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Cadillac CateraModel year report

2001 Cadillac Catera Problems

Complaints
30filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
60,000miles, 17 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl RWD · 16 city / 22 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2001 Cadillac Catera (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 30 consumer complaints for the 2001 Cadillac Catera. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 8 complaints (27% of the total), followed by tires (5) and air bags (3). 17 of the complaints include a mileage, and 47% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 60,000 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 239 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 37 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Tires complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Fuel system (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1), Steering (1), Suspension (1), Transmission and drivetrain (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “On 8/20/05, I have filed a complaint (file # 1-357-445-124) with Cadillac customer relations, in order to request full reimbursement for repair of two safety-related issues and one service-related issue that have come to my knowledge recently. I believe these issues did not happened overnight and have been developing prior to the expiring of the warranty in december 2004. Car has only 35k miles and is driven avg of 4k miles per year. …”

NHTSA complaint #10135829, filed 2005-09, 35,000 miles

Tires: “I am the original owner of a 2001 cetera. My car now has 42,000 miles. At approximately 22000 miles , having rotated the tires faithfully every 3000 miles, I went to a tire dealer to have them rotated, and was told not to drive on them anymore as the edges were totally worn out, exposing the canvas. I had been told all along that they were wearing unevenly, but chalked it up to the original tires ,sometimes not being as good as they should be. Replaced with original , very expensive tires. …”

NHTSA complaint #10195928, filed 2007-07, 22,000 miles

Air bags: “The contact owns a 2001 Cadillac Catera. While traveling 15 MPH and attempting a right turn, the front driver air bag independently deployed. The vehicle was not diagnosed and there were no prior warnings of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The current and failure mileage was 26,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10350620, filed 2010-08, 26,000 miles

Electrical system: “The contact owns a 2001 Cadillac Catera. The contact stated that the odometer stopped working when the traction control light and the ABS light was illuminated. The vehicle also lost power when the warning lights came on. The gears then started to shift very slowly. The failure mileage was 70,484. The current mileage was 70,486.”

NHTSA complaint #10311805, filed 2010-02, 70,484 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

47% of the 17 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 26,000 and 73,000 miles.

0%0–1018%10–2529%25–5041%50–7512%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (17 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 60,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

2001720032005200720092013
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2001 Cadillac Catera version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Catera RWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic162218$3,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2001 Cadillac Catera in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 239 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 239 bulletins →

Other model years of the Cadillac Catera

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20013060,0000—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20006763,3920—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19998064,0000—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199812360,7650—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199716364,4140—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Cadillac Catera model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2001 Cadillac Catera have?

NHTSA recorded 30 consumer complaints for the 2001 Cadillac Catera as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2001 Cadillac Catera is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 8 complaints (27% of the total), followed by tires with 5.

Has the 2001 Cadillac Catera been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2001 Cadillac Catera get?

The EPA rates the 2001 Cadillac Catera (Catera, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 16 city and 22 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2001 Cadillac Catera reported?

Among the 17 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 60,000 miles and the middle half falls between 26,000 and 73,000 miles; 47% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.