Most common 2013 Cadillac Escalade problems
Share of the 19 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 →
2013 Cadillac Escalade recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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,…
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.
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.
Electrical system
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.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014.
Power train › Automatic transmission
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…
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2013 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 2013 Cadillac Escalade owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle downshifted unintendedly, and the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The check engine warning light and an unknown warning light were illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle after waiting for a while. The contact resumed driving; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact then drove 10 MPH and parked the vehicle at her place of employment parking lot. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at highway speeds, the "Engine Power Reduced" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder of the highway. The contact stated that his wife was panicked due to the abrupt failure and refused to drive the vehicle. Due to the ongoing failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer on three separate occasions; however, the dealer failed to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Electrical system
On 5/12/18 vehicle locked up while driving at speed of 16 miles on westwind, el paso, tx 79912. Turned to open area lot vehicle steering wheel lock up shut down.towed it to bravo Cadillac general manager was rude stated nothing wrong with vehicle made me pay for towing. Since, then I had vehicle electrical problems and current having valvetrain DTC p0300 ticking noise. Recall dec. 23,2016, recall # 12331 NHTSA id: 14V614000, recall #12331 NHTSA id # 13V001000, recall # 14515 NHTSA id# 14V614000, bravo Cadillac does not want to fix the recall issue general manager stated not on warranty or extended warranty. I stated that this is a recall problem and ignore me. Tony ase master mechanic [phone] stated that its a recall issue. Document id # pip4138p on December 23,2016.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Cadillac Escalade. While the vehicle was parked, it failed to start without warning. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was towed to courtesy Chevrolet of san diego (750 camino del rio north, san diego, ca 92108, phone number: [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the main electrical fuse failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V614000 (electrical system). The manufacturer informed the contact that the VIN was not associated with the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
Air bags
Airbag light is on and dealer stated it has something to do with the seat belt (diver side) also the Cadillac Escalade from the past and present years have a airbag and seatbelt issue and I believe my vehicle has the same issue. But no one will listen please look into the issue with my vehicle please help.
2013 Cadillac Escalade. Consumer writes in regards to Takata airbag safety recall. The consumer stated after having the airbag recall completed, the warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to have it repaired. The dealer advised the airbag failure timing was a coincidence and requested an inspection/repair fee.
2013 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 2013 Cadillac Escalade a good car?
Based on 19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Escalade rates better than average: 63% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Escalade at the same age. It is one of the best Escalade years by this measure. 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 2013 Cadillac Escalade?
The transmission & drivetrain — 5 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (4) and air bags (3).
How many recalls does the 2013 Cadillac Escalade have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2013 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 2013 Cadillac Escalade problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 88,000 miles; 14% 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.