Chevrolet Malibu Complaints (1998)

976 consumer complaints on file.

#705070March 29, 1999
STEERING:LINKAGES
LOST STEERING CONTROL OF 1998 CHEVY MALIBU AT ABOUT 45 MPH AND HAD A SPIN-OUT AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION, HITTING THE MEDIAN CURVE AND COMING TO REST ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON INITIAL ANALYSIS WE FOUND THAT THE SUPPORT ARM BOLT HAD COME LOOSE ON THE CAR. WHEN THE CHEVY ROADSIDE TOW-TRUCK ARRIVED HE TOLD US THAT THIS WAS THE FOURTH MALIBU THAT HE HAD PICKED UP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. UPON ARRIVAL AT GRAND PRIZE CHEVY THAT AFTERNOON THE AUTO WAS CHECKED BY THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND LATER BY A MECHANIC, AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION, AND THE CAR WOULD BE FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#705028March 28, 1999
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED DEFECT RECEIVED A REPLY THAT SOMEONE WOULD CONTACT ME. AUTHORIZATION TO CONVEY TO MANUFACTURER. ALSO A WASTE OF TIME FOR ME. THE BUREACRACY APPARENTLY IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT "EFFECT OF AUTO EMISSION SAFETY" RATHER THAN THE IMPACT OF JUVENILE ENGINEERING ON THE SAFETY TO OCCUPANTS OF MOVING VEHICLES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#704957March 26, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS KEEP WARPING. DEALER SAYS WILL PUT ON 2ND SET OF UPDATED ROTORS. WHEN ASKED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WARRANTY RUNS OUT AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, DEALER SAYS THAT PROBLEM WOULD THEN BE A MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEM ,AND WORK FOR THIS WOULD NO LONGER BE COVERED UNLESS MANUFACTURER OF PART IS WILLING TO SHELL OUT EXPENSE. I BELIEVE IF THEY ARE SELLING A CAR WITH DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS TO THE POINT THAT THEY HAVE RELEASED 2 SETS OF UPDATED PARTS, THEN DEALER SHOULD STILL HONOR ANY WORK IN THE FUTURE WHICH IS CAUSED BY SAME PROBLEM WHICH HAS BEEN OCCURRING LONG BEFORE WARRANTY RAN OUT. DEALER SHOULD THEN CONTEST WITH PART MANUFACTURE ABOUT SENDING THEM DEFECTIVE PARTS TO BUILD THEIR AUTOMOBILES WITH, INSTEAD OF CUSTOMER HAVING TO GO THROUGH PART MANUFACTURER THEMSELVES. I AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH THE ANSWERS I HAVE BEEN GETTING FROM DEALER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#835917March 17, 1999
WHEELS:HUBCAP/COVER
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#704394March 13, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
PURCHASE 07/24/98 CASH PAYMENT $18,239.24...CAR HAD 152 MILES AT THAT TIME..WITHING A FEW DAYS OF OWING THE CAR BRAKE PEDAL WAS MAKING CONSTANT NOISE WHEN APPLYING...I TOOK IT IN TO THE GARAGE AND THEY OILED IT AND IT CONTINUED 8-7-98 LUBRICATED BRAKE HAD RENT A CAR AND THEY ORDERED NEW ASSEMBLY..8-11-98 NEW ASSEMBLEY INSTALLED AND THE BRAKE STILL MADE THE NOISE...FINALLY RENT A CAR AGAIN THEY FOUND OUT 8-18-98 THAT MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING..HAD TO REPLACE POWER BOASTER AND MASTER CYLINDER AND LUBED FRONT CALIPERS AND ADJUSTED THE BRAKES....ALSO I HAVE CONSTANT SQUEAL NOISE AND PULLING OF BRAKES IN THE BACK WHEN APPLY AND MUSHING SOUND...THEY ADJUSTED AND CLEANED AND STILL DOES IT COLD WET WARM DOES NOT MATTER...THE MANAGER CALLED AND SAID THAT THERE WASN'T MUCH ELSE THEY COULD DO FOR IT. BETWEEN ALL THIS THE DASH BOARD WAS WARPPED AND REPLACED, BACK TAIL GASKET KEPT COMING OFF AFTER SEVERAL VISITS TO THE CHEV. PLACE THEY ORDERD AND REPLACED THE WARP GASKET....THEN THE GASKET SEAL AROUND THE BACK WINDOW WAS COMING OFF...HE GLUED IT DOWN...I HAVE MENTIONED TO THEM IT STARTED FUNNY AT TIMES AND HE SAID COUNT TO 15 SECONDS AND THAT WOULD BE NORMAL...SO EVERYTIME I GET INTO THE CAR I AM CONCERNED IS IT GOING TO START OR NOT..FINALLY 3/12/99 I GOT INTO THE CAR TO DO MY ERRANDS AND IT WOULD NOT CRANK OVER AND START AFTER SEVERAL TRIES IT FINALLY STARTED AND I CALLED AND THE CAR IS AGAIN IN THE GARAGE I NOW HAVE A RENT A CAR AGAIN AND WILL NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS UNTIL NEXT WEEK. ALSO THE WIRE THAT HOLDS THE GAS CAP WHEN YOU PUMP GAS BROKE OFF. THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR AND TRYING TO REPAIR THE PROBLEMS AND GET TO WORK AND RENT A CAR AND CONTINUE ON WITH LIFE HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED. ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS BUY A NEW CAR BE ABLE TO TRUST IT AND NOT END UP GOING EVERY OTHER WEEK IN FOR THIS OR THAT. I HAVE TALKED TO THE MANAGER AND HAVE FILED A CLAIM 980 503 718 TO GET A REFUND. I HATE THE CAR ITS JUNK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#704227March 9, 1999
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
BOUGHT AS DEMO. ROTORS WARPED AT 8000MI, 17,000MI, STARTING AGAIN AT 19,500. JUST HAD FRONT CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY REPLACED, DEALER SAYS IT WAS THE WRONG PART! ALSO COOLANT LEAK AT 14,500MI.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#544188March 2, 1999
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
REAR SEAT BACK LOWER MOUNT BOLTS FAILED DURING VEHICLE COLLISION RESULTING IN BROKEN BACK OF OCCUPANT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
4
Deaths:
0
#544214March 2, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKE ROTORS CONTINUALLY FAILING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#703714February 24, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
AFTER INITIAL 2000 MILES VEHICLE SHIMMIES SEVERELY (STEERING WHEELS PUSES BACK AND FORTH) WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE BRAKES UNEVENLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT SLOW SPEEDS. DEALER FAILED TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM ON FIRST TWO ATTEMPTS. ON THIRD ATTEMPT DEALER DIAGNOSED WORN, PITTED ROTORS AFTER 4000 MILES. ROTORS REPLACED. AFTER NEXT 3000 MILES CONDITION RECURRED. DEALER FOUND ROTORS WORN AND PITTED AGAIN. DEALER RESURFACED ROTORS. AFTER NEXT 3000 MILES CONDITION HAS RECURRED. DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTEE. THIS CONDITION SO SEVERE THAT IT COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL IN SLICK ROAD CONDITIONS. ALSO WONDER HOW THIS CONDITION MIGHT INTERACT WITH ABS SYSTEM. I NOTICE THERE ARE 6 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN YOUR DATABASE FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL YEAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#544098February 24, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS LEAK RESULTING IN FOGGING UP AND POOR VISIBILITY, NOT ABLE TO REMEDY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#835165February 23, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#703605February 22, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR
ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM WITH THE ROTORS HAD MANIFESTED ITSELF MUCH EARLIER THAN THE 11,000 MILE MARK I FIRST REPORTED, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE I NEVER HAD A VEHICLE WITH ABS AND I THOUGHT THE VIBRATION OF MY STEERING WHEEL WAS THE RESULT OF ABS BUT IT WAS GETTING TOO ANNOYING TO DEAL WITH AND THAT WAS WHEN I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY ROTORS BECAUSE MY BRAKE PADS WERE NOT WORN. REPLACED THE FIRST TIME AND WITHIN 5,000 MILES WAS BACK AGAIN. CAR'S STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHENEVER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THEREBY DIMINSHING MY CONTROL OVER THE STEERING. WENT BACK TO DEALER AND AGAIN, BRAKE PADS WERE NOT OWRN-LIKE NEW YET ROTOR WARPED. THEY REPLACED THEM BUT CLAIMED IT WAS ACTUALLY MY BAD DRIVING THAT MUST BE THE CAUSE. I TOOK EXCEPTION TO THAT BEING THAT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING OVER 15 YEARS AND EVEN OWNED A CHEVY CORSICA FOR 10 YEARS AND NEVER EVER HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED. NEEDLESS TO SAY-FILED COMPLAINT WITH CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT BECAUSE THE DEALER CLAIMED IF IT SHOULD HAPPEN A THIRD TIME-THEY WOULD NO LONGER REPLACE ROTORS FOR FREE. I TOLD THEM I WAS SURE IT WOULD HAPPEN A THRID TIME BECAUSE THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO ADMIT. LO AND BEHOLD! 5000 MILES LATER AND HERE I AM AGAIN. VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES. BEEN THRU THIS 2X ALREADY SO I KNOW THAT THE ROTORS ARE WARPED AGAIN. AND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE A FOURTH TIME-BUT THAT IS WHEN I WILL APPLY MY RIGHTS UNDER NYS LEMON LAW. I HAVE OWNED A CHEVY CORSICA FOR 10 YEARS AND THE MALIBU REPLACED THE CORSICA-WHICH I GAVE TO MY MOM. AND YET I NEVER HAD TO REPALCE THE ROTORS IN THE CORSICA YET THE MALIBU'S ROTORS FAIL AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND I HAVE NOT EVEN OWNED IT FOR TWO YEARS!!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#703194February 11, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
FOGGING OF HEADLIGHTS ON MINE AND MOST OF CHEVY MALIBU CARS. GM KNOWS OF PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. IT HAS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO LOSS OF LIGHT OUTPUT AND PREMATURE LAMP BURNOUT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#834666February 9, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHEN COMING TO A STOP VEHICLE TOOK OFF DUE TO GAS PEDAL GETTING STUCK. VEHICLE TURNED OVER AND WENT INTO AN ENBANKMENT. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#702847February 2, 1999
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DEALER BLAMES DRIVING HABITS (EXPRESSWAY DRIVING) AND AMOUNT OF MILES ON VEHICLE. NO MENTION THAT CAR IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. NO FAULT MENTIONED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#607314February 1, 1999
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
SMALL ARMS FAILED. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#607358February 1, 1999
SUSPENSION:FRONT, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FRONT SUSPENSION HAS EXCESSIVE NOISE. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#608671February 1, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ENGINE FAILED. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#608675February 1, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
FRONT BRAKE PAD KIT AND ROTOR FAILED. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#609045February 1, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKE PAD FAILURE CAUSE SQUEAK. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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