16 of the 269 complaints about the 1997 Cadillac Catera are about the steering — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 82,300 miles.
16
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STEERING
I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE AND DRIVING OUT OF MY COMPLEX WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO TURN IT FOR TWO DAYS.
NHTSA complaint #10558736 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
WHEN BRAKING, CONSUMER STATES' THERES A LOT OF VIBRATION IN VEHICLES AND STEERING WHEEL AND IN THE BODY OF VEHICLE. TOOK TO DEALER, DEALER STATES' CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS WERE BAD AND NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
NHTSA complaint #8022200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TIE RODS WERE REPLACED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #567108 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
ON JANUARY 30, 2001 NAPOLI MOTORS HAD TO REPLACED LEFT & RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD ENDS, INNER TIE ROD END,CENTER LINK AND BOTH OUTER STABILZER END, ON AUGUST 20, 2001 AS I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE I95 SOUTH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ON ME WHILE ON THE MIDDLE LANE ALMOST HIT SEVERAL VEHICLES BEEN THAT I COULD NOT TURNED EITHER WAY, VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED IN BY ROGER'S IN MILFORD TECHNICIANS THERE AT NAPOLI MOTORS COULD NOT FIGURE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH VEHICLE WHEN I CALLED THE TECHNICIANS TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN CAUSED THE ENGINE TO BLOW. ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2001 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK FOR SAME PROBLEMS, THEY HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE BUT THE VEHICLE KEPT RUNNING RUFF. ON OCTOBER 31, 2001 VEHICLE WAS BACK AT NAPOLI, NOVEMBER 15, 2001,ON FEBRUARY 19, 2002 I WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE AT A RED LIGHT WHERE THE OTHER PERSON DAMAGE THE WHOLE REAR OF VEHICLE NEITHER AIR BAG DRIVER OR PASSENGER CAME OUT ALL LIGHTS IN VEHICLE WERE ON AND KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION, ON MARCH 22, 2002 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO NAPOLI FOR THE KEY PROBLEM AND REMOTES. ON MAY 6, 2002 VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NAPOLI WHEN THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSE WHAT VEHICLE HAD THIS TIME WAS THE SERPENTINE BELT THAT BROKE AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK ON ME AGAIN. TO BE HONEST I WON'T EVEN GO FAR WITH THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF SAFETY ISSUES. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE AND HOPE TO HEAR FROM THIS DEPARTMENT SOON.
NHTSA complaint #761710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
ON JANUARY 30, 2001 NAPOLI MOTORS HAD TO REPLACED LEFT & RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD ENDS, INNER TIE ROD END,CENTER LINK AND BOTH OUTER STABILZER END, ON AUGUST 20, 2001 AS I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE I95 SOUTH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ON ME WHILE ON THE MIDDLE LANE ALMOST HIT SEVERAL VEHICLES BEEN THAT I COULD NOT TURNED EITHER WAY, VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED IN BY ROGER'S IN MILFORD TECHNICIANS THERE AT NAPOLI MOTORS COULD NOT FIGURE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH VEHICLE WHEN I CALLED THE TECHNICIANS TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN CAUSED THE ENGINE TO BLOW. ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2001 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK FOR SAME PROBLEMS, THEY HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE BUT THE VEHICLE KEPT RUNNING RUFF. ON OCTOBER 31, 2001 VEHICLE WAS BACK AT NAPOLI, NOVEMBER 15, 2001,ON FEBRUARY 19, 2002 I WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE AT A RED LIGHT WHERE THE OTHER PERSON DAMAGE THE WHOLE REAR OF VEHICLE NEITHER AIR BAG DRIVER OR PASSENGER CAME OUT ALL LIGHTS IN VEHICLE WERE ON AND KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION, ON MARCH 22, 2002 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO NAPOLI FOR THE KEY PROBLEM AND REMOTES. ON MAY 6, 2002 VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NAPOLI WHEN THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSE WHAT VEHICLE HAD THIS TIME WAS THE SERPENTINE BELT THAT BROKE AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK ON ME AGAIN. TO BE HONEST I WON'T EVEN GO FAR WITH THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF SAFETY ISSUES. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE AND HOPE TO HEAR FROM THIS DEPARTMENT SOON.
NHTSA complaint #761710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH IDLER PULLEY TENSIONER BROKE, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALER CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #8003933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
THE TIE ROD FAILED, IT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN A STRESS FRACTURE (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT). NLM
NHTSA complaint #554919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
THE STEERING WHEEL RUBS WHEN MAKING A HARD TURN. *MJS
NHTSA complaint #784377 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
WHEN VEHICLE HITS A POTHOLE IT WILL JUMP INTO NEXT LANE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #875035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
THE TIE ROD FAILED CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE STEERING (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT). NLM
NHTSA complaint #553871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
OUTER TIE RODS FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHIMMY AND PULL TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. THIS ALSO CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR OF THE TIRES. DEALER REPAIRED PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA complaint #862173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP CAUSING ACCIDENT. YH
NHTSA complaint #608735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
REPLACED LOWER STEERING SHAFT CAUSING NOISE.
NHTSA complaint #607502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIE ROD BROKE WHILE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 35 TO 40 MPH.
NHTSA complaint #780912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
ALARMING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, WHEN GOING THROUGH PUDDLES OF WATER AT HIGHWAY SPEED AT 60MPH.
NHTSA complaint #523757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
ALARMING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, WHEN RIDING THROUGH PUDDLES OF WATER AT HIGHWAY SPEED ABOUT 60 MPH.
NHTSA complaint #523757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.