2001 Catera

[dcullen]

Please know that I am a positive person by nature and do not make a habit of whining. With that said....

I purchased this Catera in June 2004, with 12,000 miles on it. I have never made an impulsive decision like this one and I regret it terribly.

Reading this forum has given me a little hope- there are Catera owners who love their car! I have no experience with car repair and was dismayed to learn that the value of my car has decreased unbelievably this past year- I am way upside down on any possible trade-in. I am scared to drive this car, so I avoid any trips other than to and from work and around town- I now have 24,000 miles on the car.

My problems have not been all that bad compared to some. I have a passenger floorboard with 2 inches of water that I am drying out (courtesy of Tropical Storm Tammy), the interior surfaces are sticky and gooey, the passenger side window has a mind of it's own (my 8 y/o son is forbidden to touch the window controls) and I have an indicator light in the dashboard that comes on every now and then (it looks like a light bulb in a circle with little rays coming out, almost like a light bulb in a little sun. I have no manual so I have no earthly idea what this is.

My questions are as follows- the drain that gets clogged (causing leaks) is where on a 2001 model? Does anyone know what the indicator light means?

Thank you in advance for any help!

[Warez]

Originally Posted by dcullen

My questions are as follows- the drain that gets clogged (causing leaks) is where on a 2001 model? Does anyone know what the indicator light means?

Open the hood, on the passenger side of the black plastic cowl trim (plastic that runs accross the botton of the windshield with the vertical vent lines) pull back the rubber trim directly below the plastic cowl trim (only on far passenger side). Now simply fold the passenger side cowl trim up toward the windshield. You can now see the the HVAC air filter and at the bottom of the compartment the drain plug.

The indicator light is the brake pad wear indicator, do you hear an sqeaking when you apply the brakes? (I assume you are not mistaking the sport shifter light?)

[Vesicant]

Originally Posted by dcullen

Please know that I am a positive person by nature and do not make a habit of whining. With that said....

I purchased this Catera in June 2004, with 12,000 miles on it. I have never made an impulsive decision like this one and I regret it terribly.

Reading this forum has given me a little hope- there are Catera owners who love their car! I have no experience with car repair and was dismayed to learn that the value of my car has decreased unbelievably this past year- I am way upside down on any possible trade-in. I am scared to drive this car, so I avoid any trips other than to and from work and around town- I now have 24,000 miles on the car.

My problems have not been all that bad compared to some. I have a passenger floorboard with 2 inches of water that I am drying out (courtesy of Tropical Storm Tammy), the interior surfaces are sticky and gooey, the passenger side window has a mind of it's own (my 8 y/o son is forbidden to touch the window controls) and I have an indicator light in the dashboard that comes on every now and then (it looks like a light bulb in a circle with little rays coming out, almost like a light bulb in a little sun. I have no manual so I have no earthly idea what this is.

My questions are as follows- the drain that gets clogged (causing leaks) is where on a 2001 model? Does anyone know what the indicator light means?

Thank you in advance for any help!

Heres an online owners manual if you want (In Adobe PDF format): https://www.mygmlink.com/pdf/go2cont...2001catera.pdf

The light you describe I believe is telling you that Twilight Sentinel is not on (this system senses the ambient light level and turns on the headlights when its dark). Its suggesting you turn on your headlights when its dark enough. This is all described on page 2-46 through 2-50 in the owners manual. Is it the light below the tachometer?

[dcullen]

Thanks, Jeff, that's the light.

If I turn my headlights on, it goes off. I never realized it but it only comes on when I am going to work (sunrise, duh!).

As soon as it stops raining (will this ever stop?), I'll go check out the drain.

Thank you so much!!!

[dcullen]

Warez,


I did it!!! Me! Who knows how to pop a hood and little else! The drain runs clear now! Thank you so much!