← New search

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.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected 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

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

Power Train complaints

6 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2004
Power Train

I HAVE A 1999 CADILLAC CATERA. IT HAS BEEN THE MOST TROUBLE SOME CAR I HAVE EVER HAD. THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND READS MUTIPLE CYLENDER MISFIRE. ALSO I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR MAIN SEAL AT 60,000 MILES. WHICH WAS SIX MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. IT COSTED ME $600.00 TO FIX IT. I ALSO HAVE ALOT OF BLOW BY IN OIL. ALSO THE CA…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 1999 CADILLAC CATERA. IT HAS BEEN THE MOST TROUBLE SOME CAR I HAVE EVER HAD. THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND READS MUTIPLE CYLENDER MISFIRE. ALSO I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR MAIN SEAL AT 60,000 MILES. WHICH WAS SIX MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. IT COSTED ME $600.00 TO FIX IT. I ALSO HAVE ALOT OF BLOW BY IN OIL. ALSO THE CAMS ARE LEAKING A LITTEL BIT. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM WHITEKER MURCUREY LINCON IN WEST ST.PAUL MN. I DID NOT EVEN GET A OWNERS MANUEL. I CALLED THEM AND ALL THEY TOLD ME WAS THE THIRTY DAY WARRENTY WAS UP AND THERE WAS NOTHEING THEY COULD DO. ALL I WANT IS A NICE RUNNING CAR NOT TO GET RIPED OFF. NOW I HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY JUST TO GET THE MISFIRE AWAY. IT STILL A NEW CAR BUT WITH TO MANY PROBLEMS IT WOULD BE NICE IF CADILLAC COULD GIVE ME A DEAL ON THE REPAIRS. REMEMBER I NOW HAVE HAD IT FOR ONLY 7/MO. THE DEALER ALSO TOLD ME THEY HAVE HAD NOTHEING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE CATERA. TO LATE FOR WHO EVER OWNS ONE.

NHTSA ODI #10056976

61,000 miles · Oct 30, 2003
Power Train

TRANSMISSION CODE AND CLICKING AT 61,000 MILES. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10045138

Mileage unknown · Apr 30, 2002
Power TrainSteeringTires

I HAVE REPORTED THE TIRE DEFECT TO YOUR OFFICE IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 8TH, 2002 AND HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU. BBB AUTO LINE AND CADILLAC HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND ARE WORKING ON A RESOLUTION. I HAVE OVER 30 DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION FAILED ON 3/22/02 LEAVING MY COLLEGE DAUGHTER AND MYSELF …

Read full complaint

I HAVE REPORTED THE TIRE DEFECT TO YOUR OFFICE IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 8TH, 2002 AND HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU. BBB AUTO LINE AND CADILLAC HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND ARE WORKING ON A RESOLUTION. I HAVE OVER 30 DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION FAILED ON 3/22/02 LEAVING MY COLLEGE DAUGHTER AND MYSELF STRANDED IN ARKANSAS. I HAVE NOT YET BEEN REIMBURSED FOR TRIP INTERRUPTION EXPENSES. MY FIRST TRANSMISSION COMPLAINT WAS AT 7140 MILES, 02/02/00. THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE HAVE BEEN ON-GOING AND DANGEROUS AT TIMES. CAN YOU HELP? I ALREADY MAILED YOUR OFFICE A DETAILED PACKAGE. WILL YOU HELP?*AK

NHTSA ODI #761391

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER STATES SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS ON AND THE S LIGHT FLASHES WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKING OFF AS IF IN 2ND OR 3RD GEAR. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND APP SENSOR. *TT

NHTSA ODI #565338

Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2001
Power Train

I CONTACTED THE BBB AUTO LINE AND SOMEONE FROM GM(MS CASS BRASS) CALL ME OFFERED ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY> THEN ASK ME IF I WAS TAKING THAT AS A SETTLEMENT ADVISE HER NO. I WANT MY CAR REPAIRED R REPLACED. SHE ADVISE ME 2 DRIVE D CAR 2 C IF HAPPEN AGAIN. I EXPLAIN 2 HER I'M REALLY SCARED 2 DRIVE MY CAR . I'M SCARED THAT IT MAY S…

Read full complaint

I CONTACTED THE BBB AUTO LINE AND SOMEONE FROM GM(MS CASS BRASS) CALL ME OFFERED ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY> THEN ASK ME IF I WAS TAKING THAT AS A SETTLEMENT ADVISE HER NO. I WANT MY CAR REPAIRED R REPLACED. SHE ADVISE ME 2 DRIVE D CAR 2 C IF HAPPEN AGAIN. I EXPLAIN 2 HER I'M REALLY SCARED 2 DRIVE MY CAR . I'M SCARED THAT IT MAY STOP ON ME AND SOMEONE HIT ME & I CAUSE A ACCIDENT> I EXPLAIN THE SAME THING 2 D DEALER WHEN I TOOK IT EACH TIME IT CUT OFF. ON MY 1ST NOTES I EXPLAIN THAT MY CAR JUST CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING IT ON 5-20-00 I WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN MY DASHBOARD LIT UP AND IT JUST CUT OFF IT DID IT 3 TIMES WITHIN A 30 MINUTE PERIOD. THE 1ST TIME IT CUT OFF WAS 3-7-00 5896 MILES ON CAR, NEXT TIME 4-28-00 , THEN 3 TIMES ON 5-20-00 THE DEALER SD THEY REPLACE PCM/VMC ALSO SAID PCM REPROGRAMMED, MYT CAR DROVE FINE UNTIL 12-20-00 WHEN IT CUT OFF AGAIN WHILE DRIVING THEN ON 12-30-00 IT STALL GOT REAL SLUGGISH LIKE IT WAS GOING 2 STOP BUT DIDN'T. *AK

NHTSA ODI #739036

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…

Read full complaint

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

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.