2021 Cadillac Escalade Seat Belt Recall (21V190)
General Motors, LLC · 94,641 vehicles · Reported March 18, 2021
General Motors, LLC is recalling 94,641 2021 Cadillac Escalade; 2021 Cadillac Escalade Esv; 2021 Chevrolet Suburban; 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe; 2021 GMC Yukon; 2021 GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The third-row outboard seat belts may have been entrapped or misrouted behind the outboard seat-folding mechanism, which could result in damaged seat belts. A damaged seat belt can break during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 21V190 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 21V190000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | N202313000 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | March 18, 2021 |
| Manufacturer | General Motors, LLC |
| Vehicles | 2021 Cadillac Escalade; 2021 Cadillac Escalade Esv; 2021 Chevrolet Suburban; 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe; 2021 GMC Yukon; 2021 GMC Yukon XL |
| Units affected | 94,641 |
| Component | Seat Belts |
| Safety risk | A damaged seat belt can break during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021 Cadillac Escalade in recall 21V190?
The third-row outboard seat belts may have been entrapped or misrouted behind the outboard seat-folding mechanism, which could result in damaged seat belts.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Chevrolet Suburban, and Tahoe vehicles with third-row seating. The third-row outboard seat belts may have been entrapped or misrouted behind the outboard seat-folding mechanism, which could result in damaged seat belts.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Is it safe to drive a 2021 Escalade with recall 21V190?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A damaged seat belt can break during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: A damaged seat belt can break during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Escalade shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the seat belts, have it checked before driving further.
Which vehicles are included in recall 21V190?
Recall 21V190 covers 94,641 vehicles: 2021 Cadillac Escalade; 2021 Cadillac Escalade Esv; 2021 Chevrolet Suburban; 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe; 2021 GMC Yukon; 2021 GMC Yukon XL.
NHTSA lists 94,641 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Cadillac | Escalade |
| 2021 | Cadillac | Escalade Esv |
| 2021 | Chevrolet | Suburban |
| 2021 | Chevrolet | Tahoe |
| 2021 | GMC | Yukon |
| 2021 | GMC | Yukon XL |
What is the fix for the Escalade seat belt recall?
Yes. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third-row outboard seat belts, replacing any damaged seat belts, and rerouting them if necessary, free of charge.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third-row outboard seat belts, replacing any damaged seat belts, and rerouting them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 21, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313000.
When was recall 21V190 announced?
General Motors, LLC reported recall 21V190 to NHTSA on March 18, 2021.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| March 18, 2021 | General Motors, LLC filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 21V190000. |
This recall was filed 67 months ago. If your Escalade was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Escalade is part of recall 21V190?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 21V190 is open on your Escalade, it will be listed there.
Look up your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls. If 21V190000 is open on your Escalade, it will be listed there, along with Cadillac recall number N202313000. You can also ask any Cadillac dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is printed on your registration and visible through the lower driver-side windshield.
What should Escalade owners do about recall 21V190?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 21V190000 applies to your Escalade.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Cadillac dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the seat belts happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.
What are Escalade owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 1,351 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 31 of them about the seat belts.
Since recall 21V190 was reported on March 18, 2021, owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the seat belts on these vehicles. 2 of them (7%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the seat belts and were received on or after March 18, 2021, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related seat belts issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 1,351 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 31 of them involve the seat belts. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe: 453 complaints in total, 13 about the seat belts
- 2021 GMC Yukon: 331 complaints in total, 4 about the seat belts
- 2021 GMC Yukon XL: 226 complaints in total, 3 about the seat belts
- 2021 Chevrolet Suburban: 198 complaints in total, 7 about the seat belts
- 2021 Cadillac Escalade: 72 complaints in total, 2 about the seat belts
- 2021 Cadillac Escalade Esv: 71 complaints in total, 2 about the seat belts
Examples of what owners have reported to NHTSA (unverified excerpts):
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the Forward Collision Avoidance system erroneously activated, causing the vehicle to suddenly slow down. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who serviced the Forward Collision Avoidance system camera and sensors. No further information was available.
2021 GMC Yukon owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11659001, filed May 5, 2025
“Service safety restraint” light comes on and the dealership cannot pin point exactly what the issue is without taking the entire seat and air bag out. It’s come on 3 times. First time was linked to the overhead console needing replaced. Months later the light came on again and a seat harness connection was bad.
2021 GMC Yukon owner, OH, NHTSA complaint 11691222, filed October 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the odometer was inoperable. There was an abnormal odor of fuel while starting the vehicle. The parking brake and TPMS warning lights were illuminated and flashing. The parking brake was inoperable. Additionally, the seat belts were inoperable.
2021 GMC Yukon owner, MI, NHTSA complaint 11526929, filed June 14, 2023
Can recall 21V190 make my Escalade a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Recall 21V190000 does not automatically make your Escalade a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
Seat belt defects are safety defects. If the belt, buckle or pretensioner still does not work right after the recall repair, the repeat visit belongs in your records.
The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.
Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Escalade been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Cadillac Escalade recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 21V190
Did the recall 21V190 fix work?
Since recall 21V190 was reported on March 18, 2021, owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the seat belts on these vehicles. 2 of them (7%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
Is the 21V190000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Escalade is part of recall 21V190000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
What should I keep for a possible lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, the recall owner letter, your purchase or lease contract, and notes on dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure each dealer visit is written up, even when the dealer says it cannot find a problem.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 21V190000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.