YearToAvoid

2011 Cadillac Escalade Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

47/100

#9 most-complained of 16 Escalade years

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade has 49 NHTSA complaints, 6 recalls, and a complaint index of 47, ranking 9th worst out of 16 model years. It carries a "Good" verdict compared to other Escalade years, with airbags as the top complaint area.

Complaints
49
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
16
14 city / 18 hwy

Top 2011 Cadillac Escalade problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags34 (69%)
  2. Other4 (8%)
  3. Brakes3 (6%)
  4. Electrical System3 (6%)
  5. Structure & Body3 (6%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (4%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain2 (4%)
  8. Seat Belts1 (2%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the Takata airbag recall repair parts were unavailable for extended periods, leaving affected airbags unfixed.
  • Some owners describe cracked dashboards that raise concern about proper airbag deployment in a crash.
  • Brake pedal reportedly became inoperable at highway speed while the traction control light illuminated, later traced to a suspension failure.
  • Traction control and stability warning lights have stayed illuminated after a diagnosed cv boot leak.
  • Interior door handles have locked while exterior handles fell off, trapping occupants inside until they exited through another door.
  • A front driver-side seat belt locking mechanism reportedly failed to latch securely.
2011 Cadillac Escalade complaints: complaints filed per month5Oct 2011Aug 2016Aug 2017Mar 2018Aug 2019Apr 2020Aug 2021
52 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2011 to Mar 2025; peak Oct 2017 (5).

2011 Cadillac Escalade recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  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 6 recalls for the 2011 Cadillac Escalade →

2011 Cadillac Escalade fuel economy and fuel cost

City
14 MPG
Highway
18 MPG
Combined
16 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,050
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 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
2010Good2738316
2011Good4749616
2012Best2020316
2013Best019416

All Cadillac Escalade years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Cadillac Escalade a good year?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2011 Escalade rates "Good" with a complaint index of 47, ranking 9th worst among 16 model years of the Escalade.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Cadillac Escalade?
Airbags account for 69% of complaints (34 of 49), followed by brakes, electrical system, and structure/body issues at 6% each. Median mileage at failure across complaints is 104,761.
Does the 2011 Cadillac Escalade have a Takata airbag recall?
Yes. NHTSA recalls 21V050000 and 21V054000 cover replacement of the front passenger air bag inflator, and owners have reported long waits for replacement parts.
How many recalls does the 2011 Cadillac Escalade have?
NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2011 Escalade, covering airbags, the ignition lock housing, steering shaft bolts, and rear axle cross pins.
How does the 2011 Escalade compare to other years?
With a complaint index of 47, the 2011 Escalade ranks better than years like 2023 (index 100, Avoid) and 2015 (index 87, Avoid), but worse than 2018 and 2020, which score as "Best."

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.