2019 CADILLAC ESCALADE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

Loud knocking sound in the engine appeared out of nowhere. This is the same engine as what exists in the 2021 year models which does have a recall on them, but for some reason the 2019 models like I have are not included in the recall. I cannot drive the car for fear of the engine seizing up.

The engine has an Active Fuel Management system that has frequent failures of the lifters which causes the push rods to bend. This causes a misfire and the check engine light to illuminate. A broken piece of material entered the lower portion of the engine which could have caused an engine failure while on the highway. I had the vehicle towed to a dealership before a catastrophic failure occurred. Cadillac refuses to warranty this defect when the engine reaches 70k miles. The dealership sees this often and replaced the lifters on only one bank (head) at the cost of $4,000. This occurred on my 2018 Escalade which was under warranty at the time. They had to replace the camshaft and all the lifters on that vehicle.

Lifters failed and needed repaired. $2,000 mechanic bill

The engine valvetrain is suspected, specifically an AFM (Active Fuel Management) lifter or related lifter/oil control component. The vehicle and affected components are intact and available for inspection upon request. An unresolved internal engine malfunction presents a risk of sudden power loss, engine damage, or stalling while driving, which could increase the risk of a collision, particularly at highway speeds or in traffic. The issue has been reproduced consistently by the vehicle owner. Diagnostic work has been performed by independent parties, including inspection of the exhaust system, belts, and valvetrain components. Further confirmation by a dealer has not yet occurred. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Independent mechanical inspection and repairs have been performed. No warning lamps or messages were displayed. Symptoms include a delayed chirping/ticking noise beginning approximately 20–30 seconds after engine startup, which is repeatable and changes with engine load and cylinder deactivation behavior.

The contact owns a 2019 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate a failure. Recently, the contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.