1999 Cadillac Catera Electrical Problems

CAR SHUTS DOWN WHEN DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10474510

Incident

Feb 14, 2012

Mileage

52,000 mi

THE RUNNING LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I WAS IN HARMS WAY IN THE RAIN AND HAD TO TAKE THE CARE 70 MORE MILES, WHILE I COULD GET OUT OF THE BUFFALO AREA TO A SAFE LOCATION FOR THE NIGHT. THE LIGHTS NEVER WENT OFF TILL THE BATTERY WAS EXHAUSTED. WHEN RECHARGED THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED ON AGAIN, UNABLE TO BE TURNED OFF. WHEN I MANAGED TO EXCHANGE A RELAY, THE NEXT PROBLEM OCCURRED, THE PARKING LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I DID RESEARCH AND LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON MANUFACTURING PROBLEM THAT NHTSA HAS DIRECTED TO BE FIXED WITHOUT COST, DUE TO IT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE GM LINES HAVE NOT ADJUSTED AND STILL OFFER ON SEVERAL VEHICLES. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL VALLEY CADILLAC WHO DECLINED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE. I ALSO DECLINED TO FIX WITHOUT CHARGE. SHE WANTS TO CHARGE A DIAGNOSTIC FEE INSTEAD OF MAKING THE PERMANENT CORRECTION OF EXCHANGING THE CORRECT THE DEVICE, PROPERLY ONCE AND FOR ALL. I TOLD HER I WOULD CONTACT NHTSA. I ALSO ASKED HER TO SEND A MESSAGE TO CADILLAC/ GM'S LEGAL AND I AM INFORMING MY LAWYER THAT IF I SHOULD DIE, OPERATING THIS VEHICLE, THAT I MY CHILDREN SHOULD FILE A WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AGAINST ALL INVOLVED. THIS PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED A COUPLE OF MONTHS EARLIER, FRIENDLY FRED'S IN ERWIN, NY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT CORRECTED ITSELF, UNTIL THIS PAST MONDAY, 4-30-12. I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT DATE OF THE LAST OCCURRENCE BUT I ALSO HAD A OIL CHANGE WHICH I THINK IS THE LATE FALL OF 2011. I AM A DISABLED PERSON WHO CAN'T BE EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS FOR VERY LONG. SINCE YOU, NHTSA HAS ALREADY CALLED FOR ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS TO BE REPLACED, I WANT NHTSA TO PROMPT AND PROVOKE GM'S CADILLAC TO MAKE THE REPAIR. I WORK IN THE ROCHESTER AND BUFFALO AREAS AS THERE IS NO WORK IN CORNING AREA. I CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE THIS CAR WHICH IS VITAL FOR MY SURVIVAL...UPDATED 05/09/12 *BF UPDATED 05/25/12 UPDATED 06/19/2012 *JS

NHTSA ID

10457147

Incident

May 30, 2011

Mileage

98,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 99 CATERA ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND SENSE THEN THIS CAR IS A CARDBOARD BOX ON WHEELS. THE ALARM SYSTEM AS GONE LOOPY IN THE SENSE THAT I COULDN'T START MY VEHICLE UNLESS I CRANKED IT ONCE LEFT IT FOR 15-30 MIN AND THEN CRANKED IT AGAIN. AFTER DISABLING THE ALARM SYSTEM IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN ON OCCASION. THE AC/HEATER WENT OUT DUE TO THE COMPRESSOR HAVING TO MUCH COMPRESSION. THE SUNROOF OPENS AND CLOSES BY ITSELF OR NOT AT ALL. THE VACUUM HOSES HAD HOLES IN IT WHICH WAS A RECALL BUT NOT TO KEN BATCHLEOR. THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR HS GONE OUT THREE TIMES AND COSTS 300 TO REPLACE EVERYTIME. MY UPPER RADIATOR HOSE LEAKS CONTINUOUSLY BY THE CLAMP. THE LEVELING LIGHT WILL STAY ON FOR DAYS AT A TIME. THE ARM THAT KEEPS MY DRIVERS DOOR OPEN BROKE THROUGH THE DOOR WELDINGS AND IS DANGLING IN THE DOOR. THE SEALS ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WATER IN THE ENGINE. I PAID MORE IN REPAIRS FOR THIS VEHICLE THEN WHAT IT ORIGINALLY COST. THE DRIVERS FRONT AND REAR WINDOW GETS STUCK AND OPENS BY THEIR SELVES. THE DOOR LOCKS DO NOT LOCK FULLY OR OPEN FULLY. THE HORN WILL GO OUT ALL TOGETHER IN THE RAIN. EVERYTIME I TAKE IT IN THEY CAN NEVER READ ANY ERR CODES AND IT TAKES ME SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN THE ISSUE CAUSING ME TO GET REPAIRS THAT AREN'T PART OF THE MAIN PROBLEM. THERE IS NO CAMBER ADJUSTMENTS IN THIS CAR SO IF U HIT A CURB YOUR SCREWED. GAS FULL STOP RANDOMLY DOES NOT WORK AND CAUSES LOSS OF MONEY AND GAS. ME AND MY FAMILY OF 5 HAVE BEEN STRANDED FOR HOURS DUE TO MANY ISSUES WITH THIS CAR AND HERE IN TEXAS WITH A CAR THAT HAS NO AC OR HEATER IS A MAJOR PAIN. ANYONE WHO HASN'T BOUGHT ONE... DON'T!!!! CADILLAC THEMSELVES TOOK THE DUCKS OFF THE EMBLEM AFTER 99 BECAUSE THEY THEMSELVES DIDN'T THINK OF THIS CAR AS A CADILLAC STANDARD CAR. WHEN I CALLED KEN BATCHLORE THEY STATED THERE WHERE ONLY TWO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT HAD ALREADY EXPIRED AND STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I FEEL SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS IGNORANCE. PROBLEMS SINCE 06-PRESENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10247392

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

Mileage

60,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START INTERMITTENTLY. THE SUNROOF OPENED, THE DOORS UNLOCKED AND THE SEAT BELTS DISCONNECTED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ANTI THEFT MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT THE REQUIRED CODE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10164186

Incident

Jul 31, 2006

Mileage

86,000 mi

ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKING. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS DEFECTIVE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED BECAUSE OF QUICK DRIVERS REACTION. URGENT ATTENTION REQUESTED. ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT START UNTIL AFTER 10-15 MINUTES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10162469

Incident

Jul 13, 2006

Mileage

86,900 mi

THE CD SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THIS DEFECT WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER ONCE BEFORE. CONSUMER STATED IT WILL NOT PASS EMISSION CONTROL. TEST. MANUFACTURE WA SCONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10095329

Incident

Sep 16, 2003

Mileage

59,550 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10027084

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

NHTSA ID

10027086

Mileage

49,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES IT'S HARD TO TAKE THE KEY OUT THE IGNITION AND START THE CAR AT TIMES.CONSUMER STATED IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES SHE WOULD LIKE THE PROBLEM FIXED OR GET HER MONEY BACK. PH CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AT TIMES.*JB

NHTSA ID

568471

Incident

Jul 18, 2002

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY COMES ON. OWNER THEN STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERHSIP. OWNER PICKED UP VEHICLE, AND LATER VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE APPROACHING TOLL TO CROSS A BAY BRIDGE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

8018318

ENGINE STALLS CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL.*ET

NHTSA ID

556281

Incident

Aug 29, 2000

THE DAY AFTER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, THE LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MAIN COMPUTER AND SOME SENSORS WENT OUT, THE BAD MAIN COMPUTER WAS ALSO CAUSING VEHICLE VIBRATION. *SLC

NHTSA ID

553866

Incident

Sep 21, 1999

THE ENGINE VALVES KEEPS BREAKING. THE CD PLAYER KEEPS READING ERROR. THE RIGHT FRONT FOG LIGHT FELL OUT OF ITS SOCKET. THE STEERING WHEEL CAN NOT TURN RIGHT OR LEFT WITHOUT A STRUGGLE. NOT TO A DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

864795

Incident

Oct 20, 1999

VEHICLE HAD ELECTRICAL/ ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. ACCELERATOR PEDAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

864548

Incident

Apr 20, 2000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER SAID THAT WILL REPROGRAM COMPUTER IN ABOUT A MONTH. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD STALL NUMEROUS TIME. CURRENTLY THEY ARE RE-PROGRAMMING THE COMPUTER (ECU UNIT) AND CLAIM THIS WILL BE THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM. *YH

NHTSA ID

856956

Incident

Dec 18, 1999