10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 0 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Consumer states that the vehicle quit running. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and later informed that the engine had blown.
- Clementon, NJ, USA
Vehicle will not start on a regular basis, was towed to dealer, who started vehicle, but could not find cause. Next day vehicle would not start again.
- Norfolk, MA, USA
Vehicle stalled at 60-65 mph. Towed to dealer. Dealer, who determined that engine needed to be replaced. Vehicle had been at dealership for 4 months. New engine ordered for vehicle will not fit.
- Clementon, NJ, USA
Engine failed going abouy 70 miles an hour timing belt broke, causing complete engine failure, dealer stated that this is a common problem car repaired but still has problems, dealer caused additonal problems when making repair broke bolt in engine cost to repair 800 dealer refuse to repair oil leak on valve cover gasket again dealer refuses to repair all though covered under warrenty. Cadillac refuses to acknowledge problems given the run around on customer service line car was out for 5 weeks at dealer, car has severe vibrations when idled due to repair new dealer unable to determine problem or make repair, headlamps also failed at about 50,000 miles replacement cost $1,000 to many problems to list
- Jackson, MI, USA
This seems to be becoming a common problem that Cadillac will not address. I have counted at least 15 failures reported to the NHTSA.
- Montgomery, NY, USA
Vehicle stalls while driving 55 mph. Dealer / manufacturer were not notified. Feel free to provide any further information.
- Monticello, AR, USA
While driving 60-65 mph engine check light light illuminated. Then, vehicle completely shutdown, cause unknown.
- Detroit, MI, USA
Vehichle quit running, when brake applied while cruise control was on, at 68mph in heavy traffic. Coasted over to median. My husband was driving and pulled over to the left, had he gone to the right we would have been hit by the South bound traffic. When the engine failed. The car would not restart, making grinding noise when attempting to restart engine. Called aaa for tow.(flat bed) left sitting in median in heavy traffic. Local police stopped and osp also. In speaking with Cadillac customer service we were told that there was a recall #00042 on this vehichle, of which we were never notified. I was told that bond and rubber hub pulley may fail. 04/25/2001. Informed by cadilac dealer engine needs to be replaced.($9,500) this car can stop without prior warning when the engine fails. This could be a potential hazard when traveling at high speeds, possibly causing a serious accident. We were very fortunate! customer service at Cadillac is not returning our calls or acknowleding the recall. How many people are having this problem with this car? depending on when this happens, such a failure could be a potential hazard. We have had the engine replaced through a private individual and it is available for inspection. The problem was that the bearings came out of the pulley that holds the timing belt. The belt was not broken....we need to know if our new engine, which also is from a '97 Catera will have the same problem at 60,000miles...thank you for checking into this. Fjf
- Dayton, OH, USA
1997 Cadillac Catera problems, vehicle was in the shop for repairs 4 times in the 6 weeks of ownership, right side front door would not open, left side front door would not open, tail light assembly out, engine caught on fire while driving on beltway (insurance estimate a total loss)
- Fort Washington, MD, USA
Steering problem not corrected as of 5/19/2000. Servicing dealer has acknowledged popping noise in steering but to date (05/19/2000) has not corrected the problem. Servicing dealer has recommended waiting until the problem worsens with steering. All other items have been corrected by servicing dealership.
- Marietta, GA, USA
No summary listed for above vehicle.
- Lilydale, MN, USA
This is a seriously unsafe vehicle. No safety defect (s) mentioned in summary.
- New Orleans, LA, USA
Car was in to dealer on 5/25/1999 (mileage 7876) when I complained of engine squeal, nothing done
- Hendersonville, NC, USA
When consumer gets inside of vehicle and tries to start it, it won't start. So consumer tried to jump start it, but it did not work.
- Lake City, FL, USA
When vehicle is driven at low rpms the engine drags and makes a strange noise. Dealer says it's normal.
- Albany, NY, USA
- Washington, DC, USA