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2015 Cadillac Escalade ESVProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 8 owner complaints about the 2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV, most often about the engine. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-437 the manufacturer reports only 84% of affected cars repaired.

2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV
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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls6Lowest repair rate 84%Owner complaints81 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage62kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 21, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV has problems

8 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine20
Electrical system20
Fuel/propulsion system11
Power train10
Structure11
Vehicle speed control11
Visibility/wiper10
Electronic stability control (ESC)10
Engine and engine cooling10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

6 recalls

2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Driver side: inflator module

New

Recall 26V-329 · May 21, 2026 · 5,014 vehicles

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

64%repaired · 2026 Q3

Power train: transfer case (4-wheel drive)

Do not driveNew

Recall 26V-289 · May 7, 2026 · 66 vehicles · 42 repaired

Risk. Front or rear wheel lockup increases the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

84%repaired · 2018 Q4

Air bags: frontal

Recall 17V-437 · Jul 10, 2017 · 40,683 vehicles · 34,331 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

90%repaired · 2018 Q2

Air bags: frontal

Recall 16V-651 · Sep 8, 2016 · 3,640,162 vehicles · 3,286,598 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 2 more recalls
95%repaired · 2016 Q1

Air bags

Recall 14V-624 · Oct 6, 2014 · 1,046 vehicles · 992 repaired

Risk. Inconsistent air bag deployment increases the risk of personal injury in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

96%repaired · 2015 Q3

Air bags

Recall 14V-259 · May 16, 2014 · 2,838 vehicles · 2,732 repaired

Risk. In the event of an accident, an air bag that only partially deploys increases the risk of occupant injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Cadillac.

Best & worst years

2015 vs. every other Escalade ESV year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Escalade ESV median. How we score

'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV safety ratings

2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV SUV RWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 3 stars (20.3% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: Optional
  • Lane departure warning: Optional
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Brake Vacuum Pump FailurePE18012 · closed Apr 10, 2022
    Led to recall 19V-645
In owners' words

What Escalade ESV owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

CAR AT 56000 MILES WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. REASON WAS THE CHASSIS CONTROL,MODULE WAS IMPROPERLY DESIGNED AND WAS LEFT EXPOSED ALLOWING SNOW TO CORRODE THE MODULE. CADILLAC REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR THAT INCLUDED $650 IN DIAGNOSTIC TIME
Complaint 11220368 · Jun 15, 2019 · 57,213 miles
EXHAUST GAS ENTERS CABIN WHENEVER STATIONARY. EVEN AT BRIEF TRAFFIC SIGNALS, FUMES QUICKLY ENTER VEHICLE. CAR IS LESS THAN 4 YEARS OLD.
Complaint 11151544 · Nov 14, 2018 · 67,000 miles

Own a 2015 Escalade ESV?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.