YearToAvoid

2011 Cadillac Escalade Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2011 Cadillac Escalade has 49 complaints, 6 recalls, and a complaint index of 45, ranking 12th of 21 model years with a Good verdict. Airbags account for 69% of complaints, mostly tied to a Takata inflator recall.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
45/100
#12 of 21 Escalade years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
49
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
6
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2012
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
16
14 city / 18 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2011 Cadillac Escalade problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA 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%)

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

What owners report

  • Owners describe cracked dashboards near the airbag area, raising concern that the airbag would not deploy or that shattered dash pieces could act as shrapnel in a crash.
  • Some owners waited for Takata airbag recall repairs but reported that replacement parts were unavailable for an extended period.
  • The stability/traction control warning light illuminated along with reports of leaking CV boots on the brake system.
  • One owner reported the brakes became inoperable at 65 mph with the traction control light on, later linked to a suspension failure.
  • A door handle problem occurred where the interior handle locked and the exterior handle fell off, requiring exit through the passenger door.
  • A front driver-side seat belt locking mechanism failed to latch securely at 188,000 miles.
2011 Cadillac Escalade complaints: complaints filed per month5Oct 2011Aug 2016Aug 2017Mar 2018Aug 2019Apr 2020Aug 2021
49 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)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2009Avoid9058515
2010Good2538316
2011Good4549616
2012Best1520316
2013Best519416

All Cadillac Escalade years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Cadillac Escalade reliable?
NHTSA lists 49 complaints and 6 recalls for the 2011 Escalade, with a complaint index of 45, giving it a Good verdict compared to other years of the model. It ranks 12th out of 21 model years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2011 Cadillac Escalade?
Airbags are the top problem area, making up 69% of complaints (34 of 49), largely tied to Takata inflator recall issues. Median mileage at failure for airbag complaints was 109,049 miles.
Does the 2011 Cadillac Escalade have a Takata airbag recall?
Yes. NHTSA recall 21V050000 covers replacement of the front passenger air bag inflator on 2011 Escalade models, and some owners reported delays getting replacement parts.
How many recalls does the 2011 Cadillac Escalade have?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2011 Escalade, covering airbags, electrical system, steering, and suspension components.
How does the 2011 Escalade compare to other years?
The 2011 model's complaint index of 45 is lower than 2007 (95), 2009 (90), and 2023 (100), which are rated Avoid, making 2011 a comparatively Good year for the Escalade.

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.