Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1998 record →
I HAVE HAD THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED ON MY '98 MALIBU 4 TIMES IN 20,000 MILES, YET THE DEALERSHIP DENIES THAT THERE IS ANY PROBLEM WHATSOEVER WITH THE CAR OR ITS PARTS. GM SHOULD HAVE TO BUY BACK ALL OF THE CHEVY MALIBUS THAT HAVE DEFECTIVE BRAKE ROTORS. IT'S A CRIME. *AK
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND HIT A PHONE POLE, AND ROLLED OVER. BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
THE DAY AFTER BUYING THIS CAR, I REPORTED TO THE DEALORSHIP THAT THE BRAKES WERE SQUEALING AND RUBBING. THE PADS WERE MAKING NOISE WHENEVER I COME TO A STOP. I WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE METALLIC BRAKES WEAR OUT VERY FAST. ROTORS AND PADS SEEM TO BE WARPED. THIS NOISE CANNOT BE NORMAL. WHAT CAN BE DONE. THE DEALORSHIP SEEMS TO FEEL THAT THIS IS NORMAL. THEY MAKE NOISE AND SQUEAL ALL THE TIME. *AK
REPLACED FRONT BRAKES 5 TIMES IN 32000
TRANSMISSION MOUNTS NEED REPLACING. YH
ROTORS REPLACED TWICE, RADIO IN TWICE FOR REPAIRS,ALWAYS A HAGGLE!! *AK
WHEN DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE AND MAKE A SQUEAKING NOISE. IT STARTED TO PULSATE WHEN DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES. DRIVER STATED THAT SHE WOULD BE DRIVING THE SPEED OF 320- TO 25 MPH . *AK
I HAVE BEEN TO 2 CHEVROLET DEALERS FOR SERVICE ON MY CAR. SO FAR MY ROTORS HAVE BEEN SERVICED 5 TIMES. I WOULD LOVE TO ACTUALLY HAVE MY CAR FIXED. I REFUSE TO PAY FOR THIS WHEN MY WARRANTY RUNS OUT. I FEEL CHEVROLET SHOULD HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH MY VEHICLE . ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. *AK
THE METAL ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SHEARED OFF, AND CAUSING WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO BE INOPERATIVE IN RAINY WEATHER. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
I AM SO NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS VEHICLE EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND, SOMETHING DIFFERENT IS GOING WRONG. I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN. I SURE WOULD LOVE FOR GMC TO BUY THIS PIECE OF JUNK CAR BACK. IT IS REALLY BAD WHEN YOU HAVE A NEW CAR AND IT WON'T RUN!! THE FIRST TIME IT WAS IN WAS FOR IT NOT STARTING, THAT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 15-20 TIMES. THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD 3 TIMES BECAUSE IT LEAKED AIR. STILL DOES! THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE CONDENSATION INSIDE OF THEM, MAKES VISIBILITY BAD AT NIGHT. HELP! *AK
HEAVY VIBRATION IN FRONT END WHEN BRAKES APPLIED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ALSO UNEVEN STOPPING AT SLOWER SPEEDS. DEALER NOT CONTACTED. *AK
SINGLE MOM OF TWO, I AM PAYING FOR A CAR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DEPENDABLE AND SAFE. I DO NOT WANT TO BE A STATISTIC BECAUSE OF SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO SAVE A BUCK! I CHOSE THE MALIBU FOR THE SAFETY RATING AND WAS BESIDE MYSELF WHEN I WAS TOLD OF THE REOCCURRING, NOT REPAIRABLE ROTOR PROBLEM. THEN ALSO AFTER 36,000 MILES I WILL GET TO PAY FOR ALL ROTOR REPAIRS SINCE IT WILL NO LONGER BE COVERED UNDER THE MF WARRANTY. I USED TO HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR CHEVY. I REALIZE HOW VERY UNIMPORTANT I AND MY CHILDREN ARE TO THEM NOW. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPURCHASE A NEW CAR AND I PRAY THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL BE RESOLVED SOON.
AUTOMOBILE WENT INTO A TRENCH AND BOTTOMED OUT, AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING THE ENGINE CARRIAGE TO BE DAMAGED/CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD, AND DAMAGED THE DASHBOARD. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE AT 60MPH CAR STARTS TO SHUTTER AND IT WON'T SLOW DOWN PROPERLY. ALSO, WITHIN 30, 000 MILES HAD TO HAVE BRAKES DONE. DEALER DIDN'T HELP. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED, AND ALL DOORS JAMMED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
BRAKES WEARING UNEVENLY, RESURFACED 3 TIMES, ROTORS REPLACED ONCE, CHEVY INSISTS THIS IS "NORMAL" WEAR AND TEAR FOR AN 18 MONTH OLD, 19000 MILE VEHICLE.
2 OF 4 BRAKE LAMPS FAILED. I REMOVED THE LAMPS FROM THE SOCKETS AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FILAMENTS WERE INTACT. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE FAILED LAMPS I NOTICED THE LAMP BASE HAD MELTED AT ONE OF FOUR WIRES EXTENDING DOWN THE PLASTIC LAMP BASE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND AN UNNECESSARY COMPONENT REPLACEMENT FOR THE UNTRAINED EYE. I SCRAPED THE MELTED PLASTIC AND SLIGHTLY REPOSITIONED THE WIRE ON THE LAMP BASE AND ALL IS WELL. SEEMS TO ME AN OVERCURRENT SITUATION OCCURRED. SUGGEST A LAMP BASE WITH A HIGHER OPERATING TEMPERATURE RANGE SUCH AS CERAMIC COMPOUND BE SPECIFIED. NO OTHER BURNING OR MELTING OF WIRES WAS INDICATED. THANK YOU. DAN BRUCKART.
TAIL LIGHT KEEP BLOWING OUT, AND CONSUMER KEEP REPLACING THE TAIL LIGHTS. TAIL LIGHT'S KEEP GOING OUT AND THE CONSUMER CAN SMELL THE WIRES BURNING AND MELTING. THERE WAS A SHORT WITHIN THE TAIL LIGHTS. *AK
VEHICLE HAS HAD 4 SETS OF BRAKES & ROTORS, FRONT CONTROL ARMS, REAR SUSPENSION BAR, PAINT FLAKED OFF FRONT OF CAR, FRONT ELEC. SEAT CONTROL, OIL PAN LEAK,
WHENEVER STOPPING VEHICLE, CAN FEEL THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATING. NEEDED TO PUSH HARDER ON PEDAL TO GET VEHICLE TO STOP. THE ABS LIGHT WOULD FLASH ON/OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC CHANGED THE BRAKE PADS. THE ROTORS WERE ROTATED AT LEAST TWICE & THEN SCRAPPED. *AK
BRAKE PADS MAKE NOISE AND ROTORS NEED GRANDING OR TURNING. YH
LEFT CUP HOLDER UNSTABLE. AS THE RESULT IT TOPPLED OVER AND SPILLED THE COFFEE ON THE DRIVER. YH
ORIGINAL ROTORS WARPED APPROX. 22,000 MILES; REPLACED BY DEALER--WARPED AGAIN AT 29,000 DANGEROUS SHAKING OCCURS WHEN BREAKING.
CONSIDERED PERMATURE FRONT ROTOR WEAR DUE TO A IMPROPER CABLE ROUTING EARLY IN THE VECHILE'S LIFE. AT APPROX. 6K MILES, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT RELEASE PROPERLY. THIS CAUSED THE PADS TO REMAIN ENGAGED TO THE ROTORS AND CAUSE EXCESSIVE WEAR. AT 41K MILES, BOTH FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED.
WATER CONDENSATION IS FOGGING UP THE INSIDE OF HEADLIGHTS, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *AK
THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO RETURNED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR THE SAME TYPE PROBLEMS IN MAY 1999, AUGUST 1999 AND OCTOBER 1999.
GENERAL TIRE THAT CAME EQUIPPED WITH VEHICLE IS WEARING DOWN IN THE CENTER, CAUSING UNSAFE CONDITION. *AK
THE REAR SEAT BELTS FAILS TO RETRACT. THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE IN JUNE, DUE TO BEING WORN OUT. THE FRONT LEFT TIRE NEEDS REPLACMENT DUE TO THE THREADS COMING OFF. *YC
DEFECTIVE / FAULTY BRAKE SYSTEM: DEALER HAS REPLACED FOUR SETS OF BRAKE PADS;.TURNED THREE ROTORS ,AND REPLACED ONE ROTOR. ALSO, AND SANDED & DEGLAZED REAR BRAKES. CAN NHTSA DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS CONDITION. *AK
I FIRST CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND BULBS TO SEE WHY THE TURN SIGNALS WERE NOT COMING ON - THEN I FOUND THAT THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS WERE NOT WORKING AS WELL - TOOK VEHICLE IN TO DEALER AND MIRACULOUSLY THE TURN SIGNALS CAME BACK ON - I EXPLAINED THIS HAD HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE SUNDAY AND I DRIVE 4 HOURS EACH DAY TOTAL TO AND FROM WORK AND CANNOT BE ON THE FREEWAYS WITHOUT TURN SIGNALS (I DRIVE TO DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES AND LIVE IN ORANGE COUNTY) - THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT LOCATE ANY SHORTS OR PROBLEMS UNLESS THE SIGNALS WERE COMPLETELY NON-FUNCTIONING...THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR HIGHWAY DRIVING AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THE DEALER HAS A RIGHT TO TELL ME TO CONTINUE DRIVING OVER 100 MILES A DAY IN EXTREMELY HEAVY TRAFFIC WITHOUT TURN SIGNALS AND/OR ER FLASHERS. *AK
WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES THE BRAKES VEHICLE STARTS TO SHAKE. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO SHAKES. VEHICLE STARTS PULSATING WHEN SHE IS DRIVING BETWEEN 30 TO 35 MPH . THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. *AK
HORN INOPERABLE. ENTIRE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND HORN STILL HAS PROBLEMS.
BRAKES PULSATING. ROTORS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY.
BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOUR TIMES & NEED TO BE CHANGED AGAIN
CONSUMER REQUESTING INFORMATION ON FRONT PADS WEAR; WANTS TO KNOW IF IT IS NORMAL FOR BRAKE PADS TO WEAR OUT AT 27,000 MILE; SEEKING NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK
DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE WEARING OF THE ROTORS, WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, FRONT END SHAKES, AND THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
EVERY TIME WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY VIBRATE REAL BADLY. HAD BRAKE ROTORS RESURFACED. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE SKIPPING / JUMPING OUT OF GEAR AT 60-65 MPH, AND EGINE CHECK LIGHT REMAINING ON. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA ON THIS MATTER. *AK
WHEN I AM DRIVING THE CAR, ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH(PANEL) LIGHT UP AND THE SPEEDOMETER STARTS GOING CRAZY. ONE MINUTE IT SHOWS THAT I AM TRAVELING 10 MILES AN HOURS THEN IN A SPLIT SECOND IT SHOWS THAT I AM GOING 110 MILES AN HOUR. ALL THE OTHER GAUGES START GOING BACK AND FORTH AS WELL. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST I AM GOING OR IF MY CAR IS ABOUT TO JUST QUIT COMPLETELY. WHEN I FIRST BROUGHT MY CAR, ABOUT A YEAR LATER OR SO (AND I AM JUST ESTIMATING) THE DASH BOARD STARTED ACTING CRAZY BUT I JUST BLUE IT OFF. THEN I WAS TRAVELING TO DALLAS TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO LIVE AND THE LIGHTS ALL COME ON AND THE SPEED WENT CRAZY THEN THE CAR STARTED TO DIE. I MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BEFORE IT DIED. THEY STATED IT WAS THE ALTNERATOR, THAT WAS REPLACED. IT WORKED FINE FOR A WHILE THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN SAN ANGELO AND THEY SAID THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THAT WAS FIXED AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR A WHILE THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY (10/3/99). I AM A SINGLE PARENT AND I TRAVEL A LOT BACK AND FORTH FROM DALLAS TO SAN ANGELO. I AM ABSOLUTELY A NEVEROUS WRECK WHEN DRIVING MY CAR. I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO ACT UP AND LEAVE MY DAUGTHER AND I STRANDED ALONG THE HIGHWAY. PLEAS HELP ME....... HAS THIS HAPPENED TO OTHER MALIBU OWNERS???????
INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF TAIL LIGHTS / BRAKE LIGHTT. APPOINMENT BEING MADE FOR DEALER'S INSPECTION. *AK
WHEN THE ABS BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THERE WOULD BE SOME WOBBLING. HAS APPENED AT LEAST 6 TIMES. THE MECHANIC FELT THE ABS SENSORS WERE FAILING. ROTORS ARE SUBSTANDARD & ARE GOING OUT. THERE WOULD BE SHIMMING. NOT HEAVY ENOUGH FOR VEHICLE. WAS CORRECTED. *AK
IT HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT THE BRAKES ARE OUT TOWED HOME
ROTORS WARPED 3X IN 31,500M , REPLACED 2X, NEED AGAIN. DANGEROUS SHIMMY.
ROTORS ON FRONT DISC BRAKES WARP AND CAUSE SEVERE VIBRATION UPON APPLICATION OF BRAKES AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ROTORS WERE TURNED AND THEN REPLACED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR. SECOND SET OF ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED AND ARE NOW NEEDING REPLACEMENT AT 24000 MILES ON VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE VEHICLE DAMAGE TO STEERING AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS DUE TO THE SEVERE VIBRATION OF THE VEHICLE DURING BRAKING.
THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THE BRAKING PROBLEM AND 4 TIMES WORK HAS BEEN DONE. EACH TIME THE ROTORS ARE EITHER TURNED OR REPLACED BECAUSE THEY ARE WARPED CAUSING THE CAR TO JUMP AND SHAKE WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES. EACH TIME I AM TOLD THAT IT IS A BRAKE MANUFACTURER PROBLEM AND THEN HAVE TO KEEP REPLACING THE BRAKES AND/OR ROTORS UNTIL THEY GET A GOOD MATCH. LATELY THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT.
I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 22,000 MILES. I JUST TOOK IT IN AGAIN BECAUSE THE WHEEL SHAKES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES SOMETIMES, THE DEALER SAYS THEY DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG. IN THE RAIN IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE NOT GOING TO WORK AT ALL, EVERY NOW AND THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG, THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE SHAKING LIKE THIS AND SHOULD NOT BE NEEDING NEW ROTORS ALL THE TIME. THEY'VE ALSO REPLACED THE WHEEL COVERS EVERY TIME THE ROTORS WERE DONE, I DON'T KNOW WHY. I HAD THEM REPLACE THE PASS. WHEEL COVER LAST WEEK BECAUSE I NOTICED SMALL CRACKS ON EACH SPOKE OF THE RIM.
I HAVE HAD THE FRONT ROTORS TURNED TWICE AND REPLACED ONCE FOLLOWING BRAKE PULSATION AND SEVERE VIBRATION.
WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED THE BRAKE PADS & ROTORS WERE WORN OUT. THE ROTORS WERE ALSO PITTED. DEALER INFORMED OWNER WOULD HAVE TO PAY FIRST BEFORE REPAIRS TO BRAKE DAMAGE IS DONE.WORK COMPLETED AT LOCATION VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED UNDER "ONE TIME WARRANTY REPAIR". PADS WORN OUT AT 17,504, ROTORS WORN OUT AT 22,854. *AK * MJS
ROTORS WARP EVERY 5,000 MILES. ROTORS TURNED TWICE THEN REPLACE ROTORS
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu → · Every Malibu year → · How the figures are calculated →