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U.S. public vehicle records

1999 Cadillac CATERA: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

76 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

64,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 20 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 76 complaints (13.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation1317.1%
Steering behavior1215.8%
Braking behavior810.5%
Transmission and shifting56.6%
Electrical and battery issues33.9%
Fuel system concerns22.6%

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.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
10
Tires
8
Unknown Or Other
8
Engine And Engine Cooling
7
Steering
7
Electrical System
6
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
6
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
5
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline10
Tires8
Unknown Or Other8
Engine And Engine Cooling7
Steering7
Electrical System6
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine6
Power Train:Automatic Transmission5

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 10; Tires: 8; Unknown Or Other: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling: 7; Steering: 7; Electrical System: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
4
50,000 to 74,999
8
75,000 to 99,999
5
100,000 to 149,999
3
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9994
50,000 to 74,9998
75,000 to 99,9995
100,000 to 149,9993
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 0

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (8). 56 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.

2000
14
2001
12
2002
15
2003
12
2004
6
2005
4
2006
4
2007
1
2008
4
2010
1
2012
3
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200014
200112
200215
200312
20046
20054
20064
20071
20084
20101
20123

2000: 14; 2001: 12; 2002: 15; 2003: 12; 2004: 6; 2005: 4; 2006: 4; 2007: 1; 2008: 4; 2010: 1; 2012: 3

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 13 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 8 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10002078 · 2003-01-06 (January 6, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 50MPH THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN CAUSING LOST OF POWER STEERING . PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002078 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003359 · 2003-01-24 (January 24, 2003)

THIS CAR WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD. FIRST LEFT, THEN RIGHT. WE HAVE HAD IT ALIGNED SEVERAL TIMES AND IS WITHIN SPECS BUT WE STILL HAVE A PROBLEM. TWO DEALERS HAVE NOW TOLD US THAT THIS IS HOW THEY DRIVE. I FEAR THAT IT WILL BE THE CAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT, AND AM ACTUALLY SCARED TO DRIVE IT FOR ANY DISTANCE. YOU MUST HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT AND WITH BOTH HANDS AT ALL TIMES OR IT JUST SEEMS TO LEAP FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO THE OTHER.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003359 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003437 · 2003-01-26 (January 26, 2003)

I HAVE A 1998 AND 1999 CADILLAC CATERA. BOTH CARS HAVE GOODYEAR EAGLE RS-A TIRES. THE 1999 HAD TO HAVE ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 25,000 MILES. GOODYEAR PAID FOR THE FRONT TWO BECAUSE THE CAMBER SPECS GIVEN TO CADILLAC WERE INCORRECT. THE BACK TWO WERE BLAMED ON THE DELAER SWITCHING TIRES FROM ANOTHER CAR. THE 1998 HAD BOTH ITS FRONT TIRES REPLACED UNDER THE SAME PROGRAM BUT THE REAR TWO SEEMED ALL RIGHT. THEY WERE UNTIL LAST NIGHT WHEN ONE OF THE REAR TIRES WENT FLAT. AND THE OTHER REAR TIRE COULD GO FLAT AT ANY TIME. A…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003437 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012453 · 2003-03-25 (March 25, 2003)

AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED, 30 DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE. CONSUMER PUT THE FIRE OUT AND TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT FIRE AGAIN A HALF MILE FROM THE DEALERSHIP. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012453 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10022425 · 2003-06-05 (June 5, 2003)

THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED 5 TIMES, THE DEALER WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AT FINDING THE CAUSE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022425 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10022939 · 2003-06-12 (June 12, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022939 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10027084 · 2003-08-07 (August 7, 2003)

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE SLOWING DOWN, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE AN ERROR CODE.*AK THE DEALERSHIP WANTED THE CONSUMER TO INFORM THEM WHEN THE VEHICLE CUT OFF AGAIN. THEY WANTED HIM/HER TO LEAVE IT WHEREVER IT BROKE DOWN SO THEY COULD GET AND RESOLVE THE "ERROR CODE". ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CODE WAS DELETED. *PH *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10027084 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10027086 · 2003-08-01 (August 1, 2003)

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORKED ON THE FAST SETTING, AND FAILED TO DISENGAGE UNLESS THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY TURNED OFF.*AK WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *TS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBELM WAS ELECTRICAL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10027086 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.