1997 Cadillac Catera: engine failure

Filed Aug 7, 2003 · Engine · 58,200 miles · CA

Consumer stated while driving on the highway at 50 MPH, the engine light came on and started smoking really bad. Consumer pulled onto the shoulder where the engine died. Vehicle was taken to mechanic who in turn informed the consumer that the engine sensor was not functional and caused the head gasket to become damaged.

Filed Jan 8, 2003 · Engine · 85,237 miles · MA

Their are to many problems and trips to the dealership to list!!! I experienced four recalls at once on july 25th, 2002. The technicians are obviously incompentent or have no clue how to fix this vehicle correctly in the first place. I called the gm customer service number given run around. I suffered a catrostrofic engine failure as a result of low coolant in my engine when failures occurred. Letters from gm state vehicles can suffer engine damaged or engine failure and that they will cover the losses and at no cost to me. I have to pay for the cost, total $1,700.71 for the engine cooler to be replaced!! Gm refuses to cover the engine cooler damage!! Car still is not running right and engine sounds horrible. The service manager gets on the phone and starts yelling at me because I have a filed a local lawsuit against the dealership and gm. He told me he refuses to honor my warrantys both from the recall work performed and the repairs I had to pay for 12 month/12,000 miles warranty. I have no cooperation from the dealership or gm and I'm stuck with a lemon no one wants because the value is so low compared to what I paid for the car and the known problems (lemon) for this make and model. The bbb refuses to help. This agency is everyone's last hope that owns a catera because gm treats us like dirt and refuses to cover the engine damages and related damages that occur when these failures that they acknowledge finally. Please help us as consumers and inforce a mandatory recall on this entire vehicle. We are all paying for cars that have little to no value with loans that we are unable to get out of because the trade in value is so poor. It's not right and is absoloutely un american!!!!! I wish some attorneys would file a class action lawsuit against gm to make them do just that or help us get out of these lemons. Please help us.

Filed Oct 10, 2002 · Engine · MA

Consumer stated that the engine was replaced due to both tension bearings and timing belt failure, consumer has since sold the vehicle.

Filed Jun 11, 2002 · Engine · NJ

Vehicle stalled at 60-65 MPH. Towed to dealer. Dealer, who determined that engine needed to be replaced. Vehicle had been at dealership for 4 months. New engine ordered for vehicle will not fit.

Filed May 25, 2002 · Engine, Lights · MI

Engine failed going abouy 70 miles an hour timing belt broke, causing complete engine failure, dealer stated that this is a common problem car repaired but still has problems, dealer caused additonal problems when making repair broke bolt in engine cost to repair 800 dealer refuse to repair oil leak on valve cover gasket again dealer refuses to repair all though covered under warrenty. Cadillac refuses to acknowledge problems given the run around on customer service line car was out for 5 weeks at dealer, car has severe vibrations when idled due to repair new dealer unable to determine problem or make repair, headlamps also failed at about 50,000 miles replacement cost $1,000 to many problems to list

Filed May 14, 2002 · Engine · OH

Engine stalled at 5 MPH. Vehicle was towed to dealership. Dealer determined timing belt pulley had seized.

Filed May 9, 2002 · Engine, Steering · CT

On january 30, 2001 napoli motors had to replaced left & right outer tie rod ends, inner tie rod end,center link and both outer stabilzer end, on august 20, 2001 as I was driving on interstate i95 south the steering wheel locked on me while on the middle lane almost hit several vehicles been that I could not turned either way, vehicle had to be towed in by roger's in milford technicians there at napoli motors could not figure what was wrong with vehicle when I called the technicians told me that the timing chain caused the engine to blow. On september 10, 2001 vehicle was taken back for same problems, they had replaced the engine but the vehicle kept running ruff. On october 31, 2001 vehicle was back at napoli, november 15, 2001,on february 19, 2002 I was rear ended by another vehicle while at a red light where the other person damage the whole rear of vehicle neither air bag driver or passenger came out all lights in vehicle were on and key will not come out of the ignition, on march 22, 2002 vehicle was taken back to napoli for the key problem and remotes. On may 6, 2002 vehicle was towed to napoli when the technician diagnose what vehicle had this time was the serpentine belt that broke and caused the steering wheel to lock on me again. To be honest I won't even go far with the vehicle because of safety issues. Thank you in advance and hope to hear from this department soon.

Filed Apr 2, 2002 · Engine · FL

Engine damage was due to a bad timing belt tensioner that caused timing belt to come off causing the car to suddenly stop in the left lane on I-75 going going 75 MPH. The results of this was bent intake valves, therefore making the heads not replaceable. I had to replace the engine. I've also have found out that cadillac is well aware of this problem becasue thay now have a kit to take care of this problem. What I don't understand is that if they knew thay had a problem whay didn't they issue a recall. Going 75 miles per hour and suddenly losing all power on a very busy interstate could be very dangerous. My father and I were very fortunate not to have had a serious wreck in the left lane. I have filed a complaint against cadillac on this issue. The cost of this faulty part of gm/\cadillac has cost me $5826. Plus a week without a vehicle.c00.

Filed Sep 19, 2001 · Engine · OH

Tensioner pulley failed @ 65mph on expressway. When tensioner pulley let go proceeded to bend valves; damage and break pistons causing one piston to become imbedded in the engine head. Engine is a loss. New engine cost 9500. We began to coast in highway traffic in the speed lane possibly causing an accident. Fornately there was none. Contacted dealer. No response no return phone calls. Contacted cadillac cust serv. They said could not assist me that we should have had the timing serviced @ 60k miles per manual. We never recieved a manual with car.one was requested from cadillac cust serv within 30 days of purchasing the vehicle. It was never recieved. No notice for service was sent.

Filed Jun 2, 2001 · Engine · OH

Vehichle quit running, when brake applied while cruise control was on, at 68mph in heavy traffic . Coasted over to median. My husband was driving and pulled over to the left, had he gone to the right we would have been hit by the south bound traffic. When the engine failed. The car would not restart, making grinding noise when attempting to restart engine. Called aaa for tow.(flat bed) left sitting in median in heavy traffic. Local police stopped and osp also. In speaking with cadillac customer service we were told that there was a recall #00042 on this vehichle, of which we were never notified. I was told that bond and rubber hub pulley may fail. 04/25/2001. Informed by cadilac dealer engine needs to be replaced.($9,500) this car can stop without prior warning when the engine fails. This could be a potential hazard when traveling at high speeds, possibly causing a serious accident. We were very fortunate! Customer service at cadillac is not returning our calls or acknowleding the recall. How many people are having this problem with this car? Depending on when this happens , such a failure could be a potential hazard. We have had the engine replaced through a private individual and it is available for inspection. The problem was that the bearings came out of the pulley that holds the timing belt. The belt was not broken....we need to know if our new engine, which also is from a '97 catera will have the same problem at 60,000miles...thank you for checking into this. Fjf