Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Cadillac Escalade problems

Owners filed 62 complaints about the 2005 Cadillac Escalade with NHTSA between Nov 2005 and Aug 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (19).

Complaints
62
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system19
  2. Air bags11
  3. Service brakes10
  4. Power train9
  5. Fuel/propulsion system6
  6. Engine6
  7. Fuel system, gasoline5
  8. Equipment4
  9. Exterior lighting4
  10. Suspension2
  11. Seat belts2
  12. Seats2
  13. Tires2
  14. Engine and engine cooling2

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 9, 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
20052
20064
20071
20080
20094
20103
20114
20125
20139
20143
20156
20162
20172
20184
20192
20202
20214
20220
20231
20241
20251
20262

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

19 reports2 fires
“While driving down the road under any condition the brakes start to apply themselves ultimately leading the vehicle to not being able to pull itself. The more throttle you give it the more the brakes apply. I believe this is the same as the 2002-2004 chevy hydro boost recall. Also around the same time the resistor for the blower motor caught fire while driving down the road.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 24, 2024Electrical system, Service brakesFire reportedODI 11632273

Air bags

11 reports2 crashes
“MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AND HAS REMAINED ON. IT IS ON WHILE IDLING AND DRIVING. IT NEVER GOES OFF. THERE WAS NO COLLISION OR ANYTHING TO CAUSE IT TO COME ON. I FEAR THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING FAULTY HAPPEN WHILE I DRIVE. ALSO I'VE BEEN HAVING ISSUES FUELING MY 2005 ESCALADE. IT WILL ONLY LET ME PUT IN $1.00 MAYBE $1.50 AT A TIME AND THE PUMP WILL KICK OFF. I'VE EVEN HAD GAS SPILL OUT WHILE THIS IS OCCURRING. THE GAS SPILL HAS HAPPENED TWICE AND THE FUEL TANK WAS ALMOST EMPTY. SO IT WASN'T OVERFILL. ALSO, MY AIR CONDITIONER, AT TIMES WILL JUST GET HOT WHILE DRIVING. IF I STOP AND TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND TURN IT BACK ON, THE AIR WILL RETURN TO COLD. AND IT SMELLS LIKE BURNING WIRES. I HAVE BEEN ROUTINELY LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE THROUGH THIS WEBSITE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 10, 2019Electrical system, Air bags, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11288292

Service brakes

10 reports1 crash1 fire
“Brake/abs system locked up on me and I couldn’t stop. I accidentally hit someone from behind and was proven to be an accident. My traction light my abs light and my brake light all came on at the same time right before I wrecked. The suv swerves over to the other lane randomly while on the interstate and does stop on time. Every time I fuel up gas leaks out from somewhere and its pumps gas really slow and takes so long”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 8, 2026Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion systemCrash reportedODI 11716518

Power train

9 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE DURING THE DAYTIME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING NIGHT TIME DRIVING, THE GEAR SHIFTER LIGHT OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V055000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 27, 2021Power trainODI 11414146

Fuel/propulsion system

6 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ADD FUEL TO THE FUEL TANK, THE VALVE BECAME STUCK AND PREVENTED THE FUEL FROM ENTERING. AS A RESULT, FUEL SPILLED OUT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK AND THE VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 14, 2018Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11079082

Engine

6 reports
“I PURCHASED MY CAR USED FROM A DEALERSHIP IN 2009 AND I NOW HAVE THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS WITH IT. A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT WILL NOT GO OUT, THE ERROR STATES THE FUEL CAP IS NOT TIGHT AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TIGHTENED IT NEVER GOES AWAY. WHEN FUELING THE CAR FUEL WILL OVERFLOW IF NOT PAYING ATTENTION. ALSO THE THE SHIFT LEVER POSITION IS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED SO I AM NOT SURE WHICH POSITION THE CAR IS IN MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE TO LISTEN AND GAUGE IT BEFORE TRYING TO PUT IT IN GEAR. I NEVER RECEIVED AN COMMUNICATIONS THAT THE CAR WAS UNDER RECALL BUT FROM WHAT I AM SEEING FROM THE NHTSA WEBSITE THESE ARE THE PROBLEMS THAT I AM NOW HAVING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2017Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11032027
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

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