2001 Cadillac Catera Recalls & Complaints

Incident: August 20, 2012 · Filed: November 22, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC CATERA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL PREMATURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHERE THE ENGINE GASKETS, BELTS AND THE WATER PUMP WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000. UPDATED 01/09/14*LJ

Incident: April 14, 2010 · Filed: August 19, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC CATERA. WHILE TRAVELING 15 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN, THE FRONT DRIVER AIR BAG INDEPENDENTLY DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

Incident: May 14, 2010 · Filed: July 20, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC CATERA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH , THE CONTACT WAS MAKING A TURN WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A CRASH OCCURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND TO STOP DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY WOULD NOT OFFER HER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED NOR WAS THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED BY CADILLAC. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 26000.

Incident: December 22, 2008 · Filed: March 9, 2010

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN THE ACCELERATOR "TOOK OVER" AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. HE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THEY DID NOT WORK. AT SOME POINT THE FRONT WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE SHEARED OFF AND FLEW OFF THE CAR CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL. MY HUSBAND, A FORMER NAVY SEAL, MANAGED TO "MANHANDLE" THE STEERING WHEEL ENOUGH TO AVOID A LONG LINE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC, BUT CLIPPED THE TAIL END OF A TRAILER BEING PULLED BY A TRUCK. HE SURVIVED. WE HAD ONLY BOUGHT THE CAR 5 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT WHERE IT WAS TOTALED. IT HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 3 OF THE 5 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP FOR COMPUTER PROBLEMS. NO ONE WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. GEICO PAID OFF THE LOAN AND WE GOT NOTHING. *TR

Incident: February 3, 2010 · Filed: February 18, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC CATERA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER STOPPED WORKING WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND THE ABS LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE ALSO LOST POWER WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THE GEARS THEN STARTED TO SHIFT VERY SLOWLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,484. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,486.

Incident: June 28, 2009 · Filed: July 2, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC CATERA. SINCE MAY OF 2009, THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH OR GREATER. INITIALLY, THE STALLING OCCURRED OCCASIONALLY. EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON JUNE 28, 2009, THE STALLING OCCURS EVERY OTHER DAY. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. UPDATED 08/04/09 *BF THE MECHANIC STATED THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WAS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. UPDATED 08/05/09.*JB

Incident: April 24, 2009 · Filed: April 28, 2009

CHRONIC FAILURE OF GM PN# 90566947 CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT AND POSSIBLE FIRE DAMAGE DUE TO PROXIMITY OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THERE HAVE BEEN 3 REPLACEMENTS IN 62,580 MILES. THE FIRST @ 16,586 MILES, SECOND @ 34,503 MILES, AND THE LATEST AT 62,580 MILES. THE LEAKS BEGIN AS AN ODOR OF COOLANT, THEN SPOTS BEGIN ON THE PAVEMENT, THEN FINALLY THE COOLANT RESERVOIR EMPTIES ITSELF. THE VALVE IS LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE ENGINE BLOCK UP AGAINST THE FIREWALL, AND ADJACENT TO THE EXHAUST PIPE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED ALL 3 TIMES, ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND TWICE AT MY EXPENSE. GM REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A DESIGN PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS NOT A MAINTENANCE PART. IT IS CONSTRUCTED FROM PLASTIC AND DOES NOT WITHSTAND THE HOT ENVIRONMENT OF THE APPLICATION. IT IS USED ON THE 3 LITRE 6 CYLINDER ENGINE OF THE CADILLAC CATERA AND CTS, AND THE SAAB 9-5. DEALER USE RECORDS SHOW A VERY HIGH INCIDENCE OF FAILURE EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY VEHICLES USING THIS ENGINE. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF FIRE DUE TO THE COOLANT SPRAYING ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHEN MOVING, AS WELL AS DISABLING THE ENGINE DUE TO THE LOSS OF COOLANT. *TR

Incident: December 22, 2007 · Filed: January 16, 2008

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROX. 55 MPH, CAME UPON DRIVER MOVING SLOW, HAD TO BRAKE, THEN BEGAN TO PASS, FRONT END MADE A LOUD, HORRIBLE NOISE, AND WITHIN SECONDS THE FRONT WHEEL FLEW OFF THE VEHICLE, CATERA STRUCK ANOTHER PERSON'S TRAILER AND THE CATERA WAS A TOTAL LOSS. DEALER HAD CAR FOR REPAIRS ABOUT 3 OF THE 5 MONTHS I'VE OWNED THE CAR. *TR

Incident: April 8, 2005 · Filed: December 12, 2007

PURCHASED 4 PIRELLIE TIRES (PR00523457V) - PIR P6 FOUR SEASONS P235/45R17 ON 2/18/05 WITH LIFETIME ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY. REPLACED 2 TRES 04/08/05 - IMPACT BULDGE ON OUTER EDGE OF TIRES. REPLACED ANOTHER TIRE (TIRE WAS RIPPED/CUT COMPLETELY AROUND THE TIRE WHILE TRAVELING OUT OF STATE, WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN) ON 11/27/05. AGAIN ON 08/19/06 HAD TO HAVE ANOTHER TIRE REPLACED RIP COMPLETELY AROUND THE TIRE. ON 12-05-07 ANOTHER RIP IN TIRE WAS TOLD THAT TIRES WERE WORN, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (ALL 4). *TR

Incident: July 3, 2007 · Filed: July 9, 2007

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001 CETERA. MY CAR NOW HAS 42,000 MILES. AT APPROXIMATELY 22000 MILES , HAVING ROTATED THE TIRES FAITHFULLY EVERY 3000 MILES, I WENT TO A TIRE DEALER TO HAVE THEM ROTATED, AND WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE ON THEM ANYMORE AS THE EDGES WERE TOTALLY WORN OUT, EXPOSING THE CANVAS. I HAD BEEN TOLD ALL ALONG THAT THEY WERE WEARING UNEVENLY, BUT CHALKED IT UP TO THE ORIGINAL TIRES ,SOMETIMES NOT BEING AS GOOD AS THEY SHOULD BE. REPLACED WITH ORIGINAL , VERY EXPENSIVE TIRES. NOW AT 42,000 MILES, HAVING FAITHFULLY ROTATED EVERY 2 TO 3000 MILES , I AM TOLD THAT THEY NEED REPLACEMENT AGAIN, HAVING BEEN TOLD AT EVERY ROTATION THAT THEY WERE WEARING UNEVENLY EVERY MILE THAT I DRIVE, I FELT AS IF I WAS LEAVING MONEY ON THE PAVEMENT. THE DEALER SAID THAT IT' WAS THE TIRES THEMSELVES , $160 EACH, AND BECAME VERY IRRITATED AND INDIGNANT WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT THE TIRE DEALER SAID THAT EVERY ONE OF THE CATERAS ATE TIRES. ONE OF THE SERVICE ADVISORS AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM ON CATERAS, BUT THE SERVICE MANAGER QUICKLY JUMPED IN AND TOLD ME AGAIN THAT IT WAS THE TIRES THEMSELVES AND NOT THE CAR. HE WAS VERY UNHAPPY THAT ONE OF HIS EMPLOYEES TOLD ME THE TRUTH. NOW THAT I SAW THAT OTHERS WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS, JUST AS THE TIRE DEALER HAD TOLD ME, I WAS VERY IRRITATED THAT THE CAR DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN COVERING IT UP ALL OF THIS TIME. I SPOKE TO GM HEADQUARTERS, BUT THEY ALSO DENIED KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT THERE BEING A DESIGN DEFECT. *AK