Most common 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV problems
Share of the 13 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Cadillac Escalade ESV complaints by model year
Best Escalade ESV years: 2014, 2013, 2012. Years to avoid: 2023, 2021, 2022, 2019, 2017. Compare all years →
2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV recalls (5)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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…
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.
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…
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.
Electrical system › Ignition
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015.
Steering › Linkages
GM is recalling certain model year 2011cadillac escalade, escalade esv; Chevrolet silverado hd, silverado ld, suburban, tahoe; and GMC sierra hd, sierra ld, yukon, and yukon xl vehicles. The intermediate steering shaft attaching bolts May not have been tightened to the proper specification.
Remedy: GM dealers will inspect and ensure that the intermediate steering shaft bolts are tightened to the proper specification. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about July 13, 2011.
Suspension › Rear › Axle › Spindle
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, colorado, express, silverado, suburban, tahoe; and GMC canyon, sierra, savana, yukon and yukon xl vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2011. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and at the…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV:
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.
What 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV owners say
Air bags
Takata recall .I am afraid to drive this vehicle. This is traveling vehicle so it would normally be on highways at over 50 miles an hour. Question would I be safer to have this disconnected? Who could do this. I like most people can not afford to trade vehicles and really would rather not. Now the case is settled wit Takata. That's just great but it does not fix the problem. If I paid to have it replaced can I get reimbursed at some point. .now the case is settled I expect some manufacturer needs to supply hundreds of thousands of these. What would your professional opinion be as to how long it would take for the vehicles to be repair. How much less is my vehicle worth at this point due to this issue. …
Takata recall I had made several attempts with two of the local Cadillac dealers to get the recall solved but continue to get the same response; "the recall isn't a safety issue!" as of yet, there has been no contact made by any of the dealers on getting the matter resolved and instead some of the sales department representatives are making offers for me to trade in or sale them our vehicle. We average over 20,000 miles a year traveling as a family and my fear and concern are that one day our safety and security May be placed in jeopardy due to a know matter that should had been resolved timely. So far there had been no incidents but I shouldn't have to be driving a vehicle that's deem to be unsafe due to manufacturers reasons.
Body & structure
The rear hatch was opened with the automatic button, it raised to the open position. As I was putting in our stroller the hatch fell and struck me in the head. I pushed the hatch up to get from underneath it, and when I let go it fell with no resistance. While falling shut the hatch hit the passenger side of the bumper cut out and slightly bent the hatch and scratched the inside of the bumper. The hatch would no-longer open after that. I took it to the dealership where they forced the door open so I could retrieve articles from the rear. I a child or shorter person was under the hatch it May have caused serious injury to them, due to the force with which the hatch came down.
2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV 26771 power rear cargo door is a serious safety hazard. Son was seriously hurt at airport luggage claims when a power rear cargo door was closing came down on his head and face with out warning of any kind that this door was closing. The door is so large and heavy. It comes downs to fast and does not retract back up when it hits something. The driver had no warning that a person was behind him as he closed the door. This is a very serious problem that will kill someone and should be corrected. The door needs to be change so that it cannot open from overhead. This door is to large and heavy to have something coming down from that distance. The is door suspender in air above the top of the Escalade. This is a very very serious safety problem someone will be killed are lose body parts if this design is not changed. …
2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 13 / 18 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV a good car?
Based on 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Escalade ESV rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Escalade ESV at the same age. It is one of the Escalade ESV years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV?
The air bags — 5 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (4) and equipment & accessories (2).
How many recalls does the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV, the most recent from February 5, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Cadillac Escalade ESV?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2013 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2021, 2022, 2019 and 2017. See the full Cadillac Escalade ESV years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 40% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.