2007 Cadillac Escalade problems, complaints & recalls

Updated from NHTSA data · How we count

Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 Cadillac Escalade, most often about airbags. There are 3 recalls for this model year.

Complaints
48
Recalls
3
Crashes
5
Fires
3
Injuries
3
Median mileage
135,000 mi
at time of problem

Key facts

  • Airbags is the most-reported problem area, named in 24 of 48 complaints (50%).
  • Engine (13) and electrical system (12) follow.
  • Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 135,000 mi.
  • Owners reported 5 crashes, 3 fires and 3 injuries.
  • The 2007 Cadillac Escalade has 3 recalls on file.
  • NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations covering this vehicle.
  • It ranks 5th of 21 Cadillac Escalade model years by our severity-weighted complaint score (1st = worst).

2007 Cadillac Escalade problems by category

  • Airbags · 4 crashes
    24 complaints
  • Engine · 1 crash
    13 complaints
  • Electrical System · 1 crash
    12 complaints
  • Transmission & Drivetrain
    7 complaints
  • Suspension
    6 complaints
  • Steering · 1 crash
    2 complaints
  • Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion · 1 crash
    2 complaints
  • Body & Structure
    2 complaints
  • Brakes · 1 crash
    2 complaints
  • Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
    2 complaints
  • Other / Unknown
    2 complaints
  • Seats & Seat Belts
    1 complaints
  • Wheels & Tires
    1 complaints

A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.

Most-reported components

Component (as filed with NHTSA)Complaints
Air bags24
Engine13
Electrical system11
Power train7
Suspension6
Unknown or other2
Electronic stability control (esc)2
Fuel/propulsion system2

When problems happen (mileage)

Under 10k10k–30k30k–60k360k–100k7100k–150k6150k+
Mileage at the time of the problem, for 2007 Cadillac Escalade complaints that list mileage.

2007 Cadillac Escalade recalls (3)

  • Recall 21V052000Feb 5, 2021557,023 vehicles
    AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

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

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 23, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 20, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328780.

  • Recall 21V050000Feb 5, 20212,641,272 vehicles
    AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

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

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328760.

  • Recall 10V240000Jun 4, 20101,365,070 vehicles
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

    Gm is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 buick, lucerne; cadillac dts; hummer h2; model year 2008-2009 buick enclave; cadillac cts; model year 2007-2009 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; gmc acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl; saturn outlook; and model year 2009 chevrolet traverse vehicles equipped with a heated washer fluid system (hwfs). A recall was implemented in 2008 to add a fuse to the control circuit harness to address the potential consequences of a printed circuit board (pcb) electrical short. However, there have been new reports of thermal incidents on hwfs modules after this improvement was installed. These incidents resulted from a new failure mode attributed to the device's thermal protection feature. The significance varies from minor distortion to considerable melting of the plastic around the hwfs fluid chamber.

    Risk: It is possible for the heated washer module to ignite and a fire may occur.

    Remedy: Dealers will permanently disable and remove the heated washer fluid module. An updated page for the owner manual will be provided and inserted in the owner manual to document that the feature has been permanently disabled and removed from the vehicle. The safety recall began on june 11, 2010. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, saturn at 1-800-972-8876, gmc at 1-866-996-9463 and hummer at 1-800-732-5493 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • EA21002Opened Sep 17, 2021Open

    Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

    From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.C…

  • EA08010Opened Jun 12, 2008Closed Sep 8, 2008led to recall 08V441000

    Non-crash engine compartment fires

    In a letter dated august 27, 2008, general motors corp. (gm) notified nhtsa that it will conduct a safety recall (nhtsa recall number 08v-441) to address a safety relateddefect that can result in engine compartment fire in approximately 850,000 vehicles equipped with a heated windshield washer fluid option.the subject vehicles of this investigation comprise over three-quarters of the recall population. According to gm, a short circuit on the printed circuit board for the windshield washer fluid heater module may overheat the control-circuit ground wire. This may cause other electrical features…

  • PE08010Opened Feb 4, 2008Closed Jun 12, 2008

    Non-crash engine compartment fires

    In response to an information request letter sent by the office of defects investigation(odi) during preliminary evaluation pe08-010, gm provided odi with 41 allegations of non-crash engine compartment fires including 16 allegations of fires originating with the ignition in the off position.one of the fires was determined to be caused by an arson event.odi has also received 5 reports, 4 of which are of duplicative of reports provided by gm, alleging non-crash engine compartment fires in the subject vehicles.in total, odi is aware of 41 non-crashengine compartment fires in the subject vehicles …

Recent 2007 Cadillac Escalade complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

  1. Filed Jul 30, 2026160,000 miLACrash1 injuredTowedAirbagsBrakesEngine
    The contact owned a 2007 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, there was an area where the pavement was incomplete and caused the vehicle to go off-road and into the woods, and the vehicle crashed into the trees, where it came to a stop. The ABS and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was deemed a total loss. The steering wheel and driver’s seat air bag had not deployed. The vehicle was towed to an…
    NHTSA complaint #11753781 · source
  2. Filed Dec 5, 2025123,000 miNJAirbags
    The contact owns a 2007 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that upon approaching the parked vehicle, he discovered that all the air bags had deployed without impact. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a diagnostic test; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the air bag deployment. The contact then discovered that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags). The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of…
    NHTSA complaint #11703244 · source
  3. Filed Sep 15, 2025FLFireEngine
    I started the car and noticed a smell. Then my red battery light came on and a notification that my battery was not charging. I drove less than a mile and noticed smoke under my hood. I pulled over to a safe place and opened the hood to see flames around my alternator.
    NHTSA complaint #11687245 · source
  4. Filed Jun 14, 2025ILCrashElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionSteering
    Entire information cluster has lost power vehicle halts to a stop in mid driving breaking response is sometimes hard sometimes very loose intermittent warning lights
    NHTSA complaint #11666957 · source
  5. Filed Aug 1, 2024INElectrical SystemEngineTransmission & Drivetrain
    My car shut down completely as I was driving it home last month [XXX] the cluster panel was showing charging system failure, stabilization and traction control coming on and off when not in use, the battery I bought was purchased in 2022 was completely drained and not rechargeable and even lights were staying on inside vehicle without out the battery connected, the driver door handle fell off not broken came loose and the tires had a locked lug nuts that never came with the…
    NHTSA complaint #11605774 · source
  6. Filed Jul 7, 2024LAAirbags
    N212328760 Recall preformed on 8/4/2022. Airbag warning light still coming on while driving! Evidently, my problem was never fixed.
    NHTSA complaint #11599836 · source
  7. Filed Dec 5, 2023180,000 miALFireElectrical System
    The contact owns a 2007 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that after plugging the electric air pump into the cigarette lighter socket, smoke was suddenly present coming from the lighter socket and the engine compartment. After opening the engine hood a small flame, smoke, and burning was present coming from the dashboard wire harness. The contact was able to extinguish the flame. The fire department was called to the home but did not visit after the flame was…
    NHTSA complaint #11558531 · source
  8. Filed Dec 2, 2023TNElectrical SystemEngineSuspension
    It cut off in the middle of traffic every time I drive it . The. Stability engine power reduced comes on. I have small kids in the car it becomes a issue because we almost got hit
    NHTSA complaint #11558110 · source

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology