2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV Powertrain & Transmission Problems

11/26/25 at 85,400 miles on the v8 6.2L L86 engine, I began experiencing rough idle, loss of engine power and propulsion, a ticking/ knocking noise at idle and when RPMs increased as well as blinking engine warning light. Diagnostics/Repair work was done by Reliable GMC/Cadillac of Roseville to fix an ignition coil that was giving the engine error code. 2/24/26 At 86,697 miles, I began having rough idle worse than before, loss of power when accelerating and driving, knocking sounds that increased with acceleration in RPMs as well as a blinking engine warning light. All spark plugs and wiring were changed by Cadillac which resolved engine error codes for misfire. Diagnostics/Repair was done by Reliable GMC/Cadillac of Roseville. 3/30/26 at 87,246 (only 549 miles since the previous work up,) the car began to idle rough, and have a audible rhythmic tapping and knocking when accelerating and increasing RPMs. During driving, I experienced flashing engine light, and then sudden loss of power and control of vehicle. 3/30/26 Veh towed toThompson GMC, of Placerville, CA diagnosed vehicle with full engine failure from broken connecting rods and crankshaft of engine. Dealership is recommending full engine replacement, costing approx $23,000. This engine failure occurred on XXX in [XXX] …a dangerous, steep and curvy 2 lane highway. The engine light and loud forceful knocking happened almost simultaneously, without warning. I was forced to perform a dangerous maneuver to exit the highway into a gas station. Had I not done so, the engine failure could have caused full control loss of the vehicle. Traveling approx 50-65mph with my wife, [XXX] son and 2 daughters, an engine failure put my entire family at risk of serious injury or death. Had I not acted quickly, the outcome would have been catastrophic if not fatal. The vehicle is currently at Thompson GMC, [XXX] and available for further inspection. We believe this may be related to NHTSA EA25007. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the rear wheels locked up and the vehicle stopped moving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and the vehicle was not driven. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V085000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

Transmission would intermittently lock up and cause rough running conditions. Occasionally causing wheels to lock up and the vehicle to lose control. Took the vehicle to multiple service facilities and was told this is a common issue with this transmission and it is in need of replacement to remedy the issue. The vehicle has 85,000 miles on it.

I was driving on the freeway on Cruise Control going 80 mph. All the sudden my speedometer dropped and I had no power. My Transmission Light Started Blinking Cruise Control stopped working and my Car Started Shaking Violently and Sounded Clunky. I had to pull over to the shoulder immediately. I Called my Mechanic and he told me not to drive it any Further So we Towed the vehicle to his shop. There was absolutely no warning signs. This was the only sign something was wrong.

My 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV experienced a major engine failure that required a complete engine replacement. Before the failure, the vehicle showed warning signs including rough running and loss of performance. My certified mechanic later explained that the cause of the failure was consistent with engine defects that have led to GM’s recall on later-model Escalades. However, the 2019 model year is excluded from that recall. The failure was severe enough that it posed a safety risk had it occurred at highway speed, and it required over $20,000 to replace the engine plus thousands more in related repairs. Multiple other major components failed around the same time (suspension components, thermostat, and A/C compressor). I am filing this report because the failure pattern appears identical to what GM has acknowledged on recalled Escalade engines, and I am concerned that the defect may affect more vehicles than currently included in the recall. My mechanic confirmed that the failure is reproducible and consistent with the known defect on later models.

The contact owns a 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting rough. While at a stop light, the vehicle jerked abnormally. There was a hard acceleration while driving the vehicle. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH on the highway, the transmission was shifting hard. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign: 24V797000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the failure was related to the automatic transmission valve body. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall coverage on the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 149,050.

I had taken my car in while it was under warranty for my motor the car wouldn’t move at all or start. They said it was a cylinder so they replaced the one cylinder and didn’t check any others. Just recently in January 2025 I took it back to the dealer for the same issues and they told me I need a whole new motor. Now the car is out of warranty. They charged me close to $1000 just to diagnose the car and tell me I need a They charge me close to $1000 just to diagnose the car and tell me I need a new motor. Apparently the other side of the motor they didn’t check had failed. Also my running boards were taken to the dealer for not working properly and they didn’t fix them while under warranty and now it’s still doing the same thing. Now my air condition isn’t blowing cold air I have taken it to the dealer. They claim I have different kind of freon, but I never replaced the Freon. It’s original to the car when it was purchased. They are charging me $1100 just to diagnose the vehicle.

Vehicle will stall when driving. Alarm sounds and engine will shut down. I can shift the car into neutral and it will re-start. I understand that this issue of stalling can damage the engine beyond repair. I believe this engine is under investigation by the NHTSA. The shop that serviced my transmission warned me about transmission failure due to what he called a garbage can. A cylinder that is prone to failure.

Lifters and camshaft replaced three times Engine seized up Electrical problems with the steering and Crash warning systems Been at the dealer for one year as of today it’s still there