2019 Cadillac Escalade: What to check before buying

Lifter and camshaft failure is the main pattern. Engines start knocking loudly, idle rough or misfire, and the check engine light comes on. Shops then find failed roller lifters, bent or snapped pushrods, and a damaged camshaft. Several reports blame the Active Fuel Management system. Repairs range from lifter replacement to a full new engine, with bills reaching about $15,000. Some owners say the problem came back after the repair. Failures cluster around 70,000 to 110,000 miles. A few engines shut off or lost power at highway speed, and one complaint describes a fire that followed a puff of black smoke.

Power loss and engine failure appear here along with transmission trouble. Reports describe rough idle, misfires, knocking that rises with RPM, and a blinking engine light. Some end in a full engine replacement or repeated lifter and camshaft work. Transmission complaints include hard shifting, jerking at stops, and sudden power loss with a blinking transmission light at highway speed. One shop traced the problem to the valve body. Some owners say the wheels locked up while driving, and others report stalling with an alarm sounding. Most problems appear after 85,000 miles, and several carry a loss-of-control risk.

Power running boards stop deploying or retracting, often on just one side, and dealers frequently find nothing wrong. Stepping onto a board that has not deployed is the injury risk owners describe, and one complaint lists an injury. Tire pressure monitors show the opposite tire's reading or stop working. Power seat and window controls also fail. One complaint concerns odometer fraud on a resold vehicle, so it says nothing about how reliable the car is.

Shuddering under acceleration and repeated suspension replacements are the main reports, and the replacements wear out alignment and tires. Shops sometimes cannot find the cause even after costly suspension work. One complaint lists an injury and also describes electronic faults: lockouts with the key fob inside, rear seat heaters turning on by themselves, and a glove box opening on its own. Another complaint involves undisclosed frame damage from an earlier accident that causes a scraping noise when turning right. That comes from the vehicle's history, not a design flaw.

Headlight and taillight glare is the only complaint here, and it comes from drivers sharing the road rather than from owners. Reports say the lights are blinding in mirrors and to oncoming traffic. One complaint blames the vertically stacked design of tiny individual lights used on 2017 through 2019 models. Neither complaint describes the lights failing. The issue affects other drivers on the road and does not add to an owner's repair costs.