YearToAvoid

2014 Cadillac Escalade Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2014 Cadillac Escalade has a complaint index of 30 with 20 complaints and 2 recalls, ranking 15th worst out of 21 model years. NHTSA gives it a Good verdict relative to other Escalade years.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
30/100
#15 of 21 Escalade years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
20
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
2
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
4
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
2
Top issue
Electrical System
Best nearby year
2013
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
15.5
13.5 city / 18 hwy
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Top 2014 Cadillac Escalade problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA 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%)

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

What owners report

  • Some owners report a loss of engine power and power steering while driving, in one case leading to a crash at a gas station.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy during low-speed crashes into stationary objects, with owners describing unintended acceleration into walls, poles, or houses at low mileage around 10,000 miles.
  • A driver's seat reportedly caught fire after the door was opened.
  • Owners describe rough rides tied to struts and shocks needing replacement around 41,000 miles.
  • Some owners report popping sounds and smoke from under the hood near the alternator at around 16,000 miles, without a diagnosed cause.
  • Original-equipment tires reportedly showed cracking and risk of coming apart by about 61,900 miles.
2014 Cadillac Escalade complaints: complaints filed per month2Nov 2014May 2016Oct 2019Feb 2021Feb 2022Mar 2023
20 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2014 to Jul 2026; peak Mar 2015 (2).

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)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2012Best1520316
2013Best519416
2014Good3020215.5
2015Avoid80979 !17
2016Caution60894 !17

All Cadillac Escalade years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Cadillac Escalade reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2014 Escalade a complaint index of 30, ranking 15th worst out of 21 model years, and it carries a Good verdict compared to other Escalade years.
What problems does the 2014 Cadillac Escalade have?
The top problem area is the Electrical System, making up 40% of complaints, followed by Engine at 30% and Airbags at 25%. Median mileage at failure across all complaints was 40,500 miles.
Does the 2014 Cadillac Escalade have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2014 Escalade: one for a chassis electronic module (Electrical System, campaign 14V614000) and one for a front passenger air bag inflator (Airbags, campaign 21V054000).
How does the 2014 Escalade compare to other Escalade years?
With a complaint index of 30, the 2014 Escalade is far below the worst year, 2023, which scored 100, and less troubled than years like 2007, 2009, 2015, 2021, and 2022, 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.