1998 CHEVROLET Malibu

While driving to work on 10/13/05 my car began sounding like a lawnmower. I pulled over and checked under the hood of my car and after checking the oil dipstick I noticed that the level of oil was low. I put oil in the engine and continued to drive. Very soon after the car shut off and after having the vehicle towed to the service center at the dealership, I was told that the engine seized due to the oil filter the became disengaged and oil seeping into the crankshaft. Also the service center indicated that the engine was filled with sludge, despite the fact that the vehicle was serviced predominately by this company and each oil change came with a 12-point inspection. My wife and I have since had the vehicle towed to our residence where we have to finish paying the note on the vehicle in order to receive the title in order to dispose of the vehicle. After contacting the service center and dealer I was told that the problem was caused by owner neglect. It\’s a 3.1L V6 MFI OHV 12V

When pulling out of a friends home on a dry 60 degree night, my son proceeded less than a block to a flashing red light. Before getting to the light, he applied the brake (the car behind him saw the brake lights) and the car would not stop. He had a total brake failure. When he realized that he would soon be in the middle of the intersection with an oncoming vehicle, he accelerated to try to get out of the way of the oncoming vehicle. However, he still has hit near the rear of the back door (on the drivers side) and the car was spun into a pole on the other side causing extensive damage – the car has been declared a total loss. Fortunately, the occupants were both uninjured, but had he not accelerated it could have been quite a different story. Right now, the insurance company is pushing for us to have it moved to a junk yard to avoid the storage fees.

When my car was bought from Gold Key auto it had 88,000 miles. The day after purchase the car would not crank, had to purchase a battery that would hold enough power to start car. The brake problem has been continous since car has been purchased they wear out and squeal once a yr. or less, 1 yr. after puchase of car it has had a total caliber change right and left, this was a 235.00 charge from Wheels Unlimited in Waycross cause of repair brakes locked up on car. alternator has been changed 3 times 1st yr., one failing after another. this past dec., 1 right side caliber change and another brake change.Car started making a rattle noise were timing chain is so we proceeded with changing the timing chain, replaced in dec. 2002.at the same time water pump was replaced. The rattled was still there, now my car is parked waiting to find out whats wrong now. possible fly-wheel or timing gear.

When I first took the car into Bob Maguire Chevrolet. I already knew that I had a antifreeze leak I figured that taking it to the dealer would be better because they know there cars. Anyway when I took it in for repair car was rattling very loudly. Upon check dealership called back and told me that the gasket has leaked antifreeze coolant into the engine oil the following was what was performed: Intake manifold gaskets were replaced, cleaned sludge build up from engine, replaced thermostat and heavy duty lifter cleaner was added. Coolant system pressure test was performed, engine power flush was done and coolant flush service maintenance was performed the pcv value was replaced. Was told that the car was still rattling and that with some driving that it probably would clear up. it has been three weeks and the car is still rattling like a diesel car.

This 1998 Malibu was given to us in January 2004 with high highway mileage. Since that time, the front brakes and rotors have been replaced twice and we were just informed the pads will need to be replaced again shortly. The rear brakes and drums were done just a couple weeks ago. The abs light went on right after the 2004 brake replacement so the the speed sensor connector was repaired. The abs light still goes on and the left front tire, where the pump is located, grinds like a son of a gun because of the speed sensor of the unit, which needs replacement. This sensor, true to its name, is telling the brakes how fast the tires are going, but because of the faulty reading to the abs unit, the breaks work harder and the pads wear down excessively. The rotors needed replacing at the same time as the brake pad replacements and both failed again in less than 1,000 miles! TSB\’s address problems concerning the abs speed sensor and the replacement brake problems, so Chevy (GM) knows. We are also amongst those who speak of the manifold gasket leaking coolant and the siezure of the water pump, as we are experiencing the coolant leakage from what we thought was the distribution tank visible under the hood. Who knew the left side panel of the engine would have to be removed and the water pump reached from there … another $500 – $800 job … way too expensive! This car also experiences the high speed vibration of the suspension system and cannot travel over speeding limits (a good thing!), and rims, tires and alignments have cost us. So, for a car that was free, some would say we got away cheap, that is if you count almost $2,000 in automobile repairs in less than one year cheap. But, the one thing this car is true to is starting up each morning in New England weather and so it appears the engine is still good!

The wheel hub assemblies on my two front wheels have gone by. I am told a common problem with a 98 Malibu. The blower motor seems to have a short in it and the first two settings don’t work. Another common problem. A third common problem is the Intake gasket goes every 60-80 thousand miles.

The primer is NOT adhereing to the car. The only place the paint is NOT peeling is the the ROOF! I think this should ALL BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER!!!!!

The intake manifold gasket was dissolved by the anti-freeze used by GM. This resulted in a leak that blew coolant out the gasket and into the engine. The airconditioning system does not stay on and turns off automatically. We took it to the dealer when it was brand new and they said this was just because a new coolant was being used. However, the problem has continued and is onging.

The heater only blows on setting 5. Research seems to indicate melted resistor. Seems to be a common problem.Battery died. Replaced.Engine cooling–coolant leaking. It’s the intake manifold gasket. Will cost 550.00 to replace. No help from chevrolet. Also, seems to be common problem (not only on Malibu, but on GM/GMCs in general.

The above car repair problems I feel with the low milage that I have on this car, should have not happen this soon.The air condition I felt was due to the transmisson manifold. The suspension problem I was just driving and I heard a loud pop sound. I took it to a Chevy dealer the front springs had broken and both front sturts had to be replaced. The tires at less than forty thousand miles kept loosing pressure. The transmission had developed a leak. The anti-lock brake light kept coming on. The front brakes had to be replaced.

Other: ABS cables detached.Engine: Unknown internal head gasket leak for life of car (dealer said 1 qt of coolant per quarter is standard) led to engine disintegration. 3 months after replacing gasket early 2006 engine rattled like can of tinker toys for 1/4 mile, oil light came on, then engine died for good. Mechanic estimated rebuild at $3500, used 80000 mi engine replacement at $2900, blue book at $2700, scrap at $250. What\’s my time worth? I am now shopping for a new foreign car.Brake: had to replace warped rotors several times.ABS: Light came on during end of warranty. Dealer said it was a glitch that would reset after several start/stop cycles (right). No time to pursue. 6 months later I happen to notice the loose front ABS cable ends nicely wire-tied out of the way.

My 1998 Chevy Malibu’s 3.1L engine required an intake manifold gasket at around 30000 miles.My car has been using more fluid lately and I am thinking that the gasket will once again require replacing.Secondly, my car rusted around the doors and the hood seams.I took the car to the dealer where they “fixed” the problem under warranty.It has been four months since the repairs and the seams look worse than ever.

My ’98 Chevy Malibu LS with the 3.1L V6 is now suffering its second intake manifold gasket failure at roughly 87,000 miles. The first repair was done around 50,000 miles by a GM dealership in 2001. That repair was done under warrantee, but this recurrence will not be covered and will cost $600 to fix. The failure manifested as a coolant leak from the driver’s side of the engine, appearing to come from the end bolts on the lower intake manifold. This car is practically unsaleable due to the potential for this problem to continue to recur.

Intake manifold gaskets failed causing vehicle to use excessive coolant.

Intake manifold gasket on 3.1L V6, and head gasket failed. Severe engine damage resulted from coolant entering engine, freezing two exhaust valves and rendering the car inoperable in heavy traffic. Complete damage esimateunknown at this time. Can update later. Contact with GM Customer Service indicates they are not aware of the problem. NOT TRUE! A serious problem and they know it well! They apparently refuse to take any action to make right this MAJOR engine design error. This car failed in a very dangerous place.

Intake manifold gasket now leaking at 61000. problem endemic to GM 3.1 liter v6.Water pump replaced also at 61000.Strong smell of gas in cabin due to fuel pressure regulator failure.Heater/air conditioner system fixed repeatedly. Never worked. problem endemic to Chevrolet Malibu.Front brake rotors warped and rusted at 15000 miles. Problem endemic to Chevrolet Malibu.Alternator died at 40000 miles with no warning.Parking brake never engaged properly.

Intake manifold gasket failed twice within a two year period causing coolant to leak and low coolant light to continously come on. Dealership contacted ASM to see if reapirs would be taken care of by Chevrolet since gasket was replaced in 2001. ASM would not do anything about it because it had been more than a year since last replaced. But I should not have to replace a gasket every two years!! By researching I have found out that this is a typical problem for this car.

Intake gasket leaking, needs repair.

I have spoken with numerous Malibu car owners and they all have the same problem as I do, faulty Intake Manifold Gasket. With so many car owners having this problem, why isn\’t there a recall? Too expensive?! Well, how do you think we feel. I have had to replace the breaks four different times, this Friday will make it five.

Coolant leaking from 3.1 liter intake manifold gasket. Gasket had to be replaced.

Car loses electrical power while driving and stalls. No response to pedal, gauges drop to zero position. When engine is restarted it seems like it\’s being governed. It also stalls on initial start-up.The PCM has been replaced, problem still exists.

Bought vehicle used in early October. Head gaskets went out after 30 days of driving. Got a low milage replacement 3100 engine which turned out to be bad as well. Currently in middle of 2nd engine replacement. Problem of coolant mixing with the oil in this engine appears to be a prevalent situation. I visit a used auto parts yard often and have noticed an abnormally high number of GM vehicles with the 3100 engine in them having failed due to engine coolant mixing with the oil.

Bad intake manifold gasket leaked coolant

Air compresser and wire harness had to be replacedFan did not work on setting 1 and 2 needed to be replaced again the first time was in 2000. Airconditioning problem caused the fuses that control gas tank, temp gage and lights on dash board to go out all fusses replaced

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the anti-theft system will activate for no apparent reason, preventing him from being able to start the vehicle. the failure also occurs while driving and causes the vehicle to shut off. the manufacturer has not issued any recalls for this defect. the failure has occurred three times since the vehicle was purchased in february of 2007. chevrolet stated that it was a good vehicle and he should not worry. the manufacturer apologized for the defect. the current mileage is 41,780 and failure mileage was 41,138.

1998 chevrolet malibu will not start due to passlock program. *kb the consumer stated normally he would drive somewhere and turn off the ignition, but when he tried to restart it, nothing happened. on the left side of the screen on the dash an icon flashed. he had to wait 10-15 minutes for the light to stop flashing, exit the vehicle, get back in and then the vehicle started. *jb

1998 malibu rear spring broke off. consumer drove vehicle to dealer and mechanic determined that the struts and springs needed replacing. *ts ***nar****jb

Chevrolet refused to pay ferry expense so consumer could get her vehicle repaired at the nearest chevy dealership, 100 miles away by water. *ph *la *jb

Consumer complained about a horn problem. contacted the dealer and manufacturer, and neither was willing to assist. consumer was informed by the dealer that the horn was defective because of the air bag components being pressed against the wiring of the horn. vehicle was never in an accident. *ak

Consumer complaint concerning unsatisfactory transaction with gmc, cruise control failed then air bag light came on. *bf the consumer stated that she should be fully compensated for her repairs and a recall should be sent out. *tc

My grandson was driving down the road, the airbag light came on and he heard a high pitched sound. a few seconds late both the driver and passenger airbags deployed. he was able to pull to the side of the road. the car was taken to the ocean city chevrolet i was told that something had to have been hit for airbags to deploy. they were unable to find the problem because the car had not been wreck of hit. gm was notified and test were run on the car. i contacted gm to find out if they were going to fix the problem. they responded with a run around saying that the black box shows an impact in the front and back. then i told him the car had not been wrecked or hit. he then responded by saying that the airbags could have deployed because my grandson slowed down 6 mph in under a second, which according to the gm man is not possible by brakes. if that was the case my grandsons friend that was follwing him would have rear-ended him if he had slowed down that rapidly. finaly the gm man told me that the car could have been bumped just right and that was that cause of the airbag deployment. gm refused to repair my airbag saying that it was not their fault. however it was a car defect.*ak

I have had several problems with this car: i have replaced tires twice, tried to have the front end aligned because of the steering problem , it is like i have no power steering - when i took it to get the front end aligned, they told me that they couldn't do it because of the rack & pinion needed replaced first. i have called gm and was told that it was not their problem. the dealership told me that there is a recall on this and for me to contact you. i have already had to put a motor and brakes(several times) on this car. please help me. sincerely, [xxx]. *ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Takata recall have a chevrolet malibu 1998 that i just bought and found out it had a recall that was not taken care of and how would i go to get it done

Ignition switch not shutting off and at times not turning to start car. shift lever has to be wiggled to allow key to turn to off position. key cylinder shutting off in start position.

Takata recall - while driving home from work at night my daughter (sole occupant) heard a loud explosion and windshield shattered. she looked to right and saw that the passenger airbag had deployed. she had not hit anything including bumps or pot-hole. not sure if it's a takata but deployment could of cost her life. *tr

I was a automotive manufacturers rep and understand the importance of getting these recalls completed. i have had my 2 keys retrofitted with the inserts by my local chev dealer years ago and tried 6 times unsuccessfully to have this recall shown as completed. i was assured that they made a mistake and used a vin with 1 # wrong and that it had been corrected. this is my last request. i give up. i am not willing to return to the dealer again. please see that this is resolved.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. while driving 70 mph, the anti-theft system engaged and the engine seized. the contact was not able to restart the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to his home. the manufacturer was notified, but was unable to assist. the dealer was not contacted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 130,000. the vin was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that after the ignition key was inserted into the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start as the anti theft warning light illuminated. the contact stated that vehicle was able to start after ten minutes. the contact also mentioned that the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 150,000.

While backing out of my drive way to the right i heard loud clunking and then finally a pop as i turned the steering to the left. immediately following, while driving in residential area left turns became extremely difficult to make, and i noticed the steering wheel seemed to be off center. i decided to make a 3-point turn to return home, and while backing to the left there seemed to be little actual movement before i felt as if the front end of the car raised a bit followed by another lout pop. returning the wheels right saw little movement at first before turning as normal. left turns the rest of the way home difficult, while right turns are made with ease. upon inspection when getting to my garage rack and pinion mount on passenger side that appears to be welded had broken. perhaps rusted? i live in ca, so i didn't expect rusted parts to be an issue.i have researched other malibus that have experienced incredibly similar behavior, and there is even a recall regarding the rack and pinion in my my malibu, however mine is not included due to vin. i find this to be absolutely appalling that gm can receive so many complaints for this issue, and request for a fix, and so boldly tell these customers that they will not service their vehicles when this is clearly a manufacturer defect.

I purchased new tires today and the technicians noticed there was excessive play in the steering link via the rack and pinion. upon further investigation it was discovered that the welds (which are both factory and most likely robotic) holding the nut through the rack and pinion have failed. these welds are not a consumable or an otherwise replaceable part of the car and unacceptable for them to fail. currently if the nut that was originally welded in place comes off i will completely lose steering on the drivers side. at even slow speeds this could be fatal to the driver and occupants. the car has been owned by one family for the life of the vehicle and immaculately maintained. for chevrolet to design and manufacture such a critical piece in this fashion is appalling. i am trying to get in touch with chevrolet recalls department and safety but no one will return my calls. the one person that answered at a dealership said they would absolutely fix it if as a failed weld signals a fabrication defect. i gave them my number so they could call to schedule an appointment but no one has called!

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. while the vehicle was at a complete stop, the front passenger and driver side air bags deployed without warning and shattered the front passenger side of the windshield. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 113,751.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. while driving at 45 mph, the vehicle shut off without warning. the vehicle was serviced under nhtsa campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system), but the remedy failed to repair the vehicle. the contact mentioned that the vehicle continued to fail intermittently after the recall repair was performed. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 285,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. when attempting to start the vehicle, the anti-theft system activated and the vehicle failed to start. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was unable to be determined. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving at a low speed, the vehicle stalled. the contact was able to restart the vehicle. the air bag, abs, and check engine warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a dealer. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure recurred on numerous occasions. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). the failure mileage was 54,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was able to restart after several attempts. the failure recurred on several occasions. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system) however, the repair could not be performed due to the contact not having the original key. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. while driving 5 mph, the contact's vehicle stalled and was struck on the driver side by another vehicle. most of the air bags deployed; however, one air bag did not, which caused injuries that required medical attention. a police report was filed. the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system) and manufacturer recall number: n140350. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact received recall nhtsa campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). the contact stated that the key would come out of the ignition independently while the vehicle was in motion. the contact stated that the air bag warning light intermittently flashed and the engine seized. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the technician diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 226,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the ignition switch was lose and could be wiggled. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician stated that the ignition switch was not part of nhtsa campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). the recall only covers the modification of the keys. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 78,000.

My granddaughter was 18 years old and had recently graduated high school. she was driving to work on a tuesday morning, the weather was clear and the road was dry. as she rounded a small curve, her steering went out. the car's right front wheel went off the road, sending the car out of control. when my granddaughter tried to steer back onto the road, the car slid on the pavement, spun around, was thrown over a ditch, hit a tree and landed back on the road. the airbag did not deploy, and my granddaughter's small body (98 pounds) was thrown across the seat and into the floorboard on the passenger side. when police and ambulances arrived, there was nothing they could do. my granddaughter died at the scene from head trauma and internal injuries. her identical twin sister lost half of her identity that day; the two of them were as one. emergency teams had to use the jaws of life to retrieve her body from the car. this accident happened within one mile from my home. i could hear the sirens in the distance but had no idea that they were sounding for my granddaughter. the memory of those sirens still haunts me. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact received a notification for recall nhtsa campaign number: 14v40000 (electrical system). however, the dealer declined to perform the recall repairs. the contact was concerned about the safety risk and refused to continue driving the vehicle. the vehicle had not experience the failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel would suddenly malfunction and became very difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the technician diagnosed that the rack and pinion was faulty and needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 180,000.

1998 chevrolet malibu. consumer writes to express discontent with local dealership. *tgw the consumer stated the brake was spongy, the abs light illuminated and the ac worked erratically, depending on the blower speed and would sometimes quit blowing cold air and would start to blow warm air. the consumer stated the brake fluid was very low. the dealer was unable to find any brake fluid leaks. however, two months later while driving, the brake pedal went to the floor, because the fluid had leaked out again. the brake lines were replaced. in addition, to the brake line issue, the sway bar was broken, a fuel line was leaking and the left rear strut had failed. *jb

This vehicle had a crash with fatalities in 2006. general motors never issued a unintended ignition turnoff on this vehicle until aug2014. the crash began with an uncontrollable and unexpected spinout, there was no ability to steer, brake and air bags did not deploy. these are the exact conditions listed in the gm recall. gm will not accept a filing for this make and model vehicle and should be added to the gm ignition failure claim program. nhtsa didn't all the gm recall to malibu's but i have notified them of the oversight. this should be corrected and compensation provided by gm. this is the exact wording on the gm recall website: the following recalls have been found for your 1998 chevrolet malibu results last updated: sep 16, 2014 gm recall #: n140350 nhtsa recall #: 14v400 date issued: aug 12, 2014 unintended ignition key rotation recall description: general motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in 2000-2005 my chevrolet impala and monte carlo, 1997-2005 my chevrolet malibu, 1999-2004 my oldsmobile alero, 1998-2002 my oldsmobile intrigue, 1999-2005 my pontiac grand am, and 2004-2008 my pontiac grand prix vehicles. if the key ring is carrying added weight and the vehicle goes off road or experiences some other jarring event, it may unintentionally move the key away from the run position. if this occurs, engine power, power steering and power braking may be affected, increasing the risk of a crash. safety risk description: the timing of the key movement out of the run position, relative to the activation of the sensing algorithm of the crash event, may result in the airbags not deploying, increasing the potential for occupant injury in certain kinds of crashes. *tr

I received my chev recall letter ref recall 14350 today. this is not a complaint, just info that may be important in reference to this safety recall. problems i have had with my 1998 chev malibu is : engine shuts off while traveling at highway speeds-sometimes engine won't start ( ignition key will not go all way to start position)-sometimes engine want shutoff (ignition key want turn back to off position). as a retired truck mechanic i know that the problem is in the ignition switch lock cylinder (tumblers are worn excessively causing the lock cylinder to jam and/or be come loose allowing ignition key to rotate off) . i have attempted to make repair myself but all parts outlets tell me that the lock cylinder is not available (must purchase $350.00 ignition switch assembly) if this recall does not include replacing the lock cylinder,the problem will not be corrected. experienced mech/tech can replace the lock cylinder in about 10 minutes. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that when approaching a red light, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of another vehicle. the air bags did not deploy. a police report was filed and the contact sustained a knee, a hip bruising and a muscle behind shoulder which required medical attention. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. the contact also mentioned that after numerous attempts the vehicle would start and then stalled as the anti-thief warning light illuminated. the contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was unknown.

Key can be removed from the ignition lock cylinder while the engine is running. *tr

I was parking the car in my drive way and all of sudden a loud noise comes from underneath and the car steers by itself in the wrong direction where the other car was already parked. i managed to steer due to the slow speed the car was moving but i realized how bad this could have been while driving the car in traffic and at high speed rates. when i checked what happened, i noticed that the front end cradle that the steering rack mounts to, has rusted out and the whole rack and pinion became lose in one of the mounting points. i am very disappointed with the quality and workmanship they put in one of the most important parts of the car, where steering, suspension, in fact the whole power train seats on and it failed so easy. the manufacture was trying to save some dollars at the cost of peoples lives. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. while parked, the contact noticed a strong gasoline fuel odor being emitted from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the mechanic advised the contact that there was a fuel leak coming from the seal on top of the high pressure line. the mechanic stated the fuel pump would have to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 81,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the front driver side spring failed and caused damage to the front driver side tire and wheel. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure and the current mileage was 53,924.

Only when its cold outside the shifter doesn't shift out of park till the car warms up for 15 to 20 minutes. *js

The anti-theft light comes on at sporadic times and does not allow car to start. you then have to wait at least 10 minutes to restart car. this could be a potentially dangerous situation depending where you are when car will not start. i had a small child with me on the way to the doctor and made a stop at the drug store, then tried to restart car to proceed to doctor and car would not start. since i only recently acquired this car, i have done research on this problem and see that it is a big problem with chevy malibus. why isn't there a recall for this--or, if there is one, please advise. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the steering wheel was extremely stiff, making it difficult for the contact to steer in any direction. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who replaced the power steering pump, but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 206,041 and the current mileage was 230,000.

Anti-theft ignition system disabled starting of car. i put the key in the ignition, the car turned over but would not start, manual says the fuel pump is disabled by anti-theft. by accident waited in car about 10 minutes while trying to reach manufacturer, the flashing antitheft light had gone out, i tried starting the car and it started fine. however further online research indicated that this is a pervasive problem went hundreds of complaints. my source was carcomplaints.com. called chevrolet and filed a complaint was assigned a case number. this is not a safety issue per se, but it could be in the event of needed to get someone to an er, for example. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the anti theft system would activate and prevent him from starting the vehicle. the failure recurred intermittently and would last between fifteen minutes to an hour. the contact did not inform the dealer of the failure and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. no repairs were performed. the current and failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

Daughter was driving the car in a downpour and the passenger side windshield wiper linkage broke causing the wipers to fly across the driver side of the car. they stopped working causing her to have to get off the road because she could not see. *tr

While driving my 1998 chevrolet malibu at slow speed (luckily), the steering make a crunching noise and completely failed. this cause the complete loss of control of the vehicle. the steering wheel would simply spin, with no effect on the actual steering gearbox. there was no longer any mechanical connection between the steering column and the rack and pinion gear. the vehicle was towed to my mother's home about a mile away and there was an initial inspection by my stepfather (a 25 year veteran of the automobile business). he stated that he had never seen a failure like this and suggested that a contact chevrolet to see if there were any recalls on this, which i did. he also checked and there was one in the steering column bearing and it was completed in 2004 on this vehicle. i contacted gm by e-mail and they called and told me that they were not going to participate in any repairs. i subsequently had the vehicle towed to a local garage and they did a preliminary diagnosis and advised me of the nature of the failure (along with a $900 estimate to repair it). they also stated that they had never seen a failure like this. the main concern was that we were extremely lucky that this happened in a parking lot and not on the highway, as the resultant loss of control would likely have cost us our lives. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu ls. the contact was parked with the engine running when the steering wheel became abnormally stiff yet the contact was still able to operate the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection where the contact was advised that the high pressure hose would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 135,000.

I was on interstate 95 going home when the steering wheel suddenly locked up on me and i started losing horsepower until i completely stopped!. so there i was in the middle lane stopped!, with cars swerving around me at high speeds!... not to mention the cars stopped behind me trying to get around!. i thought i would be badly rear ended for sure!!. luckily, a tow truck happened to be passing...and stopped to help. someone could of been killed!!!!!. and from all the testimonials i've heard...i think general motors should mail everyone who owns a chevy malibu a big fat check!.

Went to start my 1998 chevy malibu, and it wouldn't start. it would turn over and start for like 2 seconds, but then shuts off. i tried starting it a few times, and then realized that the "theft system" light was flashing. after i tried the few times, the light shut off and then my car started up no problem. has happened 3 days in a row now. *tr

I have a 1998 chevy malibu, and the spring strut snapped in half and popped a hole in my tire, i had no control of the vehicle and almost had a head on collision with another car going 45 mph. luckily the car moved just in time, i am very scared for other people who own this car. it just happened tonight, so i am not quite sure what is going to be done about the car, but im begging you to please make this issue public! something needs to be done about this issue, people need to know because it can cost lives by not saying anything. *tr

Passlock system malfunctions, causing the vehicle to not start for at least ten minutes. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the windshield wipers on the vehicle stopped working during a rain storm. the contact observed that the linkage on the motor for both windshield wipers were broken. the contact was unable to purchase the part from the dealer and is concerned that it will only be available at a salvage facility. nhtsa recall campaign 01v068000, visibility, windshield wiper/washer, linkages was directly related to in the "salt belt" states due to a buildup of snow, ice, and corrosion. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileages were 160,000.

1998 chevrolet malibu will not start due to passlock program. *kb the consumer stated normally he would drive somewhere and turn off the ignition, but when he tried to restart it, nothing happened. on the left side of the screen on the dash an icon flashed. he had to wait 10-15 minutes for the light to stop flashing, exit the vehicle, get back in and then the vehicle started. *jb

Theft system malfunction. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. whenever the contact drove the vehicle at various speeds, he noticed that the theft system light would appear on the dashboard and the vehicle would shut off. the vehicle could not be restarted for approximately 10 minutes. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership. the current and failure mileages were 107,000.

This is the second time i have replaced my lower intake manifold seal. this is outrageous that chevy will not fix a known defect. *tr

When trying to start the car the anti theft system light blinks and car will not start. wait about 10 minutes and car will eventually start. this happens a couple of times a week. the problem has not been corrected. *tr

1998 chevy malibu more and more often, when i start my car, the theft light comes on and i can not start the car until it turns off about 10-15 minutes later. *tr

1998 chevy malibu has a notorious issue with the theft system. i have read 1000's of issue with this light coming on and your not able to start your car. tons of people online with this issue. chevy needs to take responsibility for this default in their vehicles. you pay money to support american auto makers but where is the accountability when the car no longer works. this is not a safety issue. but i think starting a car when you have purchased it is as important. this theft light comes in and you have to wait 15 mins or more for it to cut off to start your own car!!! chevy dealers charge $600+ dollars to replace this sensor. the faulty sensor in chevy vehicles are on tons of website and they are aware of this issue, but why has there been a recall !! you want to help the economy...helping.getting people to work on time is a great start. next time, i'm going foreign. japanese.....to many money hungry companies for me to support. i know better next time...if you google " theft system in a chevy" there are nothing but complaints. there are also people giving advise on how to disable this because there is no way to start your car with this issue. i'm disgusted with chevy....shame on them!!!!!!! a car that thinks the owner is stealing it.....what a shame! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the passenger-side pivot housing has cracked, and the windshield wipers will not operate. he contacted the dealer and manufacturer in reference to recall # 01v068000 (visibility:windshield wiper/washer:linkages). upon contact he was advised that his vehicle identification number was excluded from the recall, so he was ineligible for a free remedy. no repairs were made. the failure and current mileages were 96000. updated 1/14/10 *cn the consumer stated the problem was resolved. updated 01/15/10.*jb

Under normal usage, the vehicle will shut off, and the dashboard theft light comes on . at other times the vehicle will not start, and the theft light comes on. the failure occurs at least once a week. this can be dangerous, im afraid it will happen while driving. i have taken the car to a mechanic, and have found the problem. the problem is the gm passlock ii system. i did some research online and have found thousands of people with the same problem. i cannot believe that such a widespread problem has not been addressed. *tr

A totally unexpected malfunction of cruise control while set at 60mph, traveling up and down hilly stretch of us route #301 northbound nearing va route #3 the transmission down-shifted, engine accelerated to maintain set speed (as usual) when highway leveled the vehicle suddenly continued to speedup rapidly..65+70+75. driver instantly applied brakes w/ normal pressure then even harder until she was standing on the brake pedal w/ both feet. several times she pressed the cancel control selector, still no real slowing down. as both front and rear brake overheated rapidly smoke and sparks were seen by other motorist, two of whom tried to overtake them and hand signaled to pull off the road which she was soon able to accomplish on a wide grass shoulder where she turned off the ignition+++stop!! at long last. all three (3) adult women were greatly stressed but relieved to be safe. her rear seat passenger had called 911 on her cell phone when they realized the frightful dangerthey were in and as a result three (3) different police cruisers arrived almost instantly from the county sheriff and va state police. several witnesses were interviewed for more details. the vehicle is a 1998 chevrolet malibu 4dr. v6. the car was less than 4 months old, driven only 4,000 miles by the dealers wife, until my daughter purchased it. she continued to have it routinely serviced and maintained there so there is where she requested the tow truck driver to haul it to the next day at a cost of $400. subsequently their service manager and mechanics ran diagnostic sequences as well as several road tests and were unable to reveal any abnormalities in the cruise control or accelertorperform-ance functions. however all four (4) wheels brakes were badly burned and warped. repairs would cost an estimated $1,100 to $1,300. our questions include the following: (1) is this event an isolated rarity? (2) what can cause such a dangerous failure? (3) why hidden? *tr

The ac control keeps on jumping front inside air to outside air, and these caused the compressor to cycle on and off, bought a new one from the dealer cost 150.00 no warranty still keeps on doing the same thing, got another one from the junk yard still does the same thing, spent 200.00 dollars on ac compressor but ac does not work because of these problem , do not know what to do, i need help! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact also owns a 2007 graco comfort sport child restraint seat, model number 80c02mg12 (na). the seat was manufactured on august 24, 2007. while driving approximately 50 mph, the child was properly secured in a forward facing restraint seat. unexpectedly, the child released the plastic harness clasp without assistance. the harness straps were tightened, but the failure continued. the child restraint seat was installed using the vehicle safety belt. the manufacturer was notified of the malfunction, but there were no resolutions. the vin, purchase date, and mileages were unknown.

I bought a certified used car from bill heard in plant city before they closed down,from day 1 i had a problem with the car ignition not starting and the anti theft,i have been left stranded several time s cause of this problem,i have taken it back to them twice and they kept telling me there is nothing wrong although at times there is then they told me if it happens again just let the car set for 10mins and it will be ok, well it should not happen in the first place,then after almost flipping the car i found out that the front rotors are totally shot and when i had to hit my brakes one caught before the other causing the car to go into a skid,then the ignition and the anti theft act up again and this time the horn is stuck so i had to pull the fuse to stop the horn tested the relay and it was fine the switch is stuck somewhere and know one seems to know where,so now i have a used certified used car with no horn and worn out rotors faulty ignition and oh i forgot that every now and then i will get shocked getting out of the car and a broke motor mount that i was told that i would have to fix own my own due to it was aware and tear apart that they won't cover, well it should have been replaced before the car was even sold. so now i have taken it to 2 other dealers to get it fixed and they told me i would have to pay for it well i don't think that's right due to the fact that all of that should have been checked and fixed before the car was ever sold and i guess since i was a first time buyer with no credit that it was ok for them to stick it to me which in turn i see why bill heard went out of business with people like that working for them,so now i need to know what i should do about this so called certified used piece of death trap i was sold? *tr

I have a 98 chevy malibu. the car was running fine until a couple of weeks ago when i went to start it. the theft system light was on and the car wouldn't start. after the light shut off it started and this happens alot. everyone i talk to that has a chevy seems to be having the same problem. the shop wants over $200 to fix it. i believe that the ignition tumbler is faulty and is set up to go bad so that they can get more money am very angry that this keeps happening to me. i have read over 1000 reports about people having this particular problem and chevy needs to fix it. *tr

Something is wrong with how the fuel is being received. when its in neutral it receives the fuel just fine but in reverse or drive it tries to stall out or die. we usually have to take it on a drive just to get the fuel pumping through. it's crazy and scary because when you need to pull and go it will jerk and stall and that not a good thing. *tr

Vehicle passlock system prevents starting of vehicle. has occurred numerous times, incident date shown is most recent. the vehicle is old, things will break, things will go bad. that is understood, but after visiting many websites and reading an untold number of identical complaints, two things are apparent: 1) gm is aware of the problem, and 2) gm is unable to give customers experiencing this problem constant, permanent, or satisfactory resolution. not when you have different dealerships providing different diagnoses for the same problem, and not when, after components are replaced, the complaint resurfaces. it's not a worn out switch we're complaining about. it's a theft system which is preventing a lawful operator with the appropriate vehicle key from starting the vehicle. this problem should be recalled because it is the result of poor engineering and customers shouldn't have to pay for repairs due to faulty engineering. particularly when the problem component/system was installed in vehicles even after the manufacturer became aware of the problem. *tr

The intake manifold on my 1998 chevrolet malibu is leaking for a second time. the first occurred at 36,000 miles. the second time is now at 120,000 miles. there are a large number of occurrences of this gasket leaking but no recall by gm to address the issue. *tr

The wife started the car and it had some light frost on the windshield she let the car warm up for about 10 minutes when she came back out the frost had turned to water so she turned on the wipers and they just went nuts the right wiper went over top of the left one so she had to get out and physically push them down she then continued with her day when i came home from work she told me about it so i went out to see and found that the windshield wiper transmission arms were broken at one end on the right hand side so i then took them out to replace them and when i looked them up on the internet and found there was a recall on record, so i am going to contact the 1-800-222-1020 and see just what i can have done. *tr

I have a 1998 chevy malibu that does not start due to a faulty reset passlock system. chevrolet does not know how to fix it. it is clearly dangerous since i am going to get mugged or worse waiting the 10 minutes it takes to "fool" the anti-theft system and get the car to start. there are over 1000 complaints all over the internet, in various years of manufacture of this defective chevrolet product. there must be some solution to this. the other night i was in a dark parking lot for 20 minutes waiting for my car to let me drive home. i called gm again and was told they still do not know why this is occurring in the malibu but just that it has something to do with the passlock system and the car "thinks" it is being robbed. please rob my car. then i will be safe!! *tr

Passlock system failure. happens very frequently (three to four times a week) and car cannot be started for at least 10 minutes while the system resets itself. this problem was misdiagnosed several times by different (well-qualified) mechanics and wound up costing over 1500 dollars in unneeded repairs to the fuel pump and fuel line several times. gm is aware of this problem and refuses to do a recall. *tr

Driving to work in heavy rain on a busy street and the windshield wiper on the right collided with the left and they just stopped working causing me to almost crash into the car infront of me. had to pull over because there was no visibility and had to wait an hour until the rain stopped. the pivot housing as the dealer called it is cracked and the wipers will not operate because of the design. *tr

While attempting a left turn the wheel became difficult to turn as if the power steering had gone out. clunking noise was heard and wheel suddenly surged to the right. wheel has become increasingly difficult to turn left accompanied by strain on the power steering. problem has not been fixed. *tr

Car was parked in driveway, i went into car to get something out of the glove compartment all of a sudden this loud bang! i walked around the car to try to find out what caused this, could not see anything out of the ordinary. i then sat in car and turned the steering wheel to one side, went out to check tires, both tires turned. did the same for the other side, all okay. got in car, backed out of driveway and then another loud bang. backed the car up into the driveway. had it flat bedded to the repair shop. as the other complaints are noted it was the spring - the repair man said thank god you weren't driving the car it could have caused a serious accident. had to have spring, struts and strut mounts replaced. at that point i was so scared to drive this vehicle and possibly have the same thing happen to the other side, i asked them to replace both. i called chevrolet headquarters to ask if this is on a recall or if there have been any other complaints like this filed, the representative said they have no recalls and nothing on record of this problem with other chevrolet malibu owners. *tr

On august 21, 2008, i was driving the car on a level, straight road and heard a snap. the steering of the car got really loose and squirrelly. i pull over to check for loose components under the wheel wells. everything looked tight. later i looked under the hood at the rack and pinion and had a helper turn the steering wheel left and right because it was difficult to maintain control to the left. once the wheel was turned left, i saw the whole rack move up and down from the frame of the engine cradle. from the looks of it a part that held it down broke. *tr

The front left, driver side, spring broke while driving at approximately 5 miles per hour on a smooth paved road. this was the 2nd time this has happened on the same car. the first time was the right front side. i was driving slower so the tire did not blow from the sharp broken spring end rubbing on it. the spring was replaced with no other damage. after reading about many others having the same problem i decided to sumit complaints hoping we can prevent any injuries or deaths. i can not understand why gm has not recalled these cars and how many accidents go unreported with this the cause. *tr

Driving at approximately 10 mph on a smooth dry road suddenly the front right side spring broke damaging the strut and tire. thankfully, this was at a slow speed or someone could have been killed. the tire, spring and strut were replaced. *tr

The coil spring on the passenger side strut snapped into causing a large gouge in the tire deflating it immediately. luckily, i had pulled off interstate i-77 and was in a large level parking space. my wife got in the car to pull up and pick me up. as the car went less than a foot forward a large bang was heard and journey began to get help. to avoid random details of 88 degree heat and hardship events, the result was a new tire, a new spare tire (donut), an overnight stay and expenses and a repair bill. the strut was replaced with a used one due to the fact that we were stranded away from home and had no time to wait for a new one to be ordered. what really drew my attention to the possible severity of the problem was that in a small repair shop with only 4 bays (shepard's repair, parkersburg, wv) there sat another malibu of possibly the exact model waiting for a new strut to be shipped in. the odds are rather staggering that this event could be so random as to not in some way point to a much larger scaled problem with these coils. both snapped in approximately the same place (except his was the driver's side) and neither of the struts themselves were leaking or weak. now how do i trust the car for fear the other strut will break or even the replacement for which i know not what model car it was disassembled from. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. while driving in a rainstorm, the contact activated the windshield wipers and they began to cross over each other. the contact pulled the vehicle over and noticed that the passenger side wiper blade was very loose. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 01v068000 (visibility:windshield wiper/washer:linkages). the vehicle has not been serviced by the dealer. the speed was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 113,000.

Intake manifold gasket leak, causing anti freeze to mix with the oil, causing failure and excessive wear to internal motor parts. *tr

The complaint is for the electronic ignition and the taillights and brake lights. the brake lights and tail lights have already been fixed twice, i am told it is an electrical problem, they work when they want to. this is a problem at night when i have no tail lights or when the brake lights don't work. the other problem is the ignitions switch, the key won't move in the ignition, which makes it impossible to start. after reading on line, there are hundreds of other people with the same problem with malibu's and other chevy vehicles, but nothing is being done about this. i am unsure of the incident date because it has happened several times. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the dealer stated that the steering: rack and pinion was leaking and the contact paid $195, plus $470 for labor. the contact was informed that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 03v527000 (steering:rack and pinion). the contact called gm in april of 2002 and was informed that he would be reimbursed. when he informed gm that he took the vehicle to a private shop, gm changed their mind and never provided reimbursement. the current mileage was 74,000 and failure mileage was 42,114. updated 04/16/08 *bf the dealer repaired the cam position sensor as well. updated 04/16/08 *tr

While moving the car from the garage heard a loud bang from the left front suspension. i found that the spring had broken and was jambed against the tire. i had the car towed to the repair shop. i was informed that the spring had broken and we were lucky we were not traveling fast asuredly we would have lost control of the car and would have been forced into oncomoing traffic. the service manager told me that he has had a rash of spring failures with many gm model cars he atibutes it to poor quality material in the springs. he had to replace both springs and both shock struts. i happened to drop by the dealer where i purchased the car and he asked how it was working i informed him about what had happened, he was very surpised, and then told me he had a 2000 chev malibu on the lot that had the same thing happen while standing. of course he could not do anything for me. out of warranty. the cost for the repair was $847.59 but we are glad to be alive. no more gm cars made with inferior chinese metal. americans take heed. *tr

Someone needs to look into the theft security system in these cars!! *tr

The coil spring snapped in half while i was in my car and popped my tire. i was traveling at extremely low speeds, otherwise it could have been terrible. i replaced it with a junk yard spring and strut since i have never heard of this type of failure. several weeks before the failure there was a low squeak or rub coming from the front wheel well. i thought at the time that it was snow build up, but now i know better. *tr

1998 chevy malibu: faulty intake manifold gasket resulting in coolant leak in engine. resulted in engine needing to be replaced and upper intake gasket changed at $2000 canadian. two months later,and less tan 5,000 kms later, fuel tank needs to be replaced. less than 30 days later, upper intake gasket and front brakes need to be changed at cost of $1500 canadian. *tr

1998 malibu - theft system will activate for no reason and there is not a solution in the owners manual for this condition. if the internet search of 10 minute wait does not work, using another key, spraying the ignition switch with cleaner or kicking a tire - you will have to take a cab. there is not a way to disarm this system. i will not own another gm product because of this system and the inability to turn off my headlights. *tr

I have no clue what has caused the failure. i am using the same key that came with the vehicle. i have only been using it for the last year and a half. theft system is causing me a big headache with the ten to twenty minute waits for the light to stop flashing so i can start the car again. i have not been able to repair the problem because it is so expensive to fix and my financial status is preventing me from being able to repair it. *tr

Anti theft system malfunction in my 1998 chevy malibu has caused turmoil and hardships. the system malfunctions regularly and strands me in not so safe places. it is much more dangerous to sit in my car in a dark parking lot then to have it stolen. sometimes after the 10 minute wait, the ignition still doesn't turn over, and im waiting another 10 minutes, and then again. last night it took 4 hours for it to go off. needless to say i was very late for work. i have read thousands of complaints on this issue, and this should be recalled. it is dangerous to chevy's consumers, a horrible engineering idea, and they should be ashamed of themselves for not recalling this dangerous issue. *tr

Use of the window and faulty design with plastic parts led up to the failure. window is no longer able to be used and has to stay in the closed position or it falls into the door. too expensive to correct. *jb

Once or twice a week when i turn the key to start the car, it cranks but doesn't start. the theft system light starts flashing. after 10 minutes i can try again and it usually starts. i've found dozens of other complaints for this problem with this car. i've called chevrolet (national 800 number) twice; each time they say they've never heard of it. i've called two dealers; they know what i'm talking about, but of course a diagnosis is still required. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the spare wheel that came with the vehicle does not fit onto the front axle. he notified the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls and no assistance could be provided. the exact purchase date was unknown; however, the year was 1999. the current mileage was 52,000 and failure mileage was 51,900. updatatted 11/05/07. *jb

I own a 1998 chevy malibu and it is one of the thousands with the anti-theft passlock system error. my car continually reads an error in the theft system and cuts off the fuel for 10 minutes before i can start it again. *tr

Front suspension coil spring broke, puncturing the tire causing blowout. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the front struts that hold up the vehicle with the coil springs were defective. he stated that the coil springs are not heavy enough. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that they are aware of the defect. they also stated that there are no current recalls for this particular year, make, and model of vehicle. the contact stated that the front right and left coil springs were damaged. the struts have not been repaired because the part that the vehicle needs must come from another general motors vehicle. the current mileage was 87,742 and failure mileage was 87,727. updated 02-01-08. *kb

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the anti-theft system will activate for no apparent reason, preventing him from being able to start the vehicle. the failure also occurs while driving and causes the vehicle to shut off. the manufacturer has not issued any recalls for this defect. the failure has occurred three times since the vehicle was purchased in february of 2007. chevrolet stated that it was a good vehicle and he should not worry. the manufacturer apologized for the defect. the current mileage is 41,780 and failure mileage was 41,138.

My car is a 1998 malibu ls. it has 49,500 original miles on it. in 2006 i had problems with the transmission, it didn't want to switch gears right away. i took it to our gm dealer as i had a warranty. they put it on a computer, couldn't find anything, they stated it was doing the things i said, but thought it was just a glich and would go away. 5-17-07, something finally happened to the transmission,the car didn't want to go anywhere. i coasted my car to the gm dealer and told them what happened. they called and stated they opened the transmission and found it was a stuck body valve. i told them to fix it as it was still under warranty. they already had the transmission opened up, they called me back and said the warranty company said my warranty had expired 1-14-07. can't be, i had till august. i called the warranty company. i bought my car 8-8-98, i purchased the extended warranty (5 years) i had till 8-8-93. in january of 93, i got calls from mvp (motor vehicle protection corp) telling me that i should start thinking about a new warranty as mine was to expire that year. i told them i was okay till august. a gal named abbey told me that i could sign up for the warranty and they would note my account, put on hold till august when my warranty with gmac ran out. i now could make payments on the new warranty, it would be paid for by august. i agreed. now this company is denying me coverage for the repairs to my car. they state the warranty expired 4 years from the day i made my first payment to the warranty company. that was not what abbey told me. she said that it would not go into effect until my gmac warranty was done. now i have to pay $1,300 for an rem valve that went bad in my transmission plus labor. i feel i have been taken by the dealership and warranty company and no one will help me. i've tried talking to the dealership they say there is nothing they can do, i have to pay it. the warranty company is rude to me & i feel this is fraud.

Tail lights on almost all chev. malibu's are bad mostly on the right sides if you going down the road look for yourself almost always they have at least one burned out light. i own two my kids drive and almost every time they wash them or it storms i have too replace bulbs the tail light fills with water. *tr

Left side, rear coil spring broken. one month later, right front coil spring breaks causing coil spring to rub on inside of tire resulting in tire damage. *tr

While driving during ice storms in january 2007 the windshield wipers quit working due to a broken pivot housing on the passenger's side. the same defect was covered in nhtsa recall campaign 01v068000. however, because i lived outside the salt belt,chevrolet will not cover the repair of this manufacturer's defect. i am fearful, but forced to, drive in rain storms without working windshield wipers. the manufacturer has been completely arrogant about helping in this situation for the last 5 months.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. the contact drove the vehicle approximately 150 yards when a popping noise was heard. while driving 10 mph the driver's side of the vehicle collapsed to the ground. the contact discovered that the front coil spring failed and cut the tire from the wheel. the vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the coil spring was replaced. the consumer stated that the cause of failure was due to a batch of coil springs that were improperly heat treated. there was a defect investigation for this failure , pe 03031. the contact still possessed the failed coil spring and tire. the current and failure mileages were 98,000. *ak the consumer has provided pictures of the defect. update 05/04/07*tr updated 06/20/07. *jb

Passenger side front coil spring broke, followed by driver's side front coil spring. passenger side spring began rubbing into tire, melted side wall of tire. tire destroyed. replaced springs and tire. *ak

Serveral times (5+) the left rear tail light would burn out. i replaced the bulb myself and note that the connection and bulb had overheated. current, on going problem is the dash/instrument cluster lighting. the instrument lights go on and off, as they feel like it. the lights currently are out. i checked all fuses and breakers. all tested okay. i really hate this car and no more gm products for me, ever!

My car had to have the thermostat, pleninum gasket, intake gasket, egr gasket, valve cover gaskets replaced for the second time since i have had this car. i was told that it was because of the dex-cool antifreeze that is used in these cars warps the gaskets and seals. i am very disappointed that this has happened to my car. i do not have the money to be replacing these gaskets twice. i would like gm to reimburse me some of my finances that have cost to have this problem fixed for the second time. this time it cost me $222.00 for a rental car and $976.00 for repairs. *jb

I bought my 1998 chevy malibu with 51,133 miles on it. it started to leak anti freeze shortly after i bought the car (73,753 miles). it ended up being a replacement of the camshaft sensor, replace water pump, replace rt.c.v shaft and replace seal sleeve. the egr gasket was also replaced. the total cost of this repair was 874.52 labor and parts included. *jb

The front two (2) metal latches that secure the driver's seat to the sliding rail failed resulting in the seat rotating on the rear latches with the driver laying on their back partially in the back seat. both front latches failed with the metal cracked and sheared. the entire front seat will have to be removed. *akfortunately, the vehicle was not inoperation at the time.

Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft controller the anti- theft system disabled the engine while the vehicle was being turned started. this anti-theft system has prohibited the car from starting two different times. had to disable the anti-theft system in order to start car. dealer could not fix this problem. *nm

The anti- theft system disabled the engine while the vehicle was being turned through an intersection. with the motor dead, neither the brakes nor steering were powered. coasted to the far right lane out of traffic flow, tried to restart the engine, but to no avail. called a tow truck but by the time they arrived, the engine started and ran. this anti-theft system has prohibited the car from starting four times in the last year. the dealer stated that they cannot fix this. they suggested i use a backup key, but i have tried several keys inserted both ways with no improvement. this problem has stranded the driver twice at work and on two separate occasions in mall parking lots, once late at night. the dealer says they can't find what causes the problem, and they cannot disable the anti-theft system as a work-around. this appears to be a very common problem with this car that only the manufacturer can solve. *jb

Tl* - the contact owns an evenflo discovery child safety seat. the contact saw a report on cbs today re: safety recall on the evenflo discovery. also, the contact researched on the internet and found that there was a recall for the evenflo child safety seat. the manufacturer date for the evenflo child safety seat wasjuly 8, 2003. the contact stated the that recommendation for the child safety seat was the middle seat belt. the contact was concerned since the middle seat belt loosened and didn't secure the child in the safety seat. this incident occurreds in both of the contact's vehicle. the contact owns 1997 chevrolet silverado 1500 extended cab, and a 1998 chevrolet malibu. *ak

Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 35 mph, the vehicle was involved in a front impact crash, and the airbags did not deploy. additionally, the contact was wearing a seat belt, and the buckle assembly fractured upon initial impact. there were no injuries sustained. the vehicle sustained moderate damage to the front end. the police were on the scene, and a report was taken. the manufacturer was alerted.

I was driving southbound on state rd. 1 after work at approximately 10:15 p.m. i crossed railroad tracks at about 32 mph and both of my airbags inadvertently discharged. this forced my rear view mirror into the windshield and cracked the windshield. also my dashboard lights are now acting erratically and functions fail to work properly. the shock of the railroad tracks is much less than that of a speed bump at 3 mph. g.m. has failed to send anyone to inspect the vehicle even after letting it sit at a dealership for 7 days because they originally stated they would. g.m. two different dealerships have inspected the vehicle extensively on several occasions and both were unable to determine the cause of the deployment. i have contacted g.m. several times and they are brushing this off like it is nothing to worry about. *nm

I purchased my malibu in 2000 as a used vehicle. it had 24,000 miles on it. i have repeatedly had to replace the front brakes on this vehicle. i have had the rotors turn and replaced the rotors about 5 times. there is definitely a problem with the breaking system. i understand that brakes need to be replaced but i have replaced mine about 32 times in 6 years. i drive a lot of highway miles and therefore do not use my brakes as often as an in town driver. the brakes start to chatter when applied and when i go down the road at certain speeds they also do it. i have never had a chevrolet vehicle use brakes like this one. i have a 1995 chevy corsica with 230,000 miles on it and have only had to replace the brakes on it about 10 times. i also had a chevy cavalier and also drove it about 250,000 miles and did not have to replace the brakes on it that many times either. i have 230,000 miles on my malibu. i have talked to several owners of malibu's and all of them said that they had problems with the brakes needing to be replaced to often. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 mph, the add coolant light illuminated. the contact added coolant to the resevoir. a week later more coolant was added. after the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic, the contact was informed that the intake manifold gasket was leaking. repairs were declined and the leaking became worse as another leak was noticed from the front right side. the manufacturer was notified.

Dt*: the contact stated while making a right turn at an intersection, there was a rubbing sound coming from the right front wheel. a private mechanic removed the right front wheel, and noted that the spring from the macpherson strut had detached and dug a groove into the sidewall. the mechanic replaced the strut.

I have had my lock core in my 1998 chevy malibu ls replaced about a dozen times since my car was around 30,000 to 35,000 miles. it started when the passive theft system activated in my car. i would be driving and all of a sudden it would come on. i brought it to a local dealership and they replaced it. they said that they could only follow the plans on how to fix it even though i mentioned to them that it more than likely was a short in the electrical system of the car. it happens every six to eight months where it won't start and the theft system light on the dash starts flashing at me. i called gm and they told me that i would have to sit in the car with the key in the ignition in the "on" position for up to 20 minutes. i live the upper midwest and if it was on a really cold or hot and humid day, that could be dangerous if you stay with your car. is there any way to get it fixed and fixed right? or have gm stand behind their product? *nm

Anti- theft system engages for no reason. after getting in the car, we try to start it; it turns over, but will not start. i have tried several keys inserted both ways. i have been stranded at work several times because of this. i have been stranded several hundred miles away from home because of this. i have missed work because of this. it cost $ 180 every time to have it reset by the dealer. a new system is $450, but no guarantees it won't happen again. from reading web sites, this is a very common problem with this car. *jb

Having trouble when turning vehicle. sometimes there is a major delay when turning left followed by a jerk to the left. sometimes it feels as though it is to hard to turn to the left then extremely easy to turn to right as though unassisted. i have a recall for 98 malibu but have been told it did not include my vehicle . i find this hard to believe considering the trouble i am having which is just like other 98 malibus the campaign # is 03v527000 eff. 12/11/03 gm recall# 03062. *nm

The anti-theft systems seems to be an anti-owner system also. since 1998 when this car was bought new, the ignition cylinder or the ignition switch have been replaced 6 times. this has been because of one of two reasons. either the key won't turn or the theft system light comes on and won't let me start the car. i drive over 50 miles each way to and from work and can't afford to get stranded for any length of time should i have to stop somewhere during my travels. it's only been two weeks since it was replaced and again the light is coming on.... at $300+ for each repair since the warranty expired, it's getting a little expensive. if the only thing that can be done is to replace a defective part with another defective part and that's not reason enough to investigate this and find a solution then what is? i really like the car but this is ridiculous! *nm

On countless occasions my 1998 chevrolet malibu failed to start because the defective anti-theft system prevents starting. i fear for the time when this system causes the engine to cease when i am driving and in danger of loosing control. i know that gm is aware of this problem--hundreds of complaints have been recorded online alone. can't you persuade gm to correct and adress this problem before injuries and/or loss of life occur--to say nothing of the hundreds of dollars chevrolet dealerships are charging affected drivers to attempt solving this problem. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving and depressing the brakes for any length of time the brakes light fail. the lights over heat and smoke then explode causing them to fail. the vehicle has not been inspected nor has the manufacturer been alerted. *ak

Codes c1286 and c1214. the car doesn't want to stop. i've already had the brakes and rotors done because the abs and brake light were on. the traction control for the relay contact or coil and steering sensor bias malfunction is pulling up. the car has too many problems in 3 months i've had it. *jb

Repeatedly have to replace tail light bulbs because tail lights fill with water every storm or when washed until they finally burn out. mechanic says he sees this problem over and over with malibu's. any recalls on this problem?*jb

Replaced wheel bearings (common gm problem, no grease nipple). having fuel problem (getting too much). noise coming from the front end (sounds like coil spring). *jb

1998 malibu rear spring broke off. consumer drove vehicle to dealer and mechanic determined that the struts and springs needed replacing. *ts ***nar****jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at various speeds and turning there is a noise coming from the steering. the noise is more noticeable while driving at lower speeds. the dealership determined the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. there have been no repairs made. there is a nhtsa recall, # 03v527000, regarding the rack and pinion. the vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the vin. updated 4/6/2006 - repairs have been made. *nm

Driving the car to work on a regular basis and it seems every two months the tail light bulbs need replacing. i keep replacing them but it is not working. it is dangerous because one minute they work. drive down the road and it is not working. is there a recall on this? there should be. *jb

The driver side front coil spring broke while i was backing up on my driveway. i took it to a trusted local mechanic who replaced both front suspension units which included the strut, coil spring and mounting plate. according to the mechanic, it's safer to replace both sides at the same time. i agreed with him, who knows if i did not replace the right side it could have broken while driving down the highway causing a serious accident. the results could be detrimental to the driver and others. my 1998 chevrolet malibu has less than 57,000 miles on it and the coil spring should not break in half in such low mileage. that said, i am thinking if there¿¿s any defect in the design and/or build material of the coil spring. i spent $634 to fix it and it could have cost much more, including my life, loved ones and others. i strongly urge nhtsa to take actions, inform gm and begin a recall campaign immediately before someone gets killed. regards, scott shyu [email protected]. *nm

Manifold gasket failure that allow coolant to leak. water can mix with oil or can generate overheat of the engine. *jb

Dt: the contact stated every time she used the cruise control it deactivated on its own. this started approximately one month after purchasing the vehicle. the vehicle has been to the dealership multiple times for cruise control problems, but they were unable to duplicate the problem. there have been no repairs to the vehicle at this time. *ak updated 2/7/2006 - the bralkes failed at less than 2800 miles. the dealer replaced the brakes and rotors. *nm

The oil light came on one minute the next minute the car cut off. i had the car towed to curtis chevrolet in washington, dc and was told that the engine seized due to the oil regulator and filter exploded. the car has only 57500 original miles, serviced mainly by curtis chevrolet...oil recently changed by curtis yet i was told that to replace the engine would be $6,000. the car is currently considered totaled. *jb

Front passenger coil strut broke while driving. rubbed up against tire. left my car in the parking lot until i could afford to replace it. i took the car to a trusted local mechanic who fixed my car. front passenger coil was replaced as well as the two front struts. also two new tires were replaced up front. *nm

1998 chevy malibu: faulty intake manifold gasket resulting in coolant leak, gasket has been replaced twice within 100,000 miles (may be related to mandated usage of dexcool antifreeze in vehicle per manufacturer). *nm

On aug. 10,2005 my 1998 chevy malibu, while parked with ignition off caught fire. while exiting car before the fire, i smelled no smoke or "hot" smells, i stood there approx. 3 min. while talking to my daughter. 10 min. later the lebanon, tennessee fire dept. was there extinguishing a fire that was mostly contained to the drivers side front headlight area, they deemed the car "totaled" . i contacted gm the same day, and after several phone conversations , on sept.13, 2005, i received a letter from mr. mike demare, customer relationship manager, that "general motors is unable to assume responsibility for damages and we suggest that you resolve this matter through your insurance carrier." so i am still without a car, and i am disabled, with a minor child living with me. i can not afford full coverage , and only had liability on the vehicle. *nm sept.

Repeated failure of front abs wheel speed sensors causing erratic abs and brake operation. *jb

1998 chevrolet malibu engine started racing at high speeds and the consumer was not able to stop the vehicle. *mr the engine was still running on high speed until the consumer was able to turn off the vehicle. *sc tps sensor had to be replaced. *tt

Sudden failure of right front spring causing punctured tire sidewall and sudden deflation of tire. *jb

Dt: one of the coil springs on front driver' s side punctured the tire. the consumer did not contact the dealer or the manufacturer. there was a big boom sound. this happened on june 14, 2005. *ak the consumer did contact the manufacturer, however it was not the response she hoped for. *jb

Wheel bearings keep failing, resulting in me having to get new or resurfaced rotors, pads, calipers, bearings obviously, etc. this is the fourth time in a year and a half! i can't afford to drive an unsafe vehicle, but i can't afford to keep shelling out $500-600 every six months for the same problem, either. after doing some research on the internet, and talking to a few mechanics, i'm apparently not the only one with this problem. also, my power steering hose has a habit of blowing off the line for no reason, resulting in me having to re-attach it. but i don't care about that, i want to know what's wrong with my brake system. *jb

Lately the anti-theft system only seems to be working to keep me from driving. i have asked everybody what i can do to stop this stupid thing and i come up with the same answers. we can change the keys, put in a new ignition, a new ignition switch. all with the same results. it will not fix the problem. i don't see why chevrolet will not recall the system and disable it some how. it used to happen just once in awhile now it seems to be happening about 2-3 times per month. each time i am stranded for at least 15 minutes because that is how long it takes for the theft system to cycle through. i can remember at least 3 times that i have been stranded for over an hour because when the light would go off i would try to start it and the theft system light would start blinking again. very frustrating. other than the stupid theft system the car has been great.*jb

I purchased my 1998 malibu, it's had nothing but problems. since i bought this car in november of 2001 with in less than a week of purchasing i had to take the car back to dealer and have them fix a problem because check engine light was on, i am unsure of the exact problem but i do know the car did not pass emissions and if i had to pay for it, it would have cost me over 500 dollars, i have replaced my front brakes on 3 occasions, i have fixed the leaking transmission 2x, i have replaced the tail light bulbs about 4x, i replaced the alternator and the lining is coming off the trunk. these are all problems i had in less then 2 years of owning the vehicle. since march 2004 i have been unable to drive my vehicle. i have replaced the fuel pump, water pump, 2 of the injectors and there have been other small repairs here and there. every time i fix something within less then a week of driving it there is something else wrong i am unable to repair it until i can save enough money to put more into it. i am currently replacing the injectors which i have already paid 600 dollars and have 4 more to go. i am worried that after i put this money into it i will still have more problems, i have been told that there is some electrical problem in the dash but they are unsure exactly what it is because the car will not run long enough to figure out. nobody can tell me everything that is wrong with because i need to fix one problem before they can be sure of the next. this car was the worst purchase i have made. i was unable to register my vehicle last year due to all the problems. i have been on several web sites and about this car and everyone is having similar problems and putting out thousands of dollars in repairs. *nm

(1) front passenger shock spring broke in two places, i began to hear a slight grinding noise (2) spring broke puncturing the tire and forcing the weight of the car on the frame and tire rim (3) car was towed to a gm dealer, the spring was replaced. tow truck driver advised that this is the fourth incident for this defect that he has seen. *jb

We drove our car to our camp which is 60 miles away. the next day we went to move our car when the front end on the passenger side went down with a hard and loud bang. at first, we thought it was the tire since it was flat, but when we looked under the car it looked like the spring had broken off and punctured the tire. we had to have it towed to our dealership. they told us that the spring was broken and the strut and the mount were also blown out. they replaced the right front strut, mount and the spring. they also replaced the left front spring to the vehicle to even it out. both front tires also had to be replaced. the total cost was $1171.43 we could have been seriously injured, if this had happened on the highway. we had taken our two grandsons to camp with us. (ages 2 & 4) it is scary to think what could have happened to them, if we had been in a crash. fortunately, we were just moving the car a few feet. *jb

The abs warning light has been going on occasionally since i bought the car new in 1998. recently, this has been happening frequently, almost every time, shortly after starting the car and usually during the first turn. turning off the engine and then restarting turns the abs light off, and it then stays off. also, in the past month or so, the car has slid forward just as it is coming to a stop. this causes me to slide about one foot beyond where i intended to stop, which could be dangerous. i have taken to stopping well behind the car in front of me to allow for this extra slide. at the time of the slide, i feel the pressure on the brake pedal suddenly drop, and then i have to push really hard to stop. this failure only seems to happen in the first few times i stop after starting the car. i brought the car today to wilkie chevrolet in philadelphia to have this defect checked out.

The engine leaked coolant and oil from the block, which is not supposed to happen. my car then overheated on the road which led to my coolant bursting out of the overfill tank. the engine then started to steam, and all the coolant laid there on the road. i was told by 3 different shops that it was the head gasket that needed to be replaced, which cost me $1000 in parts and labor.

I was backing out of my garage when the front end of the car dropped down with a hard bang. it felt like the wheel fell off. there was a terrible noise when i tried to back out of the garage. i left the car in my driveway. the next day i called for a flat bed tow to take the car to the dealer. the dealer informed me that the front spring had broken in half and damage the strut. the dealer suggested that i have both springs and both struts replaced at a cost of $1391.64 which was paid to the dealer when the car was ready for pickup on june 24, 2005. on june 22, 2005 i filed a complaint with general motors. i contended that i could have been seriously injured or worse if this happened on a high speed highway which is where i was going at the time. fortunately, this happened while backing out of my garage. i explained to general motors rep. that the springs should never break in half and that general motors should accept responsibility for the cost of the repairs. after 2 weeks, general motors would only give me a $500 credit towards a new car. i told them that i am not planning to buy a new car and that i would like some financial relief for the costs of the repairs. they refused.

At the beginning of this year, i bought a 1998 chevy malibu, 2.4 l, 4 cyl, sedan. shortly after purchasing the vehicle i began having a problem with the abs light commming on and my brakes were grinding really bad. i took the vehicle back to the dealer that i bought it from the day my warrenty was to run out. they supposidly reset the abs system because it did throw them a code. the following day the same problem occured. i have had nothing but problems with the abs since i purchased the vehicle. i've also been having a problem with the air compressor. it makes an awful noise. the dealer i purchased the vehicle from also supposidly replaced the compressor with a used one. the compressor is still making the same noise as if they never replaced it. but these repairs were done on my last day of my warrenty so the dealer will not have anything to do with the problems anymore. i love my vehicle, it is perfect for the size family that i have and it is a very beautiful vehicle but the issues i am having with it are almost not worth dealing with. something needs to be done.

Dt: the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet, malibu. the front coil spring broke. there was no shield guard, and it caused the right front cv shaft to break. also, had to do other repairs. according to the mechanic vehicle could have been involved in serious accident if she drove the vehicle after the coil spring broke. the coil spring could have gone through the front tire, causing consumer to lose control of the vehicle. *ak

Both coil springs failed within a 2 month period.

In march of '05 took car in for sevice engine was ticking while idle at one point once car was warmed up the ticking stoped but now the ticking is still heard while driving and at acceleartion. took car in the bob mcguire chevrolet in bordentown, nj was told that i had a head gasket leak that had already mixed with the engine oil. had everything fixed and they even put in heavy duty lifter cleaner to clean the lifters according to mecanic that was were the tick was coming from but when i picked up the car the engine was still ticking when idle and the noise had gotten worse. when i asked what it would take to fix the ticking i was told that the whole job that was just performed on the car had to be performed again in order to fix the lifters that is causing the ticking.

My theft light came on as i was driving the car. i brought it into village chevrolet and they switched out the ignition switch. (this has happened at least 12 to 15 times). they have replaced the iginition switch at least 4 times, the body control module once. at least five of those 12 to 15 times, i wasn't driving anywhere and i was using the original key that i got when i purchased the car brand new, i was attempting to start the car and the theft light came on solid. i called gm, and they told me to put the key in the on position for 15 to 20 minutes to reset itself. i live in mn, and this is totally unacceptable since we have weather extremes and i am a single woman, and this is my only mode of transportation. the last time that i brought it in for this, they cut a new key from my vin to see if that would help solve the problem. it has happened at least 2 more times since that. i have called gm repeatedly, and they tell me that there is nothing that they can do. i am pretty sure that there is a short between the ignition switch and the starter. is there anything that can be done???

I pulled out into the street when i heard a pop. thinking it was my power steering i drove on and within a mile my tire blew. upon removal of the tire, the coil spring on the front right side had snapped. there was no rust, only a complete break in the coil spring.

Dt consumer stated her son was driving the vehicle when he heard a grinding noise coming from the right front of the vehicle. there was a loud bang. when the vehicle was inspected it was found that the coil spring snapped, the front right strut broke and caused the coil spring to slit the tire which lead to a blow out of the tire. *jb

While driving,the vehicle stalled. this problem occurred more than once and had not been resolved. vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. *ak the fuel pump has been fixed four times but they continue to fail. *bf *nm

1) normal driving conditions, mostly highway. 2) failure of the hub assembly. very noisy, reduced noise around corners. 3) this hub has been replaced three times and it needs to be replaced again. i have searched for any recalls on this and could not find any. it has been 25000 miles since it was replaced last and this is totally unacceptable and expensive. was told that continued driving could cause more damage including abs system. incident date below corresponds to the lastest time hub failed. have not had it replaced yet, so part is still available.*ak

Consumer complained about a horn problem. contacted the dealer and manufacturer, and neither was willing to assist. consumer was informed by the dealer that the horn was defective because of the air bag components being pressed against the wiring of the horn. vehicle was never in an accident. *ak

Consumer has two separate issues which involved both front coil springs breaking. the first time consumer noticed a rubbing noise coming from the front wheel. vehicle was taken to a repair shop, and mechanic determined that the left front coil spring broke, and rubbed against the tire. the second time was after the consumer drove 50 miles to take a friend to the local hospital. after getting into the vehicle to return home consumer felt tension on the right tire. vehicle was towed to the repair shop, and mechanic determined found that right coil spring broke. dealer was notified, and informed consumer that vehicle was not covered under a recall.*ak

While pulling into a gas station vehicle caught on fire under the hood. local fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. vehicle was towed to the consumer's in-law house. the insurance investigator determined that the fire was cause by an electrical short. dealer and the manufacturer were not notified.*ak

Dt: the consumer indicated that he heard a loud thud while driving about 20 mph. a couple minutes later after going probably 50 ft he heard something rolling under his vehicle. he pulled over and exited the vehicle. he saw what looked like a piece of coil spring and picked it up. he looked under the car and saw were the coil spring slipped off from the drivers side of the vehicle. he called the mechanic but has not had any work done to the vehicle. he also took the actual piece of the coil spring to his dealer. the dealer indicated that he had sold several coil springs to different people. the road was brick paved road and there was no warning prior to the failure except for the noise. *nm

While parked in the driveway coil spring broke and went inside of the front left tire of consumer's vehicle. also, rear coil spring broke, but did no damage to tire. called dealer to inquiry about the tire and did not get an answer.*ak

1998 chevrolet malibu windshield wiper motor blew up.*mr the consumer request reimbursement for the replacement of the motor. *nm

The front driver's side spring broke on the consumer's 1998 chevrolet malibu. ***nar** *nm the consumer turned the key in the ignition when she experienced sudden noise and feeling that the vehicle had gone down on the left front side. the consumer found that the left front tire blew out. it was noticed that the spring had snapped and tore up the tire. they could see no reason why the spring had snapped with no wear or rust. *sc *jb

Fuel pump, discontinued, but not recalled. *ak

When pulling out of a friends home on a dry 60 degree night, my son proceeded less than a block to a flashing red light. before getting to the light, he applied the brake (the car behind him saw the brake lights) and the car would not stop. he had a total brake failure. when he realized that he would soon be in the middle of the intersection with an oncoming vehicle, he accelerated to try to get out of the way of the oncoming vehicle. however, he still was hit near the rear of the back door (on the drivers side) and the car was spun into a pole on the other side causing extensive damage - the car has been declared a total loss. fortunately, the occupants were both uninjured, but had he not accelerated it could have been quite a different story. right now, the insurance company is pushing for us to have it moved to a junk yard to avoid the storage fees. *ak *bf *nm

After a few minutes (maybe 10 to 15 minutes) of starting/driving, gas pedal "sticks" in the closed position requiring additional foot pressure to make it advance to a reasonable rpm to either breake inertia or continuing driving. this process becomes dangerous to the extend that a higher/unwanted accelaration results due to the pedal not traveling smoothly. *ak

In less than than 8 months two springs has broken. dealer claims rusted coating, that they have not seen this on any other car. is there anyone else with this problem? the car has less than 35,000 miles on it..*ak

This car has been nothing but a nightmare for me. and to add insult to injury, the local chevy dealer says there is nothing wrong with the car. (though it doesn't stop them from charging me for all the expensive repairs that have been made) this car has many, many electrical problems. i purchased this car as a "certified gm" back in july 2001. there are just too many issues to list on this forum. most recent, was coming home last night with my son in the car. for no reason at all the headlights failed, leaving me w/ 1 fog lamp as the other went w/ the headlights. on a gravel road, w/ no lights. found ourselves in the ditch. still waiting for the tow truck to pull the piece of crap out. son got a nice goose egg out of the ordeal from hitting his head on the door on the bumpy ride down the ditch. i am so fed up with this car. *nm

1. vehicle losing coolant. 2. problem is due to failure of the intake manifold gasket. 3. intake gasket needs to be replaced. *jb

Number of problems since the car was purchased new in 1998. the front brakes have been an ongoing problem, the cooling system has a leak at the intake manifold and numerous other major problems that everyone i talk to or read about is having the same problems with this car. chevy will not do anything about it. *jb

Vehicle was in a low speed, low impact collision. however, the front air bags deployed. vehicle was moving about 10 mph. *ak

The windshield wipers suddenly failed while driving in the storm. the consumer would like to know if there was a recall on a 1998 chevy malibu. *bf responded to previously via e-mail refer to odi#10093392. *sc

A loud popping noise came from the front and rear. consumer drove to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the left and right brake pads and rotors needed to be replaced due to warping. *ak

Consumer complaint concerning unsatisfactory transaction with gmc, cruise control failed then air bag light came on. *bf the consumer stated that she should be fully compensated for her repairs and a recall should be sent out. *tc

While driving, the air bag deployed and cracked the windshield. *jb

While driving vehicle, steering became very difficult, mechanic determined that rack and pinion needed to be replaced. this is the second incident. i have had it replaced once before. i called the dealership and was told that my vehicle identification number was not included in the recall. d.f.*ak

Clogged fuil injectors p0300 code a very common problem with gm cars gm came out with a bulletin to clean the injectors short term fix i have seen many vehicles daily with this problem many injectors replaced.some gm cars dont have this problem corvette prizm both cars use a different style injector they dont clogge gm says gas is the problem well corvette and prizm uses the same gas.this is such a common problem gm needs to step up and come out with a better injector and recall the cars.i had my injectors cleand many times and all the injectors replaced.*ak

Coolant leak .. again in my 1998 chevrolet malibu! i had my intake gasket replaced approximately two years ago due to car over heating and a coolant leak. my extended warranty covered it at that time but not without a struggle. i have since been told in the past month that this same repair needs to be done again and that i'm looking at anywhere from $600.00 - $1000.00 for the repair and this will come out of my pocket. from the consumer complaints that i've read on the internet and the service bulletin out on the specific problem, gm obviously knows that this is in issue. why aren't they forced to put out a recall? this could be a dangerous problem.*ak

Engine locked up while driving at highway speed(70mph) due to failed intake gasket on 1998 malibu 3.1 . one flicker of oil light (oil had just been changed that morning by myself (experienced auto technician) .engine had 52,000 miles, was 600 miles from home(appr), cost $750 to tow home, upon disasembly found failed intake gasket, purchased used engine,$600, $800 to have installed. gm contacted in every forum avail. refused to help in any way. installed new gasket on used engine before installing, gm parts, now 37,000 miles later have intake gasket leak again.*ak

While driving vehicle stalled. consumer was unable to restart vehicle. consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. *ak

Consumer stated that this vehicle experienced the same problem as mentioned in recall 03v527000. however, this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak updated 12/12/2006 - *nm

While driving 25 mph, in inclement weather the passenger side windshield wiper failed. the driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle and drove it to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the driver that the passenger side windshield wiper pivot housing was broken and needed to be replaced. please provide further details. *jb

Upon setting up cruise control it failed to set, and the air bag warning light came on. dealership indicated that this was due to a failure in the air bag warning harness connection. these parts were currently on back order.*ak wrong part sent. *tc

While my husband was driving my 1998 chevrolet malibu which has approximately 87,000 miles on it, he heard an unusual noise that indicated something was wrong with the engine. the car immediately lost power while moving at a speed of approximately 40 mph. there was a lot of rattling and vibrations. upon having the car towed to a garage for a diagnostic test, he was informed that the car had to have a new engine. the engine repair company states that the harmonic balancer failed which in turned messed up the internal workings of the engine. this will cost us approximately $3600 dollars to replace the engine. *nm

While driving 20 mph accelerator pedal stuck suddenly. as a result, the vehicle surged forward at high speed and crashed into a pole and rolled over. driver sustained five broken ribs. *ak

While vehicle was parked consumer noticed liquid leaking onto the ground. consumer drove vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that rack and pinion steering needed to be replaced. a recall notice 03082 was issued, but mechanic informed consumer that the recall did not affect this vehicle. *ak

I bought this car used, and have had problems since the day i drove it off the lot. car was sold with "check engine" light on, and it took 2 repair visits for it to be fixed. numerous minor problems have had to be fixed in the last 2 months that i have owned the car. new transmission put in at 69000 miles. once i received the car back from the dealership, "check oil" light was on, but oil level was fine. brought the car in to the dealership so the mechanic could reset it. after that, all gauges on the dash periodically quit working while driving, and mileage was not being recorded while gauges were out. when the gauges come back on, the "service vehicle soon" light is lit. the vehicle is currently at the dealership for repairs for this problem with the gauges for the 3rd time in the last month. i definitely feel that i got a lemon and am unhappy.

While driving 30 mph front driver's coil spring broke. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and pulled over. vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that both frontal coil springs needed to be replaced. *ak

(1) i was driving home on i-75 an hour north of atlanta after labor day weekend. while doing 70-75 mph in heavy rains and winds from the leading edge of hurricane frances, my windshield wipers suddenly failed leaving windshield awash in rain and visibility less than 6 feet. the passenger side winsheild wiper arm snapped first in the vertial position, then the driver side windshield wiper arm ran over top of it breaking it too. trecherous driving conditions were endured in attempting to get off interstate. i was left to drive with nearly no visibility through hurricane frances for 3 more hours until i made it far enough to get out of the storm. 3) when back home in louisville, i took the car to service center to get estimate and fixed since it was predicted to rain soon. the failure was diagnosed to the windshield wiper linkages breaking. i have been in contact with gm customer assistance center to try to get gm to cover the cost of the repairs. *ak i searched safety recall database here and came accross open investigation for this part that failed. therefore i decided to make a complaint also. rq04006. this part was recalled in 2001 but only in 28 northern states.*ak

Right front spring broke, causing tire damage and loss of control.*ak

Recall 01v068000 concerning windshield wiper arm. when driving in inclement weather windshield wipers would stop operating or the windshield wiper would lock up in a down position. dealer was notified. dealer informed consumer that this vehicle was not covered under that recall due to vin.

While driving at low speeds, the consumer heard a clunking noise coming from the front end of the vehicle while turning. the consumer had difficulty maintaining control of the vehicle while turning left. the consumer took the vehicle to firestone and was informed that the lower pinion bearing needed to be replaced and possibly the gear assembly. *jb the vehicle's steering rack and pionion was recalled but the consumer's vehicle was not included due to vin. *nm

For some reason the front disc brake pads wear prematurely.(they last about a month or so of in-frequent driving).at about every third pad change,i've had to replace both front rotors.ak

Radiator fluid leeks because of bad manifold gasket. *ak

The abs light on the instrument panel frequently turns on, especially during braking, and/or non-braking while making a turn. when the abs light turns on, the braking capabilities of the car are diminished (conversely of what should happen). these incidents of abs system malfunction have almost caused me to have a couple accidents where the braking system was not fully powered. it has felt like losing the power assisted brakes on the car, where there is nothing wrong with the power braking system. 99% of the time, the system works fine, but it's that 1% of the time that this happens unexpected, and is very dangerous.

Upon purchase, lighter/assessory fuse blown. replaced fuse, recently blown again. now blowing fuses at any try of use.*ak

Heater fan switch only works above setting 3. this results in operator to hot(heat) or to cold(a.c.). cannot find source of problem.*ak

Consumer received a recall notification. after taking the vehicle to dealer for recall repairs consumer was involved in single car collision. steering failed. *ak

I have had several problems with this car: i have replaced tires twice, tried to have the front end alligned because of the steering problem , it is like i have no power steering - when i took it to get the front end alligned, they told me that they couldnt do it because of the rack & pinion needed replaced first. i have called gm and was told that it was not their problem. the dealership told me that there is a recall on this and for me to contact you. i have already had to put a motor and brakes(several times) on this car. please help me. sincerely, amelia denson. *ak

While driving 20 mph consumer heard a loud noise coming from the front of the vehicle. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle and pulled over. then vehicle was towed to a repair shop and the mechanic determined that both front coil springs needed to be replaced. *ak the passenger side spring broke and punctured the tire. *nm

Vehicle's front springs broke.*mr both front spring broke in exactly the same spot. the consumer has the broken parts in her possesion. *nm

I have replaced my entire braking system at least 4 times. i was told by chevrolet that due to a problem with the ball joints, the brake rotors would wear unusually fast. i am currently waiting to see if with over $4,000 spent in parts, service, and labor, the problem is solved. *la

Car repeatedly stalled in the middle of highway traffic. *ak

When driving 10 mph consumer turned the steering wheel towards the left and steering wheel made a grinding noise. also, brakes were difficult to depress. consumer was able to control the vehicle, and towed it to dealership for inspection. *ak

While driving check engine light illuminated. technician serviced vehicle and noticed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. *ak *nm

The front brake rotors on my 1998 malibu (with 113,000 miles) are warped and must be replaced. three prior sets also warped, at 18,000, 29,000, and 91,000. after the first problem i sent a complaint to the office of defects investigation at nhtsa. it was assigned odi #735425. i never heard anything back. i note there are over 200 complaints about malibu rotors warping on the nhtsa website. isn't there some manufacturer liability for this? *ak

My grandson was driving down the road, the airbag light came on and he heard a high pitched sound. a few seconds late both the driver and passenger airbags deployed. he was able to pull to the side of the road. the car was taken to the ocean city chevrolet i was told that something had to have been hit for airbags to deploy. they were unable to find the problem because the car had not been wreck of hit. gm was notified and test were run on the car. i contacted gm to find out if they were going to fix the problem. they responded with a run around saying that the black box shows an impact in the front and back. then i told him the car had not been wrecked or hit. he then responded by saying that the airbags could have deployed because my grandson slowed down 6 mph in under a second, which according to the gm man is not possible by brakes. if that was the case my grandsons friend that was follwing him would have rear-ended him if he had slowed down that rapidly. finaly the gm man told me that the car could have been bumped just right and that was that cause of the airbag deployment. gm refused to repair my airbag saying that it was not their fault. however it was a car defect.*ak

While driving there was a lot of play in the steering wheel. dealership solved the problem once, but problem recurred. *ak

Automatic transmission slipping at 80,000 miles. *ak

While the vehicle was parked, fluid leaked from underneath the vehicle. the consumer drove the vehicle to the dealer for inspection and the mechanic determined that the intake manifold needed to be replaced due to a manufacturing defect. *ak the vehicle leaked antifreeze. it was to the point where the consumer was placing antifreeze in the vehicle everyday then it eventually didn't hold anymore. the mechanic informed the consumer that the problem was a manufacturer defect in the engine with the manifold. the problem was fixed temporarily and that in another 50k miles the same problem would incur. *sc *jb

Dissatisfied with the length of time it took the local dealership to perform a two and a half hour recall. *ph

On 3 occasions in almost 70000 miles i have had to get the intake manifold gasket replaced on my car. the first time was covered by warranty.the other two were not. all 3 resulted in leaking anti-freeze. the first time was internal. all three times were repaired at dealerships. *ak

Gas gauge in dash set does not register and the entire dash component must be replaced. tank is full, but gauge registers e, sending unit alright, problem is in the dash set up. *nm

Intake manifold gasket on 3.1l v6, and head gasket failed. severe engine damage resulted from coolant entering engine, freezing two exhaust valves and rendering the car inoperable in heavy traffic. complete damage esimate unknown at this time. can update later. contact with gm customer service indicates they are not aware of the problem. not true! a serious problem and they know it well! they apparently refuse to take any action to make right this major engine design error. this car failed in a very dangerous place.

Air compresser and wire harness had to be replaced fan did not work on setting 1 and 2 needed to be replaced again the first time was in 2000. airconditioning problem caused the fuses that control gas tank, temp gage and lights on dash board to go out all fusses replaced

Coolant leaking from 3.1 liter intake manifold gasket. gasket had to be replaced.

My 1998 chevy malibu's 3.1l engine required an intake manifold gasket at around 30000 miles. my car has been using more fluid lately and i am thinking that the gasket will once again require replacing. secondly, my car rusted around the doors and the hood seams. i took the car to the dealer where they fixed the problem under warranty. it has been four months since the repairs and the seams look worse than ever.

Intake gasket leaking, needs repair.

Harsh winter of 2003 with unusual buildup of snow/ice in north carolina has resulted in failure of the passenger side windshield wiper pivot housing and/or related parts of my daughter's 98 chev. malibu. chevy dealers refuse to help repair as a recall, because the recall is limited to geographic regions, and closest state is our nearby neighbor west virginia (where, of course, our nc residents naturally travel regularly during the winter for the sport of winter skiing). part cost has been quoted as $137, though i haven't yet determined if i have the tools/capability to repair myself. unfortunately, this causes the vehicle to be currently not drivable in inclement weather.

Sometimes we start the car the anti-theft controller shuts the car down for a 10 minute period for no reason. *ak

Chevrolet refused to pay ferry expense so consumer could get her vehicle repaired at the nearest chevy dealership, 100 miles away by water. *ph *la *jb

Abs light illuminated, and the brake pedal had to be pressed down to the floor for the vehicle to stop. also, air conditioner turned on/off on its own. *ak

1998 chevrolet malibu abs light comes on. when braking, the brake pedal goes all the way down and brakes don't work correctly, making the stopping distance longer. we took the car to the dealer and they replace the front speed sensor. a few months later it started to do the same thing again. and since haven't been able to fix this problem. also, when braking the car vibrates, i know that it's do to the front rotors, needing to be replace, but i was looking on the number of complaints that this type of cars has and don't find it to be a coincidence. surely there is some thinking we can do to fix this problem or are we going to have to wait till someone get injured or killed. it is notably that this is a safety issue that needs to be taken care of now. we have cars on the street that have faulty brake systems, if that is not a safety issue then call me crazy. hopefully some one get back to me. *ak

Consumer replaced the brake pads and rotors six times in 4 1/2 years. *ph

Vehicle was rear ended and hit a dump truck in front. vehicle was not in motion, however, upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. *ak

Nhtsa 03v527000 steering gear bearing failure. recall repairs were performed on february 19, 2004, but problem recurred. *ak

While braking tail lights failed. dealerships repaired the problem eight times, but the consumer was still having the same problem. *ak

While driving 20 mph and making a left turn steering wheel locked up. driver applied the brakes and pedal went to the floor. driver lost control of the vehicle and hit a rock. the driver was not hurt. the vehicle was towed by triple l towing. *ak consumer's daughter in law heard news of gm recalling 88,000 vehicles for a power steering defect, and relayed the news to consumer. consumer contacted gm regarding the news and was informed that vehicle is included on the list. also, gm said that they would send an inspector to check on to the vehicle. consumer also reported information to her insurance carrier. *la

1998 cevrolet malibu with 3.1 v6 engine.car had sporadic stalling.finally traced to a leaking intake manifold gasket which was allowing coolant into the engine.the coolant leaking also caused the o2 sensor to be coated and need replacing.vehicle has approx mileage in the 74k range.

I do not have any accidents or incidents to report, but i am concerned that one could occur, if not to me, to somebody else who may have the same problem. no problem stated or component listed in the summary. *ak i have a 1998 chevy malibu, with a 3.1l v6 engine. i have been recently diagnosed with a leaking lower intake manifold gasket. my mechanic says this is a very common problem with this engine, in the 50k to 80k mile range. i have 89,500 miles on my malibu. repair cost is $600-800. i did some checking around, and 2 other mechanics i spoke to also said this is a very common problem. i also looked online, and found that there are literally thousands of others out there with the exact same symptoms and problems. gm continues to deny there is a problem, however i also became aware that gm canada is providing 50/50 deals for the correction of this very problem. can't gm here in the u.s. admit there was a design flaw in the plastic gaskets they used, and offer a recall? this exact same problem is too common for it to be normal wear and tear...especially when gm canada is offering to fix it. thank you for your attention to this matter.

Consumer received recall 03v527000 regarding steering gear bearings failure. consumer felt that the dealer treated the recall unfairly. consumer had been put off several times when trying to have recall repairs done .*ak

Anti-freeze (dex-cool) leaked out, causing me to have to relpace my intake manifold gasket. *ak

Power steering failed, and the vehicle suddenly accelerated. driver lost control and hit a rock. upon impact, none of the vehicles airbags deployed. *ak

While making a left turn the vehicle stalled. consumer restarted the vehicle and drove it to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. *ak

While applying brakes tail light malfunctioned. tail light would come on and off on its own. consumer drove the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that an electrical short could not be found inside of the vehicle. *ak

While applying brakes tail lights on driver and passenger sides would not come on. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that a electrical short could not been found inside of the vehicle. **ak

My car was leaking a clear fluid i took to a mechanic who said i needed to replace the intake manifold gasket and that he gets several gm cars a week with the same problem recommending i filed a complaint so that there might be a recall. there is definitely a gasket problem on gm vehicles. *jb

My turn signal works sometimes and sometimes it does not. i notice especially in cold temperatures outside it does not work for a long time until the car warms up. i try and try to use the turn signal to alert other drivers, but it is impossible. it just works when it wants to, i cannot predict if it will work or not. the bulbs are not blown, it is the turn signal lever switch when trying to use it you may or may not get a response, therefore i can't alert other drivers and cyclist that i want to turn. *jb

Automatic transmission, power steering, and a/c controls. *ak

I was involved in a minor low impact collision and the airbags deployed without inflating which offered absolutely no protection. *nm

The vehicle was taken to the dealer to have recall no.#03v527000(steering gear bearings) performed. the consumer feels that the vehicle runs worse now than it did before the recall work was done. the consumer stated that the vehicle's is making a loud noise while idling. *nm

Power steering failure. took it to the dealership they said i need a new rack and some hoses. estimated price is $1,300. i called gm service and they said my vin was not included in the recall issued in the past few months concerning steering failure in chevy malibu. what's up with that. *jb

I own a 1998 chevrolet malibu and my complaint is that the trunk does not stay up in the air on windy days or sometimes by just putting groceries into the trunk. i can not recall the amount of times myself or another person has been hit on the head with the trunk lid. i find this to be very dangerous and think the some sort of hydraulics (like in most hatchbacks) should be installed. *jb

While driving 75 mph, consumer heard a noise coming from under the hood. then, vehicle lost power steering. *ak

Consumer complained about an ignition problem. consumer had to hold the key in ignition switch, turn and hold for a period of time before the engine turned over. secondly, seat belt on the front driver side did not retract. had to put the seat belt on manually. also, brakes squeak when applied. *ak

The intake manifold / intake gaskets are leaking water into my oil. because of this i am in great danger of my engine blowing. the car has 65,000 miles on it, this should not happen at all.*ak

Anti theft activates alot , just wish i could start the car when i need it .heater control doesn't want to work right, it would also be nice to have heat in the winter , been to shop a number of times but gm can't seem to find the problem. chevrolets are junk, i wont buy another one. i fixed my brake problem by using ceramic pads, cost a little but well wort it ( had the same brake problems that were reported here every 5000 or so mile in for repairs. ) when i put ceramic pads on they lasted 40,000 miles and still going strong. *ak

While driving power steering fluid leaked. this could cause intermittent lost of power steering fluid. *ak

At 47,000 miles vehicle was taken to dealer for an anti-freeze leak. the dealer replaced engine gasket, but problem recurred. *ak the consumer had taken the vehicle in for a power steering problem and they found the intake manifold gasket leaking coolant. *sc

Consumer noticed vehicle was leaking coolant. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and mechanic determined that intake manifold needed to be replaced. *ak

The vehicle was experiencing a problem with the housing of the windshield wipers and as a result the wipers did not move at all. although this defect was on recall the consumer's vehicle was not included due to vin. please provide any additional information. *nm

The heater only blows on setting 5. research indicates the possibility of melted resistor. seems to be a common, recurring problem with malibus. *la

Car is leaking coolant. after having it checked, it has been determined it is the intake manifold gasket leaking. after some research, i have discovered this is a common problem not only on malibus but on many gm/gmc cars. *la

While driving 75 mph consumer heard a noise coming from under hood. soon after vehicle lost power steering. *ak *nm

While driving or turning, the vehicle lost power steering and it became difficult to steer. *jb

When turning right power steering failed intermittently. *ak

The windshield wipers failed because the windshield wiper linkage needed to be replacement. there is a recall being conducted for this problem, but the consumer's vehicle is not a part of it. recall no. #01vo68000, windshield wiper linkage. *nm

Vehicle was experiencing the same problems as those stated in recalls, which included the steering gear bearings, and the windshield wiper arms. *ak

Trunk struts wore out, and caused the trunk lid to fall on the consumer. consumers sustained neck/back of the head injuries. dealership was notified , but was unable to resolve the problem. *ak *mr

Aluminum alloy tire rims: i own a 1998 chevrolet malibu, and the problem is with the rims. i am on my third purchased replacement rim for the vehicle. the problem is that when the tire goes through a chuck or pot hole in the road they are cracking, causing deflation of the tire. i feel that this is a problem since the dealership where i purchased the vehicle tells me that they have been replacing alot of these rims.

When the gas tank was full the gas gauge read empty and when the gas tank was empty the gas gauge read full. *ak the steering wheel made noises, the a/c light did not stay on and the a/c blew hot air when the button was not activated, the key would come out of the ignition and would not stay in and the vehicle would still drive without the key in the ignition. the brakes would have to be replaced at least twice a year, the antenna did not pick up an adequate number of stations, (case efficiency decreased from 350 to 250 to refill the can), when two batteries were replaced, the gas gauge did not work, and condensation would set in the rear lights and burned them out. *sc *jb

Lower intake manifold gasget leaking at 43,661 miles. repair costs encountered totaled $589.90. *ak

Windshield wiper motor failed. recall 01v068000 was issued; however, this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak

While applying the brakes at any speed, consumer felt vibration in the steering wheel. vehicle was taken to a dealer, who informed the consumer that the rotors were warped. had the rotors replaced three times since owning vehicle. currently, another set of rotors were needed. *ak

Intake manifold gasket failure. this caused anti-freeze in oil and it made the car to die out. once the oil was changed the used oil was thick and had metal shavings in it. also the engine started knocking.*ak

Windshield wiper linkage system cracked while in use during a heavy rain causing both wipers to fail. i was on interstate 65 traveling at 55mph. visibilty after the incident diminished to approx 20-30 feet. i was able to keep the car under control and pull to the roadside. *akhowever i don't think an inexperienced driver would have been so lucky under those conditions,, weather, speed, traffic... i searched for any recall notices from chevy on this and found one, 01v068000. why wasn't my state listed in the group to notify? there is a real danger in the plastic design of the wiper mount. please take another look at the defect in the design and have chevy notify all of us malibu owners of the potential for danger...thank you phlecia partain

1998 chevrolet malibu with 61,000 miles needed lower intake manifold gasket repaired, water pump replaced and engine oil flush became a $1146.22 problem and my extended warranty through warranty gold covered nothing because they are under liquidation/chapter 11. what an experience. *la

Consumer stated that anti-theft system failed, preventing vehicle from starting. consumer took vehicle to the dealer/mechanic approximately 15 times, and they could not find out why the anti-theft system failed. *ak

When applying the brakes they failed to grab intermittently. dealer stated that master cylinder malfunctioned, causing vehicle to collide into an embankment.*ak

The abs warning indicator light illuminated. while making sharp turns in either direction and applying pressure to the brake pedal, vehicle experienced extended stopping distance. independent mechanic could not determine the cause of the problem. *ak

Consumer noticed spots of coolant on the driveway. vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic, who informed the consumer that the manifold gasket was leaking. *ak

Factory alarm system module fails constantly causes fuel injectors to quit for about 10-20 min. "theft system" light blinks, once it's done blinking it might start the car, or it might fail again causing another 10-20 min. lag period. a/c also blows cold air when off, and hot air when on at times. a/c also turns it's self off and on from time to time. brakes seem to give out in the middle of braking. almost had an accident because of it. *la

I lightly pressed the gas pedal, lifted my foot off, then pressed again - the pedal fell to the floor. after having the car towed, the mechanic said the throttle cable snapped and needed to be replaced - 2nd failure. *jb

Coolant was leaking due to cracked plastic intake manifold. *ak

I lightly pressed the gas pedal, lifted my foot off, then pressed again - the pedal fell to the floor. after having the car towed, the mechanic said the throttle cable had snapped and needed to be replaced. *jb

Water is leaking into engine from the head gasket. water pump started seeping after head gasket was replaced. the front brakes was replaced several times with finally the ones mentioned on the bulletin. first the left side wheel bearing/ speed sensor assembly changed then a couple of thousand of miles later the right side. air condition was going on and off intermittently. *la

Problems with vehicle's windshield wipers.*mr the windshield wipers stopped working in a snow storm and the consumer was unable to see. *ts *jb

Pass lock system permits engine from starting for at least 10-20 minutes. *la

While applying the brakes abs braking light appeared on the dashboard without warning. the brakes has been replaced five times, every 35,000 miles. while applying the brakes vehicle would vibrate, and there would be extended stopping distance. *ak

Rack and pinion broke, causing steering to fail. *ak

Front brakes pulsate with a violent steering wheel shimmy and front end shake.this is very dangerous at normal street speeds and highway speeds.

I had to have the rack & pinion system replaced on my 1998 malibu along with the power steering pump pulley due to being worn thru and unsafe to drive by the service techinicians recommendation. this was done at 68719 miles. i also had the intake valves replaced 2 months ago for the second time due to leakage of lots of oil into the engine, also per the service technicians recommendation. this was only 14 months after it was done the last time. i have my service done at a chevrolet dealership and i think that 68719 miles is low mileage to have to replace the rack & pinion system. i also think that i was given faulty intake valves on the original engine and also on the first replacement. i am also taking my car back for the 3rd visit to try and fix the chirping sound that is coming from the engine. i also replaced the serpentine belt and bearings 2 months ago when the intake valves were done. *la

Intermittently passenger's side windshield wipers became inoperable, obstructing driver's and passenger's views. *ak

Consumer called complaining about having trunk latch problems. every time the consumer opened the trunk and was under it, the trunk closed, hitting the consumer on the head. manufacturer or dealer were not contacted at the time of this call.*ak *ph *jb

Water leaked onto the electric system and caused left back tail light to fail. *ak

Consumer states that she has had to replace front rotors/ pads, and rear cylinders. while driving 35 mph on highway vehicle started to shimmy and pull to the right. after taking vehicle to dealer, all the above repairs were made. *ak

98 malibu ls developed coolant leak at 19,000 miles. took back to dealer where it was purchased new in 98. found intake manifold gasket is leaking as well as water pump bad. $880.00 to repair. dealer will not do anything to help cover cost even though they know it is a problem. dealer said there is a class action law siut against gm over this issue!?!?*ak

Plastic base of sylvania 3057 dual filament tail lamps melt causing stop lights to fail.

Consumer states that while driving the vehicle and no warning the front suspension collapsed. dealer notified.*ak

Vehicle accelerated from a complete stop position with feet on the depressed on the brake pedal.*ak

Front brakes & rotors continuously need replacing (5 times in 4 years). *ak

Consumer stated that when making a turn front air bags inadvertently deployed, causing the consumer to pull over. dealer notified. *ak

Intermittently, the ignition switch did not work properly. the dealer changed the new key and the problem remained. *ak the theft system light had come on and shut off the fuel system off. the consumer was stranded until the vehicle restarted. the key still didn't work when the new key was made. *scc *jb

Air conditioning and fan failures. *ak

I was told i had a coolant leak which caused my cam to break in my engine. i had to replace my engine with a used one. i contacted gm for some help and they gave me none. they would not recognize the problem with the manufactured defect on the coolant system. i am out of pocket nearly two thousand dollars on a car that should be still going strong with the original engine and still, uncomfortable with this used engine as i may have the same problem again down the road. i am very upset and disappointed with gm because i put a lot of trust in them and their vehicles and they let me down. not only that, but i have had consistent brake problems. something needs to be done about this. there are too many people having the same problems with this type of vehicle and it would be a sad thing to wait until there are fatalities to rectify the situation.

While driving engine died without warning. dealer diagnosed that head gasket had blown.*ak

Brake pulsation continues after several sets of rotors and pads. also have replaced calipers, master cylinder and hoses. rear brakes not functional.*ak

Anti lock brakes not working or releasing causing to replace brake pads and rotors 4 times on the drivers side abs light coming on and going off. first time about a month after purchase of car. *nlm

Problems with windshield wiper equipment.*mr passenger wiper transmission failed and had to be replaced at consumer's expense. consumer never received recall 01v068000. *tt *jb

Intake gasket leaking, needs replacement. *nlm

While driving at any speed and with no warning brake rotors wore out, causing extended stopping distance. dealer notified. *ak

When applying brakes front end pulsates which produces a grinding noise. dealer notified. *ak the vehicle experienced vibration in the front end when braking. the vehicle has numerous brake rotor repairs. the calipers locked up and the piston seals leaked. the brake light was inoperative because the circuit lost it's contact. the horn was inoperative. the dealer replaced the air bag and repaired the horn power wire from the horn pad to the horn contact ring. *scc *nlm

While driving, the vehicle lost its rack and pinion steering and all power of the steering wheel. dealer notified. *ak the power window control panel on the driver side arm rest popped out, the vehicle pulled severely to the right (dealer couldn't find the problem). the dealer finally replaced the lower control arms, brake rotors, 2 sets of tires/almost completely bald at the time only 13k miles. the rims had to be forced off, the front rotors had become rusted at 20k miles, the ignition wire harness had come apart, the power steering hoses had come loose, lost fluid and power steering while in motion, the trunk leaked, the abs light had come on twice a week, the front end squeaked and rattled, the antenna wire was loose, the right head lamp had permanent moisture with no crack, the a/c would shut on/off intermittently, the alternator failed at 60k miles and the waning light had come on for only five minutes, the engine leaked oil, and the right windshield wiper pivot housing had broken. *scc *jb

Driving on i-95 for several hours, car feels like it is on cruise control, but it isn't. i take my foot off the accelerator and car is is still doing 65, tackometer says i'm at 2,000 rpms. i pull off highway at a rest stop and have to almost stand on the brakes to stop at a red light. i put it in park at a gas station and the engine revs. tack still at 2,000 (in park). mechanic tells me computer diagnostic shows fuel injection problems (motor idle gummed up and getting stuck). i had both kids in the car. if the brakes had given out, we'd all be dead now.*ak

Engine gaskets failed allowing coolant to mix with the oil in the engine. no check engine light. 1998, chevrolet, malibu, 66,000 miles. informed by mechanic 3rd malibu he has seen in a month for same problem, cost $1500.00 for repairs, why no recall or replacement. researched this sight and found numerous complaints of same problem. i am very upset that an american car company cares this little for its consumers. chevrolet knows this is a problem and refuses to discuss it openly. considering legal action.*ak

Brake problem, abs faulty as well, transmission slippage. electrical system faulty i.e.; ac fan does not turn on until turned to 3, theft system intermittent. many people have posted these same problems. is it going to have to take a death before something is done? *jb

While standing outside of vehicle and without any indication vcoil spring broke. dealer has been contacted. *ak

Brakes failed. *ak

Complaint letter from il state attorney general ofc wanting to know whether there should be a recall concerning defective intake manifold gasket on 1998, chevrolet, malibu. *ak

I bought a 98 chevy malibu about 3 months ago.it onlyhad 69,000 miles on it at the time.since that time i have had to replace the brakesand buy a new battery.my abs light pops on and off,my airconditioner cuts on and off by itself, and my car clucks all the time. my friend has the same car and we ride together we recognize the fact that both of our cars are giving us the same problems.

The head gasket failed, without warning. *jb bad axles in front did not feel safe. *tt *jb

Defects in 1998 chevrolet malibu. i have spent over $1000 trying to repair the abs system (including replacing the wiring harness for what gm call an "updated wiring harness," replacing left and right wheel barons, and replacing the abs relay). the brakes consistently have trouble and pulse when trying to stop the vehicle. i am also experiencing considerable trouble with the computer system in the car. the anti theft light and air bag lights come on and stay on, creating codes in the computer, with no visible reasons for the codes. the gas pedal has also been repaired twice as it has a tendency to stick. the left rear strut mounts have also broken and have had to be repaired (quite costly). i am becoming increasingly concerned for safety while driving this car. *nlm

3.1 l intake manifold gasket was replaced once under warranty on my 1998 chevy malibu. i was told by the repair center at the dealership that it may need to be replaced again. *jb

I have a 1998 chevrolet malibu. i have had numerous front brake problems...from them wearing out prematurely to the rotors warping. at around 5,000 miles i went to the dealer because the rotors were warped and they were subsequently resurfaced. at around 13,000 miles i had to have the rotors replaced because they were warped (the were replaced with after market rotors). although warping did occur after the rotors were replaced with a non oem part, it did not occur as often and as badly. about one month ago i had the front brakes resurfaced and bendix pads placed. warping started after a few days that the breaks were done. the mechanic informed me that it was not the rotor that was at fault. it was the entire brake design of the malibu. the brakes simply cannot hold back the weight of the car on such small rotors. because of the relatively small surface area of such small rotors, they tend to heat up way to early causing severe brake fading....the reason why i brought the car to the mechanic to have the brakes done to begin with. today, as i was driving in light traffic, as i applied the brakes at around 25 miles an hour, it felt as if i wasn't pressing the brake at all and i rear ended a vehicle causing a lot of damage to my vehicle...somewhere around $2,500 worth. after allowing the car to sit for about a half hour i decided to test the brakes by applying them in the same manner as before...and the vehicle stopped as it should. the only possible explanation is brake fade do to the rotors overheating. i'm extremely upset at chevrolet and at nhtsa because they have not done anything to remedy this major well known issue with this vehicle. these vehicles need to recalled immediately in order to prevent serious accidents from occurring. what if the object in front of my vehicle was a person and not just another car. *nlm

The steering wheel was difficult to turn. *jb the vehicle slid, hit a curb, and had gotten stuck in mud. scc

The brakes performed erratically even after the brake system was replaced. the owner was informed that the vehicle needed new brake calipers. *nlm

The vehicle vibrated all the time. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic who repaired the motor mounts and the transmission mounts. the wheel bearings needed to be replaced, but the parts were on back order. *jb

While driving the air bag deployed although there was no impact. *nlm

Intake manifold gasket leaking coolant into oil. 46000 miles

Intake gasket failed in my 1998 chevy malibu, causing coolant to leak. i know this a huge problem with the plastic intake gaskets, should have a recall on this. obviously a known problem on this car. chevrolet should recall it. *jb

Abs sensors constantly turning off abs system.*jb

The vehicle experienced the same problem as stated in recall#0 1 v 068 000, however the vehicle identification number was not included in the recall.*jb

The steering rack & pinion and the engine intake gaskets in this 1998 model are faulty. the shoddy rack & pinion needs to be replaced and i have gone through numerous tires over the years. the intake gaskets are leaking fluids and an engine blow out is imminent. with the leakages, the car is unsafe to drive. i have maintained all required maintenance according to the manual and the car is still under 50,000 miles but i am looking at a huge mechanic's bill due to a shoddy rack & pinion and intake gasket leaks. *jb

I own a 1998 chevy malibu. this vehicle will cut off while driving. i bought this vehicle brand new in june 1998 and had to take it to the shop for repair the next month. the service department at shaver motors has never been able to fix it. there is something wrong with this car's electrical system. i was driving in chicago on 80 90 toll road and this vehicle stopped for no reason while i was doing 55 miles per hour. i listed one incident date but have had numerous other problems. also, when i first purchased the vehicle i had to replace the tires after less than 3000 miles, they were also bad.

The consumer purchased the vehicle without a dip stick, therefore the mechanic had no idea where to pour the transmission fluid. *jb

Once the vehicle is at "normal operating temperature" the power steering becomes hard and will squeal. i have replaces the power steering fluid, in entirety, and the problem still persists. i plan on going to a dealership asap, but reading all of the articles on this vehicle, it appears they will tell me the same. it is a rack-and-pinion problem that i will have to incur an out of pocket expense. *nlm

The odometer read incorrectly. the water pump and belt failed. the wiper regulator failed. the tensioner pulley failed. the vehicles rotors warped and the master cylinder failed. *nlm *nlm

Rack and pinion steering gear failed at 65,000 miles, causing a loss of power steering and a near accident. this is the second time this has happened (last time was at 40,000). this vehicle has also had front brakes and rotors 6 times and has experienced all other malibu problems such as air conditioner control failure, tail light melting, etc. *jb

I have replaced a battery twice. i bought my 1998 malibu used. the first time we were able to keep jumping it, to get it were i needed to go. found out the positive charge was broken from battery. six month's later on january 19. my abs light comes on and i lose all power on snow and ice. luckily i was able to keep control of my car and get it stopped. if there would be a been another car coming towards me i would have hit them head on. i had it towed the following day, and they said my battery was leaking acid and my timing belt was breaking. i have only had my car a year and i bought it from a dealership. what's causing the battery to leak acid? i am scared to death it will happen again and next time i won't be so lucky.*jb

Abs brake light illuminates on left turn. have to stop, turn off engine and restart to turn off the abs light. service review indicated that faulty light, would cost 600$ to repair. *jb

Front brake rotor failed twice. have had to replace them twice. anti lock brake light also comes on periodically.

The rear lamp assembly on both sides of vehicle melted the lights. *jb

Radio does not work anymore - seek/scan/station access. cd player still works. *ph *nlm **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**768316

I have a 1998 chevy malibu with 60,000 miles. the problem started at about 50,000 miles. both front lower control arms started to rattle over cracks and bumps around july 2001. it has steadily become worse and is to the point i can hear a loud clunk even over expansion joints or when it shifts gears during acceleration. i have heard from several other owners who have experienced the same problem, some with fewer miles. in all cases chevrolet refuses to take any responsibility and says we have to replace with newly designed control arms at our own cost. i am going to replace them for fear that the bolts are going to break from the excessive movement allowed by the inferior bushings used in the original part, but i think gm's decision to not recall this obvious safety hazard should be questioned. they have admitted there was a design flaw by producing a redisigned part, why should they not recall it?

Vehicle leaking coolant fluids from lower intake manifold. gm is well aware of this problem as i was told by a service advisor at my local dealership.

On my 1998 mailbu (3100 engine) with only 50,000 miles had to replace the head gasket. no assistance from gm or the dealer.

My brake lights are continueing to not work. i have replaced bulbs etc. the issue is the bulb sockets are over heating and the right side brake light socket is beginning to melt due to excess heat.

Car developed a coolant leak from the intake manifold. i've searched and found this to be a common problem with these vehicles. some sort of fault in the intake manifold gaskets. gm informed me that because of the age and mileage on the vehicle they will not offer any assistance. also the ac cycles off and on randomly, another problem common to these vehicles

The brake light was inoperative.*jb

Coolant leak in my 1998 chevrolet malibu - 3.1 liter engine. 55,800 miles. this defect is very common on this engine. intake manifold gasket. $800 repair. lost one week's work

Intake gasket failed in my 1998 chevy malibu, know this a huge problem with the plastic intake gaskets, 500 dollars to replace, should have a recall on this.*jb

Replaced intake manifold gasket, valve cover gasket, molded coolant tube $572.00. local repair shop stated gm is having problems with head gaskets being defective. we maintain our cars on a regular basis, in order to avoid having large expenditures for neglect. this is not a neglect issue on the customer's part. but solely on the part of gm. why hasn't there been a recall? *jb ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis*****768314

The vehicle has experienced the following problem: the front end/lower suspension arms need changing, the rack and pinion assembly is leaking constantly and has been changed twice, and the rear crankshaft seal is leaking oil. *scc *nlm

After hearing a "clicking/creaking" sound coming from the steering (on full lock)when maneuvering at slow speeds, i.e. parking, i had the car inspected. it turned out to be a bad rh lower control arm and a loose lh lower control arm.

Defective intake manifold gasket / coolant reaction. engine shut down when driving on busy two lane road leaving me stranded in a traffic lane. i had to walk a half a mile and back in heavy traffic to use a telephone to summon help. diagnosis by qualified mechanics found coolant water had infiltrated the engine, two valves were bent when the pistons hit them. severe internal engine damage. this is reported to be a regular problem with the 3.1l gm engine and there has been no recall. ts

Our 1998 chevrolet malibu with a 3.1 liter v-6 engine has started losing engine oil and antifreeze. we have come to find out that this is a common problem in general motors vehicles with this engine. the engine has been in use since at least 1996. others have told me that mechanics are seeing this problem in cars on a daily basis. the fluids are lost though the intake manifold and do not leave a telltale stain or residue under a parked car. a repair at a chevrolet dealer was quoted to us at $900. we were told there was no warranty coverage or recall. is this problem being researched? is there a recall in the works?

My 1998 chevy malibu developed a intake manifould coolent leak at 33,xxx miles. it cost me & my extended warrantee company over $400.00 to repair. i have found out that gm is aware of this defect but continues to sell vehicles anyway. this is fraud!

The consumer has experienced the following: the front end suspension arm needs changing, rack pinion assembly is leaking oil and internal noises, the pump cap has been changed twice (the pressure oil returns to the cap), and the rear crankshaft seal is leaking. scc

Brakes pulsating, due to warped rotors

Used four set of brakes. sensor had internal electrical failure, j4355 sensor ,crankshaft position replaced. radio has never worked right despite radio supposely sent off for repair. two positive battery bolt and cable replacement and on another occasion discovered post broken off in battery.

While driving on highway travelling approximately 70mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the dealer diagnosed that the transmission failed. ts

Consumer states that while driving at any speed and no warning the brake rotors are worn causing extended stopping distance. ts

Faulty brakes heavy vibration to front end and steering wheel,during turning and stopping, dealer shaved rotors and replace brake twice, third time dealer wanted owner to buy new rotors

In pouring rain the w/s/w transmission broke, two days after recieved a recall letter, reimbursement refused.

Brakes have gone out completely as soon as consumer pulled into driveway. contacted dealer. please provide further information.*ak

Consumer states that the vehicle needs new tires every 30,000 miles. please provide any further information. *mr

Upon starting the vehicle, it vibrated severely, and engine check light would blink on/off. the vehicle has been to the dealer on seven occasions, and the problem still occurs. the consumer states that the vehicle has a hard start and sometimes has to pump the pedal. *scc

Consumer states that while driving at over 30 mph and applying the brakes the vehicle will start to shake. contacted dealer and the dealer replaced the rotors on the vheicle but the problem still occurs. nlm

Anti-lock brake light comes on frequently when depressing brake pedal with certain pressure. owner is concerned not knowing if brakes are going to perform as necessary. *ak *yh

Consumer states while driving 55mph in the rain the windshield wiper shut off causing poor visibility. nlm

Vehicle has sensor that automatically turns on headlights at dusk. consumer feels this is a safety issue because headlights cannot be turned off without turning vehicle off. it could be blinding to other vehicles or persons in special situations.*ak

Consumer states that the brake lights on the vehicle do not work properly the consumer has replaced the bulb several times but the problem still occurs. contacted dealer.*jb

Front and rear suspension make loud squeaky noises. the noise is consistant while driving over rough and bumpy roads. dealer confirms that suspension is bad. dealer was notified. *ak *slc

While driving, applied brakes and without warning brakes failed. consumer had to repair brakes twice under 15000 miles.*ak *yh

Brakes were not operating properly, and vehicle pulsated when applying brakes. took vehicle to dealer, and they replaced front rotors. eight thousand miles later same problem occurred. dealer replaced rotors again. consumer indicated that just yesterday same problem started again. took vehicle to dealer, and dealer stated that wheels needed to be taken off the rear, and brakes needed cleaning and adjusting. consumer felt this should had been done in the beginning. currently there is a charge. please provide any further information.*ak

Back up light went out. consumer replaced light, and it won't come on. there was a burning smell coming from brake light. consumer has no brake or back up lights. consumer pulled brake light out and it was melted. please provide any further information. *ak

When brakes were applied right side brake light didn't work. had fuse and bulb checked, nothing wrong with them.*ak

There was a vibration in the steering wheel when driving, dealer resurfaced front rotors, then replaced them at 20000 miles. at this time rotors need to be replaced again.*ak *yh

Front brake rotors have been replaced on four occasions and turned once from 12,000 miles to present mileage by dealer, problem has reoccurred.*ak *jg

Consumer purchased vehicle from dealer, and vehicle does not have working airbags. consumer is very concerned about safety if involved in a collision. dealer never advised consumer that airbags had been previously deployed and were not reconstructed.*ak

Consumer states coolant is leaking around the water pump area, dealer was not notified at this time. nlm

Front rotors were grounded at 8000 miles, when braking vehicle shimmied and brakes squealed. rotors have since been replaced and grounded again 4 times. dealer stated rotors needed to be grounded every 6000 miles.*ak

Was driving approximately 25mph when vehicle started pulling to the right. vehicle sounded as if in neutral. no control of vehicle. managed to pull over and parked. checked vehicle. noticed right front passenger side wheel caved inwards. towed to dealer. was informed by mechanic that rack and pinion had snapped completely in half.*ak

Consumer states while applying brakes at 20-25 mph, the abs engaged and caused vehicle to rear end another vehicle, dealer and the manufacturer were not notified at this time. nlm *yh

While running into another vehicle at about 2-5 mph front air bags deployed, cut the glass, and hit consumer.*ak

While proceeding in traffic vehicle will stall. this happens intermittently. consumer took to dealership 3 times, dealer stated there was a faulty fuel pump. *ak *tt

While driving battery light flashed, and a bubbling noise was coming from engine. dealer serviced vehicle, and noticed that intake manifold was leaking. please provide further information.*ak

While starting vehicle the ignition was stuck, then caught fire. consumer took key out of ignition, fire went out, ignition switch had been replaced before this incident. on 16 april 2002 also while starting vehicle the starter caught fire. please add further details.*jb

Back lights/brake lights melted out. contacted dealer.*ak

While driving vehicle, it felt sluggish and fail to maintain speed. took vehicle to dealership & was informed by mechanic one of the mounts had cracked & the other was broke. the mounts supported the engine. had vehicle repaired.

Theft prevention light comes on intermittently, unable to start vehicle at that time. dealer replaced passenger's lock sensor/cylinder, and switch twice. at this time light comes on while driving. *ak dealer has also replaced the passlock system and oxygen sensor. *jb

While driving, two tires blewout, causing consumer to lose control, vehicle was totalled, firestone affinity touring, p215/60r15, claim 14-1326-688. *slc

While driving, two tires blewout, causing consumer to lose control, vehicle was totalled, firestone affinity touring, p215/60r15, claim 14-1326-688. *slc

Front end rattles. took vehicle to dealer, and dealer indicated that strut mounts were bad. called gmc to check on recall. *ak

Brake pads are warped on left front side of vehicle. also, engine check light comes on and off. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

1998 chevrolet malibu. consumer requests reimbursement. *tgw the ignition lock cylinder was replaced. *jb

Car would be running stepped on gas and wouldn't move, had it back when it was new, but wouldn't happen when bonner chevrolet in kingston, pa mechanics would test drive it. vehicle continued until i couldn't get it out of park, then i had to have the transmission replaced 2003. itwas a 1998 ls chevy malibu fully loaded, bought new. my son had the same car and it had done the same.*ak

This vehicle experienced the same problem as described in steering gear bearings recall 03v527000. but this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak

1. i checked the coolant level in the reservoir and noticed coolant was needed. i put water into the reservoir (car was on) and everything seemed to be fine. i drove the car about 10 miles. i stopped to put gas in and noticed water/coolant coming from under the car. i replaced the water and drove to a mechanic. the mechanic told me that my intake gasket needed to be replaced; he showed me the leakage coming from the side of the engine. he also stated, this is a common problem with this type of car. similar comments had been made to me in the past in regards to the intake gasket; mechanics, auto part sales men and the dealer where i get my car serviced had all been concerned in the past for this area of my car, but until now everything had been fine; 2. failure of the intake gasket prevented the engine coolant from maintaining the proper coolant level, the consequence was that i needed to take time out of my day to inquire about this matter and seek advice in preventing further damage; 3. i have an appointment to fix the problem on tuesday (9/6/05). i will not have my car for a full day due to this problem and the estimate to fix the car was 550.00 to 600.00 dollars. *jb

When my car was bought from gold key auto it had 88,000 miles. the day after purchase the car would not crank, had to purchase a battery that would hold enough power to start car. the brake problem has been continous since car has been purchased they wear out and squeal once a yr. or less, 1 yr. after puchase of car it has had a total caliber change right and left, this was a 235.00 charge from wheels unlimited in waycross cause of repair brakes locked up on car. alternator has been changed 3 times 1st yr., one failing after another. this past dec., 1 right side caliber change and another brake change.car started making a rattle noise were timing chain is so we proceeded with changing the timing chain, replaced in dec. 2002.at the same time water pump was replaced. the rattled was still there, now my car is parked waiting to find out whats wrong now. possible fly-wheel or timing gear.

Brake pads, rotors, and calipers continually failed on chevrolet malibu. this has been going on since car was new. pads, rotors, calipers, and ball joints have all been replaced - pads and rotors as often as every 6000 to 12000 miles. dealers and independents have worked on it with the same result: more failures. there are hundreds of complaints about these problems for malibu's just from this year's model and many more for other years. nhtsa has never investigated even though brake failure would seem to be significant. my tax money is not working hard enough. *jb

Windshield wipers are not clearing the window. blades are not touching the window properly. consumer has been to dealer, and had windshield wipers replaced 3 times. but, problem is still present. please provide any further information.*ak

Engine cooling fluid is leaking from underneath. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

Front fender where front sensor was located was cracked. consumer sustained chest and knee injuries from steering and dashboard because air bags didn't go off. also, seat belt did not lock up. consumer has not consulted manufacturer or dealer. *ak

When applying brakes pedal goes all the way down to the floor. also, abs braking light comes on dashboard. also, air conditioner is blowing out hot air. dealership is aware of problems. *ak

Brake caliper module malfunctioned and locked up. consumer's had to have to caliper replaced twice. contacted dealer, and dealer stated gmc put 12000 miles and 12 month warranty on parts, and consumer was outside of warranty. *ak

Right brake light is inoperative, electrical wires are corroded and water is leaking into brake light cover. dealer has yet to be contatced. *ak *slc

Anti-lock braking system is defective, consumer is unable to keep brakes or rotors on vehicle. dealer has yet to be contacted. *ak *jb

Both driver's side and passenger side airbags deployed after pulling out of a parking space. driver did not hit anything.*ak

Headlights intermittently don't come on and go off when in use. problem has to duplicate by itself for dealer to fined a solution. *ak

Vehicle would overheat and engine check light would stay on while driving at low speed. vehicle would not overheat while driving at high speed. dealer was notified. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

Intermittently steering became hard to steer. dealer notified, and was unable to locate cause. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

Have taken vehicle to dealership due to problems with brakes. mechanic indicated brakes were wearing excessively due to warped rotors. this was second set of rotors. they, too cannot be turned, had worn too thin to be used.*ak

Consumer's vehicle was sitting at an intersection behind another vehicle and consumer thought vehicle was moving. she lifted feet off brakes, hitting vehicle in front. upon impact, airbags did deploy, but halfway. there was no damage to the outside of the vehicle, consumer smelled smoke coming from air bags. dealership was aware of problem.*ak

Rotors needed to be replaced every 13000 to 15000 miles. there is a streaking noise, and the pedal goes all the way down to floor. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

Vehicle is slipping or giving when brakes are applied. when starting up abs light flashes on and off. brake pedal goes further to the floor than normal. also, pads were replaced 6 months ago. problem has been intermittent for 1year.*ak

Brake rotors warped causing vehicle to jerk whenever brakes were applied. would be very hard to maintain control when it happened. took to dealership and had rotors replaced under warranty 1st time. at 38,000 miles the same problem of warped rotors. dealership will not replace. claimed rotors were too thin to be turned.*akdealer turned rotors on follow-up visit, oem front brake pads were also replaced, both at customers expense. *nlm

Inside headlights fog up really badly, and it is hard to see at night. they hardly put out any light. when taken to dealer, they stated it was a design problem. *ak consumer states in the fall of 1998 as the weather cooled, the headlights began to fog up on the inside of the lens, in the spring of 2000, the right side was replaced under warranty, the problem is occurring again and if repaired it will not be covered under warranty. *slc

When riding over bumps or using brakes, there was a vibration noise present. this was due to faulty wheel bearings and hubs.*ak

Abs system does not work properly, and there is extended stopping when applying brakes. *ak consumer states the brakes give, causing the extended stopping distance. *slc

Dealer claims at 23,000 miles front rotors and front brakes needed to be replaced which was causing a pulsation when applying brakes at any speeds. 8,000 miles later, defect reoccurred again, consumer contacted dealer, and was told rotors needed to be replaced with a new updated rotor. 13,000 miles later, defect has reoccurred for the 3rd time, and was being told by dealer, rotors and brake system needed to be replaced again even after dealer installed new updated parts. dealer claimed front rotors had excessive run out.*ak *slc

Every 10 to 15 thousand miles brakes need to be replaced. when replaced with brakes, vehicle would go into exteneded stopping distance. please provide further information. *ak

Rear brake lights continued to fail. brake lights have failed approximatley 5 times within past year. dealership changed bulbs, but had failed to correct repeated failure of brake lights, either right/left or both lights. please provide any additional information/attachments. *ak

Left front rotor has been replaced 10 times since purchase of vehicle, rubbing on pad. *ak

At various speeds brakes applied and vehicle would shake, and jerk steering wheel out of driver's hand. took to dealership, and had rotors refaced/turned and resurfaced. also, had new brake pads due to warped rotors. *ak

Front wheel bearings are prematurely wearing, cause unknown. *ak *jb

Fuses for the windshield wipers continued to blow. then, passenger's side windshield wiper cracked and broke, which necessited the replacement of wiper transmission assembly. consumer was informed that this vehicle was not included in nhtsa recall 01v068000 due to vin. please provide any additional information/attachments. *ak

Brakes go out every 10,000 miles.*ak

When applying brakes they were making noise. dealer replaced pads twice and calipers once. brakes making noise again at this time. braking distance is normal.*ak abs light illuminated. *slc

While driving would step on brake pedal, but brakes would not work. had taken vehicle to dealer, and they said that vehicle was not under warranty. could be fixed at consumer's expense. *ak

Engine stalls and from time to time it will lose its power while consumer is driving. contacted dealer, and the dealer is not willing to do any more then they have done already. *ak the vehicle stalled several times, and the consumer wants the dealer to fix it or get him another vehicle. *yh

Front brakes rotors are prematurely wearing, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

Rotors keep failing prematurely. consumer has replaced 5 sets of rotors. cause unknown. please provide further information.*ak

Brake lights light bulbs power melt plastic of cover, causing no vision for other drivers on brake lights. please add additional information.*ak

Insurance agent took in one of company's vehicle to have tires checked for cracks between tread. inspected the tires, and firestone confirmed that there was a problem. they would replace tires at no charge to consumer. chevrolet, malibu, 1998 with original tires, size p215/60r15, and 34,400 miles on them. *ak dot number was w2mwaa158, tire dealer stated tires experienced weather cracking. *slc

When applying brakes vehicle will vibrate. rotors were replaced. because rotors were wearing out, brakes had to be replaced eight times.*ak

Passenger's seat belt is jammed within retracting mechanism and will not release, causing seat belt to become inoperable. *ak the seat belt became inoperable at low milage and the consumer wants reimbursment of cost of repair. *yh

Squeaking noise came from steering, dealer replaced steering rack assembly and power steering hoses. right front shoulder belt would not adjust up or down, seatbelt stop button was missing, left side driver's shoulder belt retracts slowly, right front shoulder belt retracts slowly and jams at times. rear bumper cover at left side at tail light opening has poor fit. excessive wind noise at the left front door glass opening while traveling highway speeds. steering shimmies while braking, dealer found warped rotors. idle quality in gear at stop is poor, transmission mounts were weak, engine runs rough at times. front head light fogged up, delaer found inside lens cracked. rattle noise heard under vehicle while traveling on rough roads. *slc

Every 7000 miles vehicles brakes cause excessive vibration. dealer replaced rotors and pads at least 6 times, and problem keeps occurring. *ak

Front brake pads and rotors are prematurely wearing,cause unknown. *ak the dealer replaced the brakes free of charge but could not explain why the brake failure keep on happening. this was the third failure. *yh

Passenger stop light goes out intermittently, consumer believes it to be stop lamp assembly overheating. *ak

Premature wear on brake pads and rotors. when brakes were applied there was a loud grinding sound. dealer has replaced rotors and pads.*ak

When traveling and applying brakes, they make a grinding noise when making a turn. dealership is aware of problem.*ak transmission mounts were replaced. safety belt fixed 2 times. power steering hoses and lines replaced, parts were missing from steering gear assembly. *slc

When applying brakes vehicle drags. also, fuel injector blewout. had to be replaced from dealership.

When steeping on brakes car shaked. fixed it once, but problem occurred again. *ak

When hitting brakes car shaked. it has been repaired once, and currently, it's doing it again. *ak

While driving about 45 mph windshield wipers stopped working without prior notice. dealer said there was no recall, recall announced in march 2001, no notification schedule yet. *ak consumer stated an accident was almost caused due to the faulty wipers. *slc

While traveling engine would stall, and was left with no power steering or power brakes. *ak the engine stall suddenly on highway. *yh

Was traveling on highway and went to apply brakes, abs braking system light came on, and brakes didn't grab. dealer will be notfied tomorrow.*ak

Front end was defective. all of parts had to be replaced by the dealership. *ak

Brakes failed to work properly when they were applied. tires would go flat every 3 days. had them checked for holes or cuts, nothing was found. engine had stalled out while driving due to blown head gaskets.*ak

Consumer had rotors resurfaced, then replaced. currently, rotors need to be replaced again. when applying brakes front end shakes. *ak

While driving consumer heard grinding noise coming from front of vehicle, dealer found wheel bearings needed to be replaced on right front. *ak

Vehicle experienced same defect as listed in recall 01v068000 concerning windshield wiper linkage: pivot: drive assembly cracking due to snow and ice. windshield wiper stopped operating. dealer repaired defect at consumer's expense, and did not recognize recall. *ak

While driving abs and brake light came on, and brakes got hard. it was hard to stop at 45 mph. took to dealer, and they said acid was dripping onto brake line and it corroded anti-lock valve. consumer has replaced brakes and drums numerus times beford finding problem was with the dripping of acid. *ak

Premature wear of brake rotors and pads. when brakes are applied they pulsate and cause vehicle to vibrate. dealer has serviced/ replaced rotors and pads eight times. original and after market manufactured parts are defective. manufacturer has been notified. *ak

Intermittently when brakes are applied abs light illuminates, and vehicle experiences extended stopping distance. also, dealer has replaced pads and rotors several times, and the problem still exists. *ak

Steering gear box has failed while driving, causing a loss of steering capablity due to faulty parts. consumer has had steering gear replaced a total of 3 times.*ak

There is a knocking noise in steering wheel. dealer has replaced rack and pinion steering and problem still exists. manufacturer has been notified. *ak

Motor mounts/ bolts sheared off right front, causing engine to tilt and to accelerate. dealer notified, and made repairs at consumer's cost. *ak after contacting gm, they decided to pat for replacement parts, consumer paid for the labor charges and rental car charges. *slc

Vehicle is experiencing an ongoing problems with warped rotors, consumer states vehicle is hard to control when brakes go bad, the third time rotors were replaced, the consumer had to pay for labor, consumer states this is only a temporary fix to the ongoing problem. *slc

Vehicle rear-ended another vehicle at 35 mph in which neither air bag deployed. driver's seat came unlatched & driver received injury to right hand & right breast. manufacturer notified. please feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

Brake rotors are prematurely failing , rotors and pads are being replaced about every 6 months. please provide further information.*ak

Vehicle experienced several transmission related problems, consumer stated while pushing accelerator from a complete stop, engine would rev up but vehicle would not move, after a couple of seconds, the transmission would engage, this would also happen while driving, transmission experienced slipping, dealer rebuilt transmission, also, left front axle boot was torn, dealer replaced the left inner tripod joint boot. gas cap tether broke, dealer replaced gas cap. vehicle would vibrate while braking, dealer replaced warped rotors and front brakes, the right front caliper was later replaced due to a torn piston boot. oil was leaking from the front crankshaft seal, dealer replaced seal. steering column tilt housing bowl assembly machined improperly from factory causing tilt wobble, also caused a popping noise. consumer heard a clunk noise from rear when going over bumps, dealer replaced both lower control arms. *slc

Vehicle parked. tire picked up tack. noticed cracks just below the tread. was jagged along 3/4 of left rear tire. checked other tires & cracks on them, but not as bad. all four tires had numerous cracks. took to firestone retailer & was informed will be looking into the problem. dealer will not mechanic touch tire. 1998 chevrolet malibu. firestone affinity touring t2. p215/60r15 with 30,000 miles.*ak dot # w2mwaaa397. *slc

While traveling and without any indication vehicle would stall at any speed . please provide further information.*ak

Intermittently abs indicator light continued to illuminate while vehicle was in motion. dealer has not been able to correct or duplicate problem.*ak

While driving, firestone affinity tire p215/60r15 dot w2mw experienced tread separation, causing damage to the left front aluminum rim. *slc

Had taken vehicle in for inspection of the tires after hearing about problem on news. mechanic indicated that the tires had cracks in and between the treads. will not exchange the tires. firestone affinity with 27,000 miles. size was 215/60r15. *ak consumer has since replaced the tires. *slc

Battery has failed within 3 years, and will not start on its own..*ak squeak in left rear when getting in and out due to rear stabilizer shaft bushing failure. *yh

Front brake pads and rotors are experiencing excessive wear, causing vehicle to vibrate when attempting to stop at highway speed. consumer has contacted dealer. please provide any further details. *ak

Experiencing ongoing problem with intermittent brake failure due to extendedn stopping distance, been in / out of dealer shop on eight occasions. at present, vehicle was involved in a rear end collision because of extended stopping distance while applying brakes. please feel free to provide any further details. *ak

At low speed braking it causes vehicle to virbate in the steering wheel and at high speed of 70 or more . vehicle loses braking power. dealer notified, and replaced front rotors. problem reoccurred after 3-4 months. please feel free to provide any further details. *ak

While applying brakes while traveling 35-40 mph, rear whee lock up. dealer notified, and repairs were made. feel free to provide further details. *ak

While driving & applied brakes, vehicle would start to shimmy & vibrate in the front. took to dealer. mechanic could resolve the problem first time. when vibration returned, took vehicle back to dealer & problem was resolved. *ak

Tires were getting stress cracks between the tread. after 14,784 miles, 4 of the tires were replaced. do not have the tires. firestone infiniti. *ak firestone dealer refused to provide upgraded tires when requested by the consumer. *yh

Horn assembly came on intermittently. consumer has notified dealership, and the mechanic cannot duplicate the problem. *ak

While driving about 55 mph vehicle will vibrate highly. vibration will be felt on passenger's side as well as on driver's side, dealer has rotated the tires, replaced tires (no brand or size given), replaced plug wires placed a bolt in the suspension, and replaced rotors, the problems still exists. *ak *slc

Braking system malfunctioned. also, brakes shimmied and shook, causing extended stopping distance which may result in a crash. dealer replaced pads 3 times/turned rotors 2 twice, and replaced rotors once. dealer could not determine the cause. *ak

Vehicle experiencing severe vibration and shimmy of the steering wheel whenever applying brakes. problem was caused by continuous warpage of the front rotors. rotors have been replaced five times within every 10,000 miles. dealer/manufacturer notified, and informed consumer that replacing is the only thing they can do at this time. please provide any further details. *ak

Consumer was traveling about 44mph on the highway, applied brakes, and vehicle shook, and vibration came through wheels and steering wheel.*ak

Tread on the tires had started to separate. dealer has replaced the tires three times. *ak firestone affinity p215/60/r15 *mw

Water is leaking into headlights, causing moisture and condensation, and resulting in poor visibility. *ak

While driving vehicle constantly stalled. dealership replaced computer, but stalling continued. *ak

While driving about 55 mph applied brakes, and brakes did not work, causing consumer to lose control of vehicle. a technician said that this was a rotor problem, and rotors needed to be replaced. *ak

When traveling about 44to45 mph or higher applied brakes and vehicle statrted to shake. *ak

When driving at highway speed consumer noticed shimmying coming from front end., also, excessive wear of brake rotors and pads, causing improper braking. consumer has contacted dealer, dealer has replaced the rotors on a number of occasions. please provide any further details. *ak

While driving on road over 45mph vehicle will sway/won't stay in its lane. also, factory battery had started melting through the plate/abs light came on when starting vehicle/ upon applying brakes they squeaked, and vehicle won't go in reverse.*ak the transmission failed. the a/c is inoperable. brakes failed four times. *yh

While driving consumer applied brakes, and pedal went all the way to the floor . also, there was a rattling/knocking noise coming from underneath the hood. consumer took vehicle to repair shop twice for rattling/knocking noise, and it came back without improvement. *ak

Upon making a stop consumer noticed pulsation in the brake pedal which made it difficult to stop. also, excessive wear of front brake rotors. consumer has contaced dealer. *ak *ml

Vehicle experiencing ongoing problem with vibration at high speed upon braking due to faulty rotors. dealer is aware of the problem, and will replace all faulty rotors with upgraded rotors at consumer's expense. *ak

While driving vehicle stalls unexpectedly and hesitates which may cause a crash. please provide further information. *ak

While driving at any speed and when applying brakes vehicle vibrates violently/ shudders, and pulls from side to side. gmc is aware of the problem, and has replaced rotors. this has happened 3 times before. *ak

Brake lights becomes inoperable due to a malfunction within the panel and the wiring assembly. please give any further details. *ak

When car reached 9000 miles there was pulsation in the brakes which made it difficult to stop. rotors have been replaced twice since consumer has owned vehicle. *ak

When applying brakes at high speed heard loud and shaking noise and vibration throughout vehicle. please provide further information. *ak

Intermittently when brakes are applied vehicle experiences extended stopping distance. also, premature failure of brake pads have affected the rotors. dealer has inspected vehicle. *ak

Driver's side seat belt is cracking. plastic part cracked in 2 parts where the belts is pulled & locked. conusmer is afraid that it will eventually affect the seatbelt. will be contacting the dealer for repairs. *ak

At higher speeds steering wheel shudders during braking. dealer repaired at 17,000 miles, failing again at 25,000 miles. *yh

Ongoing problem with faulty brake rotors; on five occasions rotors have been turned or replaced. also, caliper guide pins were replaced. dealer notified, and problem is still unresolved. *ak

When applying brakes entire front end shakes excessively. also, dealer has seen vehicle twice, and replaced rotors once and has turned them once. problem still exists. *ak

While driving consumer steps on brakes pedal to stop vehicle or reduce speed. but, brakes will not stop, and sometimes increase the stopping distance. *ak

Brakes lights totally went out twice within 6-8 months apart. dealer said it was due to bad bulbs and poor wiring. *ak *ml

While driving vehicle stalls unexpectedly which may cause a crash. common problem. please provide further information. *ak

Vehicle experiencing problem with excessive wear of front brake pads. pads need replacement at 16,000 miles of wear. dealer notified, and repairs were made at consumer's cost. *ak

While applying brakes at highway speed of 70-75 mph it pedal pulsates. also, steering wheel and vehicle vibrate. vehicle been in/out of dealer shop on five occasions, and problem still occurring. *ak

While driving in traffic vehicle stalled, and was nearly rearended. contacted dealer and manufacturer, and they were unable to fix it. vehicle continued to have stalling problems.*ak *ml

About 4000 miles brake rotors are prematurely warping , 2 sets of rotors have been replaced, but defect keeps occurring. *ak

Premature wear of brake rotors. dealer has replaced the rotors 6 times. manufacturer has been notified. dealer now refuses to cover replacement costs under warranty. *ak *ml

Stop light kept burning out without prior warning, and dealer did not know what could be causing it. *ak

Due to the design of the lugs: nuts,the only way to remove the lugs:nuts is by breaking them off with a hammer consumer contacted dealer. dealer stated normal removal standard. also, consumer was having problems with the mounted stop lamp assembly working intermittently, pe99071. please provide any further details. *ak

Driver's side seat belt retracts too slowly, causing seat belt to hang on to floor or get caught in the door. dealer notified. *ak

Due to the excessive wearing of the rotors, when brakes are applied, front end shakes, and the vehicle pulls to the left. dealer has been contacted. *ak

Water condensation is fogging up the inside of headlights, causing poor visibility. *ak

Automobile went into a trench and bottomed out, and the air bags deployed, causing the engine carriage to be damaged/cracked the windshield, and damaged the dashboard. *ak

Consumer requesting information on front pads wear; wants to know if it is normal for brake pads to wear out at 27,000 mile; seeking nhtsa help in this matter. *ak

While at 60mph car starts to shutter and it won't slow down properly. also, within 30, 000 miles had to have brakes done. dealer didn't help. *ak

When the abs brakes are applied, there would be some wobbling. has appened at least 6 times. the mechanic felt the abs sensors were failing. rotors are substandard & are going out. there would be shimming. not heavy enough for vehicle. was corrected. *ak

Driver ran over an object in the vehicle and it ruptured the gas tank, allowing fuel leakage. this is due to the tank being mounted under the rear seats. dealer said it was a road hazard. consumer wants cost for fuel tank replacement to be covered by dealer.*ak *ml

General tire that came equipped with vehicle is wearing down in the center, causing unsafe condition. *ak

Vehicle involved in a collision. vehicle lost control and hit a phone pole, and rolled over. both air bags failed to deploy. dealer notified. *ak

Tail light keep blowing out, and consumer keep replacing the tail lights. tail light's keep going out and the consumer can smell the wires burning and melting. there was a short within the tail lights. *ak

The rear seat belts fails to retract. the brake pads were replaced after purchasing vehicle in june, due to being worn out. the front left tire needs replacment due to the threads coming off. *yc

Defective / faulty brake system: dealer has replaced four sets of brake pads;.turned three rotors ,and replaced one rotor. also, and sanded & deglazed rear brakes. can nhtsa do something about this condition. *ak

Intermittent operation of tail lights / brake lightt. appoinment being made for dealer's inspection. *ak

When consumer applies the brakes vehicle starts to shake. the steering wheel also shakes. vehicle starts pulsating when she is driving between 30 to 35 mph . the vehicle will not stop. *ak

When driving and applying brakes vehicle started to shake and make a squeaking noise. it started to pulsate when driver applied brakes. driver stated that she would be driving the speed of 320- to 25 mph . *ak

Ongoing problem with vehicle skipping / jumping out of gear at 60-65 mph, and egine check light remaining on. vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on four occasions, and nothing could be found. seeking help from nhtsa on this matter. *ak

Whenever stopping vehicle, can feel the brake pedal pulsating. needed to push harder on pedal to get vehicle to stop. the abs light would flash on/off. took vehicle to dealer & mechanic changed the brake pads. the rotors were rotated at least twice & then scrapped. *ak

Every time when brakes are applied they vibrate real badly. had brake rotors resurfaced. *ak

Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision, and the airbags did not deploy, resulting in minor injuries. manufacturer has been notified. *ak

Cruise control was set between 60-70 mph , went to apply brakes, but they did not disengage the cruise, driver had to repeatedly apply brakes before the finally engaged, resulting in serious safety hazard.defect has occurred 3 times, and dealer has replaced brake sensor. *ak

The front end is loose. please provide further detail. *ak

Whenever the brakes are applied, vehicle would shake. took to dealer & was informed the brake pads & rotors were worn out. the rotors were also pitted. dealer informed owner would have to pay first before repairs to brake damage is done.work completed at location vehicle was purchased under "one time warranty repair". pads worn out at 17,504, rotors worn out at 22,854. *ak * mjs

Upon hitting the brakes while going 60mph the whole front end shakes.consumer contacted dealer and manufacturer. *ak

Vehicle doesn't automatically shift past 20 mph. after stopping vehicle doesn't pick up speed. valve body was found to be faulty and caused problem. *ak

When the brakes are applied while traveling above 50 mph, vehicle will shake and pulsate. also, steering wheel has to be braced to keep control. this is due to bad rotors. gmc, and the dealer ship has been contacted. *ak

While driving on the highway at 50 mph, the windshield wipers arm broke. dealer contacted and the windshield wipers were replaced at owner's expense. provide further information. *yc

Whenever the brakes are applied steering wheel would shake. took to dealer & mechanic either turned the rotors or replaced the rotors. *ak

When applying brakes there is a pulsating feeling in the vehicle. it feels like the rotors are warped. dealer has not seen vehicle. *ak *yc

When the brakes are applied the vehicle vibrates, resulting in loss of vehicle control. the dealer has repaired the vehicle three times. manufacturer has been notified. *ak *ml

The consumer stated that when she driving her vechicle the lights of her anti lock brakes system and anti theft light and brake lights. all lights come on and the air condition stop working and the temp gauge.

Front brake rotors warped, causing extended stopping distance and a noise which may result in an accident. been to dealer several times. dealer replaced rotors once and turned the rotors twice. *ak

While going 25mph right front axle broke. lost control of vehicle and hit curb & then a pole. both air bags deployed upon impact. vehicle was towed to dealer. *ak

Brake rotors warped every 8,000-10,000 miles, which caused extended stopping distance, and could result in a crash. *ak

While driving 45 mph the control arm broke, vehicle lost control, causing a spin-out and came to rest at a curb. *ak

Two front wheel hubs melted off wheel, causing the hubs to fly away which may cause injuries. but bolts are still on the wheel. please provide further information. *ak

While driving at any spee and , making a turn, there is some a grinding noise coming from the steering. also, when applying the brakes they are vibrating. *ak

Brake rotors keep warping. rotors have been replaced three times within 33,000 miles. dealer claims cannot determine what is causing the brakes to warp. *ak

Driver's side airbag deployed while vehicle was being driven without warning. also, all dashboard lights were acting erratically. dealer can't find the problem. *ak.

1.}front brakes are prematurley wearing out within 20 miles. 2.}tranaxle shaft seal is leaking oil,part was replaced. 3.}radiator coolant reservoir busted, causing the coolant to leak. 4.}intake manifold is leaking. 5.}igintion wiring had to replaced. 6.}air distrubutor completely failed which is not pulling in air. *ak

Rear brakes were not adjusted properly which put more wear and tear on the front brakes, and caused vehicle to shake and steering wheel to shake, which may have resulted in loss of control. please provide further information. *ak

Brake rotors were bent and out of shape, causing the vehicle to pulse and bounce when applying brakes, making it difficult for vehicle to stop, and resulting in loss of control. dealer claimed this was normal wear and tear. but brake rotors and pads have been replaced twice within 7,000 miles. *ak

The front brake rotors warped which may result in extended stopping distance and crash. been to dlr 4 times. dealer replaced rotors once, and resurfaced rotor 3 times. please provide further information. *ak

When driving at any speed there is a loud squeaking noise coming from vehicle. brake pads are moving up and down, and there is vibration within brake pedal. dealer replaced rotors and pads. also, consumer had cruise control set at 70 mph, and as consumer was going around the corner, cruise control went up to 76 mph. when going down a hill or up a hill cruise control went up to a higher speed. *ak

All four tires are wearing in the center strip.consumer is having some problems when making emergency stops. *ak

The metal on the windshield wipers sheared off, and causing windshield wipers to be inoperative in rainy weather. dealer has not seen vehicle. *ak

Brakes are wearing out prematurley . pads/calipers and the rotors needed to be replaced at 35,000 miles.there was no indictation of a problem, causing a safety hazard. 2. the vehicle shakes at speeds less than 20 mph ,and dealer replaced control arm, but defect is still occurring. *ak

While driving vehicle about 20 mph the consumer had trouble braking, and the abs light stayed on until he took vehicle to dealer for check up. finally, dealer had to replace front right hub. dealer contacted. *ak

While driving about any mph and when starting to rain, consumer steps on the brakes, and the vehicle wanders from side to side. sometimes consumer loses control of vehicle.

Front brake rotors out of round at 12000 miles of wear. dealer notified, and informed consumer that this problem was not under warranty and cost would go to consumer. *ak

Moisture developed behind the headlight lens, causing the lights to become fogged up and dim. *ak.et

When coming to a stop vehicle took off due to gas pedal getting stuck. vehicle turned over and went into an enbankment. *ak

Intermittently while starting the vehicle (in park) the vehicle makes a thumping noise then lunges forward about 3 to 4 inches then comes to a rest. dealer has been contacted. *ak

Vehicle stalls while drivng. dealers have replaced ecu unit and ignition system and reset all codes to factory specs, but problem remains

The dashboard popped up when leaving the parking lot of the dealer after purchasing the car. the dealer has repaired the vehicle three times, mechanic states it is under the dash that is warped. an extensive overhaul of the vehicle is needed. dealer cannot duplicate the problem. *ak

While driving and an emergency situation occurs the horn actuator is diffcult to locate. *ak horn was actuated at lower portion of air bag coves. when wheel is turned, it was nearly impossible to locate this portion. *yh

While makeing a stop the vehicle would stall with all indications. light would come on. dealer has benn contacted. please provide further informaton. *ak

When applying brakes front end shakes. cause unknown. dealer repaired and turned rotors. *ak rotors warped from overheating then cooled by rain, dealer stated rain was at fault. *slc

Rear window broke for no reason. weather was hot. cause of problem unkown. consumer very concerned for safety. *ak

While driving the vehicle, took foot off gas pedal and the car kept going. dealer stated that a small rock was trapped behind the gas pedal, vehicle's problem was remedied. *ak

Vehicle has an unknown jiggle sound coming from it. has been in/out of dealer's shop more then six occasions, and the problem cannot be resolved. *ak

While driving 55 mph the vehicle stalled without warning. dealer reprogrammed the computer which did not remedey the problem. please give any further details. *ak

Front brake rotors are prematurely wearing out within 20,000 miles. they have been changed 5 times. cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak

While driving at 55mph both passenger's side tires blew out, which tore up the rear suspension on the vehicle. dealer has not seen. *ak

When brakes are applied vehicle does not stay on road. steering wheel shimmies at 60-65 mph. also engine requires major work, including the changing of the pistons. both causes unknown. *ak

Consumer purchased vehicle on 4-10-98 from roger dean chevrolet inc.---561-683-8100. service # is 561-640-1835. took vehicle to dealer on 4-20-98 due to noise coming from rear of passenger's side. the service representative said it was the cooling fan. since then the noise has gotten louder, and vehicle was taken back on 4-27-98 for same noises, service technician said it was the fuel pump inside the gas tank, and that the noise is normal. but if consumer does not hear noise she should be worried. consumer is worried because the noise gets louder everyday. *ak

Faulty rear brake shoes causing front rotors to warp. *yd

Engine is making noise at cold start up. *yd

Front disc brakes failed causing them to pulse on activation, indicating warped rotors, fixed twice under warranty and once by owner, problem keeps occuring. nlm

Exhaust failure/headlights failed/control panel malfunctioned/floor board/rain inside of vehicle and ticking underneath hood.

Consumer experiencing problem with brake rotors. nlm

In july of 2002 my right tail light went out. when i took apart the lighting section i smelt burning . i went to the auto zone to buy a replacement but couldn't remove the bulb. i than took it to the chevy garage to be fixed. they said that the bulb was wrong in the board. now (11-18-02) my tail light is out again and when i checked the other bulbs were also appearing to be melted in the board also. i took it back to my chevy garage to be fixed. they replaced the board on the right and the bulbs. upon checking the left side rear lights were out now. they replaced the left side tail lights board and bulbs too. they are working now but next? this is too familiar of a coincedence to be happening i think this is a malfunction in the car itself. if this happens again i'll be back to complain and try to find out why this is happening to more than just my malibu! dt

Front transmission mount failed. *yh

The consumer has replaced the rotors 3 times, the brake pads have also been replaced, the vehicle only has 16000 miles on it. *slc

Car sounds like the front end is all going to fall from underneath the car!!!

Theft deterent system sensors have been replaced 7+ time since 11k causing the vehicle to run for 3-4 min, turn off and not restart, problem is still not fixed.*et

Rain leaks in trunk.

Driver's window switch/exhaust system/windshield/headlights and front end malfunctioned.

Owner described numerous problems and believes she owns a lemon. however no details or incidents were provided.

I purchased new 98 malibu and traded back in w/in one month for another because of severe mechanical problems. this automobile was in for service on 11/23/01 for transmission leak and all gaskets & seals replaced. i had in for service on 8/5/02 for $1146 worth of work on various parts. i reported that vehicle lost power on highway but fuel pump was replaced for that problem. i pointed out that i thought car had transmission problem at that time and was told that car did not have history of transmission problems even though auto had all transmission seals replaced in 2001 by dealership. all work was done by dealership that auto (#2) was purchased from. regular maintenance done on car without fail. just replaced front arms on vehicle less that 1 mos. ago for $400 and was told by sales that this was an earlier problem also w/98 malibu. dt

Front brake rotors have failed and been replaced twice due to warping and vibration. nlm

Engine failure. engine would intermittently stop while vehicle was in motion, it would eventually restart. on the fifth occurence it would not restart (traveling 55mph in middle of s-curve.) the only indication of a problem was when it was realized that power steering was lost and theft system and check engine indicators were on.

The front brake rotors have become warped 2 separate times, the rotors have been turned and replaced, the faulty rotors cause the vehicle to pull and shake especially once the cruise control is disengaged. *slc

Possibly due to poor suspension vehicle makes noise while driving over rough roads. yh

Front disc brakes are faulty, the rotors have been turned, replaced and turned again. consumer has complained that the left front wheel was hotter than the right and also had a greater amount of brake dust accumulation, dealer continues to tell consumer that there is nothing wrong with the brakes. nlm

Alternator, engine cooling system, main computer, grounding wirtes, engine, and the glove compartment has failed.

Vehicle crashed into a truck. severe damage was done to the vehicle but the air bags did not deploy. owner has no means of verifying dealer's claim that the air bag problem has been resolved.

Abs brakes failed.

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

I was on a major highway when i tried to get over in another lane. i could not because my steering wheel would not turn. so, when i could get over i heard a loud bang under my hood. all my lights lit up and i could not stop my car. i tried to make it home and my car started smoking. i called my mechanic and found out that my belt had popped off along with the pulley that was burned badly. my antifreeze was leaking also, i went alone w/my mechanic to get the part and was informed by autozone that it was a recall on this part. i was not notified at any time buy the company. i called and reported it this morning and was informed that is not true. i have the part to show that this is a danger because the part is a cheap piece of plastic. the corporate office was al so rude and stated my warranty had expired and that it was nothing they could do. also, i called the dealer and was informed there was no recall and they were not gone to handle this situation. nlm

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Right front coil sprint broke. a broken end gouged the inside sidewall of the tire, making a potentially dangerous situation.*ak

Intake manifold gasket failed, causing coolant to leak. a known problem on this car, chevrolet should recall it. mine was replaced under warranty luckily. rotors replaced one week after purchase, again, a common problem with this car. *ak

Dear ms. radley and chevy, i am quite sure that you are aware of the numerous consumer complaints and problems associated with the brake system of the 1998 chevrolet malibu, but just in case i will expounded on the issue. my wife purchased the vehicle from your dealership on 22 aug 98. shortly thereafter we noted several significant problems with the brakes grinding and squeaking. the following are dates that the vehicle was brought in for brakes problems: 02/04/99 - 8k milesms. radley, that makes a grand total of ten times the car has had noted brake problems with no resolution to the problem. there is a definite manufacturing problem with these brakes that i expect fixed. i had expressed concern over this issue when the brakes and rotors had to be replaced at 20k miles, apparently no one cared then as now. i have spoken with chevrolet consumer complaint division, jeff merritt and ike chris about this problem at length and i must say the total lack of responsibility grows more evident. i have been told everything from driving habits to lack of service. this patronization is infuriating. the bottom line is chevrolet knows full well that they placed a braking system designed for a chevy cavalier on the malibu. do not try and tell me that it is normal for rotors to warp and go bad every 20k miles; i do not accept that answer. when i called several garages and ask what vehicle requires the most brakes service and replacement rotors - the answer was "malibu and alero". i called seven different shops in the area and two other chevy dealerships and received the same answer at each place. you may want to note the following complaints files at the national highway traffic safety administration, office of defects investigation, consumer complaints database. as of when i researched the database i discovered 865 consumer complaints 365 of which are brake related.*ak

Dealer declares car " unsafe to drive ". i feel transmission mounts should last longer than 40,000 miles.*ak

I have gotten my pads,rotors/calipers fixed and cleaned twice at over 700 dollars and my abs light is constantly on and i have only had the car six months i have taken it to 2 mechanics and now i can hardly stop the car. please get back with me asap i don't know what to do. thank you. *ak

5 months after i purchased this vehicle, the brakes would "squeal" when any pressure was applied. took the car to dealer to be checked out. the pads were worn and the rotors were at/below min. thickness. rt 25.04 & lt 24.66 mm. minimum thickness being 25.0mm. pads & rotors were changed and now here it is a little over a year later and i'm now getting a grinding noise and when i get to a complete stop, the whole car feels like its just going to fall out from under me. will be taking it in again to be checked out but will be placing complaint with manufacturer, dealership, & state dcca.*ak

Multiple rotor failures. bad vibration. braking problems. *ak

My car has had the brakes replaced twice already and the rotors as well. this car was just in for repair work last week and the dealer said that the brakes were 60% worn again already. they were just replaced about 6 months ago. the car pulsates when stopping. i believe that chevrolet had a problem with these brakes and needs to correct the issue. i am going to have to replace these brakes again very shortly.

Rotors "defective". "out of round". first reported 7/5/99, "pulsation" noted when bakes applied,(first noted about 3-4 months previous?) dealership did not replace, "cut rotors"..2nd incident, "pulsation " in brakes when braking at high speeds?, 16,090 mi..5/23/00.."rotors replaced"...3rd incident noted in june 2001, 26,000 ("no work done" dealership did not find "problem") brakes pulsating..rotors cut again! at 32,969, 5/21/02, "would not replace"..cost $83.00..reported to gmac..800 222 1020. *ak

Bushings on both lower front control arms on front suspension wor out at 16k miles, causing thumping and banging noise that gets increasing worst with more miles put on the car--dealer says it is safe to drive the car. *ak

I've owned a "1997" "1998" "1999" "2000" and own right now a 2001 malibu all these cars have had there a/c control head fail except the 2001 i'm just waiting for that to happen it takes 2 years before it fails on a new car and just over a year on a new part replacement. chevrolet does nothing to fix this problem although it continues on all there malibus year after year. *ak

I filed a complaint with nhtsa and gm case # c04015874 in april 01. gm told me to send in copies of my sales contract and other purchase info to prove i purchased it in ny i did that immediately. they also told me to take the car to a dealer and have it inspected and give them the broken pivot part. i then was told at the end of the year after all this misinformation given to me that they weren't going to reinburse me for the part i had to buy to repair the car. the recall said the snow fall causes the part to break and that's what happened-but they won't honor it. can you do something for me, the part cost $100. dollars.*ak

My abs failure light comes on a lot signifying that my abs is not functioning. once i turn off the car and restart it, the light is off, but this is happening more frequently lately. my car is no longer under warranty, and given the "great" service i have had in the past with chevy dealers and the brakes on this malibu, i will not take it to them.*ak

Same problem that many hundreds of others have reported to nhtsa in the past (including myself on a previous occasion). just out of curiousity, how many reports do you have to get before some action is taken? there is a design defect in the brakes on the vehicles from 1997-2001 (at least -- search your db). after having any service work done that requires removal of the tires, the rotors will warp after about 6 or 10k miles and both rotors and pads need to be replaced. the vehicle experiences excessive brake pulsation and shaking (vibration) in the front end. maintaining control of the vehicle when trying to stop from a higher rate of speed (at or above 45mph) with this vibration is challenging at best. my car is out of warranty now, so chevrolet will not do anything. the last time i took it in for this, the dealer blamed it on my tires, turned the rotors and that was it. i got new tires as he said, and i still have the problem. his reason for not replacing the rotors and pads at that time was because i was almost out of warrenty and he knew the problem would occur again and he would be responsible for it. if nhtsa cannot do anything about this problem, please direct me to someone who can. thank you.*ak

I lost all braking and had to stop the vehicle by shifting into lower gears and then park. had this happened at highway speeds, i am sure a collision would have occurred. fortunately, it occurred while i was driving on surface streets at slower speeds. i had the vehicle towed to a chevrolet dealer and found out that the brake line running from the left side of the vehicle to the right front brake had been rubbing on the engine, and the engine had rubbed a hole in the line. this should not have happened. i am concerned that it will happen again to me, or to someone else who may be driving at higher rates of speed. someone could be seriously injured or killed if this problem occurs on other malibu's.*ak

We are a salvage yard in central west texas (no salt used here). we have noticed that on all late model gm vehicles with abs, if the pump is mounted below the battery their is a high rate of brake line failer due to corrosion from battery acid. we sell a lot of gm steel brake lines for this reason. *ak

This intake valve has been replaced once already on my car in march of 2000, now less than two years later i am having to have it replaced again at a cost of 650.00, i have been informed by the dealers service dept. that chevrolet is now making a better intake valve because this has been a problem in the malibus, if this is the case they should handle some of this cost if not all. thank you

I bought in august of 2000 four monts after i have had this car my problems began since then the car has been in the shop at least 10 times for the same problem the engine light comes on and the car shakes and stalls out.paddock chevrolet has given me false hope about the car they said they fixed the problem from fuel filters fuel injectors but the problem still occurs they had even after time admitted they can not fix the problem. recently the problem has gotten worse i have a daughter who just turned a year and all i want is to feel safe on the road i have missed work a couple of time because of the problem and nothing is being done. *ak

All 4 back brake light bulbs burned out and appeared to be somewhat melted on the connection part of the bulb. replaced, 4 weeks later drivers side bulb burnt out again. fuses are blowing if i have the passenger side bulb panel connected.

We have two malibus and both have had problems with leaking coolant from the engine. service replaced gasket, which took overnight. i have read on malibu websites on the net that this is another common problem.*ak

Please make a note of the failure of the lower intake manifold gasket at 57000 on my 1998 malibu ls...it is a design flaw that gm should be held accountable for...thanks...my rotoors were bad from day one and the dealer told me it was just the wheels needing balanced....the faulty anti-lock brakes were a scary situation...the car is riddled with design problems that gm should be held accountable for. *ak

Cooling fluid was leaking into the engine from a failed lower intake manifold gasket. i only have about 52000 miles and less than 4 years on my car. i believe the gasket should have a much longer life. the service agents at the dealer told me the failure is not uncommon, but said the $699 repair bill would not be reimbursed or covered by gm unless i have an extended warranty. i have talked to other malibu owners and some have seen the same problem or have noticed signifcant and 'unexplained' (i.e., no visible leaks from hoses or radiator) coolant loss, even at lower mileage than my car. these 'unexplained' losses have the same sympton as i noticed with my car, which is a build up of a greenish-brown gel-like substance on the inside of the oil fill cap and valve cover, which indicates cooling fluid leaks into the engine.*ak

Since i have owned this car i have had to change the brakes 10 times. i have had to replace the rotors twice. i have had to replace the calipers on both sides in the front and the wheel bearing on the passengers side once i have had repeated problems with the brakes since i purchased this car. in august of 2001 i had to replace the head gaskets as anti-freeze was leaking into my oil. my anti-lock brake light will come on out of the blue while traveling at speeds of 50 mph i am becoming very concerned about this matter. i have spoke to about 35 malibu owners and they are all having the same problems. one owner had only 10k miles one her car at the time her brakes failed.

My wife had just pulled out of a driveway on to a highway when a truck pulled in front of her. she hit headon into the side of him. after he cleared the area she was able to drive across 4 lanes of road and into a parking lot across the street, as she entered the lot both air bagrs deployed very slowly never touching her. the speed control has been repaired several times and still continues to deacative while driving, some times many times in a row other trips not at all.

My 1998 chevrolet malibu has just over 40,000 miles on it and i just had to replace the brake pads and rotors for the third time (the first time was in september,1999 and the second was in april, 2000). this feels excessive to me, but chevy says it's normal wear and tear (strange that in having cars for the last 18 years i've never replaced them). i've tried to approach this throught the dealer and gm as well, but i get the blow off each time. it took 3 phone calls to chevy to find out about your website. they keep saying there's no problem with the model, but your somewhat "secret" website lists 123 people with the same complaint. if i call to have the car serviced for brake problems, the service rep has even guessed before me saying, "let me guess...a 1998 malibu?" obviously the problems with the brakes are widespread if they can guess the make of my car. although nobody in my family has been hurt yet, i hope something is done before that point is reached. kris fitz. *ak

After increasing noise noted over a period of several months, i took my vehicle in to be serviced and was told that i had a cracked engine mount. the service person informed me that this was a very rare occurrence on a vehicle that was as new as 1998 without severe impact to the vehicle, which mine has never received and they were surprised that this had happened.*ak

Right tailight collects water everytime it rains in relsult the lights go out, in result the panel for the light has rusted and cannot be used, this is the 2nd panel i have purchased becuase of water leaking into taillight. i have seen 3 other mailibu's with the same situation. i want chevrolet to fix this problem i have to keep paying to purchase a new panel because of the rust, my vehicle will not pass inspection due to this defect, i feel it is a manufacturers defect.*ak

When the transmission went bad it would not shift into first gear,mechanic said the transmission was almost out of its case. they also said they had 2 other malibus,same year, with the same problem. all 4 tires were replaced in january by len stoler. they were also supposed to fix the problem in the left front tire, but it has since reoccurred.they robbed me of about $900 and were very rude about the situation. therefore i took the car to a transmission specialist to repair the transmission problem. i have not gotten the steering problem fixed yet.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Pivot housing broke, causing damage to winshield wiper transmission. both parts were replaced at customer expense.*ak

I bought the extended warranty and i feel my car is a lemon. every single person with a malibu has had problems and we really need help since chevrolet wants to ignore the problems. with all the problems i will have paid for this car twice after all of the repais i have incorred. *ak

Although my chevorlet malibu is only 2 years old. my transmission is shot. i have reported brake problems to the dealer three times. they checked it twice, told me there was nothing wrong. i can hardly stop my car. the rear [r] brake light has been fixed twice in two months due to a leak and wire shorts. however there is still a problem. *ak

I noticed a rough feel to the steering wheel when making short turns.i took it to the dealer to inspect .they said i needed a new steering gear and that the mechanism was leaking fluid. when i contacted gm they told me they have no record of any problems with the steering mechanisms in their database. they did offer to share the cost 50-50(over $900!!) as a good will gesture as the car is now out of warantee.(woopee!!)i also reported my tail lights go out from time to time but the dealer says he couldn't find a problem.*ak

The abs system has been a major problem since we purchased the car. all we want is for someone to fix the problem & explain to us why the abs & brake light keep coming on. *ak

Four different mechanics gave estimates on intake gasket replacement. all stated that this was a very common problem with the 3.1 litre gm engines and they were surprised that gm has not issued a recall on these engines. one mechanic suspects it may be the dextron anti-freeze that gmc requires in there vehicles that is eating away at the gaskets and causing the coolant leakage. he had a chevrolet lumina in the garage with the same problem when i got the estimate. gm would not cover any of the repair cost unless we paid a gm dealer to evaluate the problem which other garages provided free of charge. i have a ford and have received excellant customer service from ford and their dealerships. i will not buy another gm product.*ak

Went to saturn to have the problem fixed and they said it (airbags) was not covered in the extended warranty. and they felt that it was the manufacturer default. air bags deployed at a full stop. no accident happened. called gm company and they said they would notify me in 48 hrs. i contacted them and they (gm) said they need more time to contact the saturn tech. mng. they (gm) are supposed to call me tuesday and tell me if they can repair my car. they are giving me the run-around. i feel that i did not do anything to cause my airbags to deploy and that gm is fully responsible since i have only had the car for 5 mths, and that it is a manufacturer defect.*ak

I have spent over $700.00 on my brakes this year and it is always the same problem. i understand from several mechanics, including my own, that my malibu is not the only one continuously having problems with the brakes. it is getting ridiculous. nobody should have this many problems and not be able to drive the car they are paying for more than a couple of times a week. the last time my brakes got fixed 10/08/2001 i drove the car two days before the brakes quit working again. i think gm should do something about this before they get sued. my children are very important to me and i have to worry about their safety every time i put them in my car.*ak

The coolant was leaking into my engine. i was told the engine block was cracked, after being without my car for 4 days, they told me it was just a gasket leaking. they then "as good citizens" repaired my car under warrenty and charged me $73.95 for an oil change and fuel filter because these things had to be done while they were investigating the leak. i had just recently had my oil changed. within the first few months of having my car i noticed serveral problems that i reported to the dealer and was waved off several times. i even rode with a service manager who explained that the ticking in the engine, the whinning my window made when rolling it up or down, the squeeking in the front and back of car were all normal because my car was settling like a house does. these noises and squeeks are normal!!! shortly there after, my wheel bearings were replaced, my window failed to roll up while on my way to work when it began pouring rain. the ticking noise was explained three years later, since the coolant was leaking into my engine. i have replaced break pads, and my rotars and am on my way to replacing both again at 36,000 miles. the ticking noise in my car is still present and now the air conditioner goes out intermittently while driving. i replaced the lamps in my break lights twice before another malibu owner told me it was a problem in the circuit board. i am not happy with this vehicle and can't wait until i can afford to get rid of it. i will never buy another chevy unless the choose to rectify this situation. after reading the other compliants i now see i am not the only person to ever report the leaking of the coolant and am frustrated since i was told this was never seen before!!!*ak

Warped front rotors replaced for third time at 35000 miles. chevy has covered the repairs but will not provide extended warranty coverage. they state that this is the expected life for rotors (approximately 12000 miles) based on local driving conditions. rotors on my previous cars have lasted 40000 miles or more. i found dozens of similar complaints in the database. there seems to be a general problem with the brake system that chevy should recognize and correct before the faulty brakes cause accidents. i should not have to pay for new rotors every 12000 miles.*ak

Severe brake pulsation at highway speeds, difficult to control car. rotors replaced at 18000 mi, rotors turned at 33000 mi, need to replace again at 46000 mi. rear stop lights keep burning out due to problems with printed circuit. replaced light assembly twice, replace bulbs every 5-6 months.*ak

The invalid vin is the correct one on the car. we have checked it several times. the stalling started the first time when the car had less than 12000 miles on it , as did the brakes. i do not have the exact dates of the other stallings. the last time for example, was in april 2001, my sister was going the speed limit, with her granddaughter in the back, and the car stalled in heavy traffic. no way to get out of the road. she narrowly missed getting hit by a transfer truck. also, the brakes have never worked right. she has had them worked on several times. this is not covered under warranty and is not cheap.*ak

Plastic locking mechanism on seat belt latch plate split. *ak

The dealer won't pay for the parts because my vin# don't come up. the car was purchased and is registered in new york one of the snow belt states affected. originally, the car was sold and delivered in florida, and that's why my vin# isn't coming up. someone has to tell them this car was bought in ny and isn't being used in florida. my wife almost lost control while driving because the defective parts broke while the wet snow came down.i've just found out that a person at my insurance co, just got there recall and theirs didn't break yet, while mine did. please help. sincerely, steve dardzinski. *ak

Replaced 2 front tires, due to cracking between tread. *ak (tiresize: p21560r15)

The front brake rotors have warped and had to be replaced for the second time now. the first occurrence was approximately 20,000 miles. the second occurrence was at 37,500 miles. the warped rotors cause extreme difficulty in maintaining control of this vehicle under all braking conditions, especially on rough roads. i also wonder what problems may arise with the abs reading the wheel speed/position under braking with a pulsing condition.*ak

Brakes need to be serviced for 4th time, this is a major safety issue. *ak

This car stinks. do not buy it!!!!!! i purchased the car 4/98. after 8,000 miles the brakes started to pulsate. at 13,000 the rotors were replaced. i also had problems with the a/c vents getting stuck. the dealer ended up replacing the vent. the brakes stared to pulsate again by 20,000 miles and by 36,000 miles they needed to be cut. the a/c control head needed to be repalced after 43.000 miles. the a/c cycled on and off. let me tell you that gm/chevy knows there are problems and still require you to pay for the parts until they find a solution. anyway, two days after i had the a/c control head replaced, the a/c started to blow out hot air. brought the car back to the dealer (royal chevrolet in new jersey) to find out what happened. they stated there was a hole in the condensor and it would cost $1200 for the part. i found it hard to beleive that something could fit thru the grill without damaging the grill and put a hole in the condensor. when i picked the car up, he threw the keys accross the counter, said it was in the back and walked away. great customer service!!! 9 months past untill i had my regular dealer look at the car. he tightened a hose and replaced a seal and freon at a cost of $80. a big difference. i recommend them. (lynn chevrolet). i had the water pump replaced. a camshaft sensor was shorted and had to be replaced. (the check engine light kept coming on) i also replaced the hub bearing on both front wheels after 60,000 miles. recently the a/c started to have the same problem. i called chevy because i feel i should not have to pay for reoccurring problems. they could care less about the consumer. they have your money already. chevy told me the only dealer that could repair it on good faith was the dealer that installed the part the first time. the ones the tried to rip me off. chevy just don't get it. they lost me as a customer. don't buy this car unless you want poor customer relations.*ak

Rotors have warped 5 times, this is a normal defect for chevrolet, malibus, its about time someone did something about it. *ak

Shorlty after purchasing this vehicle while it was still under warranty we had the passenger side headlight assembly replaced because of condensation building up. then a couple months later somone told me that my stop lights on the passenger side were out, i thought it was the bulbs but it wasn't , it was because of water building up inside. i contacted several orginizations to see if this was possibly recalled, it wasn't. since they want $250 for the light assembly i've been waiting to see if they would recall them considering that just in the central mass area i have seen 2 - 3 dozen malibu's with that stop light not working. i have been able to get it working by taking it apart drying it out and cleaning the electrodes with a wire brush but within a week of any rain it blows out again. i even went as far as two weeks ago resealing the seal around the housing and when we got rain that day went out and checked it and there was about a pint of water inside.i pulled the whole assembly out still together, tipped it every way possible and could not get the water to leak out from anywhere. i feel this is a safety issue because it is the stop lights. the other lights still work(the backup, directional , and even the 2 marker lights on the same bulb as the stop) its just the stop lights. now i've noticed a little condensation in the left side assembly. i hope something can be done about this. thank you jason jerome. *ak

Any small bump or acceleration at about 55mph produces loud clunking noises from front. *ak

Turned my car off and went into the store. came back out and the car would not start. after several attempts, the car had to be towed to the dealer. the dealer made a estimate based on my complaint of $78.00. i was contacted the next day with a $700.00 estimate. the computer had to be updated, the ignition has to be re-keyed, and the fuel injector has to be cleaned. and that is just to get it running again! *ak

Brakes repaired at 12793, 28045, 35608 miles and still a problem. *ak

Firestone said allignment problem. it was alligned at 23,139 miles. first noticed irragular wear on both rear tires on 9/29/2000 when rotating tires. the vehicle has also been towed about 24,000 miles. *ak (dot number: w2mwaaa168 tiresize: p215/60r15)

Failure discover by firestone when changing oil. *ak

We have rotors replaced on this car twice in about 30dys dealer couldn't believe it. and the intake bolts were loose and it was losing coolant. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak( dot number: )

All 4 tires have severe cracking between treads.*ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

All four tires have cracking between the tread ribs. *ak (tiresize: p215 60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215 60r15 )

All four tires have cracking between the tread ribs. *ak (tiresize: p215 60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215 60r15 )

Tire tread wear was very low. also, there was major cracking between tire tread ribs as well. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

Pivot drive assembly seized causing the wipers/ transmission to fail but the dealer stated it was not covered under nhtsa campaign id number: 01v068000. *ak

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

Returned to james chevrolet for repair ,problem keeps occurring. no safety defect mentioned. *ak

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

All 4 tires were inspected and replaced with new firestone affinity tires under warranty by local dealership, nelda stephenson chev on 1-18-01. work order or invoice # is 91731. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

All 4 tires were inspected and replaced with new firestone affinity tires under warranty by local dealership, nelda stephenson chev. on 1-23--01. work order or invoice # 91857. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

All 4 tires were inspected and replaced with new firestone affinity tires under warranty by local dealership, nelda stephenson chevrolet on 1-22-01. work order or invoice # 91750. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

All 4 tires were inspected and replaced with new firestone affinity tires under warranty by local dealership, nelda stephenson chevrolet on 1-0-01, work order /invoice # 91673. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

I have owned my chevy malibu for 2 years now and since i've had it i've had to replace the right rear brake light three times. after i took the bulb out the third time i have noticed that the unit is melted. i absolutely refuse to put another bulb in for the fear of a fire. i know quite a few people that own malibu's and i know of 2 others with the same year that have had the same exact problem. i do think this needs to be investigated for a possible defect. i do not feel comfortable driving with one of my brake lights out, but i feel i have no choice.*ak

Took car in for routine 48,000 mile service and estimate is $1500 for coolant leakage into engine, serpentine belt, suspension arm (front) and pcv valve

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

I'm waiting for papers to be sent to me for this complaint. windshield wipers broke from the snow, and my wife had to slam on the brakes while pulling over cause she couldn't see.*ak

Front wheels developed grining noise. dealer says its worn out hubs and bearing on both sides and claims its from potholes. i don't hit many potholes. i make a conscience effort to avoid potholes. repair is costing me $1000. i think i'm being taken.*ak

I have had the car back to the dealer 4 times for the same problem. the rotors. may 99, 9800 mi, feb 00, 18247 mi, may 00, 23,236 miles and now today 35,500 mi. the first 2 times they shaved the rotors and the third time they replaced them. however they never put on new pads. now today they tell me i need new brakes. they car is doing the same thing it did other time. at a speed of over 50 mph it shimmies. there should definetly be a recall on the brakes. the tires all had to be replaced as they split. also i have water coming into the left tail light and puts out the bulb.*ak( dot number: )

Air conditoin panel has gone out twice and has been replaced now it is going out a third time. @ had replace brakes twice in one year and also replace the roters, rear suspension makes a noise a craking souns like the shocks are bad. transmission problems ,car will not shift out or change gear. it has been put on the computer 2 times and no code is showing up in the transmission. please help i have had problems with this car since day one. and i have no extended warrenty.*ak

The ignition lock was replaced in october of 1999 because the key would not turn. it just had to be replaced again on 4/23/01 because the ignition lock was so worn out, if you took the key out, the car would still run. this was extremely dangerous, because if i thought the car was completely off, and left it in a lot or in the street somewhere, and it turned out it was on, someone could have been really hurt. according to two differnet gm dealerships, and an independent mechanic who i consulted on this matter, the ignition lock should last the life of the car, and this is the third one i have had since 1998. any assistance you could offer would be most appreciated. thanks.

Engine gasket failure in a 3 year old, 52000 mile car---spoke with several mechanics--apparently is a common problem with this engine. why no recall?*ak

The abs system attempts to modulate after approx 5 miles of driving. this modulation lasts for an extended period of about 15-20 seconds and happens only while braking. this creates a period of poor braking and extended breaking distance, resulting in several near misses. after the extended modulation, the abs indicator light comes on and the abs system is disabled. once the vehicle ignition is turned off the system clears and the light goes out. this has happend 10-15 times with increased frequency.sed. *ak

The strut and shocks damaged, and vehicle nocks and wobbles cause of looseness in front right drive shaft. *ak

Car still made noise after hub/bearings replaced. 2nd time hub/bearing replaced noise was louder. got 2nd opinion, was back plate rubbing against rotor. did i even need my hub/bearing replaced. 3/23/01 said i need rotors resurfaced, 2nd opinion - rotors fine. chevy is ripping me off. charged me for new serpentine belt & never replaced it. moisture in headlights.

Engine ticks at cold starts then ends once warmed up. dealer notified, has no explanation, no idea what repairs will cost if extended warranty doesn't cover it. *ak

Found coolant leaking from car checked out and the head gasket was leaking coolant. dealer to pay for repair.*ak

Recurring warped rotors after tire rotations; only ~38,000 miles and problem has occurred 3 times already; first 2 times, dealers replaced rotors and pads; 3rd time (vehicle out of warrenty) dealer says bad tires are the cause, but resurfaces rotors anyway- symptoms disappear with no change to tires (only difference is resurfaced rotors), so how can it be bad tires. problem symptoms are always the same; severe pulsation when applying brakes above ~60-65mph, and severe vibration in steering wheel. brakes are an important safety component on automobiles. please take some action regarding this problem -- obviously i am not the only one experiencing these problems, and at least some dealers do not appear to be being completely honest here. *ak

I have reported to the dealer of my r/f caliper problem. the brake pads on the r/f side are all the way to the warning tab of the brakes. i feel the pads should be replace because the caliper wore them down prematurlly.*ak

My malibu has had both front brake shoes replaced twice. the rotors and calipars replaced the altinator replaced. now the coolant system is leaking all over the engine. the passenger window will not roll down everytime. the dashboard is loose and rattles. my a/c light in car clicks on and off. the left tailight burned out twice. that's all that i can think of right now.

With 58000 miles, the rotors have been replaced four times and i'm now on the third set of brake pads. brake pedal travels almost to the floor, and even at a stop, with brand new pads and rotors, the car still lurches forward a bit as if the brakes can't completely stop it. chevrolet agreed to replace the rotors for 100000 miles because i filed a formal complaint, however this time i took it to an independent garage who put heavy duty rotors on to see if that will help. even that mechanic states that the brakes do not seem adequate for the car.*ak

Car sounded like an airplane propeller and squealing and squeaking in the back end. *ak

I have a anti-theft lock that came with the vehicle,i have been stuck several times due to the anti-theft going on and i cannot start the car for atleast 20 min. at a time. i have been late for work and appointments also. i need to know should i try to take vehicle in to remove anti-theft,if possible, if i the owner with the key cannot start the car i guess a theft would have a hard time also. so in one way i like the feature. would like to know if this is a standard feature in these vehicles? and if it is worth having?*ak

Returned to selling dealer 06/13/2000, 18121 miles for repair of brake pulsation, especially violent at interstate speeds. brake rotors were resurfaced and pads deglazed at my expense. complained to service manager about being charged for repair on a car with 3/36 bumper to bumper warranty. was told brake warranty was only 12/12000. called chevrolet and lodged a complaint, followed by a letter on 06/16/2000. chevrolet rep gave me a complaint file #, c00624109. now at 26000 miles, brake pulsation has returned. i have no reason to think this will not be constantly reocurring. at highway speed this is a safety problem. the steering wheel will shudder violently. i feel confident that some reengineering is possible and should be required. *ak

The brake lines come out of the master cylinder and go to a hydralic valve on the antilock brake valve which is located under the battery and corrosion has gotten into and on this valve assembly which has caused rear brake failure the valve is located in a very bad place to control such an important part of the operations of a vehicle. this problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible before there is failures of brakes on these vehicles. when the acid has been there long enough it will eat away at the brake lines completly and cause major accidents whith the loss being more than money or property.*ak

Have had 4 problems with the brakes since i have owned this car. i talked to manufacturer and got no where with them.*ak

When braking from freeway speed of 50+ mph vehicle and steering wheel shook violently, making vehicle control difficult. rotors and pads were replaced on sept-1999, the problem returned, rotors and pads replaced feb-2000, the problem returned.*ak

Vehicle has stalled numerous of times especially when i am at a complete stop and engine light will go on. slow crank and battery has been replaced twice. the headlights and interior lights dim whenever you slow down to come to a complete stop. the car is currently in the shop due to the stalling issue, mechanic states it is a problem in the computer system and will and to be replaced at my expense. motor mounts are also corroded which is highly unusually due to car only being 3 years. i was unable to give the vin # due to not having access to vehicle at the moment. the vehicle is currently in the shop undergoing repairs.

Had alignment done and wheels rotated and still had vibration when braking. car won't start completely shut down on the road unexpectedly 3 times in 1 week. loud noise in rear of car when traveling.*ak

Brake line too near bolt on side of engine, worn through due to friction, resulted in complete drainage of master cylinder.

Travelling at a speed of 45mph when right rear tire blew out. temperature was 15 degrees and the tires have been properly maintained/rotated.*ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

Brake pads and rotors replaced at 9464 mi, pads (completely shot) at 26711 mi, pads and rotors again at. *ak

Brake pads and rotors replaced at 9464 mi, pads (completely shot) at 26711 mi, pads and rotors again at. *ak

Engine stalls when driving or parked dealer coudn't remake problem, rough engine vibrations when car is at idle, transmission slips on numeruse occasions. *ak

Brakes in front replaced pads then dealer replaced disc and pads,shakes not bake yet, tires wearing really low in center of tire almost didn't pass safety inspection, hard to keep controll of vehical in inclimate weather with bad tires.*ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

Warpped brake rotors. dealer replaced rotors, but made me pay #117 for brake pads. this is a reccurring problem according to your data base. this should be a recall item before people start getting killed with loss of control. see steering complaints on your data base. oil leaks reoccurred on o1/05/01. *ak

Burnt oil smell coming from engine while driving. dealer said the rear main seal grease was mixing with the oil from recent oil change and creating smell. dealer said smell should go away after 1,000 miles.*ak

Car has stalled over 35 times over a two month span. the repair shop has replaced ignition switch, reprogrammed the pcm, and replaced the pcm. i have replaced the battey and the fuel filter. the car will stall at any speed. it would restart 'till 12/24/00 when it stalled for the last time as i approached an intersection. my two children were with me at the time. i managed to pull over. i tried over fourty times to restart the car. the engin turned over fine. it did not drag. finally, i had it towed to the dealer for repair. this is the third time that i takit in with in a two month period to have the stalling repaired. about two months ago, we were coming back form vacation when the car died on us over twenty times form san diego to sacramento. at one point, while running, the car would accelerate and deccerate as if someone was puming the accerator in a rapid motion. then the car would die out. i would pull over and restart it. after a while, i got the hang of it. it would die out, i would put it in nuteral, and i would restart the car. it was night time and it was very dangerous every time that i had to pull over to restart it. i was with my wife and two children. second problem: the abs light lit up when the car had 35,800 miles approximatly. i took it in to the dealer and at that time the light was out. it would come on intermittenly. the dealer could not diagnose a problem. around 37,000 miles, the abs would come on everyother day, and the car would go into an abs brake every time the light wold come on. i took the car in to the dealer and had the left front wheel sensor replaced. that took care of the abs problem. i put off the repair because i did not have the money to have it fixed. i have also replaced the brake pads at 30,000 miles and it soulds like they need to be repalced again. they squeek when i brake. my primary concern is the car's defect with the stalling. i am afraid that some day we may get in an accident. *ak

Oct/99,front brake problems/brake pedal shudder,steering wheel shimmy/(severe over 55mph) at 7000 miles. reported problem to dealer-was told normal wear/out of warranty-car is 13 months old. had to have rotors turned/severe warping.nov/00,11600miles. same problem.rotors and pads have to be replaced because of warping/excess wear. car only driven 4000 miles in last year.didnt contact dealer because of previous dismissal by service department manager.*ak

Pad/,rotors,tires replaces at 22,000 miles. tires chopped and feathered. rubbing began at 7,000. told dealer on several occasions, finally at 22,000 problem was corrected. however, still gets grinding noise with brakes when roads are wet. told dealer, they said that it was normal. *ak (tiresize: r14)( dot number: tire size: r14 )

Vehicle front rotors warped at 10,000 miles. resurfaced rotors, warped again. replaced chevrolet rotors with aftermarket rotors at 18,000 miles. aftermarket rotors warped. vehicle dangerous to drive. chevrolet refuses to fix at their expense.*ak

The front rotors (left and right) warp every 8-12 thousand miles causing sever vibration when braking at high speeds. this is a problem with all mailbus from 1997-2000 based on conversations with other malibu owners and dealer service technicians. nhtsa complain files show dozens and dozenns of the same complaint, yet no action by either nhtsa or chevy/gm. do not understand why. chevrolet should be forced to make amends to owners and replace trhe rotors with an improved design. my understanding is the 2000 model malibus have an improved rotor and heat dissipating front disc brake pads. nhtsa should have chevrolet refit 97-99 models with these new parts. *ak

Replaced front brakes(rotors and pads) twice in under 33000 miles, radio replaced twice in under a year, heater core and blower replaced at 32000 miles, hazard button broke in under a year. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Driver side power window has an intermitent problem to down. dealer check but condition continue. dash cover is shrinking prematurely. dealer said condition is normal and has no plan to replace it. personally observed other cars, same yars, with similar problems. *ak

Premature fail of front rotors dealer will replace rotors but will charge for pads and additional labor. wheel center covers present a condition (all 4) that may cause then to come off due to fatigue of supporting brackets. rear glass weatherstripe shrink abnormaly causing water to enter inside. *ak

Almost as soon as i bought the car, rear lights began to go out sporadically, i've already had to replace the brake shoes twice (at 18,000 and about 44,000 miles), i had to replace the alternator at 37,000 miles, one seat belt clip plastic handle protector broke off, and i've had radiator leakage and air condition problems as well as radio reception being sporadic at best.

Bushings on control arms defective and battery accid leaks

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

When i apply brakes at speeds above 60 mph, front of vehicle starts shaking. at 70 mph, vehicle is very difficult to control. i usually drive under 65 mph and first noticed it when i took my first trip. on a recent trip, i had to brake on a steep hill, was going the speed limit at 70 mph, and almost lost control. this is a safety hazard. it appears to have been be a defect from day one.*ak

Firestone claims that tires wore due to over-inflation. dealership was the only ones inflating those tires. when tested tires were at 35psi. firestone claims that problem is commmon on malibus. *ak (tiresize: 215/60/r15)( dot number: tire size: 215/60/r15 )

At around 40 thousand miles the alternator went out on the car causing the car to completely stop in a turning lane in traffic. the rubber lining going all the way around the car has begun to fall off. the brake pads and shoes had to be replaced long before they were due. the tires, which supposedly had a 70,000 mile warranty on them had to be replaced at 40,000 miles. that cost us 300 dollars to replace. after looking on message boards i don't seem to be the only one with problems with the malibu and i really think someone ought to be looking into this. seems like these cars are made to fall apart after the warranty has expired.( dot number: tire size: 16 )

Air conditioning compressor doesn't stay engaged. compressor does come on but indicator on dash shows it going off and coming on again. will not stay engaged. has to be in the electrical system.*ak

Air condition ingcompressor doesn't stayed engaged. compressor does come on but indicator on dash shows it going off and coming on again. will not stay engaged. has to be in the electrical system.

Vehicle would hesitate or almost stop while driving. also occurred when attempting to accelerate after vehicle was stopped for a minute or two. in december 1999, reprogrammed pcm(power control module)/clr codes. referenced bulletin 99-0604032. in january 2000, problem recurred, replaced ignition coil. in july 2000, problem recurred, roadtests conducted. technician contacted "tans" and determined that fuel pressure below specs. replaced sending unit (sender) and filter.

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Alternator went out while i was driving down a busy highway in rush hour traffic. car completely died. could not jump start. had to have it towed to a mechanic who stated this was the fourth alternator he had replaced on this year of chevy malibu in the last month and for me to inquire as to a possible recall on these parts. also have had to change the light bulbs in the brake lights and back up lights at least once every other month since purchase. brakes were serviced with new pads and everything from the dealer 4 months ago and now the abs light is comming on and going off and intervals. air conditioner shuts itself off frequently. the little green light goes out and the system blows hot air. i have to turn the power down on it to get the little green light to come back on again and for the air to cool off again. i have noticed air drafts comming from the door handles on the inside of the vehicle while driving on the highway.*ak

The mileage provided is only estimates, reported only the seat belt light to the dealership. *ak

Please see comments from previous entry (forgot to add stop/tail lights) to list. no safety defect mentioned. *ak

No summary

No summary

No summary

Six failures of air conditioning in this office alone. dealer had switch in stock. *ak

Complete tire # p215/60r15 93t mt5 , tpc spec1139m6, #027487. tire seperated/peeled off from right rear rim as i was driving on freeway at app 65mph. i replaced this tire with the same brand & size & am concerned because of what occurred on my car as well as the problem that firestone is presently experiencing. quite frankly i am wondering if these tires are safe and am concerned about a potential safety hazard. i have the receipt for the replacement tire.( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

The rotors were warped at 25,000 miles.

Starter made rattle when started. nose cone shearred off starter and bored through transmission. need to replace whole transmission.

Rotors replaced twice before 20,000 miles and alternator replaced at 25,000. this car is a real lemon. will never buy gm product again. *ak

Tires cracking all the way around at the outer grooves ,looked like what you call dry rot( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

No summary( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

No summary( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

Abs light just came on when turned on car and never went off. when you hit the brakes the whole car shudders. pulling away from a stop sign the right front axle just popped and broke, we were't even going 25 miles an hour.

Front tires completely worn in the middle. was told by chevy dealership that they won't replace. car makes a cupping sound and front wheel bearings have been replaced 4 times in less than 3 months.( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

Every year since i've owned the car i've had to have rotors replaced, so far under warranty. i don't want to have to start paying for what seems to be a regular failure of equipment.

The car makes a horrible creeking noise in the suspension when going over speed bumps or turning into a driveway. this noise happened 4 days after we got car. allegedly it occcurs because of dry and rusty stabilizer bars. the correction is to lubricatebushings. this stops problem about 8 -10 months at a time. the noise is so bad that i'm asshamed to bring people in the car when this happens. this happens in this make and model only. this is what customer service told me. they say it happens in this part of country more. the car was brought back at least 3times until problem was solved. car has been brouht in for this problem 5 times so far. this is a design defect in car. what happens after warrenty runs out. how could chevrolet say this happens here more, when it happened 4 days after car was delivered. hl chevrolet at 2519 hylan blvd staten island ny 10306 phone 718-351-4200 now services car and they knew problem right away. thank you for any help in getting chevrolet to admit design flaw and making sure i will be covered after warranty expires. even if this does happen what a travesty that this car must go in every year and that it wastes alot of time.

Original battery - ac delco, positive prong rotted without notice! car is only 2 years old. car shut off without warning just as i went to pull out of parking space. battery light is still bright green!

Second occurance in 29,000 miles: car develops extreme shudder when applying brakes above 50mph. potential safety hazard on wet/slippery roads common in ny area. dealer replaced as "good will" but chevrolet will not acknowledge problem. nhtsa customer complaints are very high for this identical problem. chevrolet should replace rotors with high performance rotors that will not warp or extend warranty to include front disk brakes for life of car..

Tires had unusual cracking after 20k miles - so i replaced them & have them to return to firestone..( dot number: tire size: p215 60 r1 )

While applying brakes, the car pulsates and jumps when coming to a stop. the car was taken in several times to have the rotars turned, then later replaced, then replaced again with 99 model rotars, the brakes are still pulsating to current date. the alternator went out while driving, lost all power to brakes, abs system, and air bags. the alternator was replaced. later had to have battery replaced due to alternator killing it. the a/c light would blink on and off, the compressor would cut on and off. had to eventually replace the panel on the inside of the car after having a new compressor put on. the a/c panel seemed to have done the trick, though is has some new problems from the beginning. the bushings squeak and sqwauk while driving over bumps, they have now started in the rear of the car.

Braking system failed causing an accident. brakes failed to activate at speeds of 10mph causing the inability to stop the vehicle which subsequently caused an accident. brakes were depressed as far as they could be and vehicle failed to stop. had problems with brakes before. shudderin sounds come from the front hood when applying brakes at any speeds. feels like something rubbing in the front and bottom of vehicle.

Rotors have been replaced 4 x's, vehicle difficult to stop and vibration at 65mph is extreme. owner of dealership refuses to return phonecalls.

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

This is the third time in 40,000 i'm replacing the rotors. the steering shimmies, and the brake pedal pulses. the brakes are poorly designed. it's not my driving. *ak

There is evidentally a design defect on all 1998 malibu front rotor brake system componets. in 37,000 miles i have had three sets of rotors replaced on the front of my malibu. i have just received written correspondence from the service manager at the dealer noted that general motors is aaware of this problem. my dealer tells me that they will cover any future rotor/brake problems up to 60,000 miles and/or up to five years that the vehicle was put in to service. the serious concern is why has general motors failed to issue a nationwide consumer alert to all malibu owners of this serious, and very costly, problem? it seems obvious that this is a manufacturer/design type defect that, for some reasson, is being kept very quiet. i don't appreciate having to dig to find out information that should have been freely dispensed to me ass well as all other malibu owners. i wonder how many consumers have paid hard earned money out of thier pockets because they were unaware that this is a gm problem? i am fully prepared to follow this issue through in a more formal matter if you so advise. i appreciate your help and guidance. thank you for looking into this serious safety related matter. please note..... the second time i took my vehicle in for brake problems....the situation was so critical that when applying brakes the front shook so bad like it had run over a washboard. every 10,000 miles rotors and components should not have to be replaced. i need help very badly....thank you for your time and assistance. i will look forward to hearing from you. sincerely, troy m. curnutte. *ak

Rotors and pads failed at 22,000 and again at 30,000 miles. dealer advised not covered by warranty. reported this date to gm. was advised no recalls of warranty work authorized. will contact dealer to request a hearing with factory rep. i consider this a safety defect. many complaints have been reported to your org for same defect. please advise if recall or other action being investigated or is forthcoming. thanks. *ak

This is the second time we had to replace brakes and rotors. vehicle makes a grinding sound. *ak

The car was delivered with a noisy brake pedal, improper steering wheel, alignemtn, and very poor wheel alignment. the dealer was unable to resolve the noisy pedal without dismantling the entire braking system, which i declined. the steering wheel and front wheels were aligned, however, the rear wheels were not aligned. i ony learned of this because of a twitchiness when driving and premature rear tire failure, even though the tires were rotated regularly. the front brake rotors have been almost constantly warped, and most importantly, front caliper retaining pins have flown completely out while driving at about seventy (70) miles per hour on the interstate. in the first instance, the car was able to be driven to the dealership, where they replaced the pin and re-tourqed all other pins. about a month later, another pin flew out, this time resulting in an undrivable car, leaving my wife and infant child stranded on the side of the interstate at night. the car was towed in, and the dealer's fix was to replace all of the caliper pins, ignoring the fact that there is certainly another problem, such as component design causing the pins to fly out. this is a major safety issue. after reviewing the complaint log at the nhtsa web site and through personal contact with other malibu owners with similar problems, it is quite apparent that my problems are not isolated events. please take some action on behalf of malibu owners everywhere. the primary issue of serious and constant brake problems should certainly be viewed as a national safety issue. i have filed a complaint with the bbb auto line and am in the process of attempting to rsolve my problems with gm.

Brake rotors warp under normal driving conditions and must be replaced every 8,000 to 12,000 miles. manufacturer refused to cover replacement cost for these defective parts on 6/26/2000. rotors were examined and replaced by dealer (dean patterson, altoona, pa) at 9,821 miles, 16,434 miles, 26,673 miles, 35,604 miles and 50,320 miles. this car was purchased new, but has been through five sets of rotors in approximately two years. the car that was traded in when purchasing this vehicle had over 120,000 and still had the original rotors and drums on it, providing clear evidence that this is a chevrolet design flaw. dealer charged consumer $441.99 for replacement of these rotors at 50,320 miles because of warranty expiration.*ak

Front rotors replaced at 8500 miles,resurfaced rotors at 14,470,replace both front rotors at 17,156 and are now starting to pulsate at 21,300. *ak

I had the car serviced each 3000 miles as recommended by the owners manual by chevrolet dealers in the area i was in at the time service ws required. tom bannen chevrolet , 2340 gallatin pike north, madison, tn. has been that dealer since september 1999. i was charged for service which was to include inspection of the various parts of the car. scheduled tire rotatation was done every six thousand miles as directed in the owners manual and brake wear was never reported to me . with out warning both front brake assemblies went out and both rotors were so warped and scored as to be unserviceable. i wonder if the rotors used in this model is defective.*ak

Since the lease of this vehicle i have encountered numerous front-end related problems. the car hard 6,441 miles when i leased it. currently i am in themiddle of trying to fix by braking system. i brought my car to a personal mechanic because the abs light was coming on and the brakes were not releasing. he removed the code and verified that my brakes were indeed not releasing. he instructed me to go back to the dealership because it could have beenm related to the replacement of my brakes pads. i made an appointment went to the dealership and was told they took it for a test run (10miles) and detected nothing. they contacted my mechanic and he reported what he had found and what was on the abs code. dealership informed that brakes handled as expected and that no codes appeared therefore they could do nothing. the brakes still grab and the car shimmies and feels as though its dragging when stepping on the gas. i was told when the abs light comes on again to call and make another appointment. *ak

Rotors have been resurfaced twice, replaced once; now causing the car to shimmy again at speeds over 35 mph. this is a recurring problem that's not being fixed properly. i can't put up with the downtime caused by this inexcusable defect. i am very concerned about the safety of those that travel with me. air conditioner switch has failed leading to a complete lack of air.*ak

I have replaced, brake pads, rotors, 6 times since the purchase of this car. have also replaced abs brakes 1 time. when traveling on the highway and you hit the brakes, it will shudder and shake (even after the brakes have been changed) someone is going to get killed in this car unless gm does something about this. i have informed gm of this problem, they said they would keep a record. no action has been taken on this! please help! as i can not sell or trade the car in. i am afraid to drive it!*ak

I am experiencing repeated problems with the brakes on this vehicle. i have had 05 brake repair jobs on this car within the last year and a half of which is not normal. there must be a manufacturing defect with my breaking system. coleman autoplex tells me that this car is not designed to be driven highway for an hour and fifteen minutes one way twice a day because the brakes will get hot and cause the rotors to warp. i do not believe this is true because gmc/ chevrolet would not produce such poor quality/ workmanship for its customers. i have a 1988 delta88 oldsmobille which i have put 250,000 miles on and i have never had such a problem with the brakes. will you please help me? dates of brake jobs are 26 february 1999 invoice 121441, sop both front rotors, coleman autoplex, 18 june 1999, resurface rotors, new brake pads, invoice 125540 coleman autoplex,9 october replace both front rotors,invoice 129844 ,coleman autoplex,10-february 2000 surface rotors new brake pads, invoice 199448 patriot pontiac gmc buick oldsmobille,and 03 july 2000 new brake shoes ,resurface rotors. please help me?*ak

Purchased 1998 chevrolet malibu from coleman autoplex in gatesville tx. of which i have had a repeated problem with the rotors warping and the brake shoes wearing out every 6000 to 9000 miles repeatedly. this started in february of 1998 while the car was yet under manufactory warranty and is yet an on going problem. the dealer is not concerned with solving this problem! they only want tou to keep bringing the car back to them for repairs so that the keep getting the money to make their business flourish. the service manager the malibu "has brakes wich are made of lesser durable mateerial than the more expensive general motors cars thus they wear out fast,the can't withstand being driven ack and forth to austin, tx. which is 140 miles round trip, on a daily basis because of their poor quality". that is an awful statement to make about a gm product not to say even about a product that you beg people to buy from you!! there are numerous complaints such as mine on the web site so i am hoping that soneone that is in a position to help us will be exposed to this data and will choose to aide in a solution to our many complaints that will benefit those of us who are victims! thanking you in advance for your concern and support, arvella e. calhoun. *ak

I have had repeated problems with the brakes and rotors wearing out ai 11000 miles since purchasing this vehicle, every 10000 to 11000 miles when applying the brakes the steering wheel vibrates fiercely and the car pulls to the right. i have carriesthe car to coleman autoplex repeatedly for the problem while under warranty and since the warranty expired to no good effect. they care less now that they have sold the car!i have tried to get them to let me speak with the area rep, but they refuse me that priviledge also. i would like for both general motors and chevrolet to be aware of my problem. i desperately need assistance. i have a 1988 delta 88 oldsmobille with 250000 plus miles on it and i have never had such brake/ rotor problems with it and i drove it back and forth to work as i do this vehicle with out barke problems. thus my driving habits have not changed. i do not drive in stop and go traffic to and from work, i choose to work noghts to avoid that problem. coleman tells me that the brakes wearout at 10000 miles because they are getting hot from my drive to and from austin tx which is 70miles one way. i disagree for gm products should be able to withstand such a short distance on a daily basis. besides there are many people driving the same distance which find it ironic that i am having this problem! please help me? *ak

When i press the brake pedal to slow down on the highway the sterring wheel shakes, like it is going out of control

I purchased the vehicle from bobb chevy in 11/99, in april 2000 noticed a grinding noise when braking. took car into a tuffy auto shop who indicated i needed complete brake job. they suggested warranty should cover vehicle repairs. so i took it to bobb at 7:30 am on 4/27/00, they completed brake job - rotors, calipers, fluid, pads and labor. this totalled $817.01, i paid $496.12, warranty paid the balance. on 5/17/00, coming home from work on a service road i tried to apply my brakes and found i did not have any - this was 3 wks after a total replacement. i had the option to go into an intersection, or hit a car stopped at the stop sign, but i chose to run off the road, hoping that would have stopped me. i hit a pine tree, both air bags popped out, windshield cracked, subsequently my insurance company - geico totalled the car. i suffered severe bruises, ended up in emergency, ordered to take 2 days off work for bruises, severely sprained ankle, bruises on chest & stomach from seatbelt and airbag. i have contacted the dealership, given them geico's report and police report. they suggested i contact product liability dept of chevrolet. at this time someone from gm product asst is to contact me.*ak

Both left and right front wheel bearings are bad. i was informed that this is a common problem with chevy malibu's when they reach 50,000 - 60,000 miles. if this is a common problem, shouldn't this repair be covered? i have not called the manufacturer/dealer yet, but i plan on doing so. i also had the front control arms replaced in 1998.( dot number: ? tire size: p215 93t )

Warped rotors, bad pads, had pads replaced twice in 1998 and 1999 at n/c since bought the car. need another set of rotors and pads at estimated cost of $600.00. average is every 10,000 miles. *ak

Brake problems once again. supposedly fixed 3 different times. have had rotors shaved, realigned, replaced, brake pads replaced, have had brake problems within the first 10000 miles the car was driven up until now. *ak

Premature rotor wear , dealer has replaced rotors three times, car vibrates violently at speeds over 50 when brakes are apllied. *ak

When applying brakes, the vehicle vibrates & shudders, the steering wheel also shakes. had front brake pads replaced/resurfaces rotors in 3/99 and 10,000 miles later problem is back again. *ak

While driving down the interstate the headlights went out and would flash on and off. i could not get them to come back on. i had to pull off onto the shoulder and wait until they would come back on. if there had been any traffic around me at the time this could have caused me to collide with another vehicle. *ak

Front brakes needed replacment of pads and turning of rotors at 17000 and 24000 miles, no ususual use, just lousy parts. *ak

Brakes have been faulty since new. have taken to dealer to be fixed at least three times . still having problems. my abs light comes on at least twice a week. the engine has a clicking noise when first started( cold start) . this is also been occuring since it was new. *ak