28 of the
826 complaints filed about the Cadillac Catera
are about the body and structure —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1997.
I HAVE HAD PROBLEM WITH MY 2000 CATERA EVERY SINCE I BOUGH IT, FIRST THE SEAT WOULD NOT HEAT ,PUT THE KEY IN AND IT WOULD NOT TURN,TIRES WORE OUT IN LESS THAN A YEAR,DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS COMING A PART,GLOVE COMPARTMENT LOCK BROKEN ,BELT BROKE CAR RAN HOT HAD TO GET A NEW RADIATOR,CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON ,SECONDARY AIR INJECTION HOSE FAILURES,THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE TIMES THAN OUT, JUNK,AND G M DOES NOTHING TO HELP,WATER PUMP WENT OUT ,HEATER COIL HOSE LEAKING,VAULE COVER GASKET REPLACE , ALL BEFORE 60,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10191850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER OPENING THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE THE TRUNK FELL ON HIM. THE SUPPORTS THAT WERE SUPPOSE TO KEEP THE TRUNK IN THE OPEN POSITION FAILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE FAILURE WAS WITH THE LIFT SUPPORTS. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUNK OR SIGNS OF RUST. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *AK UPDATED 01/11/06.
NHTSA complaint #10145296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CADILLAC CATERA 1998, DRIVER SEAT BECAME EXTREMELY HOT THAT CONSUMER BACK WAS BURNED. *BF THE CONSUMER FIRST HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT NOT HEATING WAS BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2000 WHICH WAS REPAIRED. ON PREVIOUS OCCASION THE CONSUMER HAD WORK DONE. THE MOLDING AROUND THE WINDSHIELD WAS LOOSE, THE CONSUMER REPORTED A WOBBLE IN THE TIRE, ONE MONTH LATER THE CONSUMER HAD A FLAT TIRE, HE WAS THEN TOLD THE TIRES NEEDED TO REPLACED, THERE WAS STATIC FROM THE RADIO, THE FRONT PADS WERE REPLACED AND THE BRAKE SENSOR WAS REPLACED TWICE.
NHTSA complaint #10115604 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND THEY JUST KEEP PILING UP. I JUST REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET AND VALVE COVER GASKETS A MONTH AGO AND NOW MY OIL PRESSURE IS FAILING. MY SERVICE WRITTER TELLS ME THIS CAR IS NOTORIUS FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE, SPECIFICALLY THE WAY IT HANDLES OIL AND COOLING. I SENT A LETTER TO CADILLAC WHEN I HAD PROBLES A MONTH AGO BUT HAVE HEARD NOTHING. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO?
NHTSA complaint #10067764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING THE ENTIRE BACK WINDOW SEPERATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MOLDING AROUND THE WINDOW IS ALSO GONE. *MR THE ENTIRE REAR WINDOW BLEW OFF OF THE CAR. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE SEAL MAY HAVE COME LOOSE.
NHTSA complaint #10066649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UPON STARTING VEHICLE THE KEY FAILED TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER 5 TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR MADE A CRACKING NOISE WHEN IT WAS OPENED OR CLOSED. DEALERSHIP LUBED THE DOORS ATTACHMENT, BUT THE NOISE STILL EXISTED.
NHTSA complaint #10050340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING THE FOLLOWING: THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING/THERE'S A LOUD TAPPING SOUND, THE BRAKES ARE GRINDING ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THE POWER LOCKS AT TIMES WON'T UNLOCK/MUST PLAY WITH THE FLOOR SHIFTER, AND THE CLOCK WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, IN REFERENCE TO THE ENGINE. SCC
NHTSA complaint #10003913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FRONT DRIVERS AND PASSENGER DOOR SWINGS OPEN WITH SO MUCH FORCE THAT IT KNOCKED DRIVER UNCONSCIOUS. DOORS ARE VERY DANGEROUS. PLEASE PROVIVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8015398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DUE TO A DEFECT IN FRONT ALIGMENT TIRES WORE EXCESSIVELY.*AK THE ROTORS WERE TURNED AND RESURFACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE BRAKES PULSATE, SQUEAK AND GO TOO LOW TO THE FLOOR. THE THIRD SET OF TIRES THAT WERE ON THE VEHICLE WERE WEARING OUT DUE TO AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM, ALSO ANOTHER TIRE WAS LEAKING AIR. THE PASSENGER REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE AND THE DRIVER'S REAR DOOR HINGE WAS UNSTABLE, ALSO THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK STICKS. THE WIPERS SCRUB. THE STEERING COLUMN MAKES NOISE. THE RIGHT SIDE HEAD LIGHT SHINES TOO HIGH.
NHTSA complaint #8009295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL, THE CONSUEMR WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A LOOSE SCREW, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING DUE TO A FAULTY COMPUTER CHIP, THE DEALER RESET AND UPGRADED THE CHIP, WHILE BACKING UP AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE MAKES NOISE, THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT LUBRICATED THE PLASTICS AROUND AND INSIDE THE CAR, THIS MINIMIZE THE NOISE BUT IT STILL CAN BE HEARD. NLM
NHTSA complaint #8005626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DOOR CLOSER BUTTON WORKS WHEN IT WANTS, TO LOCK OR UNLOCK VEHICLE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO WALK AROUND THE FINE A WEAK POINT, WHEN IT WORKS YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #9004346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN SHE TRIED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT DIDN'T WORK LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE, CAUSING HER TO HIT THE PERSON IN FRONT, THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS BECAUSE OF THE FRAME. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #553866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN SHE TRIED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT DIDN'T WORK LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE, CAUSING HER TO HIT THE PERSON IN FRONT, THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS BECAUSE OF THE FRAME. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #553866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REAR DOORS WERE NOT FULLY CLOSED AT A TIME WHEN CHILDREN WERE REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER PROVIDED NO INDICATION THAT THE DOORS WERE OPEN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF THE DOORS BEING OPENED, THE DOORS ARE SUPPOSED TO AUTOMATICALLY LOCK ONCE THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, HOWEVER THE DOORS REMAIN OPEN AND UNLOCKED. CONSUMER HEARS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE CENTER DASH. THE SUNROOF STAYS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION AND MAKES A LOUD CRACKING NOISE, IT'S TAKEN 3 TIMES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. WHEN VEHICLE IS FIRST DRIVEN, IT STICKS IN FIRST GEAR. THE STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO KEEP UNDER CONTROL ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO WANDER WHILE DRIVING. THE FRONT DOOR HANDLE STICKS, THE DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE ENGINE RACES WHILE COASTING DOWNHILL, THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. THE INTERIOR FLOODED, THE DEALER STATED THE THE HOOD DRAINS ARE CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #861314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REAR DOORS WERE NOT FULLY CLOSED AT A TIME WHEN CHILDREN WERE REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER PROVIDED NO INDICATION THAT THE DOORS WERE OPEN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF THE DOORS BEING OPENED, THE DOORS ARE SUPPOSED TO AUTOMATICALLY LOCK ONCE THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, HOWEVER THE DOORS REMAIN OPEN AND UNLOCKED. CONSUMER HEARS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE CENTER DASH. THE SUNROOF STAYS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION AND MAKES A LOUD CRACKING NOISE, IT'S TAKEN 3 TIMES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. WHEN VEHICLE IS FIRST DRIVEN, IT STICKS IN FIRST GEAR. THE STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO KEEP UNDER CONTROL ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO WANDER WHILE DRIVING. THE FRONT DOOR HANDLE STICKS, THE DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE ENGINE RACES WHILE COASTING DOWNHILL, THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. THE INTERIOR FLOODED, THE DEALER STATED THE THE HOOD DRAINS ARE CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #861314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.