Recalls (1)
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Rear Seatbelt Retractor May Not Lock/FMVSS 208
- Summary
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Consequence
- If the child seat is not properly secured in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18315.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (15)
15 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The engine is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 9 | 60% |
| Electrical system | 5 | 33.3% |
| Seat belts | 2 | 13.3% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 6.7% |
| Power train | 1 | 6.7% |
| Steering | 1 | 6.7% |
| Suspension | 1 | 6.7% |
| Unknown or other | 1 | 6.7% |
How 2018 compares with other Escalade ESV years
Best and worst Escalade ESV years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2 | 4 |
| 2015 | 8 | 6 |
| 2016 | 15 | 3 |
| 2017 | 38 | 1 |
| 2018 | 15 | 1 |
| 2019 | 34 | 1 |
| 2020 | 22 | 2 |
| 2021 | 71 | 10 |
| 2022 | 56 | 4 |
| 2023 | 89 | 4 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 4 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV suv awd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Looking at a 2018 Escalade ESV for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV FAQ
How many recalls does the 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV have?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign: 18V673000 (seat belt). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV problems?
Owners filed 15 complaints with NHTSA. Engine (9), Electrical system (5), Seat belts (2) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What safety rating did the 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV get?
NHTSA rated the 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV suv awd 4 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 3 stars rollover (21.2% rollover risk).
How does the 2018 Escalade ESV compare with other years?
Among the 2013–2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV model years at least five years old, the 2013 drew the fewest complaints (2) and the 2021 the most (71). The 2018 drew 15. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.