Chevrolet Malibu Complaints (1998)

976 consumer complaints on file.

#866928August 7, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD ON THE TIRES HAD STARTED TO SEPARATE. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TIRES THREE TIMES. *AK FIRESTONE AFFINITY P215/60/R15 *MW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#726817August 6, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#866896August 4, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#866589August 2, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
AT HIGHER SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL SHUDDERS DURING BRAKING. DEALER REPAIRED AT 17,000 MILES, FAILING AGAIN AT 25,000 MILES. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#866604August 2, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#726390August 1, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#866343July 31, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
BRAKE LIGHTS BECOMES INOPERABLE DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE PANEL AND THE WIRING ASSEMBLY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#866127July 27, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WATER IS LEAKING INTO HEADLIGHTS, CAUSING MOISTURE AND CONDENSATION, AND RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725722July 20, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725758July 20, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725570July 17, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725592July 17, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725511July 16, 2000
SUSPENSION:FRONT
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725527July 16, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES AND ROTORS. VEHICLE MAKES A GRINDING SOUND. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725411July 14, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725425July 14, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#865424July 14, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#553001July 13, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FRONT ROTOR FAILURE AND IS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH VIBRATION. *MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#553000July 12, 2000
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS FAILED CAUSING NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION WHILE DRIVING SURFACES. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725306July 12, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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