1999 CADILLAC CATERA Electrical System Problems

CAR SHUTS DOWN WHEN DRIVING. *TR

Mileage: 52,000

THE RUNNING LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I WAS IN HARMS WAY IN THE RAIN AND HAD TO TAKE THE CARE 70 MORE MILES, WHILE I COULD GET OUT OF THE BUFFALO AREA TO A SAFE LOCATION FOR THE NIGHT. THE LIGHTS NEVER WENT OFF TILL THE BATTERY WAS EXHAUSTED. WHEN RECHARGED THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED ON AGAIN, UNABLE TO BE TURNED OFF. WHEN I MANAGED TO EXCHANGE A RELAY, THE NEXT PROBLEM OCCURRED, THE PARKING LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I DID RESEARCH AND LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON MANUFACTURING PROBLEM THAT NHTSA HAS DIRECTED TO BE FIXED WITHOUT COST, DUE TO IT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE GM LINES HAVE NOT ADJUSTED AND STILL OFFER ON SEVERAL VEHICLES. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL VALLEY CADILLAC WHO DECLINED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE. I ALSO DECLINED TO FIX WITHOUT CHARGE. SHE WANTS TO CHARGE A DIAGNOSTIC FEE INSTEAD OF MAKING THE PERMANENT CORRECTION OF EXCHANGING THE CORRECT THE DEVICE, PROPERLY ONCE AND FOR ALL. I TOLD HER I WOULD CONTACT NHTSA. I ALSO ASKED HER TO SEND A MESSAGE TO CADILLAC/ GM'S LEGAL AND I AM INFORMING MY LAWYER THAT IF I SHOULD DIE, OPERATING THIS VEHICLE, THAT I MY CHILDREN SHOULD FILE A WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AGAINST ALL INVOLVED. THIS PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED A COUPLE OF MONTHS EARLIER, FRIENDLY FRED'S IN ERWIN, NY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT CORRECTED ITSELF, UNTIL THIS PAST MONDAY, 4-30-12. I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT DATE OF THE LAST OCCURRENCE BUT I ALSO HAD A OIL CHANGE WHICH I THINK IS THE LATE FALL OF 2011. I AM A DISABLED PERSON WHO CAN'T BE EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS FOR VERY LONG. SINCE YOU, NHTSA HAS ALREADY CALLED FOR ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS TO BE REPLACED, I WANT NHTSA TO PROMPT AND PROVOKE GM'S CADILLAC TO MAKE THE REPAIR. I WORK IN THE ROCHESTER AND BUFFALO AREAS AS THERE IS NO WORK IN CORNING AREA. I CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE THIS CAR WHICH IS VITAL FOR MY SURVIVAL...UPDATED 05/09/12 *BF UPDATED 05/25/12 UPDATED 06/19/2012 *JS

Mileage: 98,000

I PURCHASED A 99 CATERA ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND SENSE THEN THIS CAR IS A CARDBOARD BOX ON WHEELS. THE ALARM SYSTEM AS GONE LOOPY IN THE SENSE THAT I COULDN'T START MY VEHICLE UNLESS I CRANKED IT ONCE LEFT IT FOR 15-30 MIN AND THEN CRANKED IT AGAIN. AFTER DISABLING THE ALARM SYSTEM IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN ON OCCASION. THE AC/HEATER WENT OUT DUE TO THE COMPRESSOR HAVING TO MUCH COMPRESSION. THE SUNROOF OPENS AND CLOSES BY ITSELF OR NOT AT ALL. THE VACUUM HOSES HAD HOLES IN IT WHICH WAS A RECALL BUT NOT TO KEN BATCHLEOR. THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR HS GONE OUT THREE TIMES AND COSTS 300 TO REPLACE EVERYTIME. MY UPPER RADIATOR HOSE LEAKS CONTINUOUSLY BY THE CLAMP. THE LEVELING LIGHT WILL STAY ON FOR DAYS AT A TIME. THE ARM THAT KEEPS MY DRIVERS DOOR OPEN BROKE THROUGH THE DOOR WELDINGS AND IS DANGLING IN THE DOOR. THE SEALS ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WATER IN THE ENGINE. I PAID MORE IN REPAIRS FOR THIS VEHICLE THEN WHAT IT ORIGINALLY COST. THE DRIVERS FRONT AND REAR WINDOW GETS STUCK AND OPENS BY THEIR SELVES. THE DOOR LOCKS DO NOT LOCK FULLY OR OPEN FULLY. THE HORN WILL GO OUT ALL TOGETHER IN THE RAIN. EVERYTIME I TAKE IT IN THEY CAN NEVER READ ANY ERR CODES AND IT TAKES ME SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN THE ISSUE CAUSING ME TO GET REPAIRS THAT AREN'T PART OF THE MAIN PROBLEM. THERE IS NO CAMBER ADJUSTMENTS IN THIS CAR SO IF U HIT A CURB YOUR SCREWED. GAS FULL STOP RANDOMLY DOES NOT WORK AND CAUSES LOSS OF MONEY AND GAS. ME AND MY FAMILY OF 5 HAVE BEEN STRANDED FOR HOURS DUE TO MANY ISSUES WITH THIS CAR AND HERE IN TEXAS WITH A CAR THAT HAS NO AC OR HEATER IS A MAJOR PAIN. ANYONE WHO HASN'T BOUGHT ONE... DON'T!!!! CADILLAC THEMSELVES TOOK THE DUCKS OFF THE EMBLEM AFTER 99 BECAUSE THEY THEMSELVES DIDN'T THINK OF THIS CAR AS A CADILLAC STANDARD CAR. WHEN I CALLED KEN BATCHLORE THEY STATED THERE WHERE ONLY TWO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT HAD ALREADY EXPIRED AND STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I FEEL SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS IGNORANCE. PROBLEMS SINCE 06-PRESENT. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKING. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS DEFECTIVE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED BECAUSE OF QUICK DRIVERS REACTION. URGENT ATTENTION REQUESTED. ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT START UNTIL AFTER 10-15 MINUTES. *JB

Mileage: 86,900

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE SLOWING DOWN, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE AN ERROR CODE.*AK THE DEALERSHIP WANTED THE CONSUMER TO INFORM THEM WHEN THE VEHICLE CUT OFF AGAIN. THEY WANTED HIM/HER TO LEAVE IT WHEREVER IT BROKE DOWN SO THEY COULD GET AND RESOLVE THE "ERROR CODE". ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CODE WAS DELETED. *PH *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORKED ON THE FAST SETTING, AND FAILED TO DISENGAGE UNLESS THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY TURNED OFF.*AK WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *TS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBELM WAS ELECTRICAL. *JB

Mileage: 49,000

CONSUMER STATES IT'S HARD TO TAKE THE KEY OUT THE IGNITION AND START THE CAR AT TIMES.CONSUMER STATED IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES SHE WOULD LIKE THE PROBLEM FIXED OR GET HER MONEY BACK. PH CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AT TIMES.*JB

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY COMES ON. OWNER THEN STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERHSIP. OWNER PICKED UP VEHICLE, AND LATER VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE APPROACHING TOLL TO CROSS A BAY BRIDGE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE STALLS CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL.*ET

THE DAY AFTER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, THE LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MAIN COMPUTER AND SOME SENSORS WENT OUT, THE BAD MAIN COMPUTER WAS ALSO CAUSING VEHICLE VIBRATION. *SLC

THE DAY AFTER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, THE LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MAIN COMPUTER AND SOME SENSORS WENT OUT, THE BAD MAIN COMPUTER WAS ALSO CAUSING VEHICLE VIBRATION. *SLC

VEHICLE HAD ELECTRICAL/ ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. ACCELERATOR PEDAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER SAID THAT WILL REPROGRAM COMPUTER IN ABOUT A MONTH. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD STALL NUMEROUS TIME. CURRENTLY THEY ARE RE-PROGRAMMING THE COMPUTER (ECU UNIT) AND CLAIM THIS WILL BE THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM. *YH