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#BS-1999-CADCAT-438A

1999 Cadillac Catera

Based on reports from 140 owners and 0 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
140
Crashes
5
Fires
4
Recalls
0
TSBs
58
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 140 complaints, 5 crashes, 4 fires, and 0 recalls. This is the worst model year for this vehicle.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

stalls while driving wont start again

2 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
2

tensioner pulley failure blown engine

2 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

front headlight assembly breaks

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasolineHIGH

11 owners reported engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline issues — failures commonly reported around 60K miles.

!Inspect the Wheels & TiresMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

0–30K
9
30–60K
13
60–90K
5
90–120K
120–150K
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (13 reports) • Median: 60K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline (11 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline11 (8%)
Wheels & Tires9 (6%)
Other8 (6%)
Engine8 (6%)
Steering7 (5%)
Speed Control6 (4%)
Electrical6 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine6 (4%)

1999 Cadillac Catera: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1999 Cadillac Catera, with 11 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 60,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 60K-mile mark.

Wheels & Tires Issues

Wheels & Tires complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1999 Cadillac Catera, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to wheels & tires-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1999 Cadillac Catera, with 8 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1999 Cadillac Catera, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

38
00
16
01
35
02
14
03
10
04
4
05
5
06
1
07
8
08
1
10
4
12

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1999 Cadillac Catera. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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This is the worst model year for the Cadillac Catera according to owner complaint data. The biggest problem area is engine.

1999 Cadillac Catera vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

140

Class avg

235

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 140 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 0 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Cadillac Catera Model Years

2003200220012000199919981997
View all Cadillac Catera years →

1999 Cadillac Catera: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1999 Cadillac Catera?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1999 Cadillac Catera is related to the engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline, with 11 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1999 Cadillac Catera reliable?
The 1999 Cadillac Catera has 140 complaints, 5 crash reports, and 4 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 1999 Cadillac Catera problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1999 Cadillac Catera have any recalls?
No recalls have been issued for the 1999 Cadillac Catera according to NHTSA records.
What mileage do Cadillac Catera problems start?
Based on 27 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 60,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 140 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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