The Used Car Index

2002 Cadillac Escalade problems

NHTSA lists 115 complaints for the 2002 Cadillac Escalade, 12 of them mention a crash and 7 mention a fire. 7 complaints mention an injury, with 11 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as CADILLAC ESCALADE.

At a glance

Complaints
115
With crash
12
With fire
7
With injury (complaints)
7
Injuries
11
Deaths
0
Recalls
1
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
558,904
Investigations
3
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
601

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC2824.3%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1613.9%
SERVICE BRAKES119.6%
POWER TRAIN108.7%
SUSPENSION87.0%
STEERING76.1%
STRUCTURE76.1%
SEAT BELTS65.2%
SEATS65.2%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL54.3%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP13
SEATSFRONT ASSEMBLY6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICFOUNDATION COMPONENTS6
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROLAUTOMATIC (ASC)5
STRUCTUREBODY5
SEAT BELTSFRONT3
STEERINGHYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM3
AIR BAGSFRONTAL2
POWER TRAINAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
POWER TRAINDRIVELINE2

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

1 recalls.

02V253000

Date: 2002-09-17. Systems: SEATS.

Defect: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH REARWARD FOLDING HEAD RESTRAINTS ON THE SECOND ROW SEATS, TWO POTENTIAL PINCH POINTS EXIST ON EACH OF THE FOLDING HEAD RESTRAINTS WHEN THE RESTRAINTS ARE FOLDED REARWARD AS THE SEATBACK IS FOLDED DOWN.

Consequence: IF A PERSON WERE TO INSERT THEIR FINGER(S) INTO THE PINCH POINT WHEN THE HEAD RESTRAINT FOLDS, IT COULD TRAP AND PINCH THE FINGER(S) CAUSING INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL PROTECTIVE COVERS OVER THE PINCH POINTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 8, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

3 investigations; 0 open.

EA11001

Opened: 2011-01-05. Closed: 2015-04-08.

Brake line corrosion failure

On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that NHTSA has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of

Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.

Linked campaign numbers: None listed.

PE05020

Opened: 2005-04-28. Closed: 2005-09-13.

UNWANTED LOW-SPEED ABS ACTIVATION

IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 29, 2005, GM NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT WAS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999 THROUGH 2002 C/K PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) WHEEL SPEED SENSOR CORROSION THAT MAY RESULT IN UNWANTED ABS ACTIVATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING LOW-SPEED BRAKING (RECALL 05V-379).GM'S RECALL COVERS APPROXIMATELY 804,000 VEH

Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.

Linked campaign numbers: 05V379000.

EA02015

Opened: 2002-08-01. Closed: 2004-01-12.

THROTTLE STICKING CLOSED

THIS INVESTIGATION INVOLVES THE GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION (GM)THROTTLE BODY (TB) UTILIZED IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 SILVERADO, SIERRA, TAHOE, SUBURBAN, AVALANCHE AND YUKON (SUBJECT VEHICLE(S)) WITH 4.8L, 5.3L, AND 6.0L ENGINES. THE TB VALVE MAY INTERMITTENTLY STICK IN A CLOSED POSITION.IN SUCH A SITUATION, AN OPERATOR MAY APPLY ADDITIONAL ACCELERATOR PEDAL FORCE TO INCREASE ENGINE SPEED.THE AP

Systems: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.

Linked campaign numbers: None listed.

Manufacturer communications

601 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT172
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING89
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM75
POWER TRAIN44
STRUCTURE44
ENGINE28
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY26
VISIBILITY26

11025453

Date: 2025-11-03. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This PI Communicates information to ensure Memory Recall is enabled to ensure memory mirrors return to set position after curbview assist is used.

11020816

Date: 2025-07-18. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

11014455

Date: 2025-02-20. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to

11009156

Date: 2024-10-25. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester A and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and st

11007743

Date: 2024-09-12. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and ven

11007744

Date: 2024-09-12. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and ven

11006621

Date: 2024-08-26. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is com

11006421

Date: 2024-07-24. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: POWER TRAIN.

GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities. The damage is being caused either in the removal process by the technician, or inadequate packaging or shipping. This bulletin advises the dealers to be more careful not to damage the transmissions durin

11004761

Date: 2024-06-28. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.

This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce carbon build-up.

11004557

Date: 2024-06-17. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim.

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
ESCALADE115

Same model, other years

All model years | All Cadillac models

Other Cadillac models, 2002

Sources

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