Photo: Michael Gil from Toronto, ON, Canada / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
2013 Cadillac Escalade: common problems and reliability
· 3rd generationOne of the best Escalade years.
The best Cadillac Escalade year. All Escalade years
22 owner complaints, most about power train. 4 recalls.
Should I buy a 2013 Escalade?The 2013 Cadillac Escalade has 22 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are power train and electrical system. Owners most often flag afm/dod lifter failure leading to camshaft and vvt damage: owners of 2010-2014 models repeatedly warn that afm lifters will eventually fail, especially if oil changes were skipped, with repair bills reported around $6,000.
Safety record for the 2013 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2013 Cadillac Escalade vehicles (US, public record).
The Year Score compares this year with other Escalade years only. How we score it
Is 2013 a good year for the Escalade?
Across the 28 Escalade model years we track, complaint volume runs from 3 (2001) to 802 (2007). With 22 complaints, the 2013 Escalade sits below the model's median of 162.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2013 Escalade
air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Campaign 21V053000General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL 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 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and 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." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."
air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Campaign 21V054000General 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.
electrical system
Campaign 14V614000General 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.
steering:column locking:anti-theft device
Campaign 13V001000General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect", and FMVSS No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention." The vehicles may have been built with a fractured park lock cable or a malformed steering column lock actuator gear in the lock module assembly.
What owners report on the 3rd generation Escalade
Owners of the 2007-2014 Escalade generally regard it as a durable, comfortable, and capable full-size luxury SUV, with many describing it as a "tank" that handles winter weather and long road trips well.
- Very frequentAFM/DOD lifter failure leading to camshaft and VVT damage
Owners of 2010-2014 models repeatedly warn that AFM lifters will eventually fail, especially if oil changes were skipped, with repair bills reported around $6,000.
- Very frequentAir suspension and magnetic ride control failures, including sagging front ends, failed shocks, and failed compressors
Owners report shocks costing over $800 each and compressors failing around every 100,000 miles.
- RecurrentTorque converter and transmission issues on 2011-2014 models when the transmission has not been maintained
- RecurrentOil leaks, particularly around the oil pan drain plug area and valve cover gaskets
- RecurrentService Stabilitrak and reduced engine power messages traced to throttle body, wheel speed sensors, or magnetic ride struts
Owner insights for the 3rd generation Escalade. Read the full 3rd generation owner report.
Typical used price
Used Escalade listings typically run $25,495–$67,314.
Other Escalade model years
Compare every Escalade year side by side to see how 2013 ranks against the rest.
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