2001 Cadillac CATERA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
30 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 17 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 30 complaints (16.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 5 | 16.7% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 13.3% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 6.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 3.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 3.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 3.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Tires | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 4 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 2 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
Tires: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 4; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Electrical System:Ignition:Module: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 2; Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal: 2; Air Bags: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 5 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 7 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 13 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 |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2013 | 1 |
2001: 3; 2002: 7; 2003: 2; 2004: 3; 2005: 2; 2006: 1; 2007: 4; 2008: 1; 2009: 2; 2010: 4; 2013: 1
Pattern summary
Tires leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 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 10215168 · 2008-01-16 (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
Owner-reported narrative. 74,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10215168 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10311805 · 2010-02-18 (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.
Owner-reported narrative. 70,484 miles reported. Look up ODI 10311805 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10275683 · 2009-07-02 (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
Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10275683 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8005577 · 2002-03-13 (March 13, 2002)
WHILE TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8005577 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10318104 · 2010-03-09 (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. I…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10318104 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 893136 · 2001-07-23 (July 23, 2001)
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND WAS RUNNING, BRAKES COULDN'T STOP VEHICLE ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO SPEED INVOLVED. ALSO, POWER STEERING WAS HARD TO STEER.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 893136 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10120773 · 2005-05-12 (May 12, 2005)
MY VEHICLE'S SPORT SHIFTING INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. MY CAR WOULD REFUSE TO SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR UNTIL I DROVE IT FOR A FEW MILES AND/OR TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT. I WAS IN A LOCAL TOWN WHEN THE FRONT END STARTED TO SHUDDER AND MAKE NOISE. I TOOK IT TO A AUTO TRANSMISSION SHOP WHO STATED THE SENDING UNIT FOR THE FLUID FAILED AND IT HAD BURNED OUT THE FIRST GEAR. HE STATED THAT THIS WAS MOST LIKELY A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. I CONTACTED GM HEADQUARTERS AND WAS REFUSED ANY HELP IN FIXING T…
Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10120773 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10344219 · 2010-07-20 (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.
Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10344219 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090805 · 2004-09-10 (September 10, 2004)
NO MONEY HAS CHANGED HANDS YET. 2001 CADILLAC CATERRA IS UNDER WARANTY. FUEL LINE RUPTURED FROM HIGHWAY DEBRIS. PARTS WERE DIFFICULT TO GET. I AM A MECHANICAL ENGINEER BY SCHOOLING AND PROFESSION. THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL LINE IS OF A BAD DESIGN, EXPOSED TO HIGHWAY DEBRIS. IT IS NOT COMPLETELY ARMORED OR SHIELDED. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, I WAS OUT OF TOWN ON BUSINESS. SHE WAS NOT SURE WHAT SHE HIT, BUT SMELLED GASOLINE IMMEDIATELY, PULLED OVER AND STOPPED. APPROX. 1/2 TANK FULL OF GAS WAS QUICKLY PUMPED TO ATMOSPHERE AND TO THE GROUND, DUE TO THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090805 at NHTSA ↗