IllustrationCRUISE CONTROL WAS ON (NOT ENGAGED BY DRIVER), NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN, TAPPED BRAKES, DIDN'T DISENGAGE, TURNED OFF SWITCH, DIDN'T DISENGAGE, STEPPED ON BRAKES 3-4 MORE TIMES HARDER, FINALLY DISENGAGED. DT
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 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT EVERY SIXTEEN MILES HAD TO CHANGES TIRES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED DUE TO BOTH TENSION BEARINGS AND TIMING BELT FAILURE, CONSUMER HAS SINCE SOLD THE VEHICLE. *YH
TIRES ARE WEARING PREMATURALY. CONSUMER FEELS CAUSE IS REAR MISALIGNMENT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR ALIGNMENT, AND PROBLEM KEEPS OCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY EVERY CADILLAC DEALER IN THE COUNTRY KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM, BUT GM WILL NOT OFFER A RECALL ON THE BELT/TENSIONER. THIS CAN LITERALLY CAUSE UPWARDS OF $5000 DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. PLEASE ADVISE. *AK
TIMING BELT TENSIONER BROKE 800 MILES FROM HOME WHILE DOING 75 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE IN MISSOURI. WITH TRAFFIC, THERE COULD EASILY BEEN AN ACCIDENT. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM. NLM
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND COLLIDED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SLOW START WHEN BEING STARTED IN THE MORNING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE BATTERY FAILED FOUR TIMES IN THREE DAYS. NLM THE VEHICLE STALLED (IN WHICH THE VEHICLE ROARED FOR A WHILE), AND MAY HAVE DERIVED FROM THE ENGINE CAMSHAFT DRIVE TIMING BELT, …
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THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SLOW START WHEN BEING STARTED IN THE MORNING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE BATTERY FAILED FOUR TIMES IN THREE DAYS. NLM THE VEHICLE STALLED (IN WHICH THE VEHICLE ROARED FOR A WHILE), AND MAY HAVE DERIVED FROM THE ENGINE CAMSHAFT DRIVE TIMING BELT, IDLER, TENSIONER PULLEYS, AND THE WATER PUMP. SCC
TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP IN TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER,AND INFORMED THAT THE CONDITION BLEW THE ENGINE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
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.