no report yet
Front assembly: head restraint
Risk. IF A PERSON WERE TO INSERT THEIR FINGER(S) INTO THE PINCH POINT WHEN THE HEAD RESTRAINT FOLDS, IT COULD TRAP AND PINCH THE FINGER(S) CAUSING INJURY.
2002 Cadillac EscaladeProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 115 owner complaints about the 2002 Cadillac Escalade, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 6, 2025. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2002 Cadillac Escalade has problems
115 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
28Service brakes, hydraulic3 crash/fire/injury
16Electrical system6 crash/fire/injury
11Service brakes
10Power train1 crash/fire/injury
8Suspension
7Structure
7Steering
6Seats
6Seat belts
5517 other systems9 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 28 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 16 | 6 |
| Service brakes | 11 | 0 |
| Power train | 10 | 1 |
| Suspension | 8 | 0 |
| Structure | 7 | 1 |
| Steering | 7 | 1 |
| Seats | 6 | 2 |
| Seat belts | 6 | 3 |
| 17 other systems | 55 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2002 Cadillac Escalade 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.
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
2002 vs. every other Escalade 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 median. How we score
'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2002 Cadillac Escalade safety ratings
2002 Cadillac Escalade 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 3 stars (0.0% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2002 Cadillac Escalade, and the recalls they led to.
- THROTTLE STICKING CLOSEDNo recall
- Brake line corrosion failureNo recall
- UNWANTED LOW-SPEED ABS ACTIVATIONLed to recall 05V-379
In owners' words
What Escalade owners report
Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2002 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the fuel pump…
THIS ESCALADE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN YOUR ACTION NUMBER PE05020. THE VEHICLE ACTIVATED ABS ON SLOW BRAKING AS DESCRIBED IN THE ABOVE ACTION NUMBER. THIS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES UNTIL I FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. GMC GARAGE DISCOVERED TROUBLE CODE AND REPAIRED WHEEL SPEED CENSORS AS PER PROTOCOL…
THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL HUMMING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN BRAKING DISTANCE AND TIME. THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY SLIDE TO A STOP WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK) *TR
Own a 2002 Escalade?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.