IllustrationTHE REAR WHEELS WILL NOT LINE UP ON THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE REAR TIRES TO WEAR OUT. *CJ CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, HOWEVER NO REMEDY HAS BEEN MADE. *SLC
1998 Cadillac Catera
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
50–25K
625–50K
2050–75K
275–100K
5100–150K
1150K+
39 reports with mileage · 84 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 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
123 reportsVEHICLE WILL PULL TO LEFT OR TO RIGHT WHILE DRIVING OR APPLYING BRAKES. CONSUMER MUST HOLD WHEEL IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. DEALER CLAIMS IT IS NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC. *AK
TIRES WERE CHECKED DURING 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE AND TIRE WEAR WAS REPORTED AS NORMAL. 900 MILES LATER WE EXPERIENCED A SHIMMING WHEN DRIVING AT AROUND 70 MILES AN HOUR. STOPPED TO HAVE TIRES CHECKED AT GOODYEAR DEALER AND THE TIRES WERE WORN DOWN TO WEARBARS APPROXIMATELY 4 INCH STRIP ON EACH OF THE FRONT TIRES. GOODYEAR DEALE…
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TIRES WERE CHECKED DURING 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE AND TIRE WEAR WAS REPORTED AS NORMAL. 900 MILES LATER WE EXPERIENCED A SHIMMING WHEN DRIVING AT AROUND 70 MILES AN HOUR. STOPPED TO HAVE TIRES CHECKED AT GOODYEAR DEALER AND THE TIRES WERE WORN DOWN TO WEARBARS APPROXIMATELY 4 INCH STRIP ON EACH OF THE FRONT TIRES. GOODYEAR DEALER STATED AND CADILLAC CONFIRMED THAT CADILLAC CATERA IS NOTED FOR ALIGNMNENT PROBLEMS CAUSING UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN IN LESS THAN 900 MILES A TIRE CAN WEAR TO A SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS LEVEL. RESEARCH VIA VARIOUS WEB SITES INDICATES MANY CATERA OWNERS EXPERIENCING SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH DANGEROUS TIRE WEAR AND WHEEL ALIGNMENTS. (TIRESIZE: P225/55R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/55R16 )
IN JANUARY 1999 I RECEIVED A SERVICE BULLETIN # 81-31-02 FROM CADILLAC MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION INFORMING ME THAT THE CATERA HAD A TENDENCY TO "...DRIFT OR LEAD TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING AND/OR THE FRONT TIRES APPEAR TO BE WEARING MORE ON THE INNER SHOULDER." I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN THE REPAIR PER THEIR REQUEST BUT THE TIRES CONTIN…
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IN JANUARY 1999 I RECEIVED A SERVICE BULLETIN # 81-31-02 FROM CADILLAC MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION INFORMING ME THAT THE CATERA HAD A TENDENCY TO "...DRIFT OR LEAD TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING AND/OR THE FRONT TIRES APPEAR TO BE WEARING MORE ON THE INNER SHOULDER." I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN THE REPAIR PER THEIR REQUEST BUT THE TIRES CONTINUED TO WEAR ON THE INNER EDGE TO THE POINT OF STEEL TREAD SHOWING THROUGH BUT STERLING & CADILLAC MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION NOW SAY THERE'S "NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT". IN THE MEANTIME I NEED 4 NEW TIRES. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE NONMENCLATURE OF THIS VEHICLE CAUSING PREMATURE BREAKDOWN OF THE TIRES. *AK (TIRESIZE: 225/55-16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/55-16 )
I JUST BOUGHT THE SEVENTH NEW TIRE SINCE I BOUGHT THE CATERA. I WAS TOLD THE ALIGNMENT WAS SET WRONG AT THE FACTORY. CADIALLAC REPLACED THREE TIRES. THEY JUST KEEP WEARING OUT. I'VE HAD THREE BLOWOUTS. JUST LUCKY I DIDN'T HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I AM SELLING THE VEHICLE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/55R16 )
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE DIED DUE TO A FAULTY TIMING BELT. DEALER HAS VEHICLE CURRENTLY.*AK
CONTACTED DEALER IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIPT OF RECALL NOTICE FOR ENGIINE PROBLEM-WAS NOT ADVISED OF ANY IMMINENT DANGER-LOST POWER STEERING-CAR OVERHEATED & ENGINE FAILURE, BRAKES CONTINUE TO SQUEAL INTERMITTENTLY, STEERING PULLS TO SIDE. *AK
EXCESSIVE WEAR ON INTERIOR SIDEWALL OF TIRES; I SUSPECT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION WHICH HAS TOO MUCH CAMBER IN THE DESIGN FOR AMERICAN TIRES. THE PREVIOUS TECHNICAL NOTICE SEND OUT WAS FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND WAS PROBABLY THE WRONG DIAGNOSIS. *AK
ERROR IN DIAGNOSIS PROVIDED TO NHTSA. REQUEST TO PURGE INFORMATION SUBMITTED ON INITIAL CONTACT. *ML
INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE. COMPLETE FORM. *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.