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2001 Cadillac Catera

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Catera.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2001 Cadillac Catera pairs a 4-speed automatic transmission with an engine requiring 6.1 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, returning EPA fuel economy figures of 16 city, 22 highway, and 18 combined mpg. With 30 total owner complaints and zero recalls, this model year falls in the latter half of the Catera's 1997–2002 production run—a period during which complaint volume dropped dramatically from a peak of 189 in 1997 to just 2 by 2002. The dominant complaint area, Engine & Engine Cooling, signals that powertrain-related issues remained the model's core weakness even as overall numbers declined, suggesting that while the 2001 Catera represents a comparatively more resolved example than earlier years, it still carries the mechanical baggage that defined the nameplate's reputation.

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 09192426. Note the factory engine air filter, fuel filter, spark plug and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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

Tail / brake / turnTAILOEM · verified

Tire sizeSport P235-45HR17OEM · verified

Wheel / rim7-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	09192426
Engine air filter	90512851 discontinued
Fuel filter	90542540 discontinued · alt 90501397
Spark plug	09195166 discontinued
Battery	88866138 alt 88866153
Front wiper blades	09195187 alt 09195186
Serpentine belt	93181720
Thermostat	09128363 discontinued · alt 55353492
Cabin air filter	93165208

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	194.1 in
Overall width	70.5 in
Overall height	56.3 in
Wheelbase	107.5 in
Curb weight	3770 lb
Track (front / rear)	59.4 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	53/47

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
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
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

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	2.09 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	11-14 @ 50-90 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 6 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 degrees	15 degrees
6	15 degrees	15 degrees

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)
Every 5,000 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
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.

Across the Cadillac Catera generation, federal complaints steadily declined from a peak of 189 in 1997 to just 30 in the 2001 target year, while technical service bulletins (TSBs) surged from 59 to a generation-high 192 over the same period. This inverse trend implies that by 2001, the manufacturer had identified and issued repair protocols for the vehicle's common maladies, preventing them from escalating into widespread consumer complaints. For the 2001 model specifically, the remaining 30 complaints were led by Engine & Engine Cooling (5), Tires (4), Air Bags (3), and Vehicle Speed Control (3) issues, alongside 4 crash complaints and 0 fire complaints; however, the data does not specify the root causes of these failures. Sitting at the bottom of the complaint arc alongside the 2002 model, the 2001 Catera represents the most mature iteration of this platform. Provided a pre-purchase inspection confirms that the extensive 192 TSB-related services have been properly addressed by previous owners, the 2001 model is the statistically sound choice and the best year to buy within this generation.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

192

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

4 involved a crash · 0 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 30 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling5

Tires4

Air Bags3

Vehicle Speed Control3

Electrical System2

Engine & Engine Cooling,Engine1

Wheels1

Seats1

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 192 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP5358A	2021-05-12	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5640A	2021-04-12	Wheels	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician to not…
PIP5163E	2021-03-30	Fuel System, Gasoline	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5540G	2021-03-22	Engine And Engine Cooling	This Preliminary information communicates to the technician the need to inspect the…
PIP5725A	2021-03-19	Equipment	This Preliminary information communicates the use of Winter grade fuel during the warm…

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 09192426 Engine air filter 90512851 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 2001 Catera take?

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

Does the 2001 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.