2003 Cadillac Escalade Esv Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 Cadillac Escalade Esv, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags216.7%
- Brakes216.7%
- Electrical216.7%
- Engine216.7%
- Fuel system18.3%
- Other / unspecified18.3%
- Steering18.3%
- Tires & wheels18.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INFLATER MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 97,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000.
AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. NOTHING WAS DONE PRIOR TO LIGHT COMING ON. I ACTUALLY CALLED GM TO SEE IF IT WAS A RECALL AND ALSO TO REPORT THE INCIDENT.... *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DECELERATE. THE ABS AND TRACTION ACTIVITY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRO-BOOST FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. WHEN THE CONTACT DROVE IN REVERSE AND ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINES FRACTURED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000. UPDATED 10/8/14*CN
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, ALL THE GAUGES AND INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SUDDENLY FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD FAILED BUT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, LIGHTNING STRUCK THE EXTERIOR ANTENNA FOR THE ON-STAR SYSTEM DISRUPTING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ON ENGINE FOUND AT UNDER 100K MILES. CREATES SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A TICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC REVEALED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,043.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND THE WAS TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS FAULTY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP BUT THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP SIX TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT A DISTRICT SPECIALIST WOULD BE SENT TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 198,900.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: THE ALUMINUM RIMS CORRODED, CAUSING THE TIRES TO DEFLATE. THERE WAS AIR LEAKING FROM AROUND THE VALVE STEMS. THIS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3-4 TIMES. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS ON 8-8-05. THE TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN ROTATED. THERE WERE NO OTHER KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. . THE VEHICLE WAS LEASED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
STEERING/CROSS BAR/AXEL- BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 10 + TIMES. CAR STEERING GOES OUT. CAR MAKES CRACKLING NOISES WHILE TURNING. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRIDEGESTONE DUELER TIRES BOUGHT ON 6/07/08 AT FIRESTONE IN TULSA. ON 9/02/08, LESS THAN 1500 MILES LATER, HAD VALVE STEM CRACK CAUSING FLAT TIRE. ON 11/02/08, ANOTHER 1500 MILES LATER, HAD A DIFFERENT TIRE GO FLAT CAUSED BY CRACKED VALVE STEM. FIRESTONE INSISTS THAT THIS IS COINCIDENTAL AND THAT NOBODY ELSE IS MAKING VALVE STEM COMPLAINTS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .