- The problem
- Certain federal-mogul replacement wheel hub assemblies with the brand names: national, carquest p/nos. 515020, 515021, 515025, 515053, 515054, 515059, And 515060, shipped between january 23, 2006, and december 20, 2007, sold for light duty and medium duty trucks. The inboard retention nut used to maintain hub bearing assembly can loosen resulting in an abs light indication, noise, and/or wheel separation.
- The risk
- WHEEL SEPARATION CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
- The fix
- Federal-mogul will notify customers and will replace the hub assembly free of charge. The recall began on february 7, 2008. Owners can contact federal-mogul toll-free at 877-489-6659.
Vehicle safety record
2003 Cadillac Escalade Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 112 complaints about the 2003 Cadillac Escalade with NHTSA, most often about the brakes (29) and the electrical system (29). Those complaints describe 6 crashes, 6 fires and 7 injuries. It is covered by 6 recalls, the latest in December 2007 for the hub. For comparison, the 2002 has 145 and the 2004 has 103.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Escalade year, for its age
#108 most complained-about 2003 vehicle
- Complaints
- 112
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes
- 6
- Fires
- 6
- Injuries
- 7
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2003 Cadillac Escalade problems
Share of all 112 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2003 Cadillac Escalade recalls 6
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Certain replacement fuel filters, fram brand name p/n g3727, with date codes x52911 through x60801 sequentially or x600141 and a mexico country or origin marking on the fuel filter housing manufactured from october 18, 2005, through march 21, 2006, sold for use on the vehicles listed above and on certain school buses. (To see the school bus engine sizes, click on "document search" and then "bus applications"). The connector on the fuel filter was not manufactured to honeywell's specification. As a result, the o-ring may not seat correctly on the fuel line.
- The risk
- This condition may cause an inadequate seal at the connection, potentially leading to a fuel leak. In the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
- The fix
- Honeywell will notify owners and replace the fuel filters free of charge. The recall began on october 18, 2006. Owners may contact fram customer service at 1-800-890-2075 (option 1).
- The problem
- 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 small children, does improve the fit condition for this user group. In addition to instructions on proper infant and young child restraint (with child seats or boosters), special verbiage for restraining older child is included in the owner's manual. Also, the suggested seat belt fit/routing for adults, irrespective of seating position, is described in the owner's manual text.
- The risk
- A lap portion of the seat belt routing that is not low and snug on the hips can allow the lap belt to ride up on an occupant's abdomen instead of fitting low around their hipbones, and therefore, can expose them to more risk of abdominal and internal organ injury.
- The fix
- 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 contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, or hummer at 1-800-732-5493.
- The problem
- Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, ?Passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.
- The risk
- Consequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture. Steering efforts may be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal may require a slight increase in the applied brake pedal effort to achieve the same vehicle deceleration rate as prior to the seat fracture.
- The fix
- Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on june 18, 2004. Owners should contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; gmc at 1-866-996-9463; or hummer at 1-866-486-6376.
- The problem
- Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 214, "Side impact protection." These vehicles are built with four welds on the rear door upper hinge. On some of these vehicles, one or two of the welds may not be to specification.
- The risk
- As a result, the door strength may be degraded during a side impact vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the welds on the left rear door upper hinge. If a weld is found out-of-specification, a bolt will be installed to secure the hinge. Owner notification began february 17, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact cadillac at 1-800-458-8006, chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, or gmc at 1-800-462-8782.
- The problem
- Certain all-wheel drive sport utility vehicles were built without a power steering bracket to secure the positive battery cable, allowing the cable to come in contact with the steering shaft.
- The risk
- This contact could cause a wear-through of the cable insulation, exposing the wire core and result in intermittent electrical shorting. If enough current is discharged at the point of contact, an engine compartment fire could occur.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the positive battery cable routing and re-route, if necessary. No owner notification will take place since all vehicles were captured at the dealers.
What owners say
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112 complaints about the 2003 Cadillac Escalade
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 5.
All of a sudden 3rd and 4th gears became useless causing a rapid deacceleration of the vehicle and posing the possibility of being rear ended with end result of massive damage to vehicle and serious injury to occupants
The sunroof on my vehicle flew off on the highway while it was in the "closed" position. There was NO personal injury nor damage to any persons or vehicles. I returned to the area where the glass flew off only to find it shattered all over the shoulder of the road, completely destroyed. I've uploading a pic of the serial number sticker and my VIN sticker off my door panel.
The contact owns a 2003 Cadillac Escalade EXT. The contact stated that the air bag light was illuminated. The contact contacted an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the air bag needed replacement but did not diagnose the failure cause. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer. The failure mileage was 178,531.
Air bag light is on .want go off..its Cadillac (EST TRUCK )NOT THE SUV
Complete brake system failure due to brake line leak due to inferior brake lines
Breaks went to the floor and car went down embankment.
Some body take my truck like a robbery. Im have a police report bit they don't find it. *Tr
While driving I lost all use of brakes immediately after the brake system light came on driving 45mph on a city street. While driving the stability control light came on and car shut off 60mph on the highway. On another occasion stability control light came on and steering column locked up while turning. T/c light and engine light came on while driving 35 mph on a city street and immediately lost response from the gas pedal. Dash lighting system flashes different indicator lights, display randomly goes out while driving.
Continously light comes on service airbag, especially when driver seat is moved and when hit a bump in the road
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac escalade. The contact stated that, on different occasions, the accelerator and brake pedals seized and failed to release when needed. The failure presented the risk of a potential crash. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 04v045000 (service brakes, hydraulic) and 02v224000 (electrical system); although, the failures were similar to the recall campaigns. The vehicle was also not included in nhtsa action number: ea11001 (service brakes, hydraulic). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac escalade. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized and it felt as if she would lose control of the vehicle while driving at certain speeds. On occasion, the driver's seat belt tightened and loosened on its own. Furthermore, the emergency brake was faulty and needed to be adjusted, the check engine indicator illuminated, and the "rear door maintenance" message appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home and then taken to kuni chevrolet...
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cadillac (2449 fulton ave, sacramento, ca 95825, (916) 538-7217). The vehicle was repaired with the exception of the power steering and seat belt. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The contact planned to schedule another appointment for the steering and seat belt. The vin was unknown. The failure mileage was 100,000.
The exhaust manifolds on my truck are severely rusted and bolts have broken off causing the dreaded po430 code and now the truck won't pass state emissions testing until I spend over $1,000 correcting general motors' defect. So many trucks were effected and my cousin's 2005 tahoe had the same exact issue. Both trucks are well maintained and mine is normally parked in my garage and cleaned frequently. Don't let me get started on the rust under the rear doors. Great trucks but gm really dropped the ball with...
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quality of these parts. It's unfair to the customer to have to correct these issues despite taking good care of their vehicles. I own 5 vehicles and none of them have this issue, even my 22 year old 96 impala ss.
I was coming home from work saturday, 4/21/18 and when I got on the ramp to take i-40 east in knoxville, tn, my front passenger tire felt like it was going to come off, the steering wheel pulled me to the right. I started to drive slow and when I picked up speed to see if everything was ok and it appeared to be. Get further down the beltway, almost home and my tire brakes off at the axle and rolls across 3 lanes.
Taka ta recall, I was driving my vehicle hit a speed bump and my airbag in my steering wheel came out and inflated and my stability control light has been a probleum. At this time I didn't no what to do, so I called roadside for a tow truck. My sensors have been coming on every since.Can something be done to help with my situation.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac escalade. While pulling into a parking area, smoke entered the vehicle. The contact was able to exit the vehicle with his baby. Upon further inspecting the hood area, it was noticed that the fire originated near the battery and power steering. The fire department extinguished the flames and the vehicle was left at the location. A police report was not filed. The insurance company was notified, took pictures, and was to further investigate. The vin was not included in nhtsa...
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campaign numbers: 06e043000 (fuel system, gasoline) and 02v224000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was waiting for them to follow up to investigate the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
The car accelerates as soon as you turn it on and it just keeps accelerating so we have to turn it of because it does not stop. The car was in motion when this happened.
Broken exhaust manifold bolts on engine found at under 100k miles. Creates serious fire hazard.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac escalade esv. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, all the gauges and indicators on the instrument cluster suddenly failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the instrument cluster had failed but the part needed was unknown. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac escalade. While driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning and the steering ability seized. The contact had to maneuver to the shoulder and called roadside assistance. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who stated that the battery cable was damaged. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vin was invalid. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac escalade esv. While driving 35 mph, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to decelerate. The abs and traction activity warning lights illuminated. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the hydro-boost failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v045000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac escalade. The contact stated that the tailgate latch failed to lock. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 04v129000 (structure); however, the recall was only partially completed due to parts not being available for the complete repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 187,869.
I was on I 75 passing under miller rd in flint, mi when traffic started to back up and slow down. I applied the brakes and the car stated to slow down, the brake peddle then went to the floor and I had no brakes. I was able to down shift to 1st gear and get to the side of the road. The car slowed down to where I could get it into reverse to stop it. We where so lucky! I got it to a cadillac dealer in dearborn, mi and found out that the main brake line had rusted through. I had all the brake line replace. I have...
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major concerns that there are thousands of gm vehicles with this problem still on the road. I have since been told that gm had a brake line material problem during the early 2000 that lead to rusting out of the lines. Please look into this for the safety of others. The dealer was les stanford cadillac updated 10/9/15 *ln
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac escalade. While driving approximately 55 mph, all of the warning indicators illuminated and the accelerator pedal failed to respond for approximately three to five seconds before independently responding. The failure recurred on multiple occasions at various speeds. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000. Updated 09/21/15*lj *cn
Brakes have failed completely three times because of failure of hydraulic lines/components. Last time when brake failed I was on a freeway and I hit the brake to slow down the car to take an exit and lost complete control of the car. Thanks god no damage took place. I am having lot of rust/corrosion/chrome failure problem with this car.
Electronic stability control problem on the 2003 cadillac escalade traction control light comes on, abs light comes on, service stability control alarm comes on. When it is not one alarm or the other it is all. Replaced hubs, shocks, sensors, compressor several times, worked on system grounds for electrical, etc. Problem sometime will go away for a few thousand miles then returns. Cadillac mechanics stumped.Started when vehicle had almost 80,000 miles now has 146,000 and it is constant problem and large amounts of money. Seems problem cannot be fixed and I do not want to spend more money on it..... *Tr
Cadillac Escalade: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 286 | 4 | F |
| 2006 | 24 | 2 | A |
| 2005 | 62 | 4 | C |
| 2004 | 103 | 4 | D |
| 2003 | 112 | 6 | D |
| 2002 | 145 | 3 | D |
| 2001 | 3 | 1 | A |
| 2000 | 83 | 4 | C |
| 1999 | 44 | 5 | B |
2003 Cadillac Escalade vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Cadillac Escalade | 112 | 6 | D | |
| 2003 Toyota Sequoia | 684 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2003 Ford Expedition | 655 | 6 | F | Compare |
| 2003 Lincoln Navigator | 127 | 1 | F | Compare |
| 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser | 0 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe | 0 | 7 | D | Compare |
| 2003 Chevrolet Suburban | 0 | 7 | D | Compare |
| 2003 GMC Yukon | 0 | 6 | D | Compare |
| 2003 GMC Yukon XL | 0 | 4 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2003 Cadillac Escalade
Does the 2003 Cadillac Escalade have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2003 Cadillac Escalade: hub (December 2007); fuel system, gasoline (May 2006); rear / other (April 2005); service brakes, hydraulic (February 2004) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Cadillac Escalade?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the brakes (29), electrical system (29), engine & cooling (11).
How many complaints has the 2003 Cadillac Escalade had?
112 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on October 16, 2002 and the latest on February 4, 2024. Of these, 6 describe a crash and 6 a fire, and together they report 7 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2003 Cadillac Escalade a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 39 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Cadillac Escalade year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Cadillac Escalade years have the most complaints?
2007 (286), 2008 (167), 2023 (146). See every Cadillac Escalade year compared.
What should I do if my 2003 Cadillac Escalade has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data