Chevrolet Malibu Complaints (1998)

976 consumer complaints on file.

#10073019May 23, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AT 80,000 MILES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073902May 19, 2004
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALERSHIP SOLVED THE PROBLEM ONCE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10072633May 14, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073600May 13, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10072571May 13, 2004
AIR BAGS, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10067224May 11, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068306May 4, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
SOMETIMES WE START THE CAR THE ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER SHUTS THE CAR DOWN FOR A 10 MINUTE PERIOD FOR NO REASON. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068038April 29, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065388April 29, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
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
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10067875April 26, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10071534April 20, 2004
STEERING
DISSATISFIED WITH THE LENGTH OF TIME IT TOOK THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO PERFORM A TWO AND A HALF HOUR RECALL. *PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10053978April 20, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS, FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM, STEERING
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065703April 7, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10064436April 2, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065402April 1, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
WHILE BRAKING TAIL LIGHTS FAILED. DEALERSHIPS REPAIRED THE PROBLEM EIGHT TIMES, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065436April 1, 2004
STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN
NHTSA 03V527000 STEERING GEAR BEARING FAILURE. RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON FEBRUARY 19, 2004, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065447April 1, 2004
AIR BAGS
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
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10066886March 31, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065255March 30, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065018March 26, 2004
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM, AIR BAGS
POWER STEERING FAILED, AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND HIT A ROCK. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE VEHICLES AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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