1997 Cadillac Catera Electrical Problems

DT: CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WHEN THE HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ON, ALL THE GAUGES STARTED JUMPING AROUND, WHEN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS PUSHED FORWARD THE HEADLIGHTS STAYED ON FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR LONGER. ALSO, WHEN THE KEY WAS OUT OF THE IGNITION. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE CONTROL IS PULLED BACK THE HEADLIGHTS FUNCTIONED NORMALLY, THE AIR CONDITION CONTROLS DID NOT WORK, AND THE O2 SENSOR DID NOT RESPOND. THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES HAVD BEEN REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10130420

Incident

Mar 1, 2005

THIS CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON 2/8/04 FOR RECALL 2041, 1037. TWO DAYS AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR, THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK. MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE COOLANT RESERVOIR AND IT WAS OVER ONE INCH BELOW FULL, HE ALSO CHECKED THE DRIVEWAY FOR ANY ANTIFREEZE AND CHECKED WHERE YOU PUT OIL IN THE ENGINE BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY SIGNS OF EXTERNAL LEAKS, BUT A WHITE MILKY SUBSTANCE UNDER THE OIL CAP. THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY SINCE. I EMAILED GM ABOUT THIS. THIS WAS THEIR RESPONSE! WE HAVE CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR DAN HEMM CADILLAC, MR. CHARLIE CAROLL. HE IS AWARE OF YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE COOLANT LEVEL FOR THE 1997 CADILLAC CATERA. HE IS WILLING TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED IN. DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE CONCERN IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE RELATED TO THE RECALL 02041, AND THEY WILL NEED TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE TO VERIFY. HE HAS ALSO INFORMED US THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR THE RECALL, THEY DID REPLACE PARTS AS NECESSARY. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTACT HIM. IF YOU SHOULD NEED TO CONTACT US IN THE FUTURE, SIMPLY REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE OR CALL OUR CADILLAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-458-8006. CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGERS ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. BE SURE TO REFER TO YOUR SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER 1-226247104 IN ALL FUTURE COMMUNICATION. IF I RETURN THIS CAR, LET THE DEALER TOW IT TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WILL BE TOLD THAT THE REASON MY CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE IS MY FAULT, AND WILL BE HANDED A BILL FOR TOWING AND WHATEVER OTHER CHARGES FOR THEM LOOKING AT IT! I HAD THE CAR BACK TWO DAYS, A TOTAL OF 374 MILES. THE CAR HAS 34867 MILES; I HAVE HAD A LOT OF OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, FRONT END ALIGNMENT, HEADLIGHT AIMERS, BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH'S, HEADLIGHT SWITCH, IGNITION COIL PACK, AIR BAG SYSTEM. EVEN WITH ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WENT WRONG, I AT LEAST COULD DRIVE IT, UNTIL I RETURNED IT FOR A RECALL! *JB

NHTSA ID

10078836

Incident

Feb 11, 2004

Mileage

34,879 mi

VEHICLE FAILED TO START EVEN WITH AMPLE CRANKING POWER. TOWED TO CADILLAC DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AS ONBOARD COMPUTER CONTAINING EMISSIONS CONTROL UNIT. I WAS ADVISED BY MY EXTENDED SVC WARRANTY COMPANY THAT BECAUSE ECU WAS INVOLVED, REPAIR SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER MANDATORY 8/80 FEDERAL EMISSIONS WARRANTY REQUIRED OF MANUFACTURERS BY THE FED. CLEAN AIR ACT. (VEH. IS SIX YEARS OLD AND HAS 61,000 MILES).GM TAKES THE POSITION THAT REPAIR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE FED EMISSIONS WARRANTY BUT WILL NOT PROVIDE ME A WRITTEN EXPLANATION. I'VE HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND WOULD LIKE RECOMPENSE EITHER UNDERTHE FED EMISSIONS WARRANTY PROGRAM OR THRU MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10032814

Incident

Jul 17, 2003

Mileage

61,000 mi

CONSUMER WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. DEALER HAS REPLACED IT TWICE, AND PROBLEM STILL RECURRING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10032114

FOR THE LAST FOUR DAYS THE IGNITION HAS BEEN COMPLETELY LOCKED. THE KEY CANNOT TURN. THE CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10029402

Incident

Jul 12, 2003

CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE ON 3/9/03 ,AND IN APRIL STARTED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS. VEHICLE BEGUN TO SMOKE, SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHERE SHE PURCHASED IT, AND THEY COULD NOT TELL HER WHAT WAS WRONG. THEY SENT THE VEHICLE TO A CADILLAC DEALERSHIP. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE HAS BEEN CUTTING OFF WHILE BEING DRIVEN, VEHICLE LOST POWER AND ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT CUT OFF, AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC.*AK

NHTSA ID

10022053

Incident

Jun 2, 2003

I PURCHASED A 1997 CADILLAC CATERA ON JAN 31, 2001 FROM UNITED AUTOMAX IN MEMPHIS, TN. FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE I HAVE HAD EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. BEGINNING WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE LIGHTS. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH TIRES WEARING OUT PREMATURELY, HEATER CORE REPLACED, ROTORS REPLACED AND WEARING OUT AGAIN WITHIN A YEAR'S TIME. FUSES HAVE BLOWN, RADIATOR FAN ALONG WITH OTHER PROBLEMS. NUMEROUS RECALLS AND ETC. ON APRIL 14, 2003 I TOOK MY CAR TO BUD DAVIS CADILLAC IN MEMPHIS AND REPORTED THAT I COULD SMELL OIL BURNING. THEY STATED THAT I NEEDED VALVE COVERS RESEALED AND TO REPLACE REAR MAIN SEAL. (THE WORK WAS DONE THRU MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY). I RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM ABOUT NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT END. THEY IN RETURN REPLACED RIGHT AND LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM. WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP THE CAR FROM DEALER I NOTICED THAT THE NOISE STILL EXISTED AND INFORMED SERVICE AGENT BEFORE I LEFT THE DEALER'S LOT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A BAD STRUT LINK TO WHICH MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER. AFTER DISCUSSING THE MATTER WITH ANOTHER MACHANIC (NOT DEALER), HE STATED THAT THE NAME OF THE PART WAS A STABILIZER NOT STRUT. AND NOT ONLY DID THE NOISE EXIST IN THE FRONT END, BUT THERE WAS A HISSING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THAT THE OIL LIGHT BEGAN TO COME ON AND STAY ON. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT THE HISSING NOISE CAME FROM A PART THAT WAS PROBABLY DAMAGED BY BUD DAVIS CADILLAC WHEN REPAIRING VALVES AND SEALS. I THEN RETURNED TO THE DEALER. I INFORMED THE DEALER THAT MY WARRANTY COMPANY DID COVER THE STABILIZER LINKAGE AND THEY STATED THAT THE SERVICE AGENT USED THE WRONG TERMINOLOGY. THEY AGREED TO FIX IT AND DID, BUT REFUSED TO CHECK THE SOURCE OF THE HISSING SOUND WITHOUT ME PAYING FOR IT. IT SEEMS THAT EACH WEEK OR MONTH THERE ARE EXTENSIVE REPAIRS NEEDED. *TT

NHTSA ID

10016925

Incident

Apr 22, 2003

Mileage

65,074 mi

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SLOW START WHEN BEING STARTED IN THE MORNING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE BATTERY FAILED FOUR TIMES IN THREE DAYS. NLM THE VEHICLE STALLED (IN WHICH THE VEHICLE ROARED FOR A WHILE), AND MAY HAVE DERIVED FROM THE ENGINE CAMSHAFT DRIVE TIMING BELT, IDLER, TENSIONER PULLEYS, AND THE WATER PUMP. SCC

NHTSA ID

567173

COOLANT HAD TO BE ADDED EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEN THE WATER PUMP FAILED, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ENGINE SELF DESTRUCTED DUE TO THE TENSION BEARINGS GOING ON THE TIMING BELT, BOTH BEARINGS WERE GONE WITH THE FAILED PULLEY SHEARING OFF THE RETAINING BOLT. *SLC

NHTSA ID

566469

Incident

Mar 1, 1998

CAR WOULD NOT START. HAD TO JUMP START. DEALER REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. BATTERY WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED 06/03/99. OIL LIGHT ABOVE OIL PRESSIRE GAUGE CAME ON WHILE DRIVING, AND OIL PRESSURE GAUGE MOVED UP AND DOWN ERRATICALLY. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. BATTERY COVER AND WAS BURNT/WAS BRITTLE AND HAD A WHITE ASHEY LOOK TO IT. ENGINE PRODUCES A LOT OF HEAT. DEALER REPLACED COVER AND TRAY. TEMPERATURE GAUGE READS HIGHER THAN NORMAL. DEALERSHIP RECALIBRATED IPC FOR TEMP GAUGE. TEMP GAUGE STILL READS THE SAME AS BEFORE. TICKING SOUNDS FROM LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES OF DASH WHEN HEAT IS ON. DEALER REPLACED FAN MOTOR TWICE. TICKING SOUNDS STILL THERE AND NOW THERE IS NO HEAT. DISC BRAKE PAD INDICATOR LAMP DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN PADS NEEDED REPLACING. HAD TO HAVE FRONT BRAKE JOB AND REPLACE SENSORS FOR INDICATOR LAMP. DEALERSHIP SAID SENSORS GOT DAMAGED WHEN PADS WERE WORN DOWN PAST THE SENSORS.

NHTSA ID

743034

Incident

Feb 9, 2001

WHILE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AND CONSUMER SHIFTED GEARS TO MOVE AHEAD SLOWLY, BUT THE VEHICLE ACCLERATED AND WOULD NOT STOP. DEFECT CAUSED VEHICLE TO RUN INTO A CEMENT POLE WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE STOPPING. CONSUMER HIT POLE TO AVOID HITTING PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER VEHICLES. VEHICLE HIT POLE HEAD-ON, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE ACCELERATED AS IF THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS TURNED ON, CADILLAC REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AIR BAG FAILING TO DEPLOY. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. CONSUMER STATES KEY WOULD NOT TURN THE IGNTION ON NUMERIOUS OCCASIONS. *SLC

NHTSA ID

884043

Incident

Feb 27, 2001

VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED AND AT ANY TIME. DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

879552

Incident

Mar 27, 2000

INCIDENTDATE OF PROBLEMDATE OF RETURNINVOICE #ROADSIDE CASE#PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

736926

WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL AND APPLYING BRAKES, CRUISE CONTROL MAKES A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. ALSO, RADIO AND POOR RECEPTION PROBLEMS, AS WELL AS FRONT SUSPENSION CAUSING THE CAR TO WOBBLE AND VIBRATE AT CERTAIN SPEEDS. *AK

NHTSA ID

865890

Incident

Jul 21, 2000

VEHICLE HAS HAD EXCESSIVE FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTINUALLY, RADIO, SUNROOF, HEADLIGHT SYSTEM, DASHBOARD LIGHTS, HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING WOULD EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS. *MJS

NHTSA ID

552781

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

9001228

STEERING PROBLEM NOT CORRECTED AS OF 5/19/2000. SERVICING DEALER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED POPPING NOISE IN STEERING BUT TO DATE (05/19/2000) HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. SERVICING DEALER HAS RECOMMENDED WAITING UNTIL THE PROBLEM WORSENS WITH STEERING. ALL OTHER ITEMS HAVE BEEN CORRECTED BY SERVICING DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ID

722897

Incident

Apr 8, 2000

THIS IS A SERIOUSLY UNSAFE VEHICLE . NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

716779

Incident

Oct 28, 1998

BRAKE LIGHTS BURNED OUT. *CJ

NHTSA ID

558668

BATTERY REPLACEMENT 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE; TENSIONER PULLEY DISINTEGRATED; FOG LIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE

NHTSA ID

609467

Incident

Sep 1, 1997

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED.

NHTSA ID

781331

Incident

Oct 13, 1998