NHTSA Complaint #753574 — 1998 CADILLAC CATERA

TIMING BELT TENSIONER PULLEY BEARING IS PREMATURELY FAILING AND CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE VALVE TRAIN. IF THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, THIS DEFECT RESULTS IN THE CUSTOMER HAVING TO PAY A REPAIR BILL OF SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. IF THE DEFECT IS FOUND SOON ENOUGH IT STILL COSTS THE CUSOMER OVER FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CADILLAC THE TIMING BELT WAS SUPPOSE TO LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES AND NOW I HEAR THEY ARE RECOMMENDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ASSEMBLY (P/N9120501) WITHIN 60K. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH IS SOME CARS HAVE THE PROBLEM BEFORE 60K. THE WARRANTY ON THE REPLACEMENT PARTS IS 12 MONTHS/12K. THERE ARE ALSO NO PROCEDURES TO ASSIST THE CUSTOMER IN REDUCING THE COSTS OF THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. THE EDMUNDS WEBSITE LIST MANY CUSTOMERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REIMBURSE ALL CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. AS FAR AS I KNOW ALL YEARS OF THIS MODEL CAN EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. ALSO THE CURRENT REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE PRONE TO FAIL AT THE SAME RATE AS THE ORIGINAL PARTS SINCE THE DESIGN HASN'T BEEN IMPROVED. *AK