1998 Cadillac Catera: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 123 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine and engine cooling (31% of complaints); the 2000 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
123
owner complaints
1
fire reports
60,765
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
No recall campaignsWeak spot: engine and engine cooling (31%)1 fire report
Common problems
Computed from 123 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Engine And Engine Cooling (engine, radiator, overheating)31% · 37 complaints
Suspension (shocks, springs, ride quality)13% · 16 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)9% · 11 complaints
Tires7% · 8 complaints
Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)6% · 7 complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic (brakes)5% · 6 complaints
“My wife was driving our 1998 cadillac catera when another car ran a stop sign forcing my wife's car into a collision t-boning the other car. The approximate speed of our car during the impact was at least thirty miles per hour. Our cadillac was written off in the accident however even though this was a hard front end collision there was no airbag deployment in our car. My wife sustained some injuries however because she was wearing her seat belt she was released from the hospital 4 days later! *tr”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2010
“Engine have a problem with oil pressure that stay below minimum at idle when engine is at operating temp. Front control arm bushing fail with less then 90000 miles. Auto transmission fail with less then 90000 miles. Have engagement problems and shifting problem. *tr”Owner report · Suspension · Mar 2008
“The motor in the car started cutting out and slowing down when I would try to accelerate. There was never a knocking sound. There was no engine light and the car was overheating. From reading about this car online it sounds like a timing issue. I took it to a mechanic and was told he did not want to work on the car because of the complexity of the job. From what im told this has happened to alot of these cars and no recall has been issued!! Why not! *tr”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Mar 2008
Show 7 more owner reports
“A/c compressor leaking and a/c compressor not cycling and leaking from the chase valve system. Compressor had to be replaced. *jb updated 01/11/08. *lj the heater coolant valve had to be replaced. The front brake pads and sensor were replaced and the rotors had to be resurfaced. Updated.”Owner report · Equipment · Apr 2007
“Fuel line behind passenger front tire was damaged by an object in the road that the driver ran over. The fuel line is not protected in anyway on the inside of the tire well. This incident lead to a major gas leak and the engine shutting down on a busy highway. This could have been a very serious situation. *tr”Owner report · Tires · Mar 2007
“I'm repairing the blown head gasket on the same engine for the third time in less than 50000 miles, 100000 total miles. These cars were lemons! Cadillac knows it, but does not feel the need to respond to the thousands of catera owners who have suffered the expense of repeated repairs, totaling $10,000 with transmission replacement, major engine repair, timing belts, cooling systems, water pumps,and oh yeah...electrical system failure!!! Give me a break! And any advice besides the obvious. *ak”Owner report · Power Train · Jan 2007
“While I was making a wide turn, the timing belt of my 1998 catera broke and damaged the engine head of my car. The pulley was bent in the process. This is a manufacturer's defect associated with the catera. Now the manufacturer has refused to fix my car. It will cost $5000.00. *nm”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Sep 2006
“Dt*: the contact stated while driving 50 mph on the highway, the engine stalled and there was a loss of all vehicle power without warning. The contact managed to pull the vehicle over without incident. The engine would not restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who determined the timing belt separated into and damaged the engine. Due to the belt separation, the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was alerted.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Aug 2006
“My recent problem is I can't take the car out of park. I try for more than 30 time and yes, I have my foot on the brake. This car has been in the shop more than 35+ time since 1999 and its nothing but problems. *nm”Owner report · Power Train · Jan 2006
“Cadillac cater 1998 experienced multiple failure that caused engine damage. *bf the trunk light bulbs failed. The trunk light bar failed. The key fob failed. The cd player failed. The window washer hose failed. The switch for heating and cooling system had to be replaced. The bottom gear of the crankshaft broke causing engine damage. The front and rear end had to be aligned due to the vehicle pulling to the right. The center link was also replaced. *nm”Owner report · Suspension · Feb 2005
When filing, owners marked a crash in 6 of these complaints and injuries in 4 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
How other years compare
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Is the 1998 Cadillac Catera reliable?
NHTSA has 123 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 1998 Cadillac Catera. The most complained-about area is engine and engine cooling (31% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1998 Cadillac Catera problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 60,765 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.