1997 Cadillac Catera

DT: CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WHEN THE HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ON, ALL THE GAUGES STARTED JUMPING AROUND, WHEN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS PUSHED FORWARD THE HEADLIGHTS STAYED ON FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR LONGER. ALSO, WHEN THE KEY WAS OUT OF THE IGNITION. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE CONTROL IS PULLED BACK THE HEADLIGHTS FUNCTIONED NORMALLY, THE AIR CONDITION CONTROLS DID NOT WORK, AND THE O2 SENSOR DID NOT RESPOND. THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES HAVD BEEN REPLACED. *AK

THIS CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON 2/8/04 FOR RECALL 2041, 1037. TWO DAYS AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR, THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK. MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE COOLANT RESERVOIR AND IT WAS OVER ONE INCH BELOW FULL, HE ALSO CHECKED THE DRIVEWAY FOR ANY ANTIFREEZE AND CHECKED WHERE YOU PUT OIL IN THE ENGINE BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY SIGNS OF EXTERNAL LEAKS, BUT A WHITE MILKY SUBSTANCE UNDER THE OIL CAP. THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY SINCE. I EMAILED GM ABOUT THIS. THIS WAS THEIR RESPONSE! WE HAVE CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR DAN HEMM CADILLAC, MR. CHARLIE CAROLL. HE IS AWARE OF YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE COOLANT LEVEL FOR THE 1997 CADILLAC CATERA. HE IS WILLING TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED IN. DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE CONCERN IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE RELATED TO THE RECALL 02041, AND THEY WILL NEED TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE TO VERIFY. HE HAS ALSO INFORMED US THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR THE RECALL, THEY DID REPLACE PARTS AS NECESSARY. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTACT HIM. IF YOU SHOULD NEED TO CONTACT US IN THE FUTURE, SIMPLY REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE OR CALL OUR CADILLAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-458-8006. CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGERS ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. BE SURE TO REFER TO YOUR SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER 1-226247104 IN ALL FUTURE COMMUNICATION. IF I RETURN THIS CAR, LET THE DEALER TOW IT TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WILL BE TOLD THAT THE REASON MY CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE IS MY FAULT, AND WILL BE HANDED A BILL FOR TOWING AND WHATEVER OTHER CHARGES FOR THEM LOOKING AT IT! I HAD THE CAR BACK TWO DAYS, A TOTAL OF 374 MILES. THE CAR HAS 34867 MILES; I HAVE HAD A LOT OF OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, FRONT END ALIGNMENT, HEADLIGHT AIMERS, BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH'S, HEADLIGHT SWITCH, IGNITION COIL PACK, AIR BAG SYSTEM. EVEN WITH ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WENT WRONG, I AT LEAST COULD DRIVE IT, UNTIL I RETURNED IT FOR A RECALL! *JB

ELECTRICAL SMOLDERING FIRE WITHIN THE DASH HARNESS P/N90493373 OF MY 1997 CADILLAC CATERA VIN #[XXX]. NO ACTUAL FLAMES WERE SEEN BEFORE THE 80 AMP MAIN FUSE OPENED. I DID SEE THE ACTUAL HARNESS AT THE CADILLAC DEALERSHIP AND MOST IF NOT ALL THE WIRES IN THE HARNESS HAD THEIR SHIELDING MELTED CLEAN AWAY ABOUT 1/2". THE EXPOSED WIRES SHORTED TOGETHER TO CAUSE THE FUSE TO OPEN. I WAS TOLD THE AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WAS THE ONLY PEOPLE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING FAILURE BUT THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ACTUALLY ABLE TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION. THEY POINTED OUT, ITS POSSIBLE THAT ANYONE COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS ISSUE. THEY WOULD NOT SAY IF THERE WAS ANY EVIDENCE OF TAMPERING THOUGH, EVEN WHEN ASKED TO LOOK FOR IT. CADILLAC FACTORY SERVICE REP [XXX] OPENED FILE #[XXX] ON 8-14-03 AND OFFERED TO LOOK INTO ANY POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE, BUT SAID THERE WOULD BE LITTLE TO NONE. WHEN I ASKED IF I SHOULD REPORT THIS TO NHTSA THEY THEN THREATENED TO WITHDRAW THE FILE AND ANY POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE. BY TALKING TO THE MANAGER [XXX], THE FILE I WAS TOLD WOULD REMAIN OPEN BUT NOT AVAILABLE TO ANYONE.*AK THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW THE STATUS OF THE COMPLAINT SUBMITTED. *JB *PH *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

VEHICLE FAILED TO START EVEN WITH AMPLE CRANKING POWER. TOWED TO CADILLAC DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AS ONBOARD COMPUTER CONTAINING EMISSIONS CONTROL UNIT. I WAS ADVISED BY MY EXTENDED SVC WARRANTY COMPANY THAT BECAUSE ECU WAS INVOLVED, REPAIR SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER MANDATORY 8/80 FEDERAL EMISSIONS WARRANTY REQUIRED OF MANUFACTURERS BY THE FED. CLEAN AIR ACT. (VEH. IS SIX YEARS OLD AND HAS 61,000 MILES).GM TAKES THE POSITION THAT REPAIR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE FED EMISSIONS WARRANTY BUT WILL NOT PROVIDE ME A WRITTEN EXPLANATION. I'VE HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND WOULD LIKE RECOMPENSE EITHER UNDERTHE FED EMISSIONS WARRANTY PROGRAM OR THRU MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY.*AK

CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE ON 3/9/03 ,AND IN APRIL STARTED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS. VEHICLE BEGUN TO SMOKE, SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHERE SHE PURCHASED IT, AND THEY COULD NOT TELL HER WHAT WAS WRONG. THEY SENT THE VEHICLE TO A CADILLAC DEALERSHIP. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE HAS BEEN CUTTING OFF WHILE BEING DRIVEN, VEHICLE LOST POWER AND ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT CUT OFF, AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC.*AK

I PURCHASED A 1997 CADILLAC CATERA ON JAN 31, 2001 FROM UNITED AUTOMAX IN MEMPHIS, TN. FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE I HAVE HAD EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. BEGINNING WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE LIGHTS. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH TIRES WEARING OUT PREMATURELY, HEATER CORE REPLACED, ROTORS REPLACED AND WEARING OUT AGAIN WITHIN A YEAR'S TIME. FUSES HAVE BLOWN, RADIATOR FAN ALONG WITH OTHER PROBLEMS. NUMEROUS RECALLS AND ETC. ON APRIL 14, 2003 I TOOK MY CAR TO BUD DAVIS CADILLAC IN MEMPHIS AND REPORTED THAT I COULD SMELL OIL BURNING. THEY STATED THAT I NEEDED VALVE COVERS RESEALED AND TO REPLACE REAR MAIN SEAL. (THE WORK WAS DONE THRU MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY). I RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM ABOUT NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT END. THEY IN RETURN REPLACED RIGHT AND LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM. WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP THE CAR FROM DEALER I NOTICED THAT THE NOISE STILL EXISTED AND INFORMED SERVICE AGENT BEFORE I LEFT THE DEALER'S LOT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A BAD STRUT LINK TO WHICH MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER. AFTER DISCUSSING THE MATTER WITH ANOTHER MACHANIC (NOT DEALER), HE STATED THAT THE NAME OF THE PART WAS A STABILIZER NOT STRUT. AND NOT ONLY DID THE NOISE EXIST IN THE FRONT END, BUT THERE WAS A HISSING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THAT THE OIL LIGHT BEGAN TO COME ON AND STAY ON. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT THE HISSING NOISE CAME FROM A PART THAT WAS PROBABLY DAMAGED BY BUD DAVIS CADILLAC WHEN REPAIRING VALVES AND SEALS. I THEN RETURNED TO THE DEALER. I INFORMED THE DEALER THAT MY WARRANTY COMPANY DID COVER THE STABILIZER LINKAGE AND THEY STATED THAT THE SERVICE AGENT USED THE WRONG TERMINOLOGY. THEY AGREED TO FIX IT AND DID, BUT REFUSED TO CHECK THE SOURCE OF THE HISSING SOUND WITHOUT ME PAYING FOR IT. IT SEEMS THAT EACH WEEK OR MONTH THERE ARE EXTENSIVE REPAIRS NEEDED. *TT

THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING THE FOLLOWING: THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING/THERE'S A LOUD TAPPING SOUND, THE BRAKES ARE GRINDING ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THE POWER LOCKS AT TIMES WON'T UNLOCK/MUST PLAY WITH THE FLOOR SHIFTER, AND THE CLOCK WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, IN REFERENCE TO THE ENGINE. SCC

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SLOW START WHEN BEING STARTED IN THE MORNING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE BATTERY FAILED FOUR TIMES IN THREE DAYS. NLM THE VEHICLE STALLED (IN WHICH THE VEHICLE ROARED FOR A WHILE), AND MAY HAVE DERIVED FROM THE ENGINE CAMSHAFT DRIVE TIMING BELT, IDLER, TENSIONER PULLEYS, AND THE WATER PUMP. SCC