RecallMyCar

2005 Cadillac Escalade Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 2005 Cadillac Escalade, and owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

2
safety recalls
43
owner complaints to NHTSA
3 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire
13–15
MPG combined (EPA)

2 safety recalls for the 2005 Cadillac Escalade

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Seat belts: rear/other

    NHTSA 05V163000 Reported 1,359,824 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    On certain crew cab pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the 2nd row center occupant seat belt routing may make it difficult to position the lap portion of the safety belt low around the hips of occupants, especially smaller occupants, seated in this position. Appropriate use of a child seat or booster seat, as recommended for…

    Remedy: Dealers will cut open the guide loop, remove a portion of the loop, and then the remaining two sides should be folded over and secured with a retainer free of charge. The recall began on july 21, 2005. Owners may…

  2. Shift pattern indicator (power train)

    NHTSA 05V055000 Reported 7,194 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    Certain sport utility vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock and transmission braking effect." under certain vehicle starting conditions, the shift lever position indicator located in…

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster free of charge. The recall began on february 14, 2005. Owners may contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

43 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2005 Cadillac Escalade have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 3 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 108,127 miles. Complaints peaked in 2013 with 9 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The check air bag light stays on and will not go off. The light stays on with the seatbelt on or off.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 6, 2026 · Air bags

“Brake/abs system locked up on me and I couldn’t stop. I accidentally hit someone from behind and was proven to be an accident. My traction light my abs light and my brake light all came on at the same”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 8, 2026 · Service brakes

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2005 Cadillac Escalade (Escalade 2WD, Escalade AWD, Escalade ESV AWD, Escalade Ext AWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined13–15 mpg
City / Highway12–14 / 16–19
FuelPremium, Regular
EPA classSport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine8 cyl, 5.3/6 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Compare Cadillac Escalade model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Cadillac Escalade model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1999 Cadillac Escalade239
2000 Cadillac Escalade171
2001 Cadillac Escalade03
2002 Cadillac Escalade1115
2003 Cadillac Escalade481
2004 Cadillac Escalade269
2005 Cadillac Escalade243
2006 Cadillac Escalade219
2007 Cadillac Escalade4230
2008 Cadillac Escalade4136
2009 Cadillac Escalade558
2010 Cadillac Escalade338
2011 Cadillac Escalade649
2012 Cadillac Escalade320
2013 Cadillac Escalade419
2014 Cadillac Escalade220
2015 Cadillac Escalade998
2016 Cadillac Escalade489
2017 Cadillac Escalade251
2018 Cadillac Escalade121
2019 Cadillac Escalade025
2020 Cadillac Escalade214
2021 Cadillac Escalade973
2022 Cadillac Escalade485
2023 Cadillac Escalade4141
2024 Cadillac Escalade250
2025 Cadillac Escalade120
2026 Cadillac Escalade336

Checking a specific 2005 Cadillac Escalade

How do I know if my 2005 Cadillac Escalade 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. 2 campaigns currently list the 2005 Cadillac Escalade; 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 05V055000).

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

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.