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 104 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Cadillac Escalade, and it carries 4 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 21 | 20% |
| Power train | 13 | 13% |
| Unknown or other | 10 | 10% |
| Electrical system | 7 | 7% |
| Suspension | 6 | 6% |
| Air bags | 5 | 5% |
| Steering | 3 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 3% |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% |
| Structure | 2 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The transmission has experienced ongoing shifting problems, including extremely hard shifts at low speeds and difficulty shifting properly at higher/highway speeds. The hard shifting could cause the vehicle to jerk unexp
NHTSA complaint: Power train
At highway speed, the engine lifters associated with the Active Fuel Management system failed and caused catastrophic damage throughout the engine. The sudden loss of power on the highway almost caused vehicles traveling
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The first engine failure occurred while my vehicle remained under warranty. While driving with my children and a couple of her teammates to an AAU tournament in [XXX], the vehicle just began emitting white smoke. We pull
NHTSA complaint: Engine
While driving my 2016 Cadillac Escalade, the vehicle experienced a sudden mechanical failure associated with the engine and charging system. Upon failure, the vehicle displayed warning indicators including a “low battery
NHTSA complaint: Engine
While driving in rush hour traffic, engine completely stopped. We were stranded in traffic for 2 hours until the police came to help push us out of the street. It was 20 degrees and we sat for 4 hours to get towed. After
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Experienced loss of electric power steering while driving at 60 MPH on interstate. Had 6 passengers in vehicle at the time and could have crashed if another vehicle was in other lane next to us during steering loss. St
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Suspension failed at 50,000 miles. At 56,000 miles one of the valve components inside the engine (a lifter) has collapsed. This part controls the opening of the engine valve, and because it is no longer moving, that cyl
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle sounded like it was going to sta
NHTSA complaint: Engine
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 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 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-24
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Poli
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. Th
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Subur
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. Th
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control
Risk: Inadequate welds may allow the control arm to separate from the bushing, compromising steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms and realign the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Until the repairs have been mad
| Reliability raw | 67 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 70 | good |
| Maintenance | 51 | average |
| Depreciation | 38 | below average |
| Performance | 76 | good |
| Efficiency | 33 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 104 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 21 of them (20%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 67/100 (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 70/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 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 58/100. 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.