Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-75, 76
To all Catera owners!!! I'm also a fool for a nice looking car, as mine was when I bought it 2 years ago. My view of this devil car has since changed. A 2001 Catera with 35,000 miles on it for 8 grand seemed like a great deal.
The car now has 80,000 miles on it.
I have replaced 3 water pumps, 15 tires, 2 rims, 2 heater valves.
The dash lights have stopped working except for the coolant light, leveling light, brake light, and these lights are on all the time.
The sunroof does what ever it wants.
Coolant leaks all the time, and no one can find the issue.
There is now an oil leak that wasn't too bad, but is getting worse.
I've replaced so many other items on this car it unreal!!! Every complication I've read on this site I've had it happen with my Catera. Everything costs an arm and a leg to fix if you can even find someone to work on it. I haven't seen of any recalls on the car, and that is sad sad sad!!!
Someone please tell me why we have not received full refunds on the Christine cars we have bought???
I bought my 99 Cadillac Catera back in October of this year, and I have not been able to drive it. When I got it, I was able to drive it a week and that was it, and here it is November, and it is still in the shop because they cannot figure out what is wrong with it.
The damn car will not crank at all. Sometimes you can unhook the battery cables over night and it will crank. But that does not always work.
I wish I would have never bought this car. I paid 1,000 for the car and it had a little bit over 115,000 miles on it when I got it. Has anyone else had this problem?
We purchased a 1998 Catera for our son a couple of years ago. It had 60,000 miles on it at that time and had already had the engine replaced at approximately 30,000 miles. We have had to replace the engine again at approximately 90,000 miles along with the heater valve, transmission, and radiator. We now have a bad MAF sensor and if you haven't found out for yourself it is very expensive to buy. This car is not worthy of the brand name and is a very sorry excuse for a car.
This car is a piece of garbage... plain and simple. No wonder GM is going under. Another first for American engineering.
I've owned my Catera 98 for 3 years. I can only recommend knowing your mechanic. Aftermarket parts are a lot cheaper then dealership. The labour is intensive because it is a Saab inspired engine with an Opel design. I paid $180 (cnd) for rad, 200 for center link and 100 for control bushings. If you're paying a lot then you're not shopping around. Great car; 11 years old and still lots of looks.
My son needed a car and we bought a 98 Catera. I have had over 35 cars in my life. Some I bought to fix and drove a while then sold them. Some I kept for a while. To this day the Catera is still in the garage - shoulder and neck surgery and almost 2 years later.. Spent over 1200 in parts.
The big problem is the oil cooler. That's what kills a lot of these engines. VERY BAD DESIGN unless it's in an open wheel racer. If the cooler leaks (and it will over time) - coolant gets into the engine - well you're done. I thought the coolant was the dextron type. Turned out it was oil in the coolant. I was lucky that no coolant made it into the engine. I guess it's where the oil-cooler leak is.
Another big PAIN! Wheels won't seal good so the tires go flat all the time. Everything else WAS OK. If I ever get it fixed I'll post again. Car nicknamed NIGHTMARA!!
You guys and gals need to come over to the Yahoo's CateraOwners group and find your answers. You can subscribe to the service, and it is free and I am sure you'll be able to find your answers by reading the message archive, otherwise just type in your questions on the message board. I am sure you'll find it worth the effort.
Here is the link to the site
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/CateraOwners/?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=3
Catera 2001 and I am really enjoying the car.
Yea so I guess I'm another fool, because in October I bought a 98 Catera (because of the looks like a dummy) and ever since I've had this car I've had nothing but problems.
First problem was the crank shaft sensor went out, then I had to replace that.
Second problem was kinda brought on myself; I bought the car and checked the coolant and the car dealer was like that's dex coolant (well apparently not!!!), the oil cooler leaked and the transmission cooler leaked too. Not too mention I've had other miscellaneous problems. Lord have mercy on my soul.
CADILLAC CATERAS BLOW!!! Thinking about running it off a cliff.
I bought a 1998 Catera, hoping for a good car after my 1990 Toyota Cressida's exhaust plugged and ignited, totaling the car (when I called the dealer he happened to neglect to mention his 30-day return policy, I owned the car 2 weeks). Haggled to $3200 from $3700 with a rebuilt transmission and new tires, car looked clean, no rust and drove nice, tons of toys, plenty of power, and rear-wheel drive.
After a perfect test drive, drove it home and the oil pressure warning went off. Changed the oil and no problem for a while (the car always tells me when it needs its oil changed regardless of miles or months).
The brake lights stopped working, got a new switch and after a couple of hours (not wanting to break anything expensive), I finally broke down and ripped out the old switch with a pair of pliers, and replaced it with the new one in about 30 seconds (disconnect the old switch in the back and plug in the new one to see if that is the problem). A test light blew the moon roof fuse and had to re-program it. Didn't find the right fuse for a few months.
It has been leaking coolant profusely for over a year now and overheats in traffic (postponed by cranking the heat, but only temporarily), after spending a couple hundred dollars and several hours trying to repair my "broken head gasket" (a $3000 repair from the dealer), after some research I think it's the heater control valve, gmpartsdirect.com ($57). We will see how the repair goes.
If Cadillac could get an American (tested and reliable) engine in a similar setup, with common cheap parts, I think they wouldn't be able to keep them in the show rooms.
I have spent hours on vacant gravel roads turning off the traction control, and having some fun, trying to get lost (at 135,232 miles, and needing an oil change). Overall the car has made me hate it, but I still find myself putting it in the garage when it rains, longing to go on a long freeway drive. No traffic, just me and my Catera, hitting the curves and loving the ride.
I own a Catera also. My wife saw the car and had to have it. She drove it for the first 3 years and we had problems that the dealership fixed under warranty. Oh yeah this is a '99 bought new. After the 3 years and problems, one dealership said the head gasket was bad. I set the car up because I didn't want to put money into it and pay the car payment.
After it set up for a total of 3 years, one backyard mechanic friend of mine said I only needed a radiator and he replaced it. Only drove the car for one week and it wouldn't start.
Had a crank sensor put in and new battery, problem solved. So it seemed. Now coolant leaks continually.
First, I am a female. I bought my '99 nightmare in Aug. of 2007. I was injured in the Marines and discharged. I informed the previous owners of my injury and how this was the last of my money. They assured me the car was amazing with no problems (I had a friend with me who works on cars look it over... little did I know at the time, he really knew nothing.)
Anyhow, I paid 3200.00 for it. I drove it for a month before it quit. I even called the previous owners 2 weeks after buying it telling them I had it hooked up and transmission and engine codes came up. Asked them if I could bring it back. They said I DID THE DAMAGE to the car. Great people huh... I wonder how they can sleep at night.
Anyhow, after a year of being on military disability, I finally had enough money to take it to the mechanic. 2500.00 later it drives. The radiator and brake lights are my constant companions. The sun roof opens and closes as pleases. The transmission shifts correctly SOMETIMES. Most times however I have to manually shift and/or I get the great lunge into the next gear. (lunge meaning my car literally shakes and slows then lunges forward as it slams into the next gear) The speedometer and odometer don't work, so I am guessing on my speed. The brake lights work when they want. My trunk won't stay locked shut. The tires won't hold air an are constantly going flat. Not to mention you get HORRIBLE MPG.
Don't EVER EVER EVER buy a Catera. SAVE YOUR SANITY AND WALLET! I can't wait until I can get rid of this P.O.S.
My Catera is my best friend!
Hehe, just wondering what nightmare car we'd come up with if we combined all the faults various Catera owners have had with this heap of junk!! I bought my 98 Catera 2 years ago, because I thought this was the best I could get for $5000 for a car with 50,000 miles.
Driving it home, the drivers side windscreen froze up and I drove the rest of the way leaning over to the passenger side to see the road. The next morning, I saw the big oil leak on my garage floor. I was lucky to find an ex-Cadillac mechanic a couple hours drive from my house who changed the actuators and replaced the leaking oil cooler, for a total of $1600.
A few months later, another oil leak, this time near the spark plugs. New plugs, coils, cables, and gaskets. The guy said Catera used some special spark plugs - you'd think this was a highly tuned racer by the way it uses special parts, instead of the sloth it really it.
Then came the leaking tires (bad rims) and the alternator kept blowing up.
Last week I found a big patch of oil again - I'm afraid this might be the tranny, but after hours of looking, we found out it has no dipstick... you gotta crawl under the car, find some bolt, unscrew it, and hope you don't drown or get burnt by spilling oil.
Is this incredible or what?
GM should be sued.
I have a '99 Catera. Bought the car at 53,000 miles. Like everyone else I fell in love with the way it looks. 2 months I had to change crankshaft sensor, now massive coolant leak. Speedometer does not work. For some reason my check engine light does not come on even when I first start the car. Good or bad? Before things get worse, I will get rid of her. The Caddy that zigs! What a lie!!!
I recently purchased a Catera too, and right when I got it, they let me know there was a sensor out so the speedometer didn't work. They paid to have it repaired and had it for 3 weeks. Every time I would call, they would say something about the dealer not getting a part..
I just got it back about 2 weeks ago and it's been great.. But boy am I scared after reading this! The leveling light always flashes and I'm not sure why.. A friend of mine has the same car and has had it two years and loves it. He hasn't had one problem.. I am now praying for the same luck!