IllustrationWHILE DRIVING, THE WATER PUMP EXPERIENCED AN INTERNAL FAILURE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VALVES. *SLC
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
Unknown Or Other complaints
7 reportsWHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DRIVER LOST POWER OF ENGINE, MAKING IT HARD TO BRAKES AND STEER VEHICLE. DRIVER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAD FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 60-65 MPH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THEN, VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
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…
Read full complaint
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.
NO SUMMARY
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
POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED.
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.