Most common 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT problems
Share of the 14 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Cadillac Escalade EXT complaints by model year
Best Escalade EXT years: 2010, 2012, 2013. Years to avoid: 2002. Compare all years →
2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT recalls (4)
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,…
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.
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
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…
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…
Electrical system
GM is recalling 857,735 my 2006-2008 Buick lucerne; Cadillac dts; Hummer h2; my 2007-2008 Cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl, Saturn outlook; and my 2008 Buick enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system.
Remedy: Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The recall began on September 12, 2008. Owners May contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080; Cadillac at 1-800-982-2339 or http://www.Cadillac.com;…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT:
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…
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.
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.
What 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT owners say
Air bags
The contact owns a 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The infotainment display displayed a message indicating that the air bags were off, potentially compromising vehicle safety. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to provide a cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was unable to assist. The failure mileage was 123,000.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA Campaign Number 21V052000 (Air Bags) however, upon contacting the dealer, he was informed that the repair might cause the dashboard to crack. The contact was then informed that he would have to sign a waiver to ensure that the dealer would not be held responsible for any damages to the vehicle. The manufacturer was then notified of the issue and confirmed that the dealer would not be held responsible for any cracks or damages to the dashboard. The contact declined to sign the waiver and the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer should cover the cost of the dashboard because of the recall. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Electrical system
Electronic door lock actuator failed to lock/unlock door from remote. When attempting to unlock the rear driver door using the remote, the electronic lock failed to unlock the door. The electronic lock no longer responds to signals from the remote or the door button and must be manually locked/unlocked.
Electronic door lock actuator failed to lock/unlock door from remote. When attempting to unlock the rear driver door using the remote, the electronic lock failed to unlock the door. The electronic lock no longer responds to signals from the remote or the door button and must be manually locked/unlocked.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT a good car?
Based on 14 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Escalade EXT rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Escalade EXT at the same age. 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 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT?
The air bags — 9 complaints, 64% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (4) and body & structure (2).
How many recalls does the 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT, 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 EXT?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2012 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002. See the full Cadillac Escalade EXT years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 90,000 miles; 50% 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.