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2008 Cadillac EscaladeProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 136 owner complaints about the 2008 Cadillac Escalade, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-050 the manufacturer reports only 28% of affected cars repaired.

2008 Cadillac Escalade
40
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.5× the Escalade median · #6 of 25 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 28%Owner complaints13612 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage93kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 23, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Spanish Coches, CC BY 2.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Cadillac Escalade has problems

136 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
Air bags744
Electrical system235
Engine132
Exterior lighting120
Seats71
Power train61
Structure61
Tires50
Vehicle speed control41
12 other systems245

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

4 recalls

2008 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.

28%repaired · 2023 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 21V-050 · Feb 5, 2021 · 2,641,272 vehicles · 734,119 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 →

38%repaired · 2023 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 21V-052 · Feb 5, 2021 · 557,023 vehicles · 212,499 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 →

–no report yet

Electrical system

Recall 08V-441 · Aug 28, 2008 · 857,735 vehicles

Risk. THIS MAY CAUSE OTHER ELECTRICAL FEATURES TO MALFUNCTION, CREATE AN ODOR, OR CAUSE SMOKE INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.

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.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

93kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 20 air bags complaints. 65% were reported before 100,000 miles.

Only 49% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
1under 30k miles13under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2008 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

2008 Cadillac Escalade safety ratings

2008 Cadillac Escalade 4-DR. w/SAB 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
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2008 Cadillac Escalade, and the recalls they led to.

  1. NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESEA08010 · closed Sep 8, 2008
    Led to recall 08V-441
  2. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
  3. NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESPE08010 · closed Jun 12, 2008
    No recall
In owners' words

What Escalade owners report

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

Side Impact air bags did not deployed on side impact. Available for inspection. Got hit from the side and air bags did not deployed. Driver did not received protection from the crash. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Vehicle was seen by the police at the…
Complaint 11432877 · Sep 14, 2021
REMEDY FOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG HAS TAKEN WAY TOO LONG BECAUSE OF GM FIGHTING IT. IT IS VERY UNSETTLING AND UNSAFE FEELING EVERYTIME I DRIVE MY AFFECTED VEHICLE. PLEASE REMEDY SOON!
Complaint 11389281 · Jan 21, 2021
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. HANLEES DAVIS CHEVROLET (4989 CHILES RD, DAVIS, CA 95618) WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF…
Complaint 11376134 · Nov 24, 2020

Own a 2008 Escalade?

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