2003 Cadillac ESCALADE: complaints, problems and recalls

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 10MPH ON FREEZING WEATHER (MOUNTAIN) HAS A SEVERE VIBRATION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED YET. PLEASE PROVIDED FURTHER INFORMATION. TS *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001689 at NHTSA ↗

TURNING SLOWLY TO THE RIGHT AND OVER BUMPY ROAD SURFACES, VEHICLE APPLIES BRAKES ON ITS OWN. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013871 at NHTSA ↗

SUSPENSION SERVICE STABILITY DISABLED DIGITAL WARNING 5 TIMES. ON THE FIRST OCCASION IT ALSO READ REDUCED POWER AND POWERED DOWN FROM 70 TO 35 MPH WITHIN SECONDS WHEN DRIVEN IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC. REMOTE ANALYSIS BY ONSTAR INDICATED MOST RECENTLY AN ABS PROBLEM REQUIRED SERVICE. OTHER FUSE AND WIRE/SHORT PROBLEMS HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN THE DASH. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 8,452 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020802 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES THAT IT IS HARD TO TELL WHEN TIRE PRESSURE IS LOW DUE TO HEAT THAT HAS FIELDED UP INSIDE THE TIRE, CAUSING THE TIRE WALL TO COLLAPSE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10030134 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN EXPOSED TO WATER, WATER ENTERED REAR CARGO AREA OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER, WHO FOUND THAT THERE WERE PANELS ON THE EXTERIOR THAT SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED WATER FROM ENTERING. BUT THIS WAS A NORMAL PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 412 miles reported. Look up ODI 10034302 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD SERVICE STABILITY TRACK MESSAGE WOULD APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD MESSAGE CENTER. THAT WOULD THEN DISABLE THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. AN AUDIBLE DING-DING WOULD SOUND ABOUT EVERY THIRTY-SECONDS AS YOU WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE BUTTON ON THE DASH WAS INOPERABLE AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF THE SYSTEM. CADILLAC ADVISED MY DEALER THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE 2004 MODELS TO BE RELEASED TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP TO BE FIXED IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT THE ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE …

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10036951 at NHTSA ↗

THERE EXISTS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE THAT RESULTS IN REPEATED ACCIDENTAL ACTIVATION OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATING SYSTEM, MOST CRITICALLY IN THE SUMMER, CREATING A CONSTANT BURN HAZARD. THE DRIVER'S WINDOW CONTROL BUTTON CANNOT BE ACTIVATED WITHOUT FREQUENT AND REPEATED ACCIDENTAL ACTIVATION OF THE SEAT HEATING SYSTEM BECAUSE THE HEATING BUTTONS PHYSICALLY BLOCK ACCESS TO THE WINDOW CONTROLS. TO LOWER THE WINDOW, ONE'S HAND MUST MAKE PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE SEAT HEATER ACTIVATION BUTTONS. FOR INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETICS (…

Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039426 at NHTSA ↗

THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ORDERED INSTALLATION OF THE INTERLOCK IGNITION DEVICE (IID) TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM BEING OPERATED BY INTOXICATED DRIVERS. THE DEVICE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO START OR STALL WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURED BY GUARDIAN INTERLOCK, MODEL 3050, SERIAL# 13429 & 18832, TRANSPONDER 4.4E. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10040262 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-08-12 (August 12, 2002)

CERTAIN ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITHOUT A POWER STEERING BRACKET TO SECURE THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE, ALLOWING THE CABLE TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE STEERING SHAFT.

Consequence: THIS CONTACT COULD CAUSE A WEAR-THROUGH OF THE CABLE INSULATION, EXPOSING THE WIRE CORE AND RESULT IN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL SHORTING. IF ENOUGH CURRENT IS DISCHARGED AT THE POINT OF CONTACT, AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE ROUTING AND RE-ROUTE, IF NECESSARY. NO OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL TAKE PLACE SINCE ALL VEHICLES WERE CAPTURED AT THE DEALERS.

Reported: 2003-02-06 (February 6, 2003)

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 214, "SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES ARE BUILT WITH FOUR WELDS ON THE REAR DOOR UPPER HINGE. ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, ONE OR TWO OF THE WELDS MAY NOT BE TO SPECIFICATION.

Consequence: AS A RESULT, THE DOOR STRENGTH MAY BE DEGRADED DURING A SIDE IMPACT VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WELDS ON THE LEFT REAR DOOR UPPER HINGE. IF A WELD IS FOUND OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION, A BOLT WILL BE INSTALLED TO SECURE THE HINGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 17, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.

Reported: 2004-02-04 (February 4, 2004)

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND PASSENGER VANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, ?PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.? SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION BRAKE HYDRO-BOOST HOUSING RELIEF VALVE BORE.

Consequence: CONSEQUENTLY, THE VALVE O-RING SEAL MAY FRACTURE. STEERING EFFORTS MAY BE SLIGHTLY INCREASED WHILE BRAKING OR PARKING. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, A FRACTURED SEAL MAY REQUIRE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THE SAME VEHICLE DECELERATION RATE AS PRIOR TO THE SEAT FRACTURE.

Remedy: DEALERS ARE TO REPLACE THE HYDRO-BOOST RELIEF VALVE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 18, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; GMC AT 1-866-996-9463; OR HUMMER AT 1-866-486-6376.

Reported: 2005-04-22 (April 22, 2005)

ON CERTAIN CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE 2ND ROW CENTER OCCUPANT SEAT BELT ROUTING MAY MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO POSITION THE LAP PORTION OF THE SAFETY BELT LOW AROUND THE HIPS OF OCCUPANTS, ESPECIALLY SMALLER OCCUPANTS, SEATED IN THIS POSITION. APPROPRIATE USE OF A CHILD SEAT OR BOOSTER SEAT, AS RECOMMENDED FOR SMALL CHILDREN, DOES IMPROVE THE FIT CONDITION FOR THIS USER GROUP. IN ADDITION TO INSTRUCTIONS ON PROPER INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD RESTRAINT (WITH CHILD SEATS OR BOOSTERS), SPECIAL VERBIAGE FOR RESTRAINING OLDER CHILD IS INCLUDED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. ALSO, THE SUGGESTED SEAT BELT FIT/ROUTING FOR ADULTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF SEATING POSITION, IS DESCRIBED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TEXT.

Consequence: A LAP PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT ROUTING THAT IS NOT LOW AND SNUG ON THE HIPS CAN ALLOW THE LAP BELT TO RIDE UP ON AN OCCUPANT'S ABDOMEN INSTEAD OF FITTING LOW AROUND THEIR HIPBONES, AND THEREFORE, CAN EXPOSE THEM TO MORE RISK OF ABDOMINAL AND INTERNAL ORGAN INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CUT OPEN THE GUIDE LOOP, REMOVE A PORTION OF THE LOOP, AND THEN THE REMAINING TWO SIDES SHOULD BE FOLDED OVER AND SECURED WITH A RETAINER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 21, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, OR HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493.