2008 Cadillac ESCALADE: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT 5 MPH, THE CONTACT STRUCK A POLE. THE PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM (LIGHTS AND CHIMES) WAS DEFECTIVE AND DID NOT WORK. HE NOTICED THE POLE IN THE REAR BACK-UP CAMERA, BUT DID NOT KNOW THAT THE PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM DID NOT WORK AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER. GENERAL MOTORS REPAIRED THE SYSTEM AND INFORMED HIM THAT THE DAMAGE WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY. HE IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CUR…

Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206851 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE TOTALLY SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. ALL POWER, ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL, IS LOST THEREBY CREATING A HIGH RISK OF A COLLISION AND INJURY. GM/CADILLAC HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THIS ONGOING PROBLEM/ DEFECT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10224045 at NHTSA ↗

BLUE TINTED DRIVING/HEADLIGHTS ON NEWER CARS AND REPLACEMENT ON OLDER CARS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10239130 at NHTSA ↗

EXTREMELY BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS ON MANY NEWER VEHICLES CAUSE A HAZARDOUS CONDITION FOR ONCOMING VEHICLES. THESE LIGHTS ARE SO BRIGHT THAT THEY TEMPORARILY BLIND THE PERSON ON THE ONCOMING LANE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN RAINY CONDITIONS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10250734 at NHTSA ↗

THE AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE PEDALS RESET AND MOVED INTO THERE START POSITION, WHICH MY WIFE CANT REACH. SHE COULD NOT REACH THE PEDALS AND I TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10256413 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A WEEK PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE RADIO BEGAN TO TURN ON AND OFF. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 9,500.

Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10275662 at NHTSA ↗

SERVICE ENGINE TROUBLE CODE CAUSES ENGINE POWER REDUCED TO 10%. WHEN THE GM COMPUTER GETS A C1214 TROUBLE CODE, THE FACTORY PROGRAM REDUCES ENGINE POWER TO 10%. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT LET YOU GO MORE THAN 30 MILES PER HOUR. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY DEFECT, WHO CARES IF THE STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL IS INOPERATIVE, THERE IS NO REASON TO IMPERIL THE OCCUPANTS WITH A VEHICLE THAT WILL NOT GET OUT OF ITS OWN WAY. I OWN AND HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES WITHOUT STABILITY/TRACTION C…

Owner-reported narrative. 59,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10279909 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; THERE WAS AN UNINTENDED FORCEFUL ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND THE DRIVER MANUALLY SHIFTED GEARS INTO THE "NEUTRAL" POSITION. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL; SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE RESUMED TO NORMAL OPERATION. THERE WERE THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS THAT THE IDENTICAL FAILURES OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10281153 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2008-08-28 (August 28, 2008)

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. A SHORT CIRCUIT ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE WASHER FLUID HEATER MAY OVERHEAT THE CONTROL-CIRCUIT GROUND WIRE.

Consequence: THIS MAY CAUSE OTHER ELECTRICAL FEATURES TO MALFUNCTION, CREATE AN ODOR, OR CAUSE SMOKE INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.

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; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR HTTP://WWW.SATURN.COM, GMC AT 1-866-996-9436; OR HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493; OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM>HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM</A> .

Reported: 2010-06-04 (June 4, 2010)

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 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WASHER FLUID SYSTEM (HWFS). A RECALL WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2008 TO ADD A FUSE TO THE CONTROL CIRCUIT HARNESS TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) ELECTRICAL SHORT. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN NEW REPORTS OF THERMAL INCIDENTS ON HWFS MODULES AFTER THIS IMPROVEMENT WAS INSTALLED. THESE INCIDENTS RESULTED FROM A NEW FAILURE MODE ATTRIBUTED TO THE DEVICE'S THERMAL PROTECTION FEATURE. THE SIGNIFICANCE VARIES FROM MINOR DISTORTION TO CONSIDERABLE MELTING OF THE PLASTIC AROUND THE HWFS FLUID CHAMBER.

Consequence: IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.

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 DISABLED AND REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

Reported: 2021-02-05 (February 5, 2021)

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 the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

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. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328760.

Reported: 2021-02-05 (February 5, 2021)

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, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

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. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 20, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328780.