Research · complaint index
Cadillac Escalade Ext years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 8 model years of the Cadillac Escalade Ext by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. No single year stands far above the rest.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2012 | 21 | 1 | 0.4 | 3 | 3 | Fewest complaints |
| 2011 | 52 | 3 | 1.0 | 4 | 0 | Typical |
| 2006 | 19 | 1 | 0.3 | 1 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2005 | 48 | 2 | 0.7 | 1 | 4 | Typical |
| 2004 | 81 | 4 | 1.1 | 2 | 11 | Typical |
| 2003 | 100 | 4 | 1.3 | 2 | 5 | Typical |
| 2002 | 145 | 6 | 1.8 | 1 | 13 | Typical |
- 20131 complaints · 3 recallsFewest complaints
- 201221 complaints · 3 recallsFewest complaints
- 201152 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 200619 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 200548 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 200481 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 2003100 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 2002145 complaints · 1 recallTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 10, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2013, 2006, 2012.
About this comparison
What Cadillac Escalade Ext years have the most complaints?
No Cadillac Escalade Ext model year drew more than twice the typical complaint rate among the 8 model years compared. The highest was 2002.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.