Most common 2011 Cadillac Escalade problems
Share of the 49 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Cadillac Escalade complaints by model year
Best Escalade years: 2013, 2014, 2012. Years to avoid: 2023, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025. Compare all years →
2011 Cadillac Escalade recalls (6)
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…
Suspension › Rear › Axle › Spindle
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac escalade ext, Chevrolet avalanche, silverado ld and GMC sierra ld vehicles. The rear axle cross pins were not properly heat treated and could fracture and become displaced within the rear axle.
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:
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 owners say
Air bags all 34 →
It is clearly outlined on the GM and NHTSA websites that my specific vehicle has a defective airbag by the Takata corporation based on a finding in 2016. I do not understand why I am not allowed to make my vehicle safe and must "wait" per the GM website which states recall status is: incomplete. Remedy not yet available. What do I need to do to get the airbags replaced with safe ones in order to make my vehicle safe for me and my family to drive in? Let this be notice that if anything happens to me or my family due to the three (3) year delay and current remedy of "not yet available" to make my vehicle safe I will take all appropriate legal action against all parties involved!! I want my vehicle approved to be repaired!!
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that the service air bag warning indicator illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V383000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The lake genieva Chevrolet dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 127,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Body & structure
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Cadillac Escalade. While the contact was attempting to exit the vehicle, the interior door handle locked and the exterior door handle fell off. The contact had to exit the vehicle using the passenger door. The dealer (potamkin Cadillac of manhattan, 706 11th ave, new york, ny 10019) replaced the interior and exterior door handles. Seven months later, the contact experienced the same failure with the rear passenger door. The manufacturer was contacted and was unable to provide assistance. The failure mileage was 25,488. Updated 8/28/18
The rear lift door access unlocks on it's own frequently. The whole rear door lifted open while I was driving.
2011 Cadillac Escalade engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | RWD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Cadillac Escalade a good car?
Based on 49 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Escalade rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Escalade 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 2011 Cadillac Escalade?
The air bags — 34 complaints, 69% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (3) and stability & traction control (2).
How many recalls does the 2011 Cadillac Escalade have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2011 Cadillac Escalade, 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013, 2014 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025. See the full Cadillac Escalade years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Cadillac Escalade problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 107,000 miles; 13% 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.