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2012 Cadillac Escalade EXTProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-051 the manufacturer reports only 39% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 39%Owner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage9kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 5, 2021. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT has problems

1 complaint 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
Air bags10
Structure10

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

3 recalls

2012 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.

39%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 21V-051 · Feb 5, 2021 · 284,645 vehicles · 111,728 repaired

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

51%repaired · 2023 Q4

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 21V-054 · Feb 5, 2021 · 1,778,128 vehicles · 900,275 repaired

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

63%repaired · 2016 Q2

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 14V-827 · Dec 30, 2014 · 84,192 vehicles · 53,283 repaired

Risk. If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power,…

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

2012 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

2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT safety ratings

2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 3 stars (21.2% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2012 Cadillac Escalade EXT, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open

Own a 2012 Escalade EXT?

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