YearToAvoid

2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV has a complaint index of 50 with 13 complaints and 5 recalls, earning a Caution verdict. It ranks 11th worst out of 21 model years, with Structure & Body issues (46% of complaints) leading the list.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
50/100
#11 of 21 Escalade ESV years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
13
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
5
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
3
Top issue
Structure & Body
Best nearby year
2009
rated Good
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15
13.5 city / 18 hwy
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0

Top 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Structure & Body6 (46%)
  2. Airbags5 (38%)
  3. Other3 (23%)
  4. Electrical System2 (15%)
  5. Fuel System1 (8%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (8%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report the power rear hatch losing resistance and falling shut unexpectedly, in one case striking someone in the head.
  • Door handles reportedly break off on all doors, sometimes making it hard to exit the vehicle without repair.
  • Owners describe fear of driving the vehicle after being told the Takata airbag inflator recall was safe despite an unresolved recall status.
  • A seat control module connector under the passenger seat reportedly shorted out and melted, disabling the heated seat function.
  • One owner reported a throttle position error triggering a power reduction warning light, tied to fuel system trouble.
  • Tires reportedly showed sidewall delamination and tread separation on original Michelin tires after years of use.
2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV complaints: complaints filed per month2Apr 2011Sep 2016Mar 2017Apr 2018Jun 2019
13 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2011 to Jun 2024; peak Apr 2011 (2).

2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V054000Feb 5, 2021Airbags1,778,128 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY 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.

    Risk: 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 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. 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 N212328800.

  2. NHTSA 21V050000Feb 5, 2021Airbags2,641,272 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  3. NHTSA 14V827000Dec 30, 2014Electrical System84,192 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.

    Risk: If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

See all 5 recalls for the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV →

2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13.5 MPG
Highway
18 MPG
Combined
15 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,350
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Gasoline or E85
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2011 compared with other Escalade ESV years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2009Good356515
2010No verdict154316
2011Caution5013515
2012No verdict103315
2013No verdict52415

All Cadillac Escalade ESV years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV reliable?
NHTSA data shows a complaint index of 50 for the 2011 model, giving it a Caution verdict. It ranks 11th worst among the 21 model years with data, so it's a middle-of-the-pack year for this model.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Escalade ESV?
Structure & Body complaints make up 46% of reports, including issues with the rear hatch and door handles, with a median failure mileage of 107,000. Airbags account for 38% of complaints, largely tied to the Takata inflator recall.
Does the 2011 Escalade ESV have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2011 Escalade ESV, covering airbags, electrical system (ignition lock housing), steering (intermediate shaft bolts), and suspension (rear axle cross pin). None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2011 Escalade ESV compare to other years?
With a complaint index of 50, the 2011 model is worse than the 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2018 model years, which carry Good verdicts, but better than 2007, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, which are rated Avoid.
What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Escalade ESV?
EPA rates the 2011 Escalade ESV at 15 mpg combined (13.5 city / 18 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.