1998 Chevrolet Malibu complaints

ODOMETER JUMPED 1,000 MILES TO BRING MILEAGE FROM 34527 TO 35587 IN ONE DAY. ONLY DROVE CAR 150 MILES MAX THAT DAY.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARM BROKE. DEALER CONTACTED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *YC

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

1.WINDSHIELD WIPER BROKE.2.REAR BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO WARPED WAVY RODERS

STEERING--STEERING RACK, GEAR ASSEMBLY, GEAR KIT, BALL JOINT AND BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS.

RADIO HARNESS--AM RADIO DIDN'T WORK.

BRAKES--LEFT FRONT ROTOR.

WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC EITHER TURNED THE ROTORS OR REPLACED THE ROTORS. *AK

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHILE TRAVELING ABOVE 50 MPH, VEHICLE WILL SHAKE AND PULSATE. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE BRACED TO KEEP CONTROL. THIS IS DUE TO BAD ROTORS. GMC, AND THE DEALER SHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

MY ODOMETER DOES NOT READ THE MILES CORRECTLY. IT IS DIGITAL AND I DO NOT WANT TO BRING TO THE DEALER WITHOUT FIRST REASERCHING IF THIS COULD BE A FRAUD CASE

I AM ABOUT TO BRING THE CAR AGAIN IN FOR WARPED FRONT ROTORS ONLY 2,000 MILES AFTER THEY WERE REPLACED. IS THERE A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM?

THIS VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MULITPLE PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE ROTOR WARPAGE. DEALER ACTUALLY REPLACED ROTORS AT ONE TIME UNDER WARRANTY. PROBLEM PERSISTS AND CAR WILL RECEIVE ROTOR SERVICE AGAIN ON 9/9/99. THIS IS ONLY A BAND-AID FIX FOR ROTORS WILL CONTINUE TO WARP. OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS OF MALIBU'S ARE EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEMS. I'VE ALSO NOTICED SAME PROBLEM WITH RENTAL CARS I HAVE RENTED (MALIBU'S). DELAER REFUSES TO ADDRESS A PERMANENT FIX TO PROBLEM.CINGBTLEY

CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET BETWEEN 60-70 MPH , WENT TO APPLY BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT DISENGAGE THE CRUISE, DRIVER HAD TO REPEATEDLY APPLY BRAKES BEFORE THE FINALLY ENGAGED, RESULTING IN SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD.DEFECT HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES, AND DEALER HAS REPLACED BRAKE SENSOR. *AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN SHE DRIVING HER VECHICLE THE LIGHTS OF HER ANTI LOCK BRAKES SYSTEM AND ANTI THEFT LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHTS. ALL LIGHTS COME ON AND THE AIR CONDITION STOP WORKING AND THE TEMP GAUGE.

CAR SHIMMIES WHEN BRAKES APPLIED, HAD ROTORS TURNED AND PADS REPLACED AT 28,000, NOW FAILING AGAIN, ROTORS WARPED AND NEED REPLACED. FOUND MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE HAVING SAME PROBLEM BUT MANUFECTURER WILL NOT ADMIT TO DEFECT OR COVER UNDER WARRANTY. WHAT'S THE DEAL? ARE THEY NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFETY IN THESE VEHICHLES? PLEASE ADVISE.

PREMATURE FAILURE OF FRONT DISC BRAKES AND ROTORS CAUSING FRONT OF CAR TO VIBRATE WHEN THE BRAKES APPLIED. NLM

PURCHASED 4/18, ON 4/30 TOOK IN FOR NOISE WHEN BRAKING. THEY RESURFACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS SAID THEY WERE OUT OF ROUND.ON 8/5/98 SAME PROBLEM THEY SAID FRONT ROTORS WERE OUT OF ROUND AND RESURFACED THEM AGAIN. ON 8/12/98 TOOK BACK WITH SAME PROBLEM THEY REPLACED PADS. 9/9/98 WENT BACK WITH SAME PROBLEM THEY INSTALLED BOOSTER ASSEMBLY. HAD NOISE WHEN BRAKING FOR SOME TIME WAS VERY DISGUSTED WITH GOING BACK AND FORTH FINALLY 7/13/99 NOISE WAS GETTING WORSE AND IRRITATING THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS GLAZING AND THAT I NEED TO BRAKE HARDER, TO TRY FOR 1000 MILES IF NOT IMPROVE OR IF IRRIATING ME COME BACK THIS WAS AT 8,433. 9,455 SOUND GOT WORSE WENT BACK THEY SAID ROTORS OUT OF ROUND PADS WORN. THEY REPLACED FRONT PADS & RESURFACED ROTORS. IT HAS BEEN ONE WEEK AND I KEEP HOLDING BY BREATH EVERY TIME I BRAKE. THIS IS NOT RIGHT FOR A NEW CAR. I BOUGHT THIS CAR AS MY RETIREMENT CAR AND AM VERY AFRAID OF THE FUTURE WITH IT. WHAT CAN I DO.

MALIBU SUSPENSION IS UNSAFE. FRONT CONTROL ARMS , REAR STRUTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, REAR TURN SIGNAL , REAR TIRES WORN BECAUSE OF STRUTS, HEADLAMPS FAILURES MAKE IT OBVIOUS CHEVY IS MARKETING UNSAFE MALIBU'S . CHEVY SHOULD BUY BACK THESE DEFECTIVE CARS ESPECIALLY MINE IT'S AN UNSAFE PIECE OF JUNK!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 215-60R15 )

THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIME AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 22K MILES. WHEN THEY WEAR DOWN, THE CAR WILL VIBRATE, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL PULSATE. THE PROBLEM IS PARTICULARLY BAD WHEN COMING OFF A HIGHWAY RAMP AND BRAKING TO A STOP OR WHEN HAVING TO STOP GOING DOWNHILL. AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY, IT CAN BE VERY SCARY WHEN SLOWING DOWN QUICKLY. SO FAR THE DEALER HAS TURNED OR REPLACED THE ROTORS EACH TIME I COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PROBLEM HOWEVER I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY WILL REACT ONCE THE WARANTY EXPIRES. SO FAR THE PROBLEM REOCCURS EVERY 6K MILES OR SO. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS UNNOTICEABLE AT SLOWER SPEEDS WHICH CAN MAKE IT MORE DANGEROUS IF THE DRIVER IS NOT EXPECTING IT. I HAVE CHECKED SOME INTERNET CAR SITES AND HAVE NOTICED THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ROTORS FROM MANY OTHER MALIBU OWNERS. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANYTHING YOU NEED.

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS A PULSATING FEELING IN THE VEHICLE. IT FEELS LIKE THE ROTORS ARE WARPED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK *YC

THE BRAKE ROTORS BEGAN TO WARP AT ABOUT 9,000 MILES. AT FIRST IT WAS MILD AND ONLY NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEEDS. LATER IT BECAME PRONOUNCED AND THE FRONT END VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY WHEN BRAKING FROM ABOVE 60 MPH. IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO BRAKING UNTIL I REDUCE BRAKING PRESSURE, BUT THIS JUST EXTENDS MY STOPPING DISTANCE. CHEVROLET DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM AND WILL NOT REPLACE THE ROTORS UNDER WARRANTY SINCE I HAD 15,000 MILES BEFORE I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THEM. I NOTICE THERE ARE ALMOST 100 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN THE DATA BASE FOR 1997 AND 1998 MALIBUS. ONE SERVICE MANAGER REPORTED THAT CHEVROLET HAD REVISED THE DESIGN OF THE ROTOR TWICE. THERE ARE NO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR 1999 MODELS. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE NOT ACKNOWLEDGED IT.

ABS NOT WORKING. BREAK PROBLEMS REPLACED AT 19,000 MILES AND I AM HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN. NOISE COMING OUT OF THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE. REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 15 )

THE FRONT ROTORS ON MY MALIBU HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE -- 1ST @ 7,047 MILES; 2ND @18,936 MILES. AT 28,028 THE 3RD SET IS WARPED AGAIN, BUT CHEVROLET WILL NOT REPLACE THEM UNDER WARRANTY. 7,000 TO 12,000 MILES OUT OF A SET OF ROTORS IS NOT NORMAL FOR PREDOMINANTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING. OUR PAST EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN 60,000 - 70,000 MILES ON OTHER GM PRODUCTS. AS TO SAFETY ISSUES, WITH THE WARPING WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF PULSATING & I BELIEVE THIS IS AFFECTING STOPPING DISTANCE.

THE FRONT END IS LOOSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAIL. *AK

DESIGN OF DEFECTIVE BRAKE SYSTEM CAUSING PREMATURE BRAKE FAILURE. YH

AT 11K MI WHEN BRAKES APPLIED AT 50+ MPH FRONT TIRES SEVERELY SHIMMIED, DEALER MACHINED AND REINSTALLED FRONT DISC, AS OF 8/8/99 SYMPTOMS HAVE RETURNED. AT 14K MI A THUMPING NOISE BEGAN IN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, DEALER REPLACED BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS. AT 3K MI HEATER BLOWER MOTOR STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE, DEALER REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR. AT 9K MI HEATER BLOWER MOTOR STARTED TO AGAIN MAKE A LOUD NOISE, DEALER REMOVED AND REINSTALLED BLOWER FAN, MOTOR STILL MAKES A LOUD NOISE.

3 TIMES PASS SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHT OUT AND NOTICED NUMEROUS OTHER VEHICLES OF SAME MAKE AND MODEL WITH SAME BULB OUT. MANUFACTURE HAS NO BULLITENS ON THIS REPAIR BUT APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING TO MORE FOLKS THAN JUST ME AS I NOTICED IN TRAFFIC A LOT OF THEM WITH THIS VERY SAME BRAKE LIGHT OUT ON SAME MAKE AND MODEL. 3 TIMES HAVE REPLACED BULB AND ITS OUT AGAIN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO WATER GETTING THERE , NO LOOSE CONNECTIONS ETC.

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED TWICE DUE TO WARPING AND VIBRATION. NLM

VEHICLE DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT PAST 20 MPH. AFTER STOPPING VEHICLE DOESN'T PICK UP SPEED. VALVE BODY WAS FOUND TO BE FAULTY AND CAUSED PROBLEM. *AK

UPON HITTING THE BRAKES WHILE GOING 60MPH THE WHOLE FRONT END SHAKES.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES, RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *ML

BRAKES PULSATE WHEN APPLIED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHICH CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE SEVERELY. COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ROTORS WERE PITTED AND WARPED.

NO SUMMARY

THIS CAR HAS A DIRECTIONAL STABILITY PROBLEM ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WANDERS BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE DRIVING LANE AND YOU CONSTANTLY HAVE TO CORRECT THE STEERING WHEEL. IF YOU RELAX OR LOOK AWAY FOR A MOMENT, SUCH AS AT A HIGHWAY SIGN, YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE THE CAR WILL BE IN THE LANE. ON LONG TRIPS IT FATIGUES YOU TERRIBLY. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO REMEDY THE SITUATION WITH A NEW TIRE, NEW ALIGNMENT, TIRE ROTATION, TIRE PRESSURE, ETC., BUT NOTHING WORKS. I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM DRIVING THE CAR HOME AFTER PICKING IT UP NEW. THE DEALER HAD ME DRIVE ANOTHER MALIBU WITH APPROX THE SAME MILEAGE, AND IT DROVE THE SAME. THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER SERVICE MGR. SAYS HIS DRIVES THE SAME WAY. I HAVE CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY NOTED THE PROBLEM, BUT OFFERED NO SOLUTIONS. I RETIRED FROM THE AUTO COLLISION BUSINESS WHERE I SPECIALIZED IN HEAVY COLLISION REPAIR AND DRIVEABILITY. I HAVE WORKED FOR EVERY GM CAR LINE AT A DEALERSHIP. I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT, WHEN I SAY THIS CAR HAS A DESIGN PROBLEM. IT IS THE WORST DRIVING GM CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. IT IS MY WIFES CAR AND I WORRY ABOUT HER ON THE HIGHWAY. PEOPLE SHOULD BE WARNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IT IS THE PERFECT COMMUTER CAR AROUND TOWN, BUT I AM AFRAID THIS PROBLEM WILL CONTRIBUTE TO HIGHWAY CRASHES AND DEATHS. FOR MY WIFES SAFETY, I THINK I WILL BE FORCED TO GET RID OF THIS CAR. *AK

FRONT OF CAR VIBRATES WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED FROM A SPEED OF 50 MPH OR MORE. THE PROBLEM WAS PREMATUE FAILURE OF THE FRONT DISC BRAKES AT 30400 MILES (16% OF WARRANTY REMAINING). MUNDAY CHEVROLET HAD TO TURN ROTORS AND REPLACE BRAKE PADS WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE NEW CAR WARRANTY. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE (CASE NO. 990384225) WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL MAINTENANCE. THERE APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN DESIGN, MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP. THE NHTSA CUSTOMER COMPLAINT DATA BASE CONTAINS NUMEROUS INCIDENTS OF PREMATUE 1998 MALIBU FRONT DISC BRAKE FAILURES. SOME OF THESE OCCURRED AT LESS THAN 10,000 MILES AND AS MANY AS THREE TIMES. GM DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THESE FAILURES AS COVERED UNDER THEIR WARRANTY. *AK

RADIO HAS BEEN REPLACED, STILL WILL NOT PICK UP LOCAL STATIONS, AND A THUMPING NOISE IS COMMING FROM MY CAR. IT'S MOST NOTICEABLE AT 35MPH AND UNDER. DEALER REPLACED PARTS OF SUSPENSION, DIIDN'T HELP, AND NOW THEY SAY THATS ALL THEY CAN DO. THEY HAVE NOT BOTHERED TO SEE WHERE THE SOUND IS COMING FROM. *AK

MY PROBLEM IS THAT MY ROTORS AND PADS CONTINUALLY WARP. THE DEALERSHIP WILL TURN MY ROTORS, AND HAVE REPLACED MY PADS ONCE, BUT AFTER EVERY LONG TRIP, THEY WARP AGAIN. CAUSEING ME SUBSTANTAL LOSS OF MY ABILITY TO BRAKE. I HAVE HAD THREE NEAR ACCIDENTS, ONE WHEN A SEMI PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. THESE WOULD HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN A CONCERN IF MY BRAKES WOULD HAVE BEEN WORKING PROPERLY. BUT I WAS ONLY ABLE TO STOP FEET FROM THESE CARS WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YARDS. I'VE DONE ENOUGH DRIVING TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD BRAKES AND BAD. PLUS WHEN I APPLY MY BRAKES MY CAR SHAKES, AND MY STEERING WHEEL JUMPS IN MY HAND. *AK

PULSATING BRAKES IN FRONT. REQUESTED THEY BE "REPLACE" DENIED BY DEALER....THEY WERE FIXED..."ROTORS WERE RESURFACED" I FEEL THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED THAT THE ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE? PLEASE ADVISE... 2 FLATS IN REAR..ONE TIRE REPLACED THE OTHER PLUGGED. AGAIN THIS IS A NEW CAR? ADVISE. THANKS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

BRAKE ROTORS ARE CONTINUALLY WARPING AND CAUSING VIBRATION. MJS

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEE AND , MAKING A TURN, THERE IS SOME A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY ARE VIBRATING. *AK

THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BECOME WARPED 2 SEPARATE TIMES, THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED AND REPLACED, THE FAULTY ROTORS CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO PULL AND SHAKE ESPECIALLY ONCE THE CRUISE CONTROL IS DISENGAGED. *SLC

ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES ON THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS LESS THAN 20,000 MILES.

ROTORS OUT OF ROUND AT 7000 MILES RESULTING IN A SEVERE AND DANGEROUS SHAKING OF THE FRONT END UPON APPLICATION OF BRAKES, ROTORS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, FAILED AGAIN AT 15000 MILES, ALSO FRONT PADS WORN OUT BY 15000 MILES

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

I REALLY NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE FOR A BETTER DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF MY PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY.

SEVERE VIBRATION IN FRONT END WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED ABOVE 60 MPH. I FEEL THIS PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE EARILER FRONT END RECALL PROBLEM. DEALER WILL CUT ROTORS AND THAT IS IT. I KNOW THIS IS NOT GOING TO FIX THE TRUE PROBLEM BUT IT WILL BE A QUICK FIX THAT MAY LAST THROUGH THE WARRENTY PERIOD. *AK

MFG CONTACTED, DENIES PROBLEM EXISTS, SAYS "GO AWAY". NO SAFETY DEFECT INDICATED IN SUMMARY. *AK

WE BOUGHT A 98 MALIBU IN FEB 99 W/20K MILES. SOON AFTER WE NOTICED A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN BRAKING.I HAD IT CHECKED AND ROTORS ARE WARPED. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS COMMON IN MALIBUS AND THAT THE PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE THEY CAME OUT IN 97.THIS WAS FROM THE SERV. DEPT MGR AT ADAMS CHEVROLET IN RAYTOWN, MO HE SAYS HE SEES SEVERAL MALIBUS EVERY WEEK FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THAT IT WASN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY OR MANUF. RECALL. ONLY IF THE PROBLEM BEGINS WITHING 12K MILES. IT WAS AS IF I WAS JUST SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT THIS..EVEN THOUGH WE PAID $14,000 FOR THIS CAR. GM BRAGS THAT THE CAR CAN GO UP TO 100K MILES WITHOUT A TUNEUP , BUT THEY FORGET TO TELL YOU YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE THE ROTORS TURNED EVERY YEAR . *AK

7X'S IN 47000 MILES HAVE HAD ROTORS PREMATURELY WARPED, 1X METALLIC CLICKING NOISE WHEN STOPPING AT LOWER SPEEDS. *AK

ROTORS HAVE WARPED TWICE WITHIN 20500 MILES. OTHER MALIBU OWNERS HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT. WHILE I HAVEN'T BEEN INJURED BECAUSE OF THIS, IT SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING SO FREQUENTLY. CHEVY WANTED TO CHARGE ME TO TURN THE ROTORS DOWN THE 2ND TIME, ONLY 4000 MILES AFTER THEY WERE FIRST TURNED DOWN. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. IF I WEREN'T ASTUTE ENOUGH TO CATCH IT EARLY, IT COULD BE A REAL SAFETY HAZARD. *AK