1998 Cadillac Catera Recalls
No NHTSA recalls on record for the 1998 Cadillac Catera. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 267 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.
“The water pump gave out. *tr”
“My wife was driving our 1998 cadillac catera when another car ran a stop sign forcing my wife's car into a collision t-boning the other car. The approximate speed of our car during the impact was at least thirty miles per hour. Our cadillac was written off in the accident however even though this…”
“Tl*the contact owns a 1998 cadillac catera. While driving 30 mph, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle shut off. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the tension timing belt pulley failed. The entire system needed to be replaced at the estimated cost of $1,200.…”
“Tl*the contact owns a 1998 cadillac catera. While driving 30 mph, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle shut off. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the tension timing belt pulley failed. The entire system needed to be replaced at the estimated cost of $1,200.…”
“Tl*the contact owns a 1998 cadillac catera. While driving 30 mph, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle shut off. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the tension timing belt pulley failed. The entire system needed to be replaced at the estimated cost of $1,200.…”
“The tensioner pulley & timing belt was a know defect for vehicle and was recalled but I was never notified, at the time of failure I lost all power & control of the vehicle on an decline in a high traffic location in a server rain storm. Vehicle is now doa and gm refuses to remedy tues evening…”
“The tensioner pulley & timing belt was a know defect for vehicle and was recalled but I was never notified, at the time of failure I lost all power & control of the vehicle on an decline in a high traffic location in a server rain storm. Vehicle is now doa and gm refuses to remedy tues evening…”
“Tl*the contact owns a 1998 cadillac catera. The contact was driving approximately 55 mph. The warning light indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. There was smoke coming from outside of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The technician…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1998 Cadillac Catera as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.