Reliable Auto DB

2018 Cadillac Escalade reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2018 Cadillac Escalade has 21 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Escalade years here — under the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Vacuum.

2012 Cadillac Escalade
Photo by Baron Maddock, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0
Complaints

21

Per year

1

Recalls

1

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (10 of 21), then Electrical system (3) and Powertrain (3). The most filings arrived in 2025 (10 of 21). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports a fire.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Escalade has 89 complaints, 8 per year, and the 2019 has 25 complaints, 1 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Cadillac Escalade. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall hydraulic brakes, power assist, vacuum 2020-10-01 · NHTSA campaign 20V603000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine. The output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N202300860.

Complaints by component (21 total)

Engine
10
Electrical system
3
Powertrain
3
Service brakes
3
Exterior lighting
2
Suspension
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Seats
1
Steering
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 2 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12018320191202112022120232202410202522026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER RESET, FLASHES AND THE TURN SIGNALS WILL STOP WORKING WHILE THE SYSTEM IS CYCLING OR RESTTING, WHILW CHANGING LANES OR IN A MIDDLE OF A TURN"
    Electrical system, Exterior lighting · filed 2026-06-22
  • "Had to get cam shaft replaced last year. Now the lifters are going bad"
    Engine · filed 2026-02-05
  • "It been twice that I have experienced lifters issues and damage caused to engine because of these. First time I fixed it in a NY mechanic shop because dealer workflow and expecting dates (all lifters, crankshaft, and…"
    Seats, Unknown or other, Engine · filed 2025-10-27
  • "I stopped to get gas and put the car in park. Turned the car off and when I started it back up the car thought it was in drive but was in park still. The gas pedal won’t not work and the car is now stuck in park. The…"
    Powertrain · filed 2025-07-22
  • "On Juy7, 2025 while operating my 2018 Cadillac Escalade, which at the time of the incident had an odometer reading of approximately 57,600 miles. felt an immediate loss of power (inability to accelerate efficiently) and…"
    Engine · filed 2025-07-21

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Cadillac Escalade SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2018 Cadillac Escalade SUV RWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Escalade two-wheel drive 6.2L, 8-cyl Automatic 10-speed Rear-wheel drive 14 23 17 MPG $4700
Escalade four-wheel drive 6.2L, 8-cyl Automatic 10-speed Four-wheel drive 14 21 17 MPG $4700

Specs and fitment

K2 generation, 2015–2020
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 full synthetic (6.2L V8; ~8 qt with filter) , 8 qt capacity
Tire size 275/55R20 or 285/45R22 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 19V837000 covers certain 2020 Cadillac Escalade vehicles (with Escalade ESV and other GM full-size trucks and SUVs) where the fuel pump may be missing a pressure regulator. Dealers replace the fuel pump. Recall 18V673000 covers certain 2018-2019 Escalade vehicles among other GM models where certain rear seat-belt retractors may not lock; dealers inspect and replace retractors as necessary.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Cadillac Escalade Next year 2019 Cadillac Escalade See every Cadillac Escalade model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Cadillac Escalade reliable?

The 2018 Cadillac Escalade has 21 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Escalade years here — under the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Vacuum.

What are common problems with a 2018 Cadillac Escalade?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (10 of 21), then Electrical system (3) and Powertrain (3). The most filings arrived in 2025 (10 of 21). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports a fire.

Is the 2018 Cadillac Escalade more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Escalade has 89 complaints, 8 per year, and the 2019 has 25 complaints, 1 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Cadillac Escalade been recalled?

The 2018 Cadillac Escalade has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Cadillac Escalade?

Owners have filed 21 complaints about the 2018 Cadillac Escalade with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Cadillac Escalade get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Cadillac Escalade is 17 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2022 Cadillac Escalade?

T1 generation (2021-on).

What oil does a Cadillac Escalade take?

US notes for the 6.2L V8 list 0W-20 full synthetic on both K2 and T1 generations here.

What tire sizes does a Cadillac Escalade use?

K2 Platinum pages often list 285/45R22; T1 trims commonly use 275/50R22 or 275/60R20.