTER OCCUPANT SEAT BELT ROUTING MAY MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO POSITION THE LAP PORTION OF THE SAFETY BELT LOW AROUND THE HIPS OF OCCUPANTS, ESPECIALLY SMALLER OCCUPANTS, SEATED IN THIS POSITION. APPROPRIATE USE OF A CHILD SEAT OR BOOSTER SEAT, AS RECOMMENDED FOR SMALL CHILDREN, DOES IMPROVE THE FIT CONDITION FOR THIS USER GROUP. IN ADDITION TO INSTRUCTIONS ON PROPER INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD RESTRAINT (WITH CHILD SEATS OR BOOSTERS), SPECIAL VERBIAGE FOR RESTRAINING OLDER CHILD IS INCLUDED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. ALSO, THE SUGGESTED SEAT BELT FIT/ROUTING FOR ADULTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF SEATING POSITION, IS DESCRIBED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TEXT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A LAP PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT ROUTING THAT IS NOT LOW AND SNUG ON THE HIPS CAN ALLOW THE LAP BELT TO RIDE UP ON AN OCCUPANT'S ABDOMEN INSTEAD OF FITTING LOW AROUND THEIR HIPBONES, AND THEREFORE, CAN EXPOSE THEM TO MORE RISK OF ABDOMINAL AND INTERNAL ORGAN INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CUT OPEN THE GUIDE LOOP, REMOVE A PORTION OF THE LOOP, AND THEN THE REMAINING TWO SIDES SHOULD BE FOLDED OVER AND SECURED WITH A RETAINER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 21, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, OR HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493.
04V045000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Feb 4, 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND PASSENGER VANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, ?PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.? SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION BRAKE HYDRO-BOOST HOUSING RELIEF VALVE BORE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENTLY, THE VALVE O-RING SEAL MAY FRACTURE. STEERING EFFORTS MAY BE SLIGHTLY INCREASED WHILE BRAKING OR PARKING. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, A FRACTURED SEAL MAY REQUIRE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THE SAME VEHICLE DECELERATION RATE AS PRIOR TO THE SEAT FRACTURE.
Remedy: DEALERS ARE TO REPLACE THE HYDRO-BOOST RELIEF VALVE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 18, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; GMC AT 1-866-996-9463; OR HUMMER AT 1-866-486-6376.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.