IllustrationREPEATED ENGINE COOLANT LEAKS
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
What owners actually said
163 reportsENGINE COOLANT LEAK.
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH BRAKE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP PROPERLY, IT APPEARS TO BE SKIPPING BEFORE IT STOPS. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND CONDITION CANNOT BE RESOLVED. ALSO, AT THIS TIME THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER TH…
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CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH BRAKE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP PROPERLY, IT APPEARS TO BE SKIPPING BEFORE IT STOPS. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND CONDITION CANNOT BE RESOLVED. ALSO, AT THIS TIME THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN NEED OF A COMPLETE BRAKE OVERHAUL, AND THE COST WOULD GO TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN A VEHICLE COLLISION, ALSO NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG.
WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT LOW RPMS THE ENGINE DRAGS AND MAKES A STRANGE NOISE. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK
DURING WET CONDITIONS THE DEFOGGER/DEFROSTER SYSTEM WILL FOG UP THE WINDOWS, ABSTRUCTING THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIE ROD BROKE WHILE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 35 TO 40 MPH.
ABS SYSTEM LOCKED UP CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE CONTROL.
WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND TURNING THE WHEEL, THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, WHEN FRONT TIRES RUN OVER A LARGE CRACK OR SMALL POTHOLE ON THE HIGHWAY, MOST OF THE TIME THE PAVEMENT IS WET.
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.