Total Complaints
3 filings
CADILLAC CATERA · model year
2003 CADILLAC CATERA
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003CADILLACCATERA carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 CATERA is electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery with 1 filings, followed by vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal (1) and air bags (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 10 investigation files overlapping the 2003 CATERA, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20160226AIR BAGS
MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE (BACKED IN). I ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND THEN PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND STARTED IT. MY LEFT HAND WAS ON THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL, MY RIGHT ON THE GEAR SELECTOR, AND MY LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE. AS I PULLED THE GEAR SELECTOR FROM 'PARK', THE STEERING WHEEL AND DRIVERS SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED (VERY LOUD EXPLOSION!). THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND DID NOT MOVE - I RETURNED THE GEAR SELECTOR TO PARK, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND EXITED IT THROUGH THE DRIVERS DOOR. I WAS NOT INJURED, EXCEPT FOR THE RINGING IN MY EARS THAT DISSIPATED OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
Mileage: 109,000
20041110VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ACCELERATOR PEDAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
20020812ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY WAS REPLACED SIX TIMES BY THE DEALER, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Compare 2003CADILLACCATERA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
PE24011Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Electronic Brake Module Component Failure
PE22006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Rear-View Camera Failure
PE19001Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Roof Skin Separation While Driving
EQ11001EQClosed
IEE Passenger Sensing System Mats
EA07017Engineering AnalysisClosed
REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 CADILLAC CATERA have?▼
The 2003 CADILLAC CATERA has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 CADILLAC CATERA?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 CADILLAC CATERA is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL and AIR BAGS.
Is the 2003 CADILLAC CATERA safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.