2002 Cadillac ESCALADE EXT: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
22 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
86,056 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 14 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 22 complaints (18.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 10 | 45.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 9.1% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 4.5% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 4.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 4 |
| Engine | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 2 |
| Tires | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 1 |
Service Brakes: 4; Engine: 3; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 2; Tires: 2; Air Bags: 1; Electrical System:Ignition: 1; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 3
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 8 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 2 |
2004: 1; 2005: 4; 2006: 5; 2007: 1; 2009: 1; 2011: 1; 2012: 2; 2014: 5; 2015: 2
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10090146 · 2004-10-06 (October 6, 2004)
WHILE CONSUMER WAS OPENING THE TAILGATE AND THE CABLES BROKE. THE CONSUMERS SON SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES . *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10090146 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10113915 · 2005-03-10 (March 10, 2005)
I HAVE HAD FOUR GOODYEAR TIRES THAT HAVE SPLIT AND/OR COME COMPLETELY APART WHILE DRIVING. THEY WERE WRANGLER HP TIRES, P265/70R17. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10113915 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10128944 · 2005-07-15 (July 15, 2005)
I AM CURRENTLY HAVING A RE-OCCURING PROBLEM WITH THE STABILITY TRACK. I HAVE HAD IT SERVICED FOUR TIMES NOW TO NO AVAIL. EACH TIME I TAKE IT IN THEY TELL ME IT IS A COMPUTER PROBLEM, AND THAT IT JUST NEED TO BE RESET. I HAVE YET TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, BUT TODAY I ALMOST DID. WHILE GOING TO THE CURB ENTERING THE FREEWAY THE STEERING WENT CRAZY AND THE SERVICE STABILITY TRACK NOTICE APPEARED. AFTER I ENTERED THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STILL WAS JERKING UNCONTROLABLE. I TURNED OF THE STABILITY TRAC BUTTON IN HOPES OF GAINING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10128944 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10142524 · 2005-11-12 (November 12, 2005)
THIS IS A SYNOPSIS OF THE INCIDENTS WITH GOODYEAR WRANGLER HP TIRES (P265/70R17) THAT HAVE OCCURRED WITH MY 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 27, 2003, MYSELF ALONG WITH MY FATHER, MOTHER, SISTER AND COUSIN ELLISON WAS TRAVELING IN A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT. AS WE WERE TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE 16 FROM MACON, GEORGIA TO SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING SOUND AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS THROWN INTO THE AIR. ONCE THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE HIT THE GROUND, I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE VEHIC…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10142524 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10146167 · 2005-12-27 (December 27, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS ACTIVATED AT LESS THAN 30 MPH. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE WAS A CHATTERING SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS WAS ON ONGOING PROBLEM. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER 2004. THE DEALERSHIP REMOVED THE CORROSION FROM THE ABS SENSORS. THE PROBLEM DID NOT RETURN UNTIL DECEMBER 23, 2005. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE THE SAME AS BEFORE. THE DEALERSHIP CLEANED THE CORROSION FROM THE ABS SENSORS. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED. *AK THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 01/19/06. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 70,528 miles reported. Look up ODI 10146167 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10151466 · 2006-02-28 (February 28, 2006)
9:30 AM ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2006. 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT. ATTEMPTED TO STOP ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD IN AN EFFORT TO BACK INTO A DRIVEWAY. I WAS MOVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED (LESS THAN 5 MPH) AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW AND CONTINUED OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A CULVERT. STRUCK A TREE AND THERE WAS AN ESTIMATED $2,500 TO 5,000 IN DAMAGES (NO INJURIES). ROAD CONDITIONS: SNOW, BUT NOT SLICK PHOTOS WERE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ACCIDENT. IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED CADILLAC CERTIFIED DEALER FOR SERVICE. DEALER STATED THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO R…
Owner-reported narrative. 59,325 miles reported. Look up ODI 10151466 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158260 · 2006-05-25 (May 25, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC) LIGHT ILLUMINATES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHERE THE ASC SENSOR WAS REPLACED. EACH TIME REPLACEMENT HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. A MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED NO REPAIRS ARE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.
Owner-reported narrative. 82,111 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158260 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158948 · 2006-06-04 (June 4, 2006)
IGNITION SWITCH: THE TRANSMISSION MAY GET STUCK IN THIRD GEAR AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAY STOP WORKING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 66,857 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158948 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V129000 · Structure:Body:Tailgate:Hinge And Attachments
Reported: 2004-03-17 (March 17, 2004)
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE GALVANIZED STEEL TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES THAT RETAIN THE TAILGATE IN THE FULL OPEN (HORIZONTAL) POSITION MAY CORRODE, WEAKEN, AND EVENTUALLY FRACTURE. IF BOTH CABLES FRACTURED, THE TAILGATE WOULD SUDDENLY DROP AND STRIKE THE TOP SURFACE OF THE REAR BUMPER.
Consequence: ANYONE SITTING OR STANDING ON THE HORIZONTAL SURFACE OF THE TAILGATE WHEN BOTH CABLES FRACTURED COULD BE INJURED BY FALLING FROM THE TAILGATE. ON VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THE BUMPER REMOVED, THE TAILGATE MAY DROP EVEN LOWER. ADDITIONALLY, IF THERE IS CARGO ON THE TAILGATE THE CARGO MAY FALL OFF IF THE SUPPORT CABLES FRACTURE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CABLES. INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 7, 20004. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2004, WHEN REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE AVAILABLE, AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OCTOBER 29, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, OR VISIT WWW.MYGMLINK.COM, AND ENTER YOUR VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗