Problems · NHTSA complaints

2006 Cadillac Escalade Ext problems

Owners filed 19 complaints about the 2006 Cadillac Escalade Ext with NHTSA between May 2006 and Nov 2018. The most-cited component is electrical system (5).

Complaints
19
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system5
  2. Service brakes3
  3. Engine3
  4. Air bags3
  5. Fuel/propulsion system2
  6. Wheels2
  7. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  8. Structure1
  9. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  10. Engine and engine cooling1
  11. Exterior lighting1
  12. Other / unknown2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20063
20070
20081
20090
20100
20112
20121
20130
20141
20153
20165
20171
20182

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

5 reports
“ENGINE STARTED MISFIRING WHILE ON HIGHWAY. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS BLINKING. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO DEALER. THE RESULT IS #6 AND #8 ARE MISFIRING AND ALSO WERE TOLD THAT 2 MANIFOLD BOLTS ON RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE WERE BROKEN OFF IN ENGINE BODY. IF THEY CANNOT GET THE BOLTS TO BACK OFF THEY WILL HAVE TO PULL THE HEAD TO DRILL THEM OUT ON THE INSIDE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 11, 2016Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 10854846

Service brakes

3 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUMPED EXTENSIVELY TO COAST THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE FRACTURED, WHICH CAUSED BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK. THE DEALER (JOSEPH CHEVROLET, 8733 COLERAIN AVE, CINCINNATI, OH 45251, (513) 904-4110) WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 26, 2018Service brakesODI 11153726

Engine

3 reports
“VEHICLE STOPS RUNNING. ENGINE DIES HAPPENED FOUR TIMES, THREE TIMES AT 70 TO 80 MPH ON 6 LN. FREEWAY HAVE TO TRY AND STEER AND USE BRAKES WITH NO POWER. ONCE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD LET SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND IT STARTS UP AGAIN. HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG WHEN THEY PUT ON THE COMPUTER. I FEEL THAT HIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! IT COULD GET US KILLED ALONG WITH ANY ONE ELSE CLOSE BY THAT HITS US.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 22, 2016Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineODI 10837464

Air bags

3 reports1 crash
“A VEHICLE TURNED ACROSS THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME. STOOD ON THE BRAKES AND FELT THE BRAKES GRAB HARD. I INITIALLY THOUGHT I COULD MISS THE TRUCK WHEN FIRST APPLIED BRAKES, THEN THEY FELT LIKE THEY RELEASED. NO PULSING LIKE YOU WOULD FEEL WHEN ANTI-LOCK HAS ENGAGED. JUST FELT LIKE THEY RELEASED. ALSO, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE IS IN THE REPAIR SHOP NOW AND THEY TOLD ME THE AIRBAGS ARE TURNED OFF. I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS NEW AND KNOW OF ANY REASON WHY THEY WOULD BE OFF, NOR DID I KNOW YOU COULD TURN THEM OFF. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 12, 2015Air bags, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 10682970

Fuel/propulsion system

2 reports
“WHEN PASSING A VEHICLE, I PRESSED THE THROTTLE PEDAL COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. AFTER PASSING THE VEHICLE, I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE PEDAL AND THE PEDAL REMAINED STUCK FULLY DOWN WITH THE ENGINE AT FULL THROTTLE. I KICKED AT THE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES AND THE PEDAL POPPED UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND I TRY NOW TO NOT PRESS THE PEDAL COMPLETELY DOWN, BUT I ALWAYS WONDER IF AND WHEN IT WILL STICK AGAIN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 15, 2018Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11120191

Wheels

2 reports
“I NOTICED VIBRATIONS WITH VOGUE CUSTOM BUILT TIRES WHEN DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A SEPARATED VOGUE CUSTOM BUILT TIRE ON LEFT FRONT. TIRE SIZE IS 305-40-22. THE VOGUE CUSTOM BUILT TIRE HAS BEEN DRIVEN 25,000 MILES. SEE PHOTO.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2016WheelsODI 10891735
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.