1998 Cadillac Catera

I HAD A PROBLEM WITH COOLANT LEAKING INTO OIL POSSIBLY DUE TO A BAD OIL COOLER IN THE ENGINE. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AT A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP. AFTER A WHILE, SOMETIME IN MARCH OF 2003 THE PROBLEM REAPPEARED AND COOLANT IS LEAKING INTO OIL AGAIN. IT ALSO SEEMED THAT SOMEBODY REPLACED THE OIL COOLER EVEN BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I HAD TO PAY A FORTUNE TO REPAIR IT THE FIRST TIME AND NOW IT'S IN THE SHOP AGAIN AND I WILL SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN THIS TIME. I AM TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH CADILLAC, I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CADILLAC OR POSSIBLY EVEN GM AFTER ALL THE PROBLEMS I HAD WITH THIS CAR. THIS WAS MY FIRST DISAPPOINTMENT WITH AMERICAN NAME CAR.*JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO GET VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP. DEALER NOTIFIED, THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE TIMING BELT BROKE, THE MANUFACTURER HAD A PROGRAM TO REPAIR 1998 CATERA'S BUT SINCE THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE HAD A SALVAGED TITLE THE DEALERSHIP WAS RELEASED FROM ANY RESPONSIBLITY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT NO COST.*AK *NLM

TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILED AT 51,000 MILES (WARRANTY ENDS AT 50,000 MILES) CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VALVES AND GEARS. REQUIRES NEW VALVES, TENSIONER, HEAD GASKET, BELT, ETC. SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM SPECIFIC TO THE CATERA. HE SAID THAT TENSIONER SYSTEM IS UNIQUE TO CATERA. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A FAULTY SYSTEM. OTHER CADILLAC MODELS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME TIMING BELT SYSTEM. QUOTED REPAIR COST IS $4,800. THIS IS NOT JUST A TIMING BELT PROBLEM, WHICH IS A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR PROBLEM. MOST CAR OWNERS EXPECT TO REPAIR TIMING BELTS SOME TIME DURING THEIR OWNERSHIP, IF THEY KEEP THE VEHICLES LONG ENOUGH. HOWEVER, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A $40,000 VEHICLE. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT EXPECT SUCH A COSTLY PROBLEM TO OCCUR ON THIS CAR FOR A VERY LONG TIME, IF EVER. HOPEFULLY, ONCE REPAIRED, THIS WILL NOT OCCUR AGAIN. MOST CONSUMERS CAN NOT AFFORD AN UNEXPECTED $4,800 REPAIR BILL ONCE, LET ALONE EVERY FEW THOUSAND MILES. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE TENSIONER MUST BE FAULTY OR HAVE A FAULTY DESIGN. THE EDMUNDS WEBSITE SHOWS MANY CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. GM KNOWS ABOUT THIS COSTLY PROBLEM. WHY HAVEN'T THEY MADE SOME PROVISION FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM?*AK

TIMING BELT TENSIONER PULLEY BEARING IS PREMATURELY FAILING AND CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE VALVE TRAIN. IF THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, THIS DEFECT RESULTS IN THE CUSTOMER HAVING TO PAY A REPAIR BILL OF SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. IF THE DEFECT IS FOUND SOON ENOUGH IT STILL COSTS THE CUSOMER OVER FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CADILLAC THE TIMING BELT WAS SUPPOSE TO LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES AND NOW I HEAR THEY ARE RECOMMENDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ASSEMBLY (P/N9120501) WITHIN 60K. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH IS SOME CARS HAVE THE PROBLEM BEFORE 60K. THE WARRANTY ON THE REPLACEMENT PARTS IS 12 MONTHS/12K. THERE ARE ALSO NO PROCEDURES TO ASSIST THE CUSTOMER IN REDUCING THE COSTS OF THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. THE EDMUNDS WEBSITE LIST MANY CUSTOMERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REIMBURSE ALL CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. AS FAR AS I KNOW ALL YEARS OF THIS MODEL CAN EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. ALSO THE CURRENT REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE PRONE TO FAIL AT THE SAME RATE AS THE ORIGINAL PARTS SINCE THE DESIGN HASN'T BEEN IMPROVED. *AK