Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Cadillac Escalade, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic28
- Electrical system16
- Service brakes11
- Power train10
- Suspension8
- Steering7
- Structure7
- Seat belts6
- Seats6
- Electronic stability control5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 11 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 38 2002 Escalade vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 28 people died inside them, and 15 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Cadillac Escalade failed the safety check 1.61% of the time — 20% less often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 171,840 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
3 cars built in 2002 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 7 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In New Zealand
8 2002 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 20.0 L/100 km (about 12 mpg US), CO₂ 460 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escalade AWD · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 22.4 | 16.9 | 20.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2002 Cadillac Escalade.
| 2002166 20 Sept 2002 | Seats And Restraints Certain vehicles equipped with rearward folding head restraints on the second row seats. Two potential pinch points exist on each of the folding head restraint… |
| 2002068 11 Apr 2002 | Seats And Restraints Certain vehicles fail to conform to CMVSS 209, seat belt assemblies. These vehicles have a condition where one or two sensors in the driver's and front seat pas… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH REARWARD FOLDING HEAD RESTRAINTS ON THE SECOND ROW SEATS, TWO POTENTIAL PINCH POINTS EXIST ON EACH OF THE FOLDING HEAD RESTRAINTS WHEN THE RESTRAINTS ARE FOLDED REARWARD AS THE SEATBACK IS FOLDED DOWN.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Cadillac told its dealers about the 2002 Cadillac Escalade: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637223 | THIS MESSAGE INVOLVES THE THREE-PIECE HARD SURFACE CARGO COVER. *TT |
| 637214 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE OUTSIDE OWER FOLDED MIRRORS ARE NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. *TT |
| 637189 | SUBJECT REGARDING WET CARPET AT PASSENGER FOOT WELL CONDITION. *TT |
| 636665 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE END GATE DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. *TT |
| 636575 | SUBJECT REGARDING KINKED TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES. *TT |
| 636554 | INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSING WATER LEAKS IN THE REAR PASSENGER AND THE FRONT SEATING AREAS. *TT |
| 636521 | CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY BE SUSPECT OF A MID GATE GLASS ENCAPSULATION CRACKING CONDITION. *TT |
| 634999 | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
| 634903 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE B2725. *TT |
| 634847 | YAW RATE SENSOR / LATERAL ACCELEROMETER REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 634831 | SUBJECT REGARDING HIGHER THAN EXPECTED ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. *TT |
| 634821 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE MANUAL LOCK LEVER COMES LOOSE FROM THE DOOR TRIM PANEL. *TT |
| 634805 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON HIGHER THAN EXPECTED ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. *TT |
| 634788 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A MILD TO SEVERE ENGINE PING (COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS SPARK KNOCK) USUALLY WORSE DURING ACCELERATION AND / OR AN ILLUMINATED MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP. *TT |
| 634587 | REAR WIPER JUMPS WHEN THE FOG LAMPS ARE TURNED ON. *TT |
| 634533 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A RATTLE TYPE NOISE COMING FROM THE CENTER OF THE DASH FOR CERTAIN PICKUP, UTILITY AND EXT MODELS. *TT |
| 634515 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE ENDGATE APPEARS TO BE CLOSED BUT OPENS PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING. *TT |
| 634235 | PRODUCT EMISSION RECALL REGARDING UNCERTIFIED POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE CALIBRATION. *TT |
| 634231 | VOLUNTARY EMISSION RECALL BULLETIN FOR VEHICLES BUILT WITH UNCERTIFIED POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) CALIBRATIONS. *TT |
| 631909 | SUBJECT REGARDING CENTER FLOOR CONSOLE REAR POWER OUTLET REPLACEMENT COVERS. *SLC |
| 631213 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON WATER LEAKING DOWN THE INSIDE OF THE ENDGATE. *SLC |
| 629593 | INFORMATION ON CUSTOMERS REPORTING INTERMITTENT STALL OR NO START CONDITION. *TT |
| 629441 | CARGO COVER SEAL PULLS OFF. *YD |
| 629401 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE REAR FLOOR CARPET IS WET. *TT |
| 629394 | INFORMATION CONCERNING THE SPARE TIRE HAVING A DIFFERENT SIZE THAN OTHER TIRES. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Brake line corrosion failure
UNWANTED LOW-SPEED ABS ACTIVATION
THROTTLE STICKING CLOSED
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation