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2022 Cadillac Escalade problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
93%
129 of 140 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

93% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2022 Cadillac Escalade are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 99% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2022 Cadillac Escalade have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 129 of 140 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2022 Cadillac Escalade concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (93%), and the largest group is filed under engine (109). For comparison, the 2021 scores 84% and the 2023 scores 90%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
129
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
140
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
5 crashes · 5 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE109 · 78%
POWER TRAIN27 · 19%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM14 · 10%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM14 · 10%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING12 · 9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER8 · 6%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2022 compares with other Cadillac Escalade years

Of the 12 Cadillac Escalade years with enough complaints to score, the 2022 is the worst on engine and transmission share (93%). The best is the 2011 (14%). By volume, the 2022 drew 140 complaints (129 drivetrain), against 160 for the 2021 and 228 for the 2023.

Cadillac Escalade years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2022 Cadillac Escalade

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2022 Cadillac Escalade said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
  • Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

ENGINE04/09/2025CRASH1 INJURED
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE [XXX] IN DETROIT MI AND MY ENGINE LOCKED UP AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH THIS IS THE SECOND TIME MY ENGINE LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

One of 129 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2022 Cadillac Escalade engine and transmission recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2022 Cadillac Escalade involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

power train: automatic transmission: control module: software26V085000 · Feb 2026

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles equipped with 10 Speed Transmission with ETRS (Electronic Transmission Range Select). The transmission control valve may fail and lock up the rear wheels.

Risk: Rear wheels that lock up while driving increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will install new transmission control module (TCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer…

engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical25V274000 · Apr 2025

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.

Risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the…

2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
exterior lighting: lighting control module: software22V903000 · Dec 2022
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe,…
seat belts: critical fasteners22V617000 · Aug 2022
General Motors, LLC (M) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The rivet that…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2022 Cadillac Escalade? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2022 Cadillac Escalade

Does the 2022 Cadillac Escalade have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 129 of 140 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2022 Cadillac Escalade concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (93%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2022 Cadillac Escalade?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2022 Cadillac Escalade is engine: 109 of 140 complaints (78%) name it, followed by power train (27) and electrical system (14). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.

Is the 2022 Cadillac Escalade reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 93% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 99% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 12 Cadillac Escalade years we score, it ranks worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2022 Cadillac Escalade?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2022 Cadillac Escalade involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 in total: 26V085000 (power train: automatic transmission: control module: software), 25V274000 (engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Cadillac Escalade years are better?

Among the Cadillac Escalade years we track, the 2011 (14%), the 2012 (24%) and the 2010 (29%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2022 (93%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/cadillac-escalade

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.