1997 Cadillac Catera Recalls
No NHTSA recalls on record for the 1997 Cadillac Catera. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 269 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Complaints by component
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“I was leaving my house and driving out of my complex when the steering wheel locked up on me. I have been unable to turn it for two days. *tr”
“Tensioner pulley locked up. The tensioner stopped turning. As a result of this, the drive belt shredded like spaghetti and then melted. I avoided an accident by applying brakes and then having the car towed. Total repair cost: $729. *tr”
“1997-1999 cadillac catera door latch failures. Per the yahoo group web site I belong to, catera owners, this vehicle suffers chronic door latch failures, trapping occupants inside or not latching. This can be an extremely dangerous situation. My own vehicle has suffered this defect. The latches…”
“Dt: the contact stated after opening the trunk of the vehicle the trunk fell on him. The supports that were suppose to keep the trunk in the open position failed. The contact sustained minor injuries. The dealership said the failure was with the lift supports. There were no previous problems with…”
“My vehicle is a 97 cadillac catera and has had the starter replaced and still will not start. Two car lots have had the vehicle at the cadillac dealership now and they are giving me the run around they say that its the mass airflow sensor but still have not replaced it yet I'm wondering why…”
“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…”
“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…”
“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…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1997 Cadillac Catera as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.