1998 Cadillac Catera

ENGINE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OIL PRESSURE THAT STAY BELOW MINIMUM AT IDLE WHEN ENGINE IS AT OPERATING TEMP. FRONT CONTROL ARM BUSHING FAIL WITH LESS THEN 90000 MILES. AUTO TRANSMISSION FAIL WITH LESS THEN 90000 MILES. HAVE ENGAGEMENT PROBLEMS AND SHIFTING PROBLEM. *TR

THE WATER PUMP GAVE OUT. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 1998 CADILLAC CATERA WHEN ANOTHER CAR RAN A STOP SIGN FORCING MY WIFE'S CAR INTO A COLLISION T-BONING THE OTHER CAR. THE APPROXIMATE SPEED OF OUR CAR DURING THE IMPACT WAS AT LEAST THIRTY MILES PER HOUR. OUR CADILLAC WAS WRITTEN OFF IN THE ACCIDENT HOWEVER EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS A HARD FRONT END COLLISION THERE WAS NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT IN OUR CAR. MY WIFE SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES HOWEVER BECAUSE SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT SHE WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL 4 DAYS LATER! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CADILLAC CATERA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS IN SATISFACTORY CONDITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON A SEPARATE OCCASION FOR ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSTIC TESTING IN WHICH THE MANUFACTURER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST. THE FAILURES WERE RELATED TO THE PCS LIGHT AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 121,000. UPDATED 06/03/10 *BF THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW THE STATUS OF HIS COMPLAINT. UPDATED 06/07/10*JB

FAULTY BRAKING. *TR

THE TENSIONER PULLEY & TIMING BELT WAS A KNOW DEFECT FOR VEHICLE AND WAS RECALLED BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED, AT THE TIME OF FAILURE I LOST ALL POWER & CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ON AN DECLINE IN A HIGH TRAFFIC LOCATION IN A SERVER RAIN STORM. VEHICLE IS NOW DOA AND GM REFUSES TO REMEDY TUES EVENING 6/23 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON, IN 30-45 SECONDS THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING, EARLIER IN THE DAY I HEARD A KNOCK AND THOUGHT I RAN OVER SOMETHING AS ALL GAUGES INDICATED EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING NORMAL. HAD AAA TOW IT TO MY HOME AND NEXT DAY (WED.) TO THE CADDY DEALER. THEY CHARGE ME $109 TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM, THEN TELL ME THE TIMING BELT BROKE! IT WILL COST ANOTHER $600 LABOR FOR 5 HOURS OF INSPECTION TO CHECK THE PROBLEM AND DEPENDING WHAT THEY FIND $$$$$$ TO FIX, DAAAAA! I CALL THE SERVICE MANAGER HE TELLS ME HE'LL CHECK IT OUT AND CALL ME BACK. OK SO NOW HE CALLS ME AND TELL ME THE REP MISS-QUOTED WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO. NOW IT'S THE TENSION PULLEY THAT FAILED CASING THE TIMING BELT TO SNAP, TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SET IS $699 + LABOR AND SUGGESTED I INVEST ANOTHER $150 TO CHANGE THE COOLANT PUMP AS IT'S SHOWING SIGNS OF LEAKAGE AT THE SAME TIME SO IT DOESN'T RUN ME ADDITIONAL COSTS LATER AS IT'S IN THE SAME PART OF THE ENGINE AS THE PULLEY AND BELT. GRAND TOTAL OF $1207 + TAX. "BUT" DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THEY REPLACE THE TENSIONER PULLEY & TIMING BELT THERE MIGHT BE ADDITIONAL COST IF THE CAR STILL WILL NOT START. OK SO I TELL HIM TO GO AHEAD. I DECIDED TO GOGGLE THE PRO

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CADILLAC CATERA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TENSION TIMING BELT PULLEY FAILED. THE ENTIRE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE ESTIMATED COST OF $1,200. AFTER THE DEALER REPLACED THE PARTS, THEY FOUND THAT THE COMPONENT WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WILL RE-EXAMINE THE VEHICLE IN A THREE PART ORDER AT THE ESTIMATED COST OF $6,000. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT THE RECALL WAS FOR SPECIFIC MANUFACTURING PLANTS; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 20,000. UPDATED 08/04/09. *LJ THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DID NOT CLEAN THE WINDOW, THE VEHICLE HAD 4 BATTERIES, THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED

THE MOTOR IN THE CAR STARTED CUTTING OUT AND SLOWING DOWN WHEN I WOULD TRY TO ACCELERATE. THERE WAS NEVER A KNOCKING SOUND. THERE WAS NO ENGINE LIGHT AND THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING. FROM READING ABOUT THIS CAR ONLINE IT SOUNDS LIKE A TIMING ISSUE. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD HE DID NOT WANT TO WORK ON THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE JOB. FROM WHAT IM TOLD THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ALOT OF THESE CARS AND NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED!! WHY NOT! *TR

1998 CAD. CATERA - NO INCIDENT STARTED THE PROBLEMS - A MECHANIC KNEW IT HAD A BAD HEAD GASKET BEFORE OPENING THE HOOD OR BEING TOLD WHY I WAS THERE BECAUSE HE SAID 9 OUT OF 10 CATERAS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. CONSUMER REPORTS LISTS THIS YEAR AND MODEL AS A MUST TO AVOID CAR. AT 60K MILES HAD A BAD HEAD GASKET, OIL HAD GONE THROUGH THE SYSTEM, CAR OVERHEATS, THE HOSES HAD TO BE REPLACED, IT HAS TO BE FLUSHED REGULARLY, NOW AT 80K MILES, THE POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING, THE COOLANT IS LEAKING, THE BEARINGS AND BRAKES ARE FAILING, THE OIL CANNOT BE CHANGED BECAUSE THE PAN WILL BREAK BECAUSE THE CAP IS WELDED ON BECAUSE OF THE HEAT IN THE ENGINE. WHY WASN'T THERE A RECALL. THIS IS TOO YOUNG A CAR TO BE FAILING LIKE THIS. I WOULD LIKE COMPENSATION! *TR

FUEL LINE BEHIND PASSENGER FRONT TIRE WAS DAMAGED BY AN OBJECT IN THE ROAD THAT THE DRIVER RAN OVER. THE FUEL LINE IS NOT PROTECTED IN ANYWAY ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE WELL. THIS INCIDENT LEAD TO A MAJOR GAS LEAK AND THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION. *TR

A/C COMPRESSOR LEAKING AND A/C COMPRESSOR NOT CYCLING AND LEAKING FROM THE CHASE VALVE SYSTEM. COMPRESSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ THE HEATER COOLANT VALVE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND SENSOR WERE REPLACED AND THE ROTORS HAD TO BE RESURFACED. UPDATED.

I OWN A 1998 CATERA. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH ON A CURVED ROAD THE ENGINE AND POWER CUT OFF . I LOST POWER STEERING AND HAD TO STRUGGLE TO STOP. THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT HAPPENED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE CADDY DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE CRACK SENSOR WENT BAD. I REVIEWED THE INTERNET AND SAW THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. I WAS NOT HURT, BUT I WAS VERY CONCERNED. IF MY SON WAS DRIVING I BELIEVE WE BOTH WOULD NOT BE HEAR AND NO ONE WOULD KNOW WHY WE CRASHED HEAD ON. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME I HAD TROUBLE WITH THIS CAR. THE FIRST TIME THE CAR STARTED TO SPUTTER AND SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I PULLED OVER AND HAD IT TOWED. THE VALVE COVER WAS LEAKING INTO THE SPARK PLUG HOLE AND BURNING THE RUBBER BOOT. IT GOT SO HOT THE PLUG MELTED, CAUSING THE SMOKE TO COME OUT. ALSO, I FOUND OUT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THIS CAR NEEDED SOME IMMEDIATE ATTENTION BEFORE SOMEONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. I WA TRYING TO GET RID OF THE CAR. IT DROVE IT TO THE DEALER, WHO TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HELP. *AK

I'M REPAIRING THE BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON THE SAME ENGINE FOR THE THIRD TIME IN LESS THAN 50000 MILES, 100000 TOTAL MILES. THESE CARS WERE LEMONS! CADILLAC KNOWS IT, BUT DOES NOT FEEL THE NEED TO RESPOND TO THE THOUSANDS OF CATERA OWNERS WHO HAVE SUFFERED THE EXPENSE OF REPEATED REPAIRS, TOTALING $10,000 WITH TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, MAJOR ENGINE REPAIR, TIMING BELTS, COOLING SYSTEMS, WATER PUMPS,AND OH YEAH...ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE!!! GIVE ME A BREAK! AND ANY ADVICE BESIDES THE OBVIOUS. *AK

WHILE I WAS MAKING A WIDE TURN, THE TIMING BELT OF MY 1998 CATERA BROKE AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE HEAD OF MY CAR. THE PULLEY WAS BENT IN THE PROCESS. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT ASSOCIATED WITH THE CATERA. NOW THE MANUFACTURER HAS REFUSED TO FIX MY CAR. IT WILL COST $5000.00. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL VEHICLE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE TIMING BELT SEPARATED INTO AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE. DUE TO THE BELT SEPARATION, THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

FAULTY HEAD GASKET FAULTY WARNING LIGHTS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED BEFORE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPON INSPECTION THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS REPLACED THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 7/3/2006 - *NM

MY RECENT PROBLEM IS I CAN'T TAKE THE CAR OUT OF PARK. I TRY FOR MORE THAN 30 TIME AND YES, I HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN 35+ TIME SINCE 1999 AND ITS NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. *NM

CAR OVER HEATING, SMOKING, STEAMING. TOOK TO MECHANIC, WAS TOLD THAT ENGINE BLEW, LATER TO FIND OUT OIL COOLER WENT. ALSO JUST FOUND OUT MY TRANSMISSIONS NEEDS OVER HAULED, NO WARNING, NO LEAKS. HEAT REGULATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, IGNITION COIL HAS BEEN REPLACED, ALL WIRES HAVE TO BE REPLACED. ENGINE HAS AND STILL DOES RUN TOO HOT, CAUSING CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE PARTS. ETC. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2001, PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY, THAT HAS SINCE WARE OUT. MY SUN ROOF DOES NOT WORK, MY KEYLESS ENTRY DOES NOT WORK, HERE IT IS 2005 AND THE CAR ONLY HAS OR AROUND 65,000 MILES ON IT, WHEN PURCHASED ONLY HAD 23,000, I ONLY DRIVE THE CAR TO WORK AND BACK, AND TOO RUN ERRANDS. WHY AM I HAVING SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH IT, I CAN'T EVEN GET A DEALER TO TAKE IT AS TRADE IN. *JB

MID-JUNE ABS TC WARNING LIGHTS APPEAR IN 1998 CADILLAC CATERA. EBTCM DIAGNOSED AS FAILED. DEALER ORDERED NEW EBTCM, NOT AVAILABLE. CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE CONFIRMS "NATIONAL BACKORDER" NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THESE PARTS IN GM WAREHOUSE SYSTEMS, DEALER SYSTEM, ETC. TOOK CAR TO CHEVY (GM) DEALER (7/9/05) TO DIAGNOSE. CONFIRM FAILURE OF EBTCM; PART NOT AVAILABLE. CALLED CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE, E-MAILED MULTIPLE TIMES. RESPONSE REMAINS CONSTANT...NATIONAL BACK ORDER, NO KNOWLEDGE WHEN PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. WE MUST DRIVE CAR WITH NO ABS, TC, OR SPEEDOMETER (WHICH DOESN'T WORK WHEN ABS TC ARE NONFUNCTIONAL) AND STIFF POWER STEERING WHICH IS ALSO A RESULT OF NO ABS TC. NEITHER CADILLAC NOR GM CAN SPECIFY WHEN SUCH PART WILL BE AVAILABLE, NOR HAVE THEY PROPOSED A LOANER CAR TO DRIVE UNTIL PART ARRIVES. WE ARE DRIVING A CAR THAT, IN MY OPINION, IS UNSAFE SHOULD WE FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION THAT REQUIRES THE ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL. THE SPEEDOMETER IS NON-FUNCTIONAL AND STEERING BECOMES STIFF DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THIS MODULE. GM NEEDS TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION. HOW CAN THEY SELL CARS THAT THEY CANNOT PROVIDE PARTS FOR. SAFETY SEEMS TO BE MY PROBLEM, NOT THEIRS AS IT IS "MY" EBTCM THAT HAS FAILED NOW THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *NM