2004 Cadillac Escalade

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Cadillac Escalade do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 47.5.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

69Owner complaints

Model-year median: 47.5

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2004 Cadillac Escalade

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 69 owner complaints · 2 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Electrical System: 20 reports
Service Brakes: 17 reports
Air Bags: 7 reports
Seats: 6 reports
Exterior Lighting: 5 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Escalade years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Unknown Or Other

5 Fuel/propulsion System

4 Power Train

4 Steering

4 Vehicle Speed Control

3 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

2 Electronic Stability Control

1 Electronic Stability Control (esc)

1 Engine And Engine Cooling

1 Forward Collision Avoidance

1 Fuel System, Gasoline

1 Structure

1 Tires

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

0–25K

25–50K

50–75K

75–100K

100–150K

150K+

51 reports with mileage · 18 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

Electrical System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports6 fire reports12 injury reports

Structure complaints

1 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Jan 22, 2025

Service BrakesStructureSuspension

At speeds of 50 mph and above, my vehicle does the death wobble. Any time I hit a tiny crack in the road, going higher speeds. The person that sold he this car knew it did not pass emissions in September 2024 and I bought it in November 2024. A dealership checked car fax for me after I bought it. And this person rolled back the…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #11637676

Recall campaigns

05V163000 · Seat Belts:rear/other

Apr 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 & remedy

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.

04V045000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Feb 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 & remedy

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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.