no report yet
Tailgate: hinge and attachments
Risk. ANYONE SITTING OR STANDING ON THE HORIZONTAL SURFACE OF THE TAILGATE WHEN BOTH CABLES FRACTURED COULD BE INJURED BY FALLING FROM THE TAILGATE.
2003 Cadillac Escalade EXTProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 15 owner complaints about the 2003 Cadillac Escalade EXT, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 8, 2014. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Cadillac Escalade EXT has problems
15 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
4Service brakes, hydraulic1 crash/fire/injury
4Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
3Service brakes
2Steering
2Fuel system, gasoline
2Power train
1Air bags
1Vehicle speed control
1Electronic stability control
33 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 4 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 2 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 2 | 0 |
| Power train | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 |
| 3 other systems | 3 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2003 Cadillac Escalade EXT 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
Service brakes, hydraulic
Risk. CONSEQUENTLY, THE VALVE O-RING SEAL MAY FRACTURE.
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
2003 vs. every other Escalade EXT 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 EXT median. How we score
'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Cadillac Escalade EXT safety ratings
2003 Cadillac Escalade EXT 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 2 stars (0.0% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Escalade EXT owners report
Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE IN VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ON TWO OCCASIONS, HE EXPERIENCED BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH WAS RELATED TO OXIDATION AND RUST DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE LINES (METAL TUBING) AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. THE FIRST…
2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT METAL BRAKE LINE PROBLEM. I NOTICED A LEAK AND I TOOK MY TRUCK IN TO BE CHECKED OUT. THE SERVICE TECH ADVISED THAT THE METAL BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I QUESTIONED HOW CAN THAT HAPPEN? WHY WASN'T IT NOTICED DURING PREVIOUS SERVICE? WHAT CAUSED THE…
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.
Own a 2003 Escalade EXT?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.