# My Catera dies after driving

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-catera-dies-after-driving/31283>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** catera, cadillac\
**Created:** [June 1, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-catera-dies-after-driving/31283 "2009-06-01T17:23:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gully162](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/edb3f5/32.png) [@gully162](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gully162)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-catera-dies-after-driving/31283/1 "2009-06-01T17:23:48Z")

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Do you have any idea what’s going on with my Catera? Some times, after driving aways, if you let off the gas it will die, and not restart for 15-20 mins. The other thing it does, is that on a moderate drive, after you shut it off, it will not restart. Nothing happens when you turn the key. Again after an hour or so, it will start. The only code the mechanic reads is a secondary air pump, and he says that’s not causing the problem. I just dropped $1,000 in to coils and gaskets, so i can’t really afford to pay for goose chases. Help!

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**Author:** ![Gary123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c37758/32.png) [@Gary123](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gary123)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-catera-dies-after-driving/31283/2 "2009-06-01T18:31:08Z")

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When you say “nothing happens when you turn the key”, do you mean the starter doesn’t engage?

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**Author:** ![gully162](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/edb3f5/32.png) [@gully162](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gully162)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-catera-dies-after-driving/31283/3 "2009-06-01T19:55:06Z")

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Yes. The dash lights up, raido and all, but absolutly nothing from the starter. no clicking, nothing. Does that give you a clue?

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**Author:** ![Gary123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c37758/32.png) [@Gary123](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gary123)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-catera-dies-after-driving/31283/4 "2009-06-01T20:41:44Z")

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Could be a bad battery connection … clean the battery connections with a wire brush or course sandpaper.

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**Author:** ![Gary123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c37758/32.png) [@Gary123](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gary123)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-catera-dies-after-driving/31283/5 "2009-06-01T20:44:10Z")

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Don’t forget to clean both the battery posts AND the cable connecting surfaces.