10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- 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 while driving, the vehicle wanders.
- Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Catera's will not maintain front end alignment. Many owners I have spoken to including myself have experienced outrageous extreme tire wear even after dealer 4 wheel alignments and tire replacements. I have read many complaints on edmunds.com of other owners with over 5 alignments. My second set of tires were stripped to the belts after only 9000 miles. The first set lasted 18K before scalloping.
- Churchville, NY, USA
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. 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.
- Arlington, VA, USA
The steering system lacks equilibrium, lacks on-center feel and has a tendency to wander. A lack of a stable steering system causes the driver to have to apply torque to the steering sheel to keep the car on the road. The car does not steer in a straight line, a neutral steer condition does not exist. The vehicle rools in a circle unless the driver steers the front wheels by applying a torque to the steering wheel. The vehicle pulls to the left and will leave the lane within five - eight seconds at highway speeds in excess of 60 mph. The alignment is within the GM specification and the tires and wheels have been checked for defects. Three other brand new 1999 Cateras from other dealer inventories do the same or worse. GM has said that this is the way the car is expected to operate, it is a two handed steered car.
- Kettering, OH, USA
- Amelia Island, FL, USA