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1998 Cadillac Catera

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 Catera.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1998 Cadillac Catera’s engine requires 6.1 quarts of 5W‑30 API oil and is coupled with an Automatic 4‑speed transmission that delivers EPA‑rated fuel economy of 16 mpg city, 22 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined. Owner complaint data show 167 reports for the 1998 model year, with the majority focused on the engine and cooling system and no recalls recorded. This figure falls between the 189 complaints recorded in the 1997 peak year and the 2 complaints recorded in the 2002 low year, reflecting a mid‑range reliability position for the model’s early production. The vehicle thus represents a period of relatively stable, though not exemplary, ownership experience.

Model year2001 2000 1999 1998 1997

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.1 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy16/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 91 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter, spark plug and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 91 · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP225-55R16OEM · verified

Wheel / rim7-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175
Engine air filter	90509318
Fuel filter	90542540 discontinued · alt 90501397
Spark plug	09195166 discontinued
Front wiper blades	09195187 alt 09195186
Serpentine belt	93181720
Thermostat	09128363 discontinued · alt 55353492
Cabin air filter	93165208 alt 93182438

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	193.7 in
Overall width	70.5 in
Overall height	56.3 in
Wheelbase	107.5 in
Curb weight	3770 lb
Track (front / rear)	58.7 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	54/46

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	16 / 22 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain	Rear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	99 cu ft
Cargo volume	14 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Catera of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.0–8.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.00 sec — 2000 Sport Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1997	Sedan 3.0L V6	8.50 sec	16.50 sec	200 hp	RWD
1997	Sedan 3.0L V6	8.90 sec	16.70 sec	200 hp	RWD
2000	Sport Sedan 3.0L V6	8.00 sec	16.10 sec	200 hp	RWD
2000	Sport Sedan 3.0L V6	8.20 sec	16.30 sec	200 hp	RWD
2000	Sport Sedan 3.0L V6	8.30 sec	16.50 sec	200 hp	RWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.1 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 8.8 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	3.6 qt
Engine Coolant	DEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	6.1 qt
Power Steering Fluid	ATF

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	6 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	15 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)	15 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)	30 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	15 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts	6 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	8.8 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts

80 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug Manufacturer	Bosch
Spark Plug Type	Bosch (R) FLR-9LTE
Spark Plug Gap	0.035-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque	19.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.60 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	91
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	15; Do not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	14.5 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
RPM	46-60 rpm
Injector Primary Resistance	11.8-12.6 @ 50-95 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression	140

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle	100 ft-lbs / 59 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.004 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.102 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.102 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.043 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	0.984 in / 0.393 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Torque Caliper to Bracket — tightening sequence 1 stages

70 FT. LBS., STEP 2: 37

70 FT. LBS

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages

37 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60 degrees, Step 3: 15

37 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

1	18 ft. lbs.	18 ft. lbs
2	90 degrees	90 degrees
3	90 degrees	90 degrees
4	90 degrees	90 degrees
5	15

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 5,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Shift Linkage (inspect)
Every 10,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
At 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Fuel Filter (replace) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

In 1998 the Cadillac Catera received 167 complaints, a slight decline from 189 in 1997 but a noticeable drop relative to the sharp increase that would follow in 2000. No recalls or investigations were filed in 1998, mirroring the zero‑recall trend that persisted through 2002, though the 2000 spike in complaints (68) and TSBS (179) indicates a growing safety concern during that period. The 1998 complaint profile—predominantly engine/cooling (41), suspension (16), tires (10), and airbags (9)—suggests that the model was still grappling with typical early‑generation mechanical and component issues. Compared to the 1999‑2001 years, which saw a steady decline in complaints (99, 68, 30) and a rise in TSBS, 1998 sits near the high end of the complaint arc but before the dramatic 2000 uptick. Given the absence of recalls and the moderate complaint level, 1998 is a more reliable year than 2000 but still less robust than later model years. Therefore, if you can find a well‑maintained 1998 Catera, it may be a reasonable purchase, but be mindful of its early‑generation mechanical complaints.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

167

Owner complaints

6 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’97’98’99 ’00 ’01 ’02

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 167 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling41

Suspension16

Tires10

Air Bags9

Electrical System8

Service Brakes, Hydraulic7

Seats5

Structure5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 53 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP4723D	2020-01-31	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696D	2019-09-05	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696C	2018-05-31	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIP4723C	2017-09-20	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Catera. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 91 battery Vehicles taking 6.1 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 90509318 Fuel filter 90542540 Spark plug 09195166

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1998 Catera take?

6.1 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1998 Catera have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Catera get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.