Model year 2026 · Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
2026 Cadillac Escalade: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings
EPA rates the 2026 Cadillac Escalade at 13–17 mpg combined across 3 versions. NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 54 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.
Safety recalls
4
EPA combined mpg
13–17
NHTSA overall rating
5/5
Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT
NHTSA lists this vehicle as ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE IQ, ESCALADE IQL.
Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Cadillac dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.
2026 Cadillac Escalade recalls
NHTSA's recall file lists 4 safety recalls for the 2026 Cadillac Escalade, newest first.
General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N262562600)
Units affected
11 (estimate)
Problem
General Motors, LLC is recalling certain 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, GMC Sierra EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup vehicles. The high voltage battery may have an improperly secured internal module component.
Risk
A loose component may move and damage the high voltage battery, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2026. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262562600. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 30, 2026.
General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N262554630)
Units affected
2,457 (estimate)
Problem
General Motors, LLC is recalling certain 2025â2026 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban 1500, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with 24-inch wheels. Incorrect bolts may have been installed on the left and right front wheel hubs, which can result in the bolts loosening or deforming over time.
Risk
A bolt that loosens or breaks during vehicle operation can result in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the front left and right wheel hub bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262554630. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 14, 2026.
General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N262557620)
Units affected
66 (estimate)
Problem
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with four-wheel (4WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and certain 2015-2020 Suburban, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Tahoe vehicles. A component missing from the drivetrain transfer case may cause the front and/or rear wheels to lock up without warning to the driver.
Risk
Front or rear wheel lockup increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transfer case assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262557620. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 7, 2026.
General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N252540430)
Units affected
5,861 (estimate)
Problem
General Motors has decided that certain 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2025-2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, Chevrolet Colorado, Equinox EV, GMC Canyon, 2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, Cadillac CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, LYRIQ, VISTIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Corvette Convertible, Corvette Coupe, Corvette Convertible E-Ray, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, Silverado EV, Suburban 1500, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Hummer EV Pickup, Hummer EV SUV, Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, Sierra EV, Terrain, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The radio may not have been set to the correct status to download the electronic owner's manual during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, âOccupant Protection.â
Risk
Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic ownerâs manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-9700, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N252540430. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 26, 2026.
Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.
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2026 Cadillac Escalade fuel economy by version
EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.
Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.
EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.
2026 Cadillac Escalade crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.
Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.
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2026 Cadillac Escalade owner complaints
Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Cadillac Escalade, most recently on Oct 19, 2026. 1 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.
Most-cited components in 2026 Cadillac Escalade complaints
Component named in complaints
Mentions
Engine
48
Electrical system
9
Fuel/propulsion system
6
Power train
5
Unknown or other
4
Visibility/wiper
2
Exterior lighting
1
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings
1
Lane departure: Blind spot detection
1
Seats
1
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.
