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Cadillac Catera Problems, Recalls and MPG by Year

What this means

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns across the Cadillac Catera, 1997–2003. Owners have filed 468 complaints with NHTSA. Of the last 7 model years with settled counts, the 1997 drew the most (163) and the 2002 the fewest (2).

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026

Cadillac Catera complaints by model year

468 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Red numbers above the columns are recall campaigns for that model year.

1997199819992000200120022003
ComplaintsStill collecting reports3Recall campaigns

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fewest complaints

  • 2002 · 2 complaints
  • 2003 · 3 complaints
  • 2001 · 30 complaints

Most complaints

  • 1997 · 163 complaints
  • 1998 · 123 complaints
  • 1999 · 80 complaints

Among the last 15 model years at least five years old; newer years are left out because owners are still filing reports. Every year compared →

Problem areas by model year

Complaints that name each component, 1997–2003. Darker cells mean more reports. One complaint can name several components.

Cadillac Catera owner complaints by component and model year (NHTSA ODI)
Component1997199819992000200120022003
Engine and engine cooling 75563018800
Electrical system 24171224301
Tires 1019128500
Suspension 212262100
Service brakes 181776100
Steering 148114100
Air bags 11928301
Exterior lighting 16633010

Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Cadillac Catera recalls (0)

Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for at least one Catera model year, newest first.

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. Open a model-year page for each campaign's official text, or check your VIN on NHTSA.

Check on NHTSA ↗

Fuel economy by model year

199719 mpg
199818 mpg
199918 mpg
200018 mpg
200118 mpg

EPA combined mpg range across engine and transmission configurations. Your mileage will vary. Source: EPA, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Where to next

Cadillac Catera FAQ

How many recalls has the Cadillac Catera had?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns that cover at least one Cadillac Catera model year from 1997 to 2003. Each campaign card on the model-year pages has NHTSA's official text and the repair completion rate. Only NHTSA's VIN lookup can tell you whether a specific car was repaired.

Which Cadillac Catera year has the most complaints?

Among the last 7 model years with settled counts, the 1997 drew the most owner complaints filed with NHTSA (163) and the 2002 the fewest (2). Counts are owner reports, not failure rates, and sales volume affects them.

What are the most common Cadillac Catera problems?

Across the 1997–2003 model years, owners most often name the engine and engine cooling, electrical system, tires in complaints filed with NHTSA.

What mpg does the Cadillac Catera get?

EPA rates the 2001 Cadillac Catera at 18 mpg combined, depending on engine and transmission.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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