1998 Cadillac CATERA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
97 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
60,765 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 39 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 19 of 97 complaints (19.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 14 | 14.4% |
| Steering behavior | 11 | 11.3% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 7.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 7.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 5.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 2.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 19 |
| Tires | 15 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 14 |
| Suspension:Front | 13 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 8 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys | 6 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 6 |
| Suspension | 6 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 19; Tires: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling: 14; Suspension:Front: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 6; Suspension: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 6 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 20 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 20; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 1
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 58 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 16 |
| 2001 | 18 |
| 2002 | 12 |
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2012 | 1 |
2000: 16; 2001: 18; 2002: 12; 2003: 14; 2004: 12; 2005: 7; 2006: 5; 2007: 3; 2008: 3; 2009: 2; 2010: 4; 2012: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 14 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10029029 · 2003-07-23 (July 23, 2003)
THE BRAKE MAINTAINENCE WARNING IS DEFECTIVE AND INSUFFICENT. ACCORDING THE OWNER'S MANUAL WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT APPEARS THE CONSUMER WILL NEED TO HAVE BRAKES SERVICED SOON. THE WARNING LIGHT DOES NOT APPEAR WHEN THE BRAKE PADS NEED CHANGING, WHICH IS A WARNING. THE BRAKES DO NOT HAVE A SENSOR WHICH CAUSES THE BRAKES TO SQUEAL WHEN PADS NEED REPLACING. THEREFORE, NOT GIVING THE CONSUMER THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MINOR REPAIRS BEFORE SERIOUS DAMAGE AND INJURY OCCUR. HOWEVER, THE BRAKE MAINTAINENCE LIGHT DOES APPEAR WHEN YOUR PADS HAVE COMPLETELY W…
Owner-reported narrative. 58,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10029029 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10036738 · 2003-08-28 (August 28, 2003)
NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH 1998 CATERA. HAD TIMING BELT TENSIONER-PULLEYS/CAM DRIVE REPLACED LAST YEAR(3-2002) WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. "SERVICE CAMPAIGN" WAS ISSUED BY CADILLAC IN SEPT 2002 FOR CATERA'S TO HAVE CAME DRIVE IDLER/TENSIONER PULLEY/WATER PUMP REPLACED WITH NEW VERSION. GOT VEHICLE SERVICED TODAY AND WAS INFORMED THAT CAR HAD ANOTHER SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED-OUT OF POCKET-COOLANT CROSSOVER LEAKING INTO OIL COOLER, AND VALVE COVER WAS LEAKING OIL.....THE CAR RUNS EXTREMELY HOT, HAS POOR PERFORMANCE, GETS TERRIBLE GAS MI…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10036738 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10070850 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
SENSORS WENT BAD. OIL CURRENTLY IN THE ENGINE, HEAD GASKETS GONE. TOO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING COLUMN. CRANK SENSOR AND IGNITION COIL PACK REPAIR
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10070850 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10088757 · 2004-08-29 (August 29, 2004)
ON JULY 24, 2004 WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65-70 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE ON I-81, I COULD FEEL THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS GONE IN THE VEHICLE,THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN THE IDIOT LIGHTS OR THE GAUGES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN DISTRESS. AS I GOT TO THE RIGHT THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE RADIATOR LIGHT CAME ON, I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE REPAIR SHOP HAD THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS AND FINISHED THE REPAIR OF THE WATER PUMP. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE IDIOT LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE EMANATING…
Owner-reported narrative. 29,279 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088757 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026917 · 2003-07-09 (July 9, 2003)
THE VEHICLE STALLS AND IS HARD TO START BACK UP. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER TEN TIMES, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE DETERMINED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026917 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038568 · 2004-01-14 (January 14, 2004)
ENGINE COOLING FLUID LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL, AND WILL NOT RESTART. HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038568 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10068390 · 2004-05-06 (May 6, 2004)
LIKE ALL CADILLAC CATERA OWNERS WE KNOW, WE HAVE HAD AND ARE CONTINUING TO HAVE ENDLESS MAJOR REPAIR BILLS ON THE CATERA (98 MODEL). THE WATER PUMP HAS FAILED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO RUN HOT. THE WATER PUMP WAS ON RECALL. CADILLAC REPLACED THE PUMP BUT CHARGED FOR BELTS AND OTHER PARTS DAMAGED BY THE FAILURE. WE HAVE SPEND OVER $1,900 TRYING TO SOLVE A MORNING COLD START SKIPPING PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM COMES AND GOES. CADILLAC DEALER REPLACED THE HEATER CONTROL VALVE AND CHARGED $953. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. THEN A REPAIR SHOP CHARGED OVE…
Owner-reported narrative. 64,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10068390 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10126748 · 2005-06-27 (June 27, 2005)
1998 CATERA PROBLEMS: TRANSMISSION FAILED 3 TIMES CAUSED BY ELECTRONIC PART MAL FUNCTION; ALTERNATOR FAILURE; BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES; HEATER AND A/C INOPERATIVE-BURNED HARNESS AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENT; DOOR HINGES FAILED; ENGINE OIL LEAK; VEHICLE CRANKS BUT WILL NOT START; PREMATURE TIRE WEAR; VEHICLE WANDERS; FRONT END ALIGNED 3 TIMES IN ONE YEAR; WARPED DISC ROTORS TWICE IN TWO YEAR PERIOD; DIFFERENTIAL SEALS LEAK; VAOLTAGE METER AMBIGUOS READING; SIDEMARKERS INOPERATIVE AND CORRODED; HIGH UNDERHOOD TEMPERATURE; REMOTE KEYS FILED; …
Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10126748 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017429 · 2003-05-06 (May 6, 2003)
DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP CAUSED VEHICLE TO BECOME DISABLED. *AK *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017429 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 751086 · 2001-08-24 (August 24, 2001)
BRAKE INSP.BRAKE REPLACED3/9/00;CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON 5/12/00-FUEL INJECTOR DIRTY, REPLACE SENSOR; LEFT WINDOW SLOW IN OPERATION - 6/23/00;INGINTION REMOTE KEY NOT WORKING- TWO REPLACEMENT 6/23/00;CAR JERKING IN SPORT MODE, PRBLEMS WITH HEADLIGHTS, SUNROOF SLIDES BACK AN FORTH WITHOUT TURNING DIAL,RECALL ON ENGINE CHECK PULLEY 7/05/000; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON CAR STALLS7/31/00; VIBRATION ON ACCELERATION TOLD NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR BUT TIRES, REPLACE TWO FRONT TIRES, I WAS TOLD TO REPLACE TIRE RODS. I ASK FOR A REA SUSP. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 751086 at NHTSA ↗