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1997 Cadillac Catera

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Catera years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Cadillac Catera are substantially higher than the model-year median of 67.

About this comparison →
163Owner complaints

Model-year median: 67

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
163
1997123
199880
199967
2000
Compare all Catera years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
75Electrical System
24Suspension
21Service Brakes, Hydraulic
18Exterior Lighting
16
All reported categories
Steering
14Visibility
12Air Bags
11Power Train
10Tires
10Structure
8Vehicle Speed Control
8Unknown Or Other
7Equipment
6Fuel System, Gasoline
3Latches/locks/linkages
2Seats
2Interior Lighting
1Wheels
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 25 of 163 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports3 fire reports6 injury reports

Tires complaints

10 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingExterior LightingTires

REAR BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING. $145 TO REPAIR THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY ITEM THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL. SECONDARY AIR INJECTION VALVE AND LR OXYGEN SENSOR BAD CAUSING "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT TO COME ON. $345 TO REPAIR THIS ITEM THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL. HAVE GONE THROUGH TWO SETS OF TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF ABNORMAL WEAR TO THE …

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REAR BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING. $145 TO REPAIR THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY ITEM THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL. SECONDARY AIR INJECTION VALVE AND LR OXYGEN SENSOR BAD CAUSING "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT TO COME ON. $345 TO REPAIR THIS ITEM THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL. HAVE GONE THROUGH TWO SETS OF TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF ABNORMAL WEAR TO THE INSIDE OF TIRES. DT

NHTSA ODI #770738

Mileage unknown · Oct 11, 2002
Tires

CONSUMER STATES THAT EVERY SIXTEEN MILES HAD TO CHANGES TIRES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ODI #8020737

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2001
Tires

I WAS ON HIGHWAY AND A LARGE BOOM I PULLED OVER AND ENTIRE TIRE HAD SEPARATED FROM SIDEWALL. POLICEMAN SAID THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO FLIP OVER HAD IT OCCURED 20 FEET EARLIER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #745800

Mileage unknown · Nov 27, 2000
Electrical SystemTires

INCIDENTDATE OF PROBLEMDATE OF RETURNINVOICE #ROADSIDE CASE#PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #736926

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2000
SuspensionTiresVisibility

GOODYEAR TIRES WERE REPLACED MANY TIMES DUE TO THE PREMATURE WEAR CAUSED BY THE ALIGNMENT WHICH ALSO CAUSED VIBRATION, VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO THE CUSTOMER WITH TIRES THAT HAD NO TREAD. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #555745

Mileage unknown · Jun 19, 2000
Tires

ORIGINAL TIRES WORE OUT PREMATURELY. YH

NHTSA ODI #552702

Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2000
Electrical SystemEquipmentExterior Lighting

BRAKE LIGHTS BURNED OUT. *CJ

NHTSA ODI #558668

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 1999
Exterior LightingInterior LightingSteering

THE DASHBOARD AND LOWER CONSOLE LIGHTS ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS (INTERMITTENTLY ACTIVATED), THE LOWER CONSOLE LIGHTS WILL BECOME DIM AND TAKES TEN MINUTES TO BECOME NORMAL, DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #784377

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 1999
SuspensionTires

IMPROPER FRONT END ALIGNMENT SETTING ON VEHICLE CAUSED TIRES TO WEAR ON THE INNER SHOULDER.

NHTSA ODI #543528

Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 1997
SuspensionTires

EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, WHEN FRONT TIRES RUN OVER A LARGE CRACK OR SMALL POTHOLE ON THE HIGHWAY, MOST OF THE TIME THE PAVEMENT IS WET.

NHTSA ODI #524116

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.