2001 Cadillac Catera Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC CATERA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL PREMATURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHERE THE ENGINE GASKETS, BELTS AND THE WATER PUMP WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000. UPDATED 01/09/14*LJ

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

PURCHASED 4 PIRELLIE TIRES (PR00523457V) - PIR P6 FOUR SEASONS P235/45R17 ON 2/18/05 WITH LIFETIME ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY. REPLACED 2 TRES 04/08/05 - IMPACT BULDGE ON OUTER EDGE OF TIRES. REPLACED ANOTHER TIRE (TIRE WAS RIPPED/CUT COMPLETELY AROUND THE TIRE WHILE TRAVELING OUT OF STATE, WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN) ON 11/27/05. AGAIN ON 08/19/06 HAD TO HAVE ANOTHER TIRE REPLACED RIP COMPLETELY AROUND THE TIRE. ON 12-05-07 ANOTHER RIP IN TIRE WAS TOLD THAT TIRES WERE WORN, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (ALL 4). *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001 CETERA. MY CAR NOW HAS 42,000 MILES. AT APPROXIMATELY 22000 MILES , HAVING ROTATED THE TIRES FAITHFULLY EVERY 3000 MILES, I WENT TO A TIRE DEALER TO HAVE THEM ROTATED, AND WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE ON THEM ANYMORE AS THE EDGES WERE TOTALLY WORN OUT, EXPOSING THE CANVAS. I HAD BEEN TOLD ALL ALONG THAT THEY WERE WEARING UNEVENLY, BUT CHALKED IT UP TO THE ORIGINAL TIRES ,SOMETIMES NOT BEING AS GOOD AS THEY SHOULD BE. REPLACED WITH ORIGINAL , VERY EXPENSIVE TIRES. NOW AT 42,000 MILES, HAVING FAITHFULLY ROTATED EVERY 2 TO 3000 MILES , I AM TOLD THAT THEY NEED REPLACEMENT AGAIN, HAVING BEEN TOLD AT EVERY ROTATION THAT THEY WERE WEARING UNEVENLY EVERY MILE THAT I DRIVE, I FELT AS IF I WAS LEAVING MONEY ON THE PAVEMENT. THE DEALER SAID THAT IT' WAS THE TIRES THEMSELVES , $160 EACH, AND BECAME VERY IRRITATED AND INDIGNANT WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT THE TIRE DEALER SAID THAT EVERY ONE OF THE CATERAS ATE TIRES. ONE OF THE SERVICE ADVISORS AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM ON CATERAS, BUT THE SERVICE MANAGER QUICKLY JUMPED IN AND TOLD ME AGAIN THAT IT WAS THE TIRES THEMSELVES AND NOT THE CAR. HE WAS VERY UNHAPPY THAT ONE OF HIS EMPLOYEES TOLD ME THE TRUTH. NOW THAT I SAW THAT OTHERS WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS, JUST AS THE TIRE DEALER HAD TOLD ME, I WAS VERY IRRITATED THAT THE CAR DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN COVERING IT UP ALL OF THIS TIME. I SPOKE TO GM HEADQUARTERS, BUT THEY ALSO DENIED KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT THERE BEING A DESIGN DEFECT. *AK

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. IT HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 3 OF THE 5 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP FOR COMPUTER PROBLEMS. NO ONE WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. GEICO PAID OFF THE LOAN AND WE GOT NOTHING. *TR

GAS PEDAL STUCK AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. *AK *SLC

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.

WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY DEALER, AND TECHNICIAN NOTICED COMPUTER CHIP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

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

ON 8/20/05, I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT (FILE # 1-357-445-124) WITH CADILLAC CUSTOMER RELATIONS, IN ORDER TO REQUEST FULL REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIR OF TWO SAFETY-RELATED ISSUES AND ONE SERVICE-RELATED ISSUE THAT HAVE COME TO MY KNOWLEDGE RECENTLY. I BELIEVE THESE ISSUES DID NOT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT AND HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING PRIOR TO THE EXPIRING OF THE WARRANTY IN DECEMBER 2004. CAR HAS ONLY 35K MILES AND IS DRIVEN AVG OF 4K MILES PER YEAR. COMPLAINT IS AS FOLLOWS: 1) DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL FACTORY CHROME RIMS: AS PER TIRES PLUS AND LINDSAY CADILLAC SERVICE SHOP TECHNICIANS, THE CHROME IS PEELING FROM INSIDE RIM, CAUSING TIRES TO CONSTANTLY LOSE AIR (DEFLATE), WHICH AT ANY TIME MAY BE A HAZARD TO MY SAFETY, AS WELL AS FOR OTHER PASSENGERS). I HAVE ASKED CADILLAC TO REPAIR/REPLACE 4 RIMS; 2) DEFECTIVE CAR JACK: ALTHOUGH NOT PREVIOUSLY USED, ON 8/19/05 THE NEW JACK SLID AND BENDED WHEN I USED IT ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS TO REPLACE A FLAT TIRE, ALMOST CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY AND CAR DAMAGE). I HAVE ASKED CADILLAC TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE JACK; AND, 3) LEAKING ENGINE COOLANT: ACCORDING TO LINDSAY'S CADILLAC DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS, ENGINE COOLANT IS LEAKING THROUGH WATER HEATER CONTROL VALVE (AS PER ARCHIVES FROM WWW.CADILLACFORUMS.COM, THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN AND RECURRING ISSUE REPORTED BY CADILLAC CATERA OWNERS, AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED UNDER CADILLAC'S WARRANTY AND THEY SHOULD ASSUME THE COST OF REPAIRS). CADILLAC PRESSURED ME OVER THE PHONE TO TAKE 50% COST ASSISTANCE ON REPAIRS (APPROX $3,500.00 ESTIMATED), AND WHEN I REFUSED, OFFER WAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE TABLE. I COMPLAINED THAT PROCESS WAS NOT TRANSPARENT, AND WHEN I REQUESTED THAT CADILLAC'S OFFER AND CLAIM INFORMATION BE IN WRITING, REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH COPIES OF CASE FILE. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC CATERA. WHILE TRAVELING 15 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN, THE FRONT DRIVER AIR BAG INDEPENDENTLY DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

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.

FRONT DRIVERS AND PASSENGER DOOR SWINGS OPEN WITH SO MUCH FORCE THAT IT KNOCKED DRIVER UNCONSCIOUS. DOORS ARE VERY DANGEROUS. PLEASE PROVIVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL, THE CONSUEMR WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A LOOSE SCREW, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING DUE TO A FAULTY COMPUTER CHIP, THE DEALER RESET AND UPGRADED THE CHIP, WHILE BACKING UP AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE MAKES NOISE, THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT LUBRICATED THE PLASTICS AROUND AND INSIDE THE CAR, THIS MINIMIZE THE NOISE BUT IT STILL CAN BE HEARD. NLM

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 THE ISSUE OR RESOLVING THE ISSUE. THEY STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE IT HAD NOT HAD A SUFFICIENT HISTORY WITH GM DEALERSHIPS GETTING MAINTENANCE, AND THAT I WAS THE THIRD OWNER. KEEP IN MIND, THIS TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AFTER MY OWNING THE VEHICLE FOR ONLY 9 MOS, PAID 14,000.00 FOR THE CAR AND ONLY HAS 73,000 MILES ON IT. I NOW AM UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR UNTIL IT IS FIXED, WHICH I AM QUOTED 1500.00 FOR A REBUILD AND A YEAR WARRANTY THAT I CANNOT AFFORD AT THIS TIME AND HAVING TO DRIVE A VERY UNRELIABLE AND VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE IN THE MEANTIME. I JUST WANT MY CAR BACK.

WINDSHIELD HAS AN ORANGE PEEL PATTERN AND IS DISTORTING DRIVER'S EYE SIGHT WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK *YH

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

TL*- WHILE DRIVING THE 2001 CADILLAC CATERA WITH 76000 MILES FAILURE FOR 15 MILES HE TURNED THE SEAT HEATER ON. THE CONTACT HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR A HALF HOUR WHEN HE TURNED THE SEAT HEATER OFF BECAUSE IT FELT HOT AND HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE BACK OF THE PASSENGER'S COAT WAS BURNED, AND THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE BACK. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT HAD A BLACK BURN MARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEAT, NEAR THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76882. *AK

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 TUBING FAILURE. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED THE CADILLAC CORPORATION, SPOKE WITH A MS. STACY ADAMS, MANAGER CUSTOMER RELATIONS, SHE STATED THAT THE WARANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS DAMAGE. I DISAGREE. THE CADILLAC FILE NUMBER IS 1-255444062. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE WAS DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN PLACEMENT OF THE GASOLINE SUPPLY LINES, 3-LINES, SUPPLY, RETURN AND VAPOR. THE SUPPLY LINE RUPTURED. I AM REPORTING THIS DUE TO THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS INVOLVED. HAD MY WIFE NOT BEEN AWARE OF THE GASOLINE SMELL, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BURST INTO FLAMES IF IT CONTINUED RUNNING. THIS WAS ALSO EVIDENCED BY THE MECHANIC WHO CAME TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO DEMONTROND CADILLAC. I AM ALSO REPORTING THIS INCIDENT TO THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT DEMONTROND CADILLAC, 888 I-45 SOUTH, CONROE, TX 77304. AS OF THIS DATE IT IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW ON 9/8/01. MY WIFE IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER, I DRIVE IT SOMETIMES. I REVIEWED THE INCIDENTS / COMPLAINTS YOU HAVE LISTED ON THIS MAKE/MODEL VEHICLE. MY WIFE'S VEHICLE HAS SUFFERED MOST OF THE PROBLEMS LISTED, THE MAJORITY.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT IN A FRONTAL COLLISON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACTAND DRIVER WAS THROWN THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING INJURIES. MR

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

FRONT TIRES WORE OUT PREMATURELY. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT TIRES ON 3 OCCASIONS. VEHICLE ONLY HAD 40,501MILES. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE 1% NEGATIVE CAMBER WHICH INVOLVED THE ALIGNMENT WAS CAUSING THE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE INNER TIRES. *AK