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1999 Cadillac Catera

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Cadillac Catera do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 67.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

20 reports with mileage · 60 unknown

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 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports4 fire reports4 injury reports

Latches/locks/linkages complaints

3 reports
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60,000 miles · Oct 31, 2008
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment

I PURCHASED A 99 CATERA ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND SENSE THEN THIS CAR IS A CARDBOARD BOX ON WHEELS. THE ALARM SYSTEM AS GONE LOOPY IN THE SENSE THAT I COULDN'T START MY VEHICLE UNLESS I CRANKED IT ONCE LEFT IT FOR 15-30 MIN AND THEN CRANKED IT AGAIN. AFTER DISABLING THE ALARM SYSTEM IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN ON OCCASION. THE AC/HEATER…

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I PURCHASED A 99 CATERA ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND SENSE THEN THIS CAR IS A CARDBOARD BOX ON WHEELS. THE ALARM SYSTEM AS GONE LOOPY IN THE SENSE THAT I COULDN'T START MY VEHICLE UNLESS I CRANKED IT ONCE LEFT IT FOR 15-30 MIN AND THEN CRANKED IT AGAIN. AFTER DISABLING THE ALARM SYSTEM IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN ON OCCASION. THE AC/HEATER WENT OUT DUE TO THE COMPRESSOR HAVING TO MUCH COMPRESSION. THE SUNROOF OPENS AND CLOSES BY ITSELF OR NOT AT ALL. THE VACUUM HOSES HAD HOLES IN IT WHICH WAS A RECALL BUT NOT TO KEN BATCHLEOR. THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR HS GONE OUT THREE TIMES AND COSTS 300 TO REPLACE EVERYTIME. MY UPPER RADIATOR HOSE LEAKS CONTINUOUSLY BY THE CLAMP. THE LEVELING LIGHT WILL STAY ON FOR DAYS AT A TIME. THE ARM THAT KEEPS MY DRIVERS DOOR OPEN BROKE THROUGH THE DOOR WELDINGS AND IS DANGLING IN THE DOOR. THE SEALS ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WATER IN THE ENGINE. I PAID MORE IN REPAIRS FOR THIS VEHICLE THEN WHAT IT ORIGINALLY COST. THE DRIVERS FRONT AND REAR WINDOW GETS STUCK AND OPENS BY THEIR SELVES. THE DOOR LOCKS DO NOT LOCK FULLY OR OPEN FULLY. THE HORN WILL GO OUT ALL TOGETHER IN THE RAIN. EVERYTIME I TAKE IT IN THEY CAN NEVER READ ANY ERR CODES AND IT TAKES ME SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN THE ISSUE CAUSING ME TO GET REPAIRS THAT AREN'T PART OF THE MAIN PROBLEM. THERE IS NO CAMBER ADJUSTMENTS IN THIS CAR SO IF U HIT A CURB YOUR SCREWED. GAS FULL STOP RANDOMLY DOES NOT WORK AND CAUSES LOSS OF MONEY AND GAS. ME AND MY FAMILY OF 5 HAVE BEEN STRANDED FOR HOURS DUE TO MANY ISSUES WITH THIS CAR AND HERE IN TEXAS WITH A CAR THAT HAS NO AC OR HEATER IS A MAJOR PAIN. ANYONE WHO HASN'T BOUGHT ONE... DON'T!!!! CADILLAC THEMSELVES TOOK THE DUCKS OFF THE EMBLEM AFTER 99 BECAUSE THEY THEMSELVES DIDN'T THINK OF THIS CAR AS A CADILLAC STANDARD CAR. WHEN I CALLED KEN BATCHLORE THEY STATED THERE WHERE ONLY TWO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT HAD ALREADY EXPIRED AND STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I FEEL SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS IGNORANCE. PROBLEMS SINCE 06-PRESENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10247392

Mileage unknown · May 3, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingLatches/locks/linkagesPower Train

WHEN DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REAR DOORS WERE NOT FULLY CLOSED AT A TIME WHEN CHILDREN WERE REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER PROVIDED NO INDICATION THAT THE DOORS WERE OPEN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF THE DOORS BEING OPENED, THE DOORS ARE SUPPOSED TO AUTOMATICALLY LOCK ONCE THE VEHIC…

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WHEN DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REAR DOORS WERE NOT FULLY CLOSED AT A TIME WHEN CHILDREN WERE REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER PROVIDED NO INDICATION THAT THE DOORS WERE OPEN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF THE DOORS BEING OPENED, THE DOORS ARE SUPPOSED TO AUTOMATICALLY LOCK ONCE THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, HOWEVER THE DOORS REMAIN OPEN AND UNLOCKED. CONSUMER HEARS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE CENTER DASH. THE SUNROOF STAYS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION AND MAKES A LOUD CRACKING NOISE, IT'S TAKEN 3 TIMES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. WHEN VEHICLE IS FIRST DRIVEN, IT STICKS IN FIRST GEAR. THE STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO KEEP UNDER CONTROL ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO WANDER WHILE DRIVING. THE FRONT DOOR HANDLE STICKS, THE DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE ENGINE RACES WHILE COASTING DOWNHILL, THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. THE INTERIOR FLOODED, THE DEALER STATED THE THE HOOD DRAINS ARE CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #861314

Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2000
Latches/locks/linkages

UPON ARRIVING AT THE BANK, I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. USING QUITE A BIT OF FORCE, I MANAGED TO OPEN THE DOOR AND CLOSE IT. UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR, I WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AGAIN. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY WAS STUCK IN THE CLOSED POSITION. I CONTACTED ON STAR AND WAS INFORMED THIS WAS A COMMON PROB…

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UPON ARRIVING AT THE BANK, I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. USING QUITE A BIT OF FORCE, I MANAGED TO OPEN THE DOOR AND CLOSE IT. UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR, I WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AGAIN. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY WAS STUCK IN THE CLOSED POSITION. I CONTACTED ON STAR AND WAS INFORMED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE LADY FROM ON STAR THEN GOT A ROAD SIDE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ON THE PHONE WITH US. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED ME THAT "THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM" AND IT HAPPENS TO HIM "AT LEAST TWO TIMES PER YEAR". THE TECHNICIAN THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO "USE A SCREWDRIVER TO TRY AND FORCE THE LATCH INTO THE PROPER POSITION". WHILE ATTEMPTING THIS, THE SCREWDRIVER SLIPPED AND SCRATCHED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR. THE TECHNICIAN THEN TOLD ME HE WOULD COME OUT AND ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE DOOR. AFTER AN HOUR, THE TECHNICIAN SHOWED UP AND TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY WITH A SCREWDRIVER FOR THE NEXT HOUR. HE FINALLY REMOVED THE RUBBER MOLDING FROM AROUND THE LATCH ASSEMBLY AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO CLOSE. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT I SHOULD "TAKE THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER AND HAVE THE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY REPLACED. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO RONALD MORAN CADILLAC AND EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN EXPLAINED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND PLACED AN ORDER FOR THE NEW PART. WHEN ASKED ABOUT WETHER THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM, THE TECHNICIAN SAID NO. I THEN SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, MR. DAVID BOYD, WHO INFORMED ME THERE WAS NO RECALL. I AM APPALLED AT THE FACT THAT SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM, WHICH COULD RESULT IN DEATH IN CASE OF A FIRE OR SUBMERSSION IN WATER, THAT NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION. I HOPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN SEE MY POINT OF VIEW AND RESOLVE THIS SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #717116

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.