1999 Chevrolet Malibu Classic

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System2
110
Suspension1
000
Fuel/Propulsion System1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Jan 25, 2016160,000 milesMO

I'VE REPLACED TWO IGNITION SWITCHES PREVIOUSLY. ON 1/23/16 ANOTHER SWITCH FAILED. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND SUDDENLY QUIT RUNNING AND DASH LIGHTS POWER, RPM AND BATTERY WENT OFF. STARTED THE CAR AGAIN, AND AS I PUT IT IN REVERSE IN MY DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN CAUSING LOSS OF POWER AND STEERING CONTROL. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

Electrical SystemCrashFire
Filed Sep 30, 2014AL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE THEN BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Sep 23, 2014IL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO OPERATE. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REFUELED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Suspension
Filed Sep 11, 2014184,000 milesWV

THERE IS SEVERE CORROSION ON THE REAL SUSPENSION, THAT IF A POT HOLE WAS HIT, THE REAR AXLE WOULD SEPARATE FROM THE CAR AND WHICH WOULD CAUSE A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY OR FATALITY. *TR

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200821000Routine
200715000Routine
200592110Routine
2004116120Routine
200316000Routine
200216000Routine
200113000Routine
200011000Routine
1999 — this page4010Routine
19985001Fatalities reported
19973000Routine

Compare every Malibu Classic year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.