no report yet
Seat belts: rear/other
Risk. A LAP PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT ROUTING THAT IS NOT LOW AND SNUG ON THE HIPS CAN ALLOW THE LAP BELT TO RIDE UP ON AN OCCUPANT'S ABDOMEN INSTEAD OF FITTING LOW…
2005 Cadillac EscaladeProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 43 owner complaints about the 2005 Cadillac Escalade, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 6, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Cadillac Escalade has problems
43 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
11Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
10Air bags2 crash/fire/injury
7Power train
7Service brakes2 crash/fire/injury
6Fuel/propulsion system1 crash/fire/injury
5Engine
3Fuel system, gasoline
2Equipment
2Exterior lighting
119 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 11 | 1 |
| Air bags | 10 | 2 |
| Power train | 7 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 1 |
| Engine | 5 | 0 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 |
| 9 other systems | 11 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2005 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.
no report yet
Manual transmission: shift pattern indicator
Risk. THE VEHICLE MAY MOVE IN AN UNINTENDED DIRECTION RESULTING IN POSSIBLE INJURY TO OTHERS OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE.
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
2005 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
2005 Cadillac Escalade safety ratings
2005 Cadillac Escalade 4-DR. w/SAB;w/updated ESC in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 3 stars (22.8% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Escalade owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ONLY AROUND 55,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. YOU CAN DRIVE IT AWHILE AND THEN IT QUITS WORKING. LET IT SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND IT WILL WORK AGAIN FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND QUIT AGAIN. NO OTHER GAUGES ARE AFFECTED YET. LAMP ASSEMBLY IS FADING FROM THE…
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…
Own a 2005 Escalade?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.