2008 Cadillac Escalade ESV Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 2008 Cadillac Escalade ESV, and owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 2008 Cadillac Escalade ESV
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Inflator module (air bags)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states…
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 22, 2021. Second…
-
Inflator module (air bags)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware,…
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 23, 2021. Second…
-
Electrical system
GM is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 buick, lucerne; cadillac dts; hummer h2; model year 2008-2009 buick enclave; cadillac cts; model year 2007-2009 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl; saturn outlook; and model year 2009 chevrolet…
Remedy: Dealers will permanently disable and remove the heated washer fluid module. An updated page for the owner manual will be provided and inserted in the owner manual to document that the feature has been permanently…
-
Electrical system
GM is recalling 857,735 my 2006-2008 buick lucerne; cadillac dts; hummer h2; my 2007-2008 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl, saturn outlook; and my 2008 buick enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system. A short…
Remedy: Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The recall began on september 12, 2008. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; cadillac at 1-800-982-2339 or http://www.cadillac.com;…
17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2008 Cadillac Escalade ESV have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 57,892 miles. Complaints peaked in 2017 with 6 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Takata recall. I contacted guaranty chevrolet in santa ana ca and tustin cadillac to have my takata air bag replced and was told there are no available parts.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 8, 2018 · Air bags
“Takata recall. What is going on with this recall? My 2008 cadillac is in limbo as GM drags its feet with petitions to avoid the whole issue. To make matters even worse, i have imported this vehicle in”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 15, 2018 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2008 Cadillac Escalade (Escalade 2WD, Escalade AWD, Escalade ESV 2WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 14 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 12 / 18–19 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| Engine | 8 cyl, 6.2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 6-spd |
Compare Cadillac Escalade ESV model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Cadillac Escalade ESV model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2008 Cadillac Escalade ESV
How do I know if my 2008 Cadillac Escalade ESV has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2008 Cadillac Escalade ESV; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Cadillac dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 08V441000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Cadillac models
- SRX3,262 complaints
- Deville2,725 complaints
- CTS2,217 complaints
- Escalade1,713 complaints
- Seville801 complaints
- DTS527 complaints
- Catera468 complaints
- STS430 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.