NHTSA Complaint #746289 — 1997 CADILLAC CATERA

VEHICHLE QUIT RUNNING, WHEN BRAKE APPLIED WHILE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON, AT 68MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC . COASTED OVER TO MEDIAN. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND PULLED OVER TO THE LEFT, HAD HE GONE TO THE RIGHT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY THE SOUTH BOUND TRAFFIC. WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, MAKING GRINDING NOISE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART ENGINE. CALLED AAA FOR TOW.(FLAT BED) LEFT SITTING IN MEDIAN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. LOCAL POLICE STOPPED AND OSP ALSO. IN SPEAKING WITH CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL #00042 ON THIS VEHICHLE, OF WHICH WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED. I WAS TOLD THAT BOND AND RUBBER HUB PULLEY MAY FAIL. 04/25/2001. INFORMED BY CADILAC DEALER ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.($9,500) THIS CAR CAN STOP WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHEN THE ENGINE FAILS. THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL HAZARD WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS, POSSIBLY CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE! CUSTOMER SERVICE AT CADILLAC IS NOT RETURNING OUR CALLS OR ACKNOWLEDING THE RECALL. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR? DEPENDING ON WHEN THIS HAPPENS , SUCH A FAILURE COULD BE A POTENTIAL HAZARD. WE HAVE HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED THROUGH A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AND IT IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE BEARINGS CAME OUT OF THE PULLEY THAT HOLDS THE TIMING BELT. THE BELT WAS NOT BROKEN....WE NEED TO KNOW IF OUR NEW ENGINE, WHICH ALSO IS FROM A '97 CATERA WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AT 60,000MILES...THANK YOU FOR CHECKING INTO THIS. FJF*AK