YearToAvoid

2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

40/100

#10 most-complained of 16 Escalade ESV years

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV has a Complaint Index of 40 and ranks 10th worst of 16 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other years. NHTSA lists 13 complaints, 5 recalls, and no crashes, fires, or deaths, with 3 injuries reported.

Complaints
13
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15
13.5 city / 18 hwy

Top 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV problems

NHTSA owner 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%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the automatic power rear hatch releasing suddenly and falling shut without resistance while loading cargo.
  • Some describe the seat control module connector under the passenger seat overheating and melting, first noticed when heated seats stopped working, around 100,000 miles.
  • Several owners mention frustration over delayed parts availability for the Takata airbag inflator recall, with dealers unable to complete repairs.
  • One owner reported a throttle position error (code 2135) causing reduced engine power at 15,555 miles.
  • Door handles on multiple doors reportedly broke off even without a collision, at 141,000 miles.
  • One owner found sidewall delamination and tread separation on the factory-fitted tires during a routine visual inspection.
2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV complaints: complaints filed per month4Apr 2011Sep 2016Mar 2017Apr 2018Jun 2019
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2011 to Jun 2024; peak Apr 2011 (4).

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)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010No verdict204316
2011Good4013515
2012No verdict133315
2013No verdict72415

All Cadillac Escalade ESV years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV reliable?
Compared to other Escalade ESV model years, 2011 rates "Good" with a Complaint Index of 40, ranking 10th worst out of 16 years tracked. It has fewer complaints (13) than later years like 2021-2023.
What are the most common problems on the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV?
Structure & Body issues make up 46% of complaints, largely tied to the power rear hatch, followed by Airbags at 38%, mostly Takata inflator recall concerns.
Does the 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV have a recall?
Yes, NHTSA lists 5 recalls for this year, 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 the 2021-2023 model years?
The 2011 model's Complaint Index of 40 is much lower than the 2021 (93), 2022 (87), and 2023 (100) model years, which are rated "Avoid."

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.