Most common 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV problems
Share of the 15 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 →
2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge.
Seat belts › Pretensioner
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge.
Suspension › Front › Control arm
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms and realign the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV:
Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 series pickup trucks and MY 2015 through 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet…
What 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV owners say
Suspension
The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, no failure was found. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound worsened and the battery drained immediately. The vehicle was towed to a second dealer Penske Buick GMC Of Cerritos (18400 Studebaker Rd, Cerritos, CA 90703) who informed the contact that the vehicle experienced suspension failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,200.
The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact was able to drive the vehicle home. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the dealer stated that the passenger's side rear upper control arms had separated from the vehicle and that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V256000 (Suspension). The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 71,695.
Transmission & drivetrain
The gears shift abruptly. When taking off the gears will shift hard that it feels as if something heavy is dropping in the engine. Took vehicle to dealership three times with same problem. Tomorrow will be fourth time with same abrupt shifting problem for a total of 4 times. After dealership tries to fix it it operates well for about two to three months and then the problem starts again. Also, the vehicle has lost all power twice now, battery dead, dead, dead. When attempting to turn on the lights blink quickly, multiple times but it does not have enough power to turn on. This Escalade was 94,000 total and it is not a quality vehicle! Rough ride with transmission kicking in so rough!!!
From a cold start, when taking vehicle out of park and into reverse, the vehicle will surge or buck prior to applying the accelerator. This happens about 1/4 of the drive time. When accelerating and then coming to a coast and back to accelerating, the car will buck. This happens about 1/2 of the drive time. From a cold start, reverse, drive, accelerate to 1mph while making a slight right turn out of my driveway, the vehicle bucks. This happens about 3/4 of the drive time.
Electrical system
The gears shift abruptly. When taking off the gears will shift hard that it feels as if something heavy is dropping in the engine. Took vehicle to dealership three times with same problem. Tomorrow will be fourth time with same abrupt shifting problem for a total of 4 times. After dealership tries to fix it it operates well for about two to three months and then the problem starts again. Also, the vehicle has lost all power twice now, battery dead, dead, dead. When attempting to turn on the lights blink quickly, multiple times but it does not have enough power to turn on. This Escalade was 94,000 total and it is not a quality vehicle! Rough ride with transmission kicking in so rough!!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that the front and rear collision sensors provided incorrect information. The contact stated that false warnings provided by the sensors signaled an imminent crash when there were no vehicles in close proximity. The vehicle was taken to fremont Cadillac (5939 auto mall pkwy, fremont, ca 94538, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the sensors needed to be re-calibrated and the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired three times, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 15,462.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV a good car?
Based on 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Escalade ESV rates use caution: 1.9× 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 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV?
The suspension — 7 complaints, 47% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › control arm › upper arm. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (5) and electrical system (3).
How many recalls does the 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV, the most recent from July 10, 2017 (sensor/control module-inactive). 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 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 37,000 miles; 69% 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.