2017 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV Service Brakes Problems

Incident date: 2025-11-22 Location: I-70 (while taking an exit) Dealership: Jim Coleman Cadillac (vehicle purchased and routinely serviced here) I am reporting a sudden and severe brake system failure that created an immediate risk to vehicle occupants. On 2025-11-22 my wife was driving our Escalade with our two children when, while taking an exit on I-70, she felt the brakes go completely limp and the vehicle would not slow down as expected. The vehicle had been driving normally beforehand; we had made a couple of stops earlier that day. She was able to reduce speed and bring the vehicle to a stop without colliding with another vehicle, but this was only because there was no traffic immediately ahead. A tow was called; the vehicle was first towed to a nearby Cadillac dealer for initial diagnostics and then to Jim Coleman Cadillac where the vehicle was purchased and where all prior services and repairs have been completed. The most recent service/inspection at Jim Coleman had been completed a few weeks prior and no brake concerns or repair recommendations were noted at that time. The last documented brake service prior to this incident was in 2022 at the same dealership. After the incident, when inspected, the dealership service manager reported his findings: "The bolt on the top left front brake caliper walked out, the caliper swung rearward pivoting on the still secured lower bolt and the top piston was expelled from the caliper resulting in rapid loss of brake fluid and a failure of the hydraulic brakes. The reason the bolt came off could have been due to improper machine of the bolt or the caliper bracket that it was screwed into." This failure occurred without warning and represents an extreme safety hazard that could have caused a serious crash. I request that NHTSA review this incident as a potential safety defect, and that it be added to any investigation regarding similar complaints for this model/year.

2017 Cadillac Escalade ESV VIN: [XXX] Dealership: Jim Coleman Cadillac, Bethesda, MD I am reporting a brake safety failure involving severe and abnormal brake component wear that created an immediate safety risk with breaks completely failing while driving at high speed on the highway. During normal driving, I discovered that the right front brake assembly had worn down to bare metal. The brake pad friction material was completely gone, resulting in metal-on-metal contact with the rotor. The rotor showed deep scoring and unsafe wear consistent with a possible stuck caliper piston, seized caliper slide pins, or other component malfunction. This failure occurred without warning. The vehicle had been at the dealership for a customary inspection shortly before this issue, and the dealership did not report any brake wear concerns at that time. All brake services and major repairs on this vehicle have always been performed by the same Cadillac dealership. The last documented brake service with chanigng of the breaks involved was completed by the dealership in 2022. This is a critical safety issue that ]caused total brake failure. I am requesting that NHTSA review this defect, as premature brake destruction of this nature may indicate a systemic issue with the brake system, caliper operation, or inspection protocol on this model. The dealership was not sure of the reason why this happened that I was adviced that the bolt was missing and could have come off with vibration which is again a critical safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

When driving at lower speeds the vehicle is hard to stop. I have to press the brakes down hard to get it to stop. A message will usually come up saying to service the brake assist but no maintenance lights show up. In looking online there is a recall with this exact issue that I’m having but it start at the 2018 model in which mine is a 2017. I feel the 2017 should also be part of the recall since I’m having the exact same issue.

I was exiting an off ramp and the brake pedal suddenly became hard as a rock and no matter how much I pushed on it the vehicle would BARELY slow down. I was really close to smashing into the back of a semi truck. There was no warning prior to it happening and my service advisor at the GM dealer said GM knew about the issue with the brakes and have not issued a recall in relation to the incident, ONLY a bulletin that it is to be covered if it breaks. However I could have died if I hit the semi considering I was going highway speeds. My vehicle is currently at the GM dealer and I have not heard back from them yet. As of now they have not inspected it and it is available for inspection if need be.

The brake assist function has been very sketchy and coming on unexpectedly and the emergency braking when reversing is malfunctioning and coming on unexpectedly with no need in error in a very hard/ fast stop. Yes its available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This puts my saftey as well as others at risk because the brake system is malfunctioning and at times unpredictable, and making quick/hard stops when not expected or necessary. The car was just in the dealership for repair of the break assist and I am sending it back in again because it is still malfunctioning.The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership. The brake assist light was coming on and off , sometimes but not all of the time and now that the car was serviced by the dealership the light is not coming on but their are still malfunctions. I do not feel safe driving this car.

I was travelling down the highway and the brakes failed to respond. I was able to deliver the car to a Cadillac dealer in Holland Michigan. At highway speeds with no breaks I believe my families lives were in danger. We have brought the car into the dealership multiple times for electrical system issues and I believe these unresolved issues have culminated in the failure of the braking system at high speeds. The dealer has stated that it was a vacuum pump and it has now been replaced but found no other issues with the electrical system. There was a warning light for the brake assist feature during the drive prior to the brakes not functioning. We reported this to the dealer during the drive and they made an appointment for the following Thursday (this was on a Saturday). We were not notified at the time of the call that this issue could put our lives in danger or that we should stop driving the car.

THE SERVICE ABS BRAKE PLEASE SEE DEALER MESSAGE HAS COME UP ON MY DASH 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 5 WEEKS. EACH TIME THE MESSAGE APPEARED THE VEHICLE OPERATED VERY STRANGELY WHEN BRAKING, THE WHOLE VEHICLE SHOOK AND MADE WEIRD NOISES SO I IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND WENT HOME AND GRABBED OUR OTHER VEHICLE. I THEN CALLED CADILLAC AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT JAKE SWEENEY CADILLAC IN LEBANON OHIO FOR SERVICE. THE FIRST TWO TIMES THEY SAID THEY FIXED THIS ISSUE THE MOST RECENT TIME THEY SAID THEY FOUND NO CODES AND WERE UNABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHY THIS MESSAGE APPEARED ON MY DASH

Mileage: 31,278

AT LOW SPEEDS THE BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES VERY SLUGS IF PRESSED QUICKLY FOR SUDDEN STOP, WILE THE TRUCK CONTINUES TO TRAVEL FOR A SHORT DISTANCE.

Mileage: 35,000

THE FIRST TIME I PUSHED MY BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES DID NOT EMPLOY GOT A FEW SECONDS. I PULLED OVER AND CALLED LAFONTAINE CADILLAC SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO TOW THE CAR. THE CAR DASH DISPLAYED A POWER ASSIST PROBLEM. THEY PICKED UP THE CAR AND REPLACED THE VACUUM PUMP WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM. ABOUT 6 MONTHS TO A YEAR LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THE BRAKES WERE PUSHED AND THE CAR BRAKES DID NOT DEPLOY FOR A FEW SECONDS. IT WAS LIKE THE CAR WAS SKIDDING ON ICE WHEN NO ICE EXISTED ON THE ROADS. IT WAS WARM OUTSIDE. THE CAR AGAIN DISPLAYED BRAKE ASSIST ISSUE. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO LAFONTAINR CADILLAC, AND THEY REPLACED THE VACUUM PUMP AGAIN. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE BRAKES WERE PUSHED AGAIN IN A DRIVEWAY WHEN THE CAR WAS GOING MAYBE 3 MPH OR LESS. THE BRAKES DID NOT DEPLOY FOR A SECOND OR SO AND THE CAR APPEARED TO BE SLIDING. THIS HAPPENED ALSO IN THE SUMMER. THE CAR AGAIN IS AT LAFOBTAINE CADILLAC, HIGHLAND MICHIGAN. MY CAR IS A 2017 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV

Mileage: 17,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED, BUT NOT TOTALED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CITY CADILLAC (866-865-5420, LOCATED AT 43-60 NORTHERN BLVD, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKED FUEL AND DAMAGED THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TECHNICIAN REPAIRED THE BRAKES, BUT THE REPAIR SPECIFICS WERE NOT DISCLOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000. *TT 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB

Mileage: 18,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A POLICE OFFICER ABRUPTLY MADE A LEFT TURN CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION CRASH OF FOUR VEHICLES. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT TRAVELED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE PRESENT AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DRIVER ASSIST SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING AND THE DEALER MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND WAS DEEMED DESTROYED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,400.

Mileage: 1,400