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2008 Cadillac Escalade Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2008 Cadillac Escalade, and owners have filed 136 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
136
owner complaints to NHTSA
5 / 5
complaints citing a crash / fire
14
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 2008 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. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 21V050000 Reported 2,641,272 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    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…

  2. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 21V052000 Reported 557,023 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    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…

  3. Electrical system

    NHTSA 10V240000 Reported 1,365,070 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    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…

  4. Electrical system

    NHTSA 08V441000 Reported 857,735 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    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;…

136 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2008 Cadillac Escalade have filed 136 complaints with NHTSA; 5 describe a crash and 5 describe a fire. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 98,376 miles. Complaints peaked in 2017 with 25 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Truck goes into limp mode, reduced power, stuck in second gear, stabilitrak and engine lights. Took it to the Cadillac dealership and after 3100 dollars in repairs the truck is still doing it. If the”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 23, 2025 · Engine

“Tire size 285/45r22 got into freeway this morning and the outer sidewall just separated on the lr tire no warning, tires looked good 7/32 tread left even wear and tire pressure was correct. The other”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 14, 2023 · Tires

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2008 Cadillac Escalade (Escalade 2WD, Escalade AWD, Escalade ESV 2WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined14 mpg
City / Highway12 / 18–19
FuelPremium
EPA classSport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine8 cyl, 6.2 L
TransmissionAutomatic 6-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 2008 Cadillac Escalade

How do I know if my 2008 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. 4 campaigns currently list the 2008 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 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

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.