What breaks most · 2002 to 2013 model years
Cadillac Escalade EXT problems by year
Owners have filed 92 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Cadillac Escalade EXT across model years 2002 to 2013. Three years stand out: 2002 for brakes (hydraulic) complaints, 2007 for air bags complaints and 2003 for brakes (hydraulic) complaints. The quietest years are 2010, 2009 and 2011.
- Years to check closely: 2002, 2007, 2003
- Fewest complaints: 2010, 2009, 2011
- Complaints on file
- 922002 to 2013, all trims
- Worst year
- 200222 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 65 fires · 13 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 70kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 33Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 1 | 1 | Brakes (hydraulic) (5) | |
| 15 | 1 | 2 | Brakes (hydraulic) (4) | |
| 11 | 1 | 2 | Electrical system (5) | |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 16 | 0 | 5 | Air bags (8) | |
| 14 | 2 | 4 | Air bags (9) | |
| 3 | 0 | 5 | Air bags (2) | |
| 1 | 0 | 3 | Speed control and throttle (1) | |
| 3 | 0 | 4 | Air bags (3) | |
| 1 | 0 | 3 | Air bags (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 3 | Fuel system (1) |
What fails on the 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 23% |
5 | 1 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 18% |
4 | 0 | Shop brakes parts for the 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 14% |
3 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT |
| Tires | 9% |
2 | 0 | — |
| Air bags | 5% |
1 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 5% |
1 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 5% |
1 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Ignition switch: the transmission may get stuck in third gear and the instrument panel may stop working due to failure of the ignition switch. *nm
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Failure of the wheel hub and bearing assembly. Caused loss of vehicle control, loss of ABS, wheel detachment and wheel fire.
-
Was exiting the hutchinson river pkwy, south in pelham, ny. Attempted to apply the brakes and the pedal went straight to the floor! I was unable to stop, hit another car in the rear and had to steer into a utility pole to avoid an active intersection.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Cadillac Escalade EXT years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2002, 2007, 2003 carry the most filings on the Cadillac Escalade EXT. The 2002 alone has 22 complaints, led by brakes (hydraulic).
What is the most common Cadillac Escalade EXT problem?
On the 2002 model year, the most-reported component is brakes (hydraulic) with 5 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Cadillac Escalade EXT problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Cadillac Escalade EXT complaints that include mileage is about 70,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.