There are 7 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2002 Cadillac Escaladein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THREE YEARS LATER FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 166,000. UPDATED 11/16/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE RECURRED AT 166,000 MILES. UPDATED 11/20/2012 *JS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE, AT 3 MPH, THE BRAKES AND STEERING FAILED. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE FLUID IN THE POWER UNIT FOR THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING WAS CONTAMINATED BECAUSE OF A BROKEN SEAL, CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE POWER UNIT WAS REPLACED, AND THE OTHER UNITS CONNECTED TO THIS WERE DRAINED AND REFILLED. UPDATED 3/28/2006 - *NM
I AM CURRENTLY HAVING A RE-OCCURING PROBLEM WITH THE STABILITY TRACK. I HAVE HAD IT SERVICED FOUR TIMES NOW TO NO AVAIL. EACH TIME I TAKE IT IN THEY TELL ME IT IS A COMPUTER PROBLEM, AND THAT IT JUST NEED TO BE RESET. I HAVE YET TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, BUT TODAY I ALMOST DID. WHILE GOING TO THE CURB ENTERING THE FREEWAY THE STEERING WENT CRAZY AND THE SERVICE STABILITY TRACK NOTICE APPEARED. AFTER I ENTERED THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STILL WAS JERKING UNCONTROLABLE. I TURNED OF THE STABILITY TRAC BUTTON IN HOPES OF GAINING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE STILL NOTED THE PROBLEM EVEN AFTER BEING TURNED OFF. I AGAIN HAVE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP IN WOODLAND WHO STATED IT HAD TO BE MY 22" WHEELS. BUT, I FIND THIS HIGHLY UNLIKELY SINCE THE DEALERSHIP ORIGINALLY OFFERED IT TO ME UPON BUYING AND I HAD THIS PROBLEM THREE TIMES BEFORE WITH THE ORIGINAL 17' TIRES. I DO MAINTAIN A RECORD OF ALL SERVICES AND I HAVE A COPY OF WHEN I PURCHASED THE WHEELS, WHICH WAS NOT UNTIL RECENTLY. THIS IS THE SECOND ESCALADE FROM GM THE FIRST ONE WAS DECLARED A LEMON AND THIS ONE APPEARS TO BE TURNING OUT TO BE ONE ALSO.
THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A LOT OF PLAY IN IT. WHEN ACCELERATING STEERING WHEEL PULLS TO THE RIGHT. WHEN STEPPING OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STEERING GOES TO THE LEFT. DEALERSHIP IS TELLING THE CONSUMER THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM. GENRAL MOTORS FIELD REPRESENTATIVE SAYS THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. CONSUMER IS UNHAPPY WITH THE FINDINGS, AND WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED. *AK
POWER STEERING FAILED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A MAILBOX, AND THEN INTO A DITCH. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK
THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME STUCK. THE POWER STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE, THE BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AS WELL, WHICH ALSO CRACKED AND LEAKED FLUID. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THERE WAS A STRONG VIBRATION FELT FROM ALL FOUR WHEELS, IN WHICH THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL TO SEIZE AND EXPLODE. SCC *JB
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 50MPH THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITONAL INFORMATION. TS
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026