Chevrolet Malibu Complaints (1997)

443 consumer complaints on file.

#10050934December 22, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
BRAKES GONE (AGAIN). BEEN REPLACING ABOUT EVERY 10000 MILES. THIS CAR HAS BEEN ONE THING WRONG AFTER ANOTHER. ALREADY REPLACED LOWER CONTROL ARMS AT 7500 MILES, LEAKING ANTIFREEZE GASKET, A/C CONTROL HEAD (TWICE), AND THE BRAKES ARE ONGOING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10050776December 19, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU (3.1 V6 ENGINE). MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY THIS ENGINE AND CAR. I ALSO SEARCHED THE COMPLAINTS DADABASE AND I FOUND THAT IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. ALSO, THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT COMING AND EXCESSIVE BRAKE PAD WEAR AND ROTOR WARPING APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THIS WAS FIXED ONCE, THE PROBLEM IS REACCURING. $1200 IN MAJOR REPAIRS SO FAR ON A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, NOT TO MENTION THE OTHER SMALL BUT FREQUENT REPAIRS. I AM DISSATISFIED WITH BOTH OF MY RECENT GM PRODUCTS BECAUSE THEY BOTH HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS THAT LEAD TO COSTY REPAIRS OR ENGINE FAILURE AT 120,000 MILES ON A 1994 GRAND AM AND 89,000 MILES ON A 1997 MALIBU. I HAVE HAD TO FIX THE RADIO NUMEROUS TIMES (CABLE COMES UNPLUGGED QUITE OFTEN). *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10050673December 17, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
EXCESSIVE BRAKE PAD USEAGE WITH THIS CAR. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 88,000 MILES. I AM VERY VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS CAR AND DO NOT PLAN ON PURCHASING ANOTHER GM AT THIS TIME. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10050317December 9, 2003
STEERING
STEERING WHEEL MAKES A CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING. STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE FULLY ROTATED TWICE BEFORE THE VEHICLE GOES INTO THAT DIRECTION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10040331November 12, 2003
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED. *AK WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HAD BECOME DIFFICULT TO TURN ONE WAY WHILE REMAINING EASY TO STEER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE RACK WAS REPLACED. *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10046240November 3, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING VEHICLE STALLED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10033728October 12, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE CONSUMER HIT A POT HOLE AND THEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE IMPACTED A DITCH AND THEN THE VEHICLE BOUNCED ONTO A FIELD. NONE OF THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. CONSUMER FRACTURED HER BACK. *AK *SCC
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10041142October 3, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
BASICALLY THIS IS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE GM 3.1L V6 ENGINE IN MY 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE 1100 COMPLAINTS AND WOULD APPRECIATE SOME HELP WITH MY SITUATION ALSO. IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS MY VEHICLE HAS STARTED TO HAVE A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS THAT HAD LED UP TO MY CURRENT FIASCO. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AFTER AN OIL CHANGE, MY 97 MALIBU BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A LIFTER 'TICKING.' MY MECHANIC SUSPECTS A COLLAPSED LIFTER; THIS HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. MY CAR ALSO NOW RUNS VERY ROUGH AND DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER IT USED TO HAVE. TODAY, 10/2/03, I WENT TO SEATTLE AND EXPERIENCED A SEVERE HEATING PROBLEM. THE TEMP GAUGE BEGAN TO RISE VERY QUICKLY AS WE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION JUST SOUTH OF SEATTLE, THE NEEDLE WAS PEGGED AND THE TEMP LIGHT ACTUALLY CAME ON. I HAD DEX-COOL ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND ALL OVER THE GROUND. WE WAITED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE WE STARTED OUT AGAIN AND YES WERE AFRAID THE ENTIRE WAY HOME THAT WE WOULD GET STRANDED ON THE ROAD SOMEWHERE. I GOT THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE HAS INFORMED US THAT WE PROBABLY NEED A NEW ENGINE, ON A CAR THAT ONLY HAS 95,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE FAULTY GASKETS WHICH RESULT IN ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING BAD CAMSHAFTS, BAD BEARINGS AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE. IF I HAD THE RESOURCES TO DUMP THE PIECE OF JUNK I JUST MIGHT, HOWEVER I DO NOT HAVE THE RECOURSES TO DO THAT, I MUST GET IT FIXED. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10038970September 16, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS LIGHT COMES ON AFTER I LOSE BRAKE. CHRONIC PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS YEAR VEHICLE ARE ABS SENSOR, BELT TENSIONER BREAKS AWAY, COOLING SYSTEM HEAT CONTROLS, WIRING TO THE REAR LIGHTS. THESE ARE PROBLEMS THAT THIS YEAR MODEL HAS THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BREAK SENSOR GOES OUT AND BRAKES ARE LOST. WHY HAS NOTHING BEEN DONE TO FORCE CHEVROLET TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS? IT IS NOT JUST ONE CAR BUT ALL OF 1997 MALIBU THAT HAS THE PROBLEM. IT IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10036809August 28, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
LOSING WATER FROM RADIATOR RESERVOIR INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON ON 97 CHEVY MALIBU.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029133July 24, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
SEP.6 2001 &JULY 22, 2003 RECALL WINDSHIELD WIPER PIVOT HOUSING---DEALER SAID I DIDN,T NEED THE RECALL REPLACED AND MERCY FROM G.M. SAID TAKE THE CAR IN ON THAT RECALL STILL NO WORK ON WIPER PIVOT HOUSING----LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS LOW MILELAGE CAR---32610.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029037July 23, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, SUSPENSION:FRONT
MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY 1997 MALIBU, SUSPENSION NOISE/LEAKY WATER PUMP/KEY AGNITION, AND LOCK COLLAR. 32600 MILES ON THE CAR MANY REPAIRS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10028841July 22, 2003
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
THE PLASTIC LOCKING LATCHPLATE ON BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND FRONT PASSANGER SEAT HAVE BROKEN. THE DEALER FIXED THE FIRST PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NOW THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAS BROKEN AND IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY, IT WILL COST OVER $100 TO FIX IT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN A CRASH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029731July 21, 2003
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVER/PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE SNAPPED IN HALF WHILE IN USE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029425July 9, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. *MR THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM WAS THE PIVOT HOUSING. PLEASE REFER TO RECALL #01V068000 *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023851June 26, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
GRINDING SOUND WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT-HAS BEEN THERE SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR-THE DEALER WOULD NOT FIX IT WHEN I TOOK IT BACK A WEEK LATER- I FEEL THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH IT AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF WITHIN THE TIME THAT I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR WITHOUT A CHARGE!*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023764June 25, 2003
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PASSLOCK* (THEFT SYSTEM) ENGAGES NOT ENABLING THE CAR TO START (GAS IS CUT OFF TO THE ENGINE). CHEVORLET IS REPLACING IGNITION LOCK (BELIEVED TO BE THE FIX). *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10024147June 16, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
DEALER HAD REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH, AND PROBLEM STILL RECURRING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022334June 4, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL # 01 V 068 000, BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK INCIDENT DATED TO BE CORRECTED WHEN THE EVOQ IS RETURNED. PER AAJ. 7/7/04.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10021737June 4, 2003
POWER TRAIN
THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION RUBBED A HOLE INTO BRAKE LINE. *MR WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR. SCC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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