Home › Guides › Cadillac › Power Train
Cadillac Power Train Recalls Cover Wheel Lockup and Lost Propulsion
⚠ 1 of these recalls carries a do-not-drive advisory.
Wheel lockup and loss of drive power dominate these Cadillac power train notices. Escalade and Escalade ESV recur most often, with 2021 driveshaft failure, a separate 2021 diesel transmission control valve defect, and a 2022 transmission control valve defect. The May 2026 transfer case notice includes certain 2015-2020 and 2026 Escalade and Escalade ESV vehicles. Other patterns involve half-shaft separation: the February 2023 notice covers the 2023 XT5, while the March 2023 notice covers 2022-2023 XT5 and 2023 XT6 vehicles. Missing accumulator endcap bolts affect 2019-2020 XT4 and 2020 XT6 vehicles. A separate transmission damage notice covers 2019-2020 CT6 and 2020-2021 CT4 and CT5 vehicles.
Warning signs to watch for
- 2026-05-07 transfer case recall: front and/or rear wheels may lock up without warning.
- 2022-01-27 driveshaft recall: sudden loss of drive power.
- 2023-02-02 XT5 half-shaft recall: loss of drive power or rollaway when placed in park.
- 2023-03-16 transmission sun gear recall: loss of drive power or rollaway when placed in park.
- 2024-10-24 diesel transmission recall and 2026-02-13 transmission control valve recall: rear wheel lockup; 2025-03-06 Cadillac and Camaro transmission recall: wheel lockup.
Can you keep driving? What the notices say
The May 7, 2026 transfer case recall instructs owners not to drive until the remedy is completed. It covers certain 2026 and 2015-2020 Escalade and Escalade ESV vehicles described in that notice. None of the listed notices gives a park-outside instruction. The October 2020 accumulator, January 2022 driveshaft, February 2023 half-shaft, March 2023 sun gear, October 2024 diesel transmission, March 2025 transmission damage, and February 2026 transmission control valve notices do not tell owners to stop driving.
What the free repair involves
Free remedies include accumulator inspection and conditional replacement, transfer case inspection and conditional replacement, and replacement of affected rear driveshafts, right-front half-shafts, or sun gears under their respective notices. Dealers install transmission control module software for the October 2024 and February 2026 valve recalls, and monitoring software for the March 2025 transmission recall, free of charge.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| critical | 2 |
| high | 6 |
Models affected most
Where owners report power train problems most
NHTSA owner complaints filed under power train for the Cadillac models and years in this guide. Complaints are unverified reports and are not limited to the recalled defects.
| Vehicle | Power train complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 Cadillac CT5 | 14 |
| 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV | 13 |
| 2022 Cadillac Escalade | 13 |
| 2019 Cadillac CT6 | 13 |
| 2022 Cadillac Escalade ESV | 12 |
| 2021 Cadillac Escalade | 10 |
| 2020 Cadillac XT6 | 8 |
| 2023 Cadillac XT5 | 8 |
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2026 | Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon Wheels Can Lock Up · do not drive | critical |
| Feb 13, 2026 | Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC SUVs Rear Wheel Lockup | high |
| Mar 6, 2025 | Cadillac and Camaro Transmission May Lock Wheels | high |
| Oct 24, 2024 | Diesel GM trucks, SUVs risk rear wheel lock-up | high |
| Mar 16, 2023 | Cadillac, Chevy, GMC SUVs Transmission Half-Shaft Failure | high |
| Feb 2, 2023 | Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia Half-Shaft Can Separate | high |
| Jan 27, 2022 | Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC SUV Driveshaft May Fail | high |
| Oct 29, 2020 | GM transmission bolts missing, leak and fire risk | critical |
Common questions
Which Cadillac power train recall tells owners to stop driving?
The May 7, 2026 transfer case notice advises owners not to drive until the remedy is completed. It identifies a missing transfer case component that may cause front and/or rear wheel lockup without warning to the driver.
Can an affected XT5 roll away after being placed in park?
Both the February 2023 right-front half-shaft notice for the 2023 XT5 and the March 2023 sun gear notice for the 2022-2023 XT5 describe possible rollaway when placed in park. Their remedies are half-shaft replacement and sun gear replacement, respectively.
Do the Escalade transmission valve recalls require software or replacement parts?
The October 2024 notice for affected 2021 diesel Escalade models and the February 2026 notice for affected 2022 Escalade models specify free transmission control module software. The October 2024 notice also describes special coverage for transmissions identified by its remedy software.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.