Chevrolet Malibu Complaints (1997)

443 consumer complaints on file.

#735468October 30, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
SEVERE SHAKING OF FRONT WHEELS WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT SPEEDS OF 55 TO 70 MPH. TRAVELING OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN MARYLAND, I COULD NOT KEEP MY FOOT ON BRAKES. HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO AVOID THE SEVERE SHAKING OF THE FRONT WHEELS. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST ANNOYING, IT IS FRIGHTENING BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET OFF THE BRAKES TO STOP THE SHAKING WHEN DESCENDING LONG GRADES. HAVE HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. FIRST TIME AT 21,368 (DEALER MACHINED ROTORS) AND THE SECOND TIME AT 30,467 (DEALER MACHINED ROTORS AND REPLACED PADS). EACH TIME, PROBLEM ONLY STOPPED TEMPORARILY. AT 54,400 I HAD TO PURCHASE 2 ROTORS ($240.00) AND WAS TOLD THAT GM HAD REDESIGNED THE ROTORS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SINCE I WAS BEYOND 3YR/36,000 MILE WARANTY GM WOULD NOT COVER THIS COST. THE ORIGINAL ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS UNDER HIGH SPEED DOWNHILL CONDITIONS. I HAVE JUST LEARNED OF A GM BULLETIN TO DEALERS THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE ROTORS ARE A PROBLEM. MY NEIGHBOR ADVISED ME OF A 1999 MALIBU THAT EXHIBITED THE SAME SEVERE FRONT END SHAKING UNDER BRAKING. I HAVE THE ORIGINAL ROTORS AND THE PADS THAT I REPLACED ON 10/27/2000 AT A COST OF $357.30 (PARTS ONLY). THIS PROBLEM DESERVES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#556441October 27, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
FIRESTONE AFFINITY TIRES (P215 60 R15) EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT OF THE SIDEWALLS AND TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#735169October 26, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE IDLE PULLEY. HAD THAT PART REPLACED WITH NEW PART. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME NOISE WAS BACK. BROUGHT CAR BACK TO MECHANIC THIS MORNING. HE IS CHECKING TO SEE IF NEW PART WAS DEFECTED OR IF BELT NEEDS REPLACEMENT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE MALIBU'S PERFORMANCE. IN THE 3 YEARS THAT I HAVE THE CAR, I HAVE REPLACED FRONT AND BACK BRAKES, ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, ETC. ETC. AND NOW THE IDLE PULLEY (HOPEFULLY NOTHING ELSE MAJOR).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#734949October 23, 2000
TIRES
UNANTICIPATED BLOWOUT ON INTERSTATE ACCESS RAMP. TIRE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND HAD THE APPEARANCE OF THOSE SHOWN ON TV RELATED TO THE SUV TIRE PROBLEM.*AK (TIRESIZE: P215/60R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/60R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#734722October 19, 2000
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
CAR SHAKES AT 60MPH LEAK ON DRIV. SIDE WIND. STEERING COLUMN NOISES
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#734644October 18, 2000
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
DATE OF INCIDENT- HEAVY RAINS, DRIVING ON 1-95 NORTH IN STRATFORD, CT- THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER SYSTEM FAIL- BREAKS OFF ITS MOUNTING BRACKET- LEADS TO FAILURE OF DRIVERS SIDE WIPER IN A POURING RAIN ON HIGHWAY- VISIBILTY BECOMES ZERO- WAS LUCKY TO GET OFF THE ROAD FROM MIDDLE LANE WITHOUT INCIDENT. FOUND A GARAGE WHO HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE- PUT RIN-X ON MY WINDSHIELD WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. SHOWED DEALER- NEXT DAY THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE REPAIRED, DONE AND CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND DESCRIBED THIS AS AMANUFACTURER DEFECT. CAR OUT OF WARRANTEE AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER. HOW MANY DEMOLISHED VEHICLES AND FATALITIES HAVE HAPPENED ON A RAINSLICK ROAD AND THE CULPRIT HAS BEEN THE WEATHER WHEN ACTUALLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM WAS AT FAULT, BUT THE DEAD PERSON WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE CAR WOULD HAVE SEVERE DAMAGE AND THIS DEFECT WOULD HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED. I THOROUGHLY BELIEVE BY MY EXPERIENCE, AND LUCKY TO BE ALIVE, THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURERING DEFECT AND CAUSE FOR SEVERAL DEATHS. I HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS, OR THOSE THAT WHERE GIVEN ME BY THE DEALER AFTER THE REPAIR. I WOULD LIKE A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO THIS DEFECT AS I BELIEVE I AM ONE ONF THE LUCKY FEW WHO SURVIVED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#556047October 13, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
ACCELERATOR CABLE FAILED WHILE CONSUMER WAS ACCELERATING. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731946September 19, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
LEFT BRAKE LIGHTS SHORTED OUT DUE TO WATER IN TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731890September 19, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
MOISTURE BUILDUP IN HEADLIGHT ASSEMBY OF BOTH SIDES. ALSO, DURING RAIN OR CAR WASH, WATER POURS INTO PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. UNKNOWN ORIGIN POINT OF THE WATER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731327September 13, 2000
TIRES
I WAS PASSING ANOTHER CAR, WHEN MY CAR,STARTED GOING OUT OF CONTROL, I MANAGED TO GET OVER TOP THE RIGHT LANE AND ON TO THE SHOULDER,WHEN I ,GOT OUT TO CHECK OUT WHAT WAS WRONG . I NOTICED ,T HERE WAS'NT ANY RUBBER ON THE RIM ACCEPT, ON SIDE AND PIECES OF STEEL WAS STICKING OUT ALL OVER. A CAR ACROSS THE 4-LANE INTERSTATE ,HAD TO STOP & PICK UP THE HUNK OF TIRE, TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. THE TIRE DAMNAGED THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR FENDER, WHEN IT CAME APART. THE DEALER WHERE ,I BOUGHT MY CAR ,REPLACED THAT TIRE AND REPAIRED THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR,AS IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY . *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215160R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731208September 12, 2000
TIRES
FRONT 2 TIRES WORE OUT PREMATURELY, ONLY HAD 25, 756 MILES AND WAS ROTATED 5-6000 MILES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: P215/6015 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729455August 29, 2000
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION), STEERING:RACK AND PINION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
POWER STEERING SEEMED ROUGH BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED BOX $689.00, I BROUGHT CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE DEALER SAID IT NEEDED RACK AND PINION AND NEW LOWER CONTROL ARMS $2000.00 APPROX. I WAS DRIVING AND BATTERY LIGHT WENT ON BROUGHT TO A SHOP OPEN AT NIGHT NEEDED A NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY.I CONTACTED GM AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NO COMPLAINTS ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING.I GUESS THEY LIED WITH ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE FOUND.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#728542August 21, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THROTTLE CABLE FROM PEDAL TO ENGINE BROKE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#553566August 7, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE AT THROTTLE BODY CAUSING THE GAS PEDAL NOT TO WORK. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#726880August 7, 2000
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL, AIR BAGS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#866727August 3, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
THE WAY HORN IS ASSEMBLED IT DOES NOT WORK WHEN APPLIED. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#865150July 11, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION REAR BRAKES ARE INOPERATIVE, CAUSING THE REAR BRAKES TO RUST OUT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#864898July 6, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
THE CALIPERS STICK AND WEAR THE ROTORS DOWN TO THE METAL. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE .*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#552889July 3, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO GASKET LEAKS. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#863606June 14, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKES CAUSE FRONT END TO SHAKE. DEALER STATES THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO TURN THE ROTORS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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