2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
2 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 2 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 0.15
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to switch into V-8 mode. The contact stated that the engine started making an abnormal knocking sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the lifters had collapsed and needed t…
Recalls: 4 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V614000 | Electrical System | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally… |
| 13V001000 | Steering:Column Locking:Anti-Theft Device | General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for failing to comply with the… |
| 21V053000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana,… |
| 21V054000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a large premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 16 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,850 · EPA range 383 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine1 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Engine And Engine Cooling1 complaints · typical job: Water pump, thermostat and coolant service (3.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,040
- Electrical System1 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
Other Cadillac Escalade ESV years
Cadillac Escalade ESV years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (1 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 82/100, computed from 2 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV's most common problem?
1 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV cost to run per year?
About $6,202 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $31,012 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/10/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other luxury larges of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 2 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 2 NHTSA complaints on record (0.2/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (2.9/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality