YearToAvoid

2014 Cadillac Escalade Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

40/100

#10 most-complained of 16 Escalade years

The 2014 Cadillac Escalade has 20 NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls, with a complaint index of 40, ranking 10th worst out of 16 model years and earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Escalade years.

Complaints
20
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
4 / 1
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
15.5
13.5 city / 18 hwy

Top 2014 Cadillac Escalade problems

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

  1. Electrical System8 (40%)
  2. Engine6 (30%)
  3. Airbags5 (25%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (15%)
  5. Other2 (10%)
  6. Steering2 (10%)
  7. Brakes1 (5%)
  8. Fuel System1 (5%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain1 (5%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers1 (5%)

What owners report

  • Some owners report the vehicle losing power and power steering while driving, in one case leading to a crash at a gas station.
  • Front airbags failed to deploy during low-speed crashes into structures, with occupants sustaining neck, shoulder, knee, and hip injuries.
  • A driver door seat reportedly caught fire.
  • Owners report rough rides traced to worn struts and shocks, with one vehicle needing replacement around 41,000 miles.
  • Tires reportedly cracked and were at risk of coming apart at 61,900 miles, prompting replacement.
  • Popping sounds and smoke from under the hood near the alternator were reported at 16,000 miles.
2014 Cadillac Escalade complaints: complaints filed per month4Nov 2014May 2016Oct 2019Feb 2021Feb 2022Mar 2023
30 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2014 to Jul 2026; peak May 2016 (4).

2014 Cadillac Escalade recalls

2 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 14V614000Oct 1, 2014Electrical System106,307 vehicles

    Electrical system

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.

    Risk: If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM’s number for this recall is 14515.

2014 Cadillac Escalade fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13.5 MPG
Highway
18 MPG
Combined
15.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,175
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.

2014 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
2012Best2020316
2013Best019416
2014Good4020215.5
2015Avoid87979 !17
2016Caution67894 !17

All Cadillac Escalade years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Cadillac Escalade reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2014 Escalade has a complaint index of 40 and ranks 10th worst out of 16 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Escalade years.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Cadillac Escalade?
The top problem area is the Electrical System, accounting for 40% of complaints (8 of 20), followed by Engine issues at 30% and Airbag issues at 25%.
Does the 2014 Cadillac Escalade have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2014 Escalade: one for the airbag inflator (campaign 21V054000) and one for a chassis electronic module replacement tied to the Electrical System (campaign 14V614000).
How does the 2014 Escalade compare to other Escalade years?
The 2014 model's complaint index of 40 is lower than 2015 (87), 2016 (67), and 2023 (100), all of which carry "Avoid" or "Caution" verdicts, making 2014 a comparatively better year.
What is the fuel economy of the 2014 Cadillac Escalade?
EPA rates the 2014 Escalade at 15.5 mpg combined (13.5 city / 18 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,175.

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.