NHTSA (USA)CriticalDo Not Drive
At a glance
What can fail
A missing drivetrain component in the transfer case can cause the front and/or rear wheels to suddenly lock up without warning.
What the fix does
The 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV has 4 recalls, the most serious being a front suspension defect where inadequate welds on the upper control arms can cause them to separate, leading to a sudden loss of steering control.
A related chassis concern involves the transfer case on four-wheel and all-wheel drive models, where a fault can cause the front or rear wheels to lock up unexpectedly, putting the driver at risk of losing control at speed. On the safety equipment side, two recalls address the same underlying problem with the front airbags and seatbelt pretensioners: a fault in the restraint system's control circuitry can prevent the airbags from deploying and stop the pretensioners from pulling the belts tight in a crash, leaving the driver and front passenger without the full protection the system is designed to provide. Prior repair attempts did not fully resolve the issue, which is why separate campaigns were issued for the same defect.
At a glance
What can fail
A missing drivetrain component in the transfer case can cause the front and/or rear wheels to suddenly lock up without warning.
What the fix does
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Dealers will inspect the transfer case and replace it if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The air bag control software may not have received a complete update from a previous recall. Under certain driving conditions, this software may run a diagnostic test that disables frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners during a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the air bag control software. If your vehicle previously deployed air bags, the control module will be replaced instead. Repairs are free.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Under certain driving conditions, the air bag control module's software may run a self-test that disables the front air bags and seat belt pretensioners, preventing them from deploying in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the air bag control module software. If your air bags have previously deployed, the module will be replaced. Repairs are free of charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front upper control arms may have weak welds near the bushing, which could fail during driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace both front upper control arms and realign the front end at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.