IllustrationWHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH HEADLIGHTS ON, HEADLIGHT LENS PROVIDED POOR VISIBILITY DUE TO TURNING YELLOW. HEADLIGHT LENS COVER IS MADE OF PLASTIC. PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. HAS CONTACTED DEALER WHO IS UNABLE TO EXCHANGE LENS COVER FROM PLASTIC TO GLASS.*AK *TT *JG
1997 Cadillac Catera
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Catera years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Cadillac Catera are substantially higher than the model-year median of 67.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Catera years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 25 of 163 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports3 fire reports6 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
16 reports1997 CADILLAC CATERA PROBLEMS, VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS 4 TIMES IN THE 6 WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP, RIGHT SIDE FRONT DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, LEFT SIDE FRONT DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY OUT, ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING ON BELTWAY (INSURANCE ESTIMATE A TOTAL LOSS)
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
BRAKE LIGHTS BURNED OUT. *CJ
THE DASHBOARD AND LOWER CONSOLE LIGHTS ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS (INTERMITTENTLY ACTIVATED), THE LOWER CONSOLE LIGHTS WILL BECOME DIM AND TAKES TEN MINUTES TO BECOME NORMAL, DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT. *MJS
BATTERY REPLACEMENT 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE; TENSIONER PULLEY DISINTEGRATED; FOG LIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.