:yawn: I just bought a '01 Catera Sport about a month ago. the other night my little girl was in the back seat and open the door while I was driving. I noticed that the car gave no indication that the door was open. I took the car to Caddy to have looked at or repaired. They told me they fixed it. I picked the car up, drove it down the road and while driving I opened my driver door. Again, no indication AT ALL. No light comes on, no dash light, nothing. I reviewed the work order they left in the car and it says. "No indicator light on this model". Is this possible? I mean not to mention it's a Cadillac, but it's the top of the line version of the Catera. Can someone else with this car or a Catera try this and let me know? While in park, if you open the door the doom lights come on, but in drive, nothing.

:yawn: I just bought a '01 Catera Sport about a month ago. the other night my little girl was in the back seat and open the door while I was driving. I noticed that the car gave no indication that the door was open. I took the car to Caddy to have looked at or repaired. They told me they fixed it. I picked the car up, drove it down the road and while driving I opened my driver door. Again, no indication AT ALL. No light comes on, no dash light, nothing. I reviewed the work order they left in the car and it says. "No indicator light on this model". Is this possible? I mean not to mention it's a Cadillac, but it's the top of the line version of the Catera. Can someone else with this car or a Catera try this and let me know? While in park, if you open the door the doom lights come on, but in drive, nothing.

My car automatically locks the doors when you put it in drive, id say something is malfunctioning in the gear positioner or you somehow disabled it (is possible); now your car has child lockout protection... you have to make sure the switch is in the right position (on the door arm rest) and on the rear doors themselfs, is switched on.

My car automatically locks the doors when you put it in drive, id say something is malfunctioning in the gear positioner or you somehow disabled it (is possible); now your car has child lockout protection... you have to make sure the switch is in the right position (on the door arm rest) and on the rear doors themselfs, is switched on.
My doors lock when I put it in gear, too. What made me notice it was I drove the mailbox and my girlfriend unlocked the doors to get the mail. I was sitting there in drive. So when she got back in, the doors we unlocked while the car was in drive. As we were going down the road is when the door was opened and there was no indication.

Man, if you could just try this for me, i'd really appreciate it. Moving, open driver door and see what happens.

My doors lock when I put it in gear, too. What made me notice it was I drove the mailbox and my girlfriend unlocked the doors to get the mail. I was sitting there in drive. So when she got back in, the doors we unlocked while the car was in drive. As we were going down the road is when the door was opened and there was no indication.

Man, if you could just try this for me, i'd really appreciate it. Moving, open driver door and see what happens.


Ok, ill try it... ill get back to you in a while (probably sunday at the latest)

Its certainly not something I would get bent out of shape for.... The lights should come on when the door is open...... So that should be indication enough.

Its certainly not something I would get bent out of shape for.... The lights should come on when the door is open...... So that should be indication enough.
Thanks, Jeff.

Elwesso, have you even been reading this thread. The car has NO INDICATION! There isn't a light that comes on. It does while in park, but not in drive. I have kids and I need an indication if my doors open.

I just checked my 2000 Sport, and it does the same thing as your 2001. In drive, there is no indication that a door is open. I would definitely use the child locks on the rear doors when younguns are back there.

Hmmm... Thats weird, doesnt make any sense to me..... Thats what we get for having the germans make a car for us, they can design but they cant make electronics!!!

Hmmm... Thats weird, doesnt make any sense to me..... Thats what we get for having the germans make a car for us, they can design but they cant make electronics!!!


Woah hey woah there, they can make damn good electronics... when they want to. And most of the electricals in this car are Bosch anyways!

Maybe the problem is the car was designed and built in a country that is not overpopulated with lawyers!

Hmmm... Thats weird, doesnt make any sense to me..... Thats what we get for having the germans make a car for us, they can design but they cant make electronics!!!

Yea I usually agree with you but that comment wasnt all together there... :Poke:

The Germans make some of the finest electronic vehicle components in the world (Bosch comes to mind), its just the LONG TERM reliability of their electronics that could be questionable. Rather id say that its the combination of trying to squeeze the best out of the germans, while still trying to induce typical GM cost-cutting. I DO agree with Wes on one thing though, this is not a huge ordeal, and I dont know how you can call the car a possible lemon over this. You shouldnt need indications of whether the doors are open because you should have the child locks on NO MATTER WHAT in your situation. It is the safest thing you can do for them until they are old enough not to open the doors by accident or on purpose and it will give you peace of mind. It doesnt matter whether you get the indication if they open the door and jump out in a split second. By the time you saw it itd be too late.

Now if youre seat heaters burn the seats, you start losing coolant or overheating, or your dash goes haywire, then theres a cause for concern, and those problems arent even totally out of the norm for early Cateras. :nyanya:

BTW, Welcome! :welcome: And good luck with the 'Tera! 2001 Sports are by far the nicest of all IMO, especially with the Xenon headlamps.

I still want Xenon too!! :crybaby: :crying: :crybaby:

Although this is for another section, i guess ill just have to get Silverstars

What's up with all the Xenons on Ebay? My 2000 Sport came with them so you should be able to find them. It is definitely worth the effort to track them down, the difference is amazing! http://cadillacforums.com/forums/images/icons/icon6.gif

:yawn: I just bought a '01 Catera Sport about a month ago. the other night my little girl was in the back seat and open the door while I was driving. I noticed that the car gave no indication that the door was open. I took the car to Caddy to have looked at or repaired. They told me they fixed it. I picked the car up, drove it down the road and while driving I opened my driver door. Again, no indication AT ALL. No light comes on, no dash light, nothing. I reviewed the work order they left in the car and it says. "No indicator light on this model". Is this possible? I mean not to mention it's a Cadillac, but it's the top of the line version of the Catera. Can someone else with this car or a Catera try this and let me know? While in park, if you open the door the doom lights come on, but in drive, nothing.
Saw your post and had to reply. My son had a Catera, '97 I think, and had problems with the door locks not unlocking the doors. He wasn't happy to pull into a lot and not be able to get out of his car. He also had problems with the guages on the dash, transmission needed to be replaced and many other problems. Believe it or not, he contacted GM after many warranty repairs and they bought the car back from him, for more than he initially paid. He was quite disappointed with the Catera as he expected Caddilac quality.

I've recently bought a Seville STS and can say I'm happy so far, but if things go horribly wrong, I'm getting my son on the case...

just open the rear doors and put the child safety locks on.