2013 Cadillac Escalade esv problems

The Cadillac Escalade is a full-size luxury SUV manufactured by General Motors and marketed by their luxury division Cadillac. It was the luxury brand's first major entry into the SUV market. The Escalade was introduced for the 1999 model year in response to an influx of new luxury SUVs in the late 1990s such as the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Range Rover, Lexus LX, and (especially) Ford's 1998 debut of the Lincoln Navigator. The Escalade project went into production only ten months after it was approved. The Escalade is built in Arlington, Texas. The term "escalade" refers to a siege warfare tactic of scaling defensive walls or ramparts with the aid of ladders or siege towers. More generally, it is a French word which is the noun-equivalent form of the French verb escalader, which means "to climb or scale".
The Escalade is currently sold in North America and select international markets (Europe and Asia) where Cadillac has official sales channels. The Escalade ESV (Escalade Stretch Vehicle) is sold in North America, Russia, and the Middle East, but is only available by special order in some international markets. The right-hand-drive Escalade and Escalade ESV are available through third-party conversion specialists without official agreement with Cadillac in Australian, Oceanic, and Japanese markets.
On August 8, 2023, GM unveiled the Escalade IQ, an all-electric version of the Escalade, and the third model in Cadillac's EV line, after the Celestiq, and Lyriq. It is expected to go on sale in late 2024 for the 2025 model year, with a starting price of $130,000.
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Common 2013 Cadillac Escalade esv problems
The 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV is a luxury full-size SUV known for its spacious interior, powerful engine, and advanced features. However, like any vehicle, it is not immune to problems. Here are some common issues reported by owners of this car:
It is important to note that these issues are not necessarily indicative of all 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESVs, and many owners have reported no problems with their vehicles. However, if you are considering purchasing a 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV, it is important to be aware of these potential issues and to have the vehicle inspected by a qualified mechanic before making a purchase.
How many miles can a 2013 Escalade last?
According to a study by iSeeCars, Cadillac Escalade ESV is among the top range SUVs that can last for over 200,000 miles. In the study, Cadillac came fourth as the brand with vehicles that last longer on the road.
Do escalades have transmission problems?
Understanding Cadillac Escalade Transmission Problems
Some owners have reported experiencing transmission problems, which can be concerning. These problems may manifest as rough shifting, delays in gear engagement, or even complete transmission failure.
What are the best years for Escalade?
A: The 2002, 2013, and 2014 model years are considered the most reliable for the Cadillac Escalade. These years offer a quality driving experience and are less likely to encounter expensive repairs over time.
How many miles does a Cadillac Escalade ESV last?
Expect to have between 200,000 to 250,000 miles on your Escalade, with proper care and maintenance. Over the web, several owners at the Vehicle History forums have shared real-world experiences with their Escalade. One user claimed their 2003 Cadillac Escalade ESV has almost 400,000 miles and still runs perfectly.
How many miles can a 2013 Escalade last?
According to a study by iSeeCars, Cadillac Escalade ESV is among the top range SUVs that can last for over 200,000 miles. In the study, Cadillac came fourth as the brand with vehicles that last longer on the road.
Is Cadillac Escalade high maintenance?
According to RepairPal, an information hub for auto repairs, Cadillacs cost on average $783 to repair. Specific models will be more expensive. For instance, the Cadillac Escalade, a top-end SUV, generates an average yearly repair bill of about $1,200, according to RepairPal.
Do Cadillac Escalades have transmission problems?
Understanding Cadillac Escalade Transmission Problems
Some owners have reported experiencing transmission problems, which can be concerning. These problems may manifest as rough shifting, delays in gear engagement, or even complete transmission failure.
Should I get Escalade or ESV?
Interior Seating & Cargo Space Comparison
The Escalade ESV offers the most cargo space between the two body sizes, and third-row passengers will appreciate the extra legroom as well. Both SUVs offer the same cargo features, despite the difference in cabin size.
2013 Cadillac Escalade esv car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Cadillac Escalade esv problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Engine problems
- Engine and engine cooling problems
- Electrical system problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 2013 Cadillac Escalade esv vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
2013 Cadillac Escalade esv complaints
The NHTSA has received 2 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2013 Cadillac Escalade esv.
ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-09-11
- Components: ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Summary: The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to switch into V-8 mode. The contact stated that the engine started making an abnormal knocking sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the lifters had collapsed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the camshaft needed to be replaced. There was no further information provided. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The VIN was not available.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2014-06-02
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: 2013 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE KEY IGNITION PROBLEM. *SMD
2013 Cadillac Escalade esv recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 4 recalls for different components of the 2013 Cadillac Escalade esv.
- Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
- Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
- Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL 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 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, 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 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, 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."
- Consequence: 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 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.
- Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
- Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
- Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY 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.
- Consequence: 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 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. 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 N212328800.
- Manufacturer: General Motors LLC
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.
- Consequence: If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GMs number for this recall is 14515.
- Manufacturer: General Motors LLC
- Components: STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
- Summary: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect", and FMVSS No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention." The vehicles may have been built with a fractured park lock cable or a malformed steering column lock actuator gear in the lock module assembly.
- Consequence: As a result, the vehicle may shift from Park with the ignition key removed or the ignition key in the OFF position. The vehicle may also shift out of Park without application of the brake pedal while the key is off. Either of these scenarios may cause the vehicle to roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible vehicle crash and/or injury.
- Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463.
Negative 2013 Cadillac Escalade esv car reviews
Positive 2013 Cadillac Escalade esv car reviews
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This truck is truly amazing! It rides and handles as though it is substantially smaller. The performance is fantastic and the fit and finish are top notch. I have the White Diamond with the Ebony interior. When comparing this truck to the European and Asian large SUV's, the ESV wins on space and comfort. Besides, the rumble of the V8 engine sounds like my '71 Vette. The NAV system and the entertainment system are great, along with the rear camera. Air-conditioned seats are a feature I thought I never needed, and now I wonder on those hot summer days how we did without them. Its gas mileage isn't too bad for its size. Remember, it weighs close to 3 tons, so 14 mpg's ain't too shabby. I have gotten over 17 on the highway.
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The 2009 Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum Edition is the epitome of luxury, performance, and power. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 5.1 seconds, which is impressive for a vehicle that weighs 7200 pounds! The Escalade ESV Platinum is truly a remarkable vehicle. It comes with a variety of standard features, including a rear-seat entertainment system, remote start, power locks, power mirrors, voice-activated navigation system, universal garage door opener, and a heated leather steering wheel with radio and climate controls. These features are sure to provide you with the utmost comfort. Additionally, the SUV has received a 5/5 rating on crash tests, and it has numerous safety features to ensure your safety on the road.
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This car is perfect for families with young kids! You can easily fit three car seats across the third row, including two 5-point boosters rated up to 80lbs and one 5-point car seat rated up to 40lbs. The retractable running boards are lower than standard, making it easy for even a 2-year-old to climb in without help. In fact, my daughter finds it easier to get into the Lade than she did our old Toyota Sienna minivan, which we traded in for the Lade. My wife loves the extra space for getting around and strapping in the children, especially in bad weather. The Lade also offers plenty of floor space for changing diapers and a HUGE cargo space in the back for strollers and groceries.
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I can tell you really enjoy your Escalade! It sounds like it has plenty of room for you and your passengers, as well as your belongings. Safety is always a top priority, and it's great to hear that you feel secure in your SUV. Thanks for sharing your positive experience!
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We went the extra mile with the ESV Platinum and overall, we love the vehicle. However, our dealership experience at Naperville Cadillac was not so good. We were surprised to find that there is no supplement to the owner's manual for Platinum features, such as mag ride control, heated/cooled cup holders, and seat back video systems. Additionally, some fit and finish were under par, including creased aluminum dash trims and sloppy body panel fits. Unfortunately, the heated/cooled cup holders malfunctioned immediately and we have been waiting for warranty service for a month with no parts still. On the bright side, the audio/video system is great with 5 TVs, which the kids love. Although, we have noticed that the cooled seats work much better in my STS than in this vehicle. Lastly, we were surprised by the white carpet and lower door panels. Who at GM had that idea? Despite these issues, the power is smooth and impressive!
Additional sources
More sources of information about 2013 Cadillac Escalade esv problems:
2013 Escalade total engine failure | Cadillac Owners Forum
Feb 1, 2018 ... Or from frozen coolant causing a crack in the engine. Both a head gasket failure or frozen coolant engine cracking could affect multiple ...
2013 Cadillac Escalade Problems and Complaints - 9 Issues
Top 2013 Cadillac Escalade Problems · Inside/Outside Door Handles May Break · Steering Wheel Position Sensor May Fail · "No start" due to anti-theft system failure.
Q&A: 2013 Cadillac Escalade Platinum - Common Problems ...
Jun 15, 2017 ... 2013 Cadillac Escalade platinum the ride is horrible, I will most likely do what I can to fix the ride, I cannot - Answered by a verified ...

2013 Escalade - Experiencing poor build quality | Cadillac Owners ...
Jul 7, 2013 ... I met with my sales person and we took a look at my escalade. He proceeded to tell me that this was a common problem and the plastic trim ...
Common Problems with 2013 Cadillac Escalade: Lifters ...
May 21, 2019 ... Dealer is stating 2013 Escalade needs lifters and possible cam. 2013 w/ 100k miles. Is this common for this vehicle?
Derick Hodkiewicz 2025-04-24
I purchased this car when it had only 20K miles on it. Unfortunately, I have had a lot of issues with it since then. As a mother of three children, the only positive thing about this car is that it can fit all of my children and their friends. However, it has been a constant headache and has required frequent repairs at a certified Cadillac dealership. I have a filing cabinet full of repair bills to prove it. Last year, just after I had finally paid off the car, the engine blew at 87k miles. I had to replace the engine to avoid a complete loss. The radio has also gone out three times, and the replacement radio costs $1,300. I find it unacceptable that a radio would need to be replaced so frequently. Given the amount we paid for this vehicle, I do not believe it is worth it. I am disappointed in Cadillac and hope that others do not have to go through the same experience.
Makenna Watsica 2025-03-02
Have you ever wondered what you can buy for $50K? Well, we found a low mileage, late model Denali for $30K and saved $20K! Our experience at the dealership was top-notch. Although we had to get the black paint redone, interior detailed, and some work completed under warranty, we are still happy with our purchase. We've only driven it 5 times in the 4 weeks we've had it, but we're excited to have tried something new after 20 years of experience with Lexus. While it may not be worth the $70K new, we're still questioning if it's worth the $42K we spent. If we ever decide to update our experience, we'll be sure to let you know!
Hobart Wunsch 2024-11-15
Hey there! I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to let you know that the resale value might not be what you were expecting. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns!
Caleb Emard 2024-08-11
I am an avid Escalade cheerleader and have owned one for seven years. Recently, I decided to buy the 2007 model. However, I was disappointed with the interior as the soft plush seats were replaced with flat and uncomfortable ones. Maneuvering it in tight parking spots can be a bit challenging. Although it comes with great features such as 22s, navigation, XM radio, and two DVDs, it's important to have a good base package. In my opinion, the 2007 Escalade is not a true Cadillac. If you're looking to buy one, I suggest saving your money and buying a 2003-2006 model of Escalade. I promise you won't be disappointed!
Adalberto Lowe 2024-06-11
I have owned my 2007 ESV for almost a year now and unfortunately, I have been extremely disappointed with my purchase. Despite spending almost $70,000 on it, the vehicle is much louder than I expected. As a company that prides itself on having 'the quietest ride ever', I was surprised to find that it is actually the loudest vehicle I have ever been in. The wind noise is so bad that I am already considering trading it in. I have taken it to the dealer five times, but unfortunately, the issue remains unresolved. I would advise against purchasing this ESV until some major changes are made.