ENGINE OIL IS POURING INTO COOLANT. REPLACED ENGINE OIL COOLER-ENDED UP NOT BEING THE PROBLEM. SUNROOF WILL OPEN AND CLOSE BY ITSELF, AND WILL NOT WORK WHEN YOU TRY TO DO IT YOURSELF.*AK
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
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.
What owners actually said
80 reportsI 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…
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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.
I BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE AT ENTERPRISE USED CAR SALES ON APRIL 30,2002. I WAS GUARANTEED A BUMBER-TO-BUMBER INSPECTION OF THE CAR AND WAS TO BE IN OPERATIONAL CONDITION. AFTER I LEFT THE LOT WITH THE CAR; I COULD ONLY GO APPROXIMATLY A 1/4 OF MILE BEFORE I NEEDED TO GET GAS IN THE CAR. THAT WAS THE BEGINING OF THE TROUBLE. SO FAR…
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I BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE AT ENTERPRISE USED CAR SALES ON APRIL 30,2002. I WAS GUARANTEED A BUMBER-TO-BUMBER INSPECTION OF THE CAR AND WAS TO BE IN OPERATIONAL CONDITION. AFTER I LEFT THE LOT WITH THE CAR; I COULD ONLY GO APPROXIMATLY A 1/4 OF MILE BEFORE I NEEDED TO GET GAS IN THE CAR. THAT WAS THE BEGINING OF THE TROUBLE. SO FAR SINCE APRIL OF THIS YEAR I'VE HAD TO REPLACE ALL OF THE TIRES, BRAKES, AND OTHER REPAIRS THAT THANKFULLY WAS STILL UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TWICE TO THE DEALERSHIP. AS WE SPEAK THE CAR IS BEING REPAIRED AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP HAD INFORMED ME THAT I HAVE THREE HOLES IN THE CAR THAT HAS CAUSED THE CAR TO OVERHEAT, PLUS OTHER PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAVE FOUND. WHEN IT RAINED THE CAR LEAKED INSIDE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE FORGOTEN TO ROLL UP A WINDOW. AFTER THE SECOND TIME I KNEW BETTER AND TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. I FOUND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT ENTERPRISE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT WHEN I EXPERINCED IT A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE I WENT TO INVESTGATE. THE REASON THAT I'M CONTACTING YOU IS THAT AFTER TALKING TO A REPERSENATIVE OF ENTERPRISE, AND INFORMING HIM OF THE SAME INFORMATION THAT I HAVE JUST INFORMED YOU OF; I WAS TREATED AS IF I'M SOME KIND OF INEPT PERSON WHO COULD NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE SIMPLISTIC WORKINGS OF A VEHICLE SUCH AS FLAT TIRES WITH METAL THREADS SHOWING THROUGH, OR ABLE TO NOTICE THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD OR THE SOUNDS OF METAL RUBBING ON METAL. I WAS ASKED REPEATLY IF I KNEW FOR SURE THAT THE BRAKES WERE REALLY NEEDING TO BE REPLACED OR IF IT WAS SOME TYPE OF SCAM THAT THE DEALERSHIP WAS TRYING TO GET EXTRA MONEY, OR IF I TOOK THE BRAKES HOME AS EVIDENCE. I DON'T KNOW OF TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO REQUEST THEIR OLD BRAKES FOR SOME TYPE OF EVIDENCE. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF THIS TYPE OF INTEROGATION I ENDED THE CONVERSATION REALIZING THAT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WAS GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT THE SITUATION.
TRANSMISSION CODE AND CLICKING AT 61,000 MILES. *LA
PROBLEMS WITH HANDLING AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP ON 1999 CADILLAC CATERA.*MR THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT RESPONSIVE AND ON ONE OCCASION THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHEN THE DRIVER PULLED ONTO A HIGHWAY. WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNED THE WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES THERE WAS A CRUNCHING SOUND. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COIL. *N…
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PROBLEMS WITH HANDLING AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP ON 1999 CADILLAC CATERA.*MR THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT RESPONSIVE AND ON ONE OCCASION THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHEN THE DRIVER PULLED ONTO A HIGHWAY. WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNED THE WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES THERE WAS A CRUNCHING SOUND. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COIL. *NLM *JB
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE SLOWING DOWN, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE AN ERROR CODE.*AK THE DEALERSHIP WANTED THE CONSUMER TO INFORM THEM WHEN THE VEHICLE CUT OFF AGAIN. THEY WANTED HIM/HER TO LEAVE IT WHEREVER IT BROKE DOWN SO THEY COULD GET AND RESOLVE THE "ERROR CODE". ONCE THE VEHICLE…
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INTERMITTENTLY WHILE SLOWING DOWN, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE AN ERROR CODE.*AK THE DEALERSHIP WANTED THE CONSUMER TO INFORM THEM WHEN THE VEHICLE CUT OFF AGAIN. THEY WANTED HIM/HER TO LEAVE IT WHEREVER IT BROKE DOWN SO THEY COULD GET AND RESOLVE THE "ERROR CODE". ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CODE WAS DELETED. *PH *JB
DEALER REPLACED CAMSHAFT AT VERY LOW MILEAGE. *AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER INSPECTED, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORKED ON THE FAST SETTING, AND FAILED TO DISENGAGE UNLESS THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY TURNED OFF.*AK WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *TS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBELM WAS ELECTRICAL. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. *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.
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