Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: running costs are the problem rather than the car itself.
Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Cadillac Escalade, and it carries 3 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 22 | 51% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 7% |
| Engine | 3 | 7% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 2% |
| Tires | 1 | 2% |
| Air bags | 1 | 2% |
| Service brakes | 1 | 2% |
| Suspension | 1 | 2% |
| Air bags | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
My son was driving home from work down Highway 288 in Houston and the car just died and did not start. The door locks were going up and down like it was trying to reset and lock the car. I had it fixed and they said it
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2010 Cadillac Escalade equipped with Uniroyal Tires, Tire Line: PAW Touring, Tire Size: 285/45/R22, DOT Number: (Unavailable). The contact stated that upon inspection, it was discovered that all four t
NHTSA complaint: Tires
The contact owns a 2010 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated with an abnormal sound. The contact changed the spark plugs, wires and coils however, t
NHTSA complaint: Engine
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V050000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V050000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED MICHAEL CADILL
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
SOMETIMES WHILE BRAKING IT NEEDS MUCH MORE FORCE, MEANING I HAVE TO PUSH THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY DOWN. ALSO IT FEELS LIKE THEY STICK AT TIMES. I SAW THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2015-2018 FOR THIS ISSUE BUT IT MAY GO BACK FUR
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUF
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS SHRED OFF CAUSING ENGINE MISFIRE. LEADING TO A VERY COSTLY REPAIR. MECH. SAID THAT THIS HAPPENS ON ALL THE GM OF A SIMILAR DESIGN, AT HIGHWAY SPEED DON'T NOTICE THE ROUGHNESS. WHEN YOU COME T
NHTSA complaint: Engine
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2010 Cadillac Escalade. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally s
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS,
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaba
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February
| Reliability raw | 76 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 74 | good |
| Maintenance | 51 | average |
| Depreciation | 38 | below average |
| Performance | 81 | excellent |
| Efficiency | 29 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 22 of them (51%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 76/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 74/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2010 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip unless cheap, because running costs are the problem rather than the car itself. Its overall ownership score is 61/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.