2009 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 2009 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
- Airbags330.0%
- Fuel system330.0%
- Engine220.0%
- Brakes110.0%
- Electrical110.0%
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
AIRBAG LIGHT STAY ON AND IT WILL NOT GO AWAY. I AM UNABLE TO PASS SAFETY INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THAT. 07/06/2016 MANUFACTURER SAFETY RECALL ISSUED NHTSA #16V381 RECALL #2049151 PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATORS STATUS: REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
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
INITIALLY MY FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. I ASSUMED IT FAILED AND WAS GOING TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THE FOLLOWING DAY WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FUEL GAUGE ISSUE. I WAS ON MY WAY TO DROP THE CAR OFF AT THE DEALER THE SAME DAY AND WHILE DRIVING A WARNING MESSAGE STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS INOPERABLE, IT THEN WENT INTO LIMP MODE. I BARELY MADE IT OFF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I PULLED INTO A SAFE LOCATION I HEARD A POP UNDER THE CAR AND EVERYTHING STARTED SHUTTING DOWN. THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING, EVENTUALLY QUITTING. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND AFTER CRAWLING AROUND I NOTICED THE WIRING CLIPS HOLDING THE WIRE LOOM ABOVE THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT HAD FAILED. THE WIRING LOOM HAS ENOUGH SLACK IN IT TO THEN WRAP ITSELF AROUND THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT, FINALLY SNAPPING THE WIRES. A TOTAL OF 9 WIRES SNAPPED. THIS IS MOST LIKELY ONLY AN ISSUE FOR THOSE WITH AWD AS IT WAS THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT THAT THE WIRES FINALLY WRAPPED AROUND AND CAUSED MULTIPLE SYSTEMS TO FAIL IMMEDIATELY. LUCKILY IT WAS DURING THE DAY IN AN AREA I WAS FAMILIAR WITH. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT OR ON A TRIP, THIS COULD HAVE TURNED INTO AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ISSUE. A MUCH MORE DANGEROUS ONE.
STUCK THROTTLE AT 4000+ RPMS: WHILE PASSING A CAR ON A STRAIGHT TWO LANE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE STAYED AT 4000 RPMS OR GREATER AFTER THE THROTTLE PEDAL WAS RELEASED. NO CARPET OR FLOOR MAT WAS IMPEDING THE THROTTLE PEDAL. THE PEDAL WAS PRESSED HARD AND RELEASE SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY TO DISENGAGE THE THROTTLE BUT RPMS STAY ABOVE 4000 RPMS. THE TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED INTO THE MANUAL POSITION BUT RPMS CONTINUED TO STAY ABOVE 4000 FOR APPROXIMATELY 3.5 MILES AND 2.5 MINUTES WITH THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLY GOING IN EXCESS OF 90 MPH. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED THROUGHOUT THE STUCK THROTTLE EVENT BUT THE BRAKES BECAME OVERHEATED AND INEFFECTIVE. EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WAS MOVED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP WITH THE RPMS STILL AT 4000+ PRMS. WHILE STOPPED THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND ONLY THEN DID THE RPMS GO FROM 4000+ TO ZERO. THE CADILLAC DEALER STATED THEY REMOVED THE THROTTLE BODY AND REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR TO REPAIR THE STUCK THROTTLE ISSUE.
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
INITIALLY MY FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. I ASSUMED IT FAILED AND WAS GOING TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THE FOLLOWING DAY WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FUEL GAUGE ISSUE. I WAS ON MY WAY TO DROP THE CAR OFF AT THE DEALER THE SAME DAY AND WHILE DRIVING A WARNING MESSAGE STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS INOPERABLE, IT THEN WENT INTO LIMP MODE. I BARELY MADE IT OFF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I PULLED INTO A SAFE LOCATION I HEARD A POP UNDER THE CAR AND EVERYTHING STARTED SHUTTING DOWN. THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING, EVENTUALLY QUITTING. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND AFTER CRAWLING AROUND I NOTICED THE WIRING CLIPS HOLDING THE WIRE LOOM ABOVE THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT HAD FAILED. THE WIRING LOOM HAS ENOUGH SLACK IN IT TO THEN WRAP ITSELF AROUND THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT, FINALLY SNAPPING THE WIRES. A TOTAL OF 9 WIRES SNAPPED. THIS IS MOST LIKELY ONLY AN ISSUE FOR THOSE WITH AWD AS IT WAS THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT THAT THE WIRES FINALLY WRAPPED AROUND AND CAUSED MULTIPLE SYSTEMS TO FAIL IMMEDIATELY. LUCKILY IT WAS DURING THE DAY IN AN AREA I WAS FAMILIAR WITH. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT OR ON A TRIP, THIS COULD HAVE TURNED INTO AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ISSUE. A MUCH MORE DANGEROUS ONE.
STUCK THROTTLE AT 4000+ RPMS: WHILE PASSING A CAR ON A STRAIGHT TWO LANE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE STAYED AT 4000 RPMS OR GREATER AFTER THE THROTTLE PEDAL WAS RELEASED. NO CARPET OR FLOOR MAT WAS IMPEDING THE THROTTLE PEDAL. THE PEDAL WAS PRESSED HARD AND RELEASE SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY TO DISENGAGE THE THROTTLE BUT RPMS STAY ABOVE 4000 RPMS. THE TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED INTO THE MANUAL POSITION BUT RPMS CONTINUED TO STAY ABOVE 4000 FOR APPROXIMATELY 3.5 MILES AND 2.5 MINUTES WITH THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLY GOING IN EXCESS OF 90 MPH. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED THROUGHOUT THE STUCK THROTTLE EVENT BUT THE BRAKES BECAME OVERHEATED AND INEFFECTIVE. EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WAS MOVED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP WITH THE RPMS STILL AT 4000+ PRMS. WHILE STOPPED THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND ONLY THEN DID THE RPMS GO FROM 4000+ TO ZERO. THE CADILLAC DEALER STATED THEY REMOVED THE THROTTLE BODY AND REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR TO REPAIR THE STUCK THROTTLE ISSUE.
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
STUCK THROTTLE AT 4000+ RPMS: WHILE PASSING A CAR ON A STRAIGHT TWO LANE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE STAYED AT 4000 RPMS OR GREATER AFTER THE THROTTLE PEDAL WAS RELEASED. NO CARPET OR FLOOR MAT WAS IMPEDING THE THROTTLE PEDAL. THE PEDAL WAS PRESSED HARD AND RELEASE SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY TO DISENGAGE THE THROTTLE BUT RPMS STAY ABOVE 4000 RPMS. THE TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED INTO THE MANUAL POSITION BUT RPMS CONTINUED TO STAY ABOVE 4000 FOR APPROXIMATELY 3.5 MILES AND 2.5 MINUTES WITH THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLY GOING IN EXCESS OF 90 MPH. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED THROUGHOUT THE STUCK THROTTLE EVENT BUT THE BRAKES BECAME OVERHEATED AND INEFFECTIVE. EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WAS MOVED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP WITH THE RPMS STILL AT 4000+ PRMS. WHILE STOPPED THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND ONLY THEN DID THE RPMS GO FROM 4000+ TO ZERO. THE CADILLAC DEALER STATED THEY REMOVED THE THROTTLE BODY AND REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR TO REPAIR THE STUCK THROTTLE ISSUE.
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
INITIALLY MY FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. I ASSUMED IT FAILED AND WAS GOING TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THE FOLLOWING DAY WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FUEL GAUGE ISSUE. I WAS ON MY WAY TO DROP THE CAR OFF AT THE DEALER THE SAME DAY AND WHILE DRIVING A WARNING MESSAGE STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS INOPERABLE, IT THEN WENT INTO LIMP MODE. I BARELY MADE IT OFF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I PULLED INTO A SAFE LOCATION I HEARD A POP UNDER THE CAR AND EVERYTHING STARTED SHUTTING DOWN. THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING, EVENTUALLY QUITTING. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND AFTER CRAWLING AROUND I NOTICED THE WIRING CLIPS HOLDING THE WIRE LOOM ABOVE THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT HAD FAILED. THE WIRING LOOM HAS ENOUGH SLACK IN IT TO THEN WRAP ITSELF AROUND THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT, FINALLY SNAPPING THE WIRES. A TOTAL OF 9 WIRES SNAPPED. THIS IS MOST LIKELY ONLY AN ISSUE FOR THOSE WITH AWD AS IT WAS THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT THAT THE WIRES FINALLY WRAPPED AROUND AND CAUSED MULTIPLE SYSTEMS TO FAIL IMMEDIATELY. LUCKILY IT WAS DURING THE DAY IN AN AREA I WAS FAMILIAR WITH. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT OR ON A TRIP, THIS COULD HAVE TURNED INTO AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ISSUE. A MUCH MORE DANGEROUS ONE.
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 .