1998 Chevrolet Malibu complaints

WHILE GOING 25MPH RIGHT FRONT AXLE BROKE. LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT CURB & THEN A POLE. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. *AK

DISK BRAKE ROTORS ARE REPORTED TO BE WARPED, CAUSING SEVERE SHIMMY WHEN BRAKING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS REPORTED TO BE A COMMON DEFECT, WHICH GENERAL MOTORS REFUSES TO COVER UNDER THEIR "BUMPER TO BUMPER" WARRANTY.

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND A NOISE WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER REPLACED ROTORS ONCE AND TURNED THE ROTORS TWICE. *AK

BRAKE ROTORS WARPED EVERY 8,000-10,000 MILES, WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. *AK

A FRAME IN PROCESS OF BEING REPLACED AGAIN JUNE 9, 1999 FOR THE SECOND TIME. MAJOR VIBRATIONS IN FRONT END OF CAR. BEZELS REPLACED. CUP HOLDER REPLACED. BUMPER PEELING - DEALER WILL NOT FIX. FRONT OF DASH PLASTIC HAD TO BE REPLACED-BROKE. CONSOLE LID COVER REPLACED. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAR TO ANY PERSON. EVEN THE GENERAL MOTORS TECHNICIANS STATE THIS IS THE WORST CAR FOR PROBLEMS. IT TOOK ALMOST SIX MONTHS TO GET THE A/C SWITCH REPLACED. IT KEPT TURNING ITSELF OFF AND COULD NOT GET BACK ON. FINALLY 06/05/99 IT QUIT ALL TOGETHER. THEY PUT IN A RELAY SWITCH. THIS CAR IS A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO REMEMBER THE OLD MALIBUS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN IGNITION TURNED TO ACCESSORY POSITION, THE SHIFT LEVER CAN BE MOVED TO ANY GEAR WITHOUT PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKE LOCKS UP WHEN THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARDS. THE CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS ALMOST HITTING A CAR. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD BE A TRAGIC SITUATION FOR SMALL CHILDREN IF UNATTENDED OR SENIOR CITIZENS UNAWARE THIS COULD HAPPEN. *AK

FRONT ROTORS EXPERIENCING PULSATION UPON BRAKING. NLM

WHEN IGNITION TURNED TO ACCESSORY, THE SHIFT LEVER CAN BE MOVED INTO ANY GEAR WITHOUT PUSHING BUTTON IN ON SHIFT LEVER OR PUSHING ON THE BRAKE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! IT ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN A HILL WHILE IN ACCESSORY POSITION.

ALL FOUR TIRES ARE WEARING IN THE CENTER STRIP.CONSUMER IS HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WHEN MAKING EMERGENCY STOPS. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE IS A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE. BRAKE PADS ARE MOVING UP AND DOWN, AND THERE IS VIBRATION WITHIN BRAKE PEDAL. DEALER REPLACED ROTORS AND PADS. ALSO, CONSUMER HAD CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 70 MPH, AND AS CONSUMER WAS GOING AROUND THE CORNER, CRUISE CONTROL WENT UP TO 76 MPH. WHEN GOING DOWN A HILL OR UP A HILL CRUISE CONTROL WENT UP TO A HIGHER SPEED. *AK

I BOUGHT MY CHEVROLET MALIBU USED AND HAVE HAD IT ABOUT 2 MONTHS. DAYS AFTER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY RUNS OUT I HAVE MAJOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. REPLACED FRONT BRAKES, PADS, RIGHT ROTOR AND RIGHT CALIPER. EVERY MECHANIC I'VE SEEN IS AMAZED THAT A CAR A YEAR OLD NEEDS A NEW CALIPER. CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. ALSO HAD PROBLEM WITH FRONT END RATTLING NOISE LIKE THE FRONT END IS LOOSE OR SOMETHING; DEALER DID PUT NEW CONTROL ARMS ON, BUT NOISE STILL PERSISTS. *AK

BRAKES ARE WEARING OUT PREMATURLEY . PADS/CALIPERS AND THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 35,000 MILES.THERE WAS NO INDICTATION OF A PROBLEM, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. 2. THE VEHICLE SHAKES AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 20 MPH ,AND DEALER REPLACED CONTROL ARM, BUT DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK

AT 60 MPH THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON AT THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT NOT SET. IT SET ITSELF AS INDICATED BY THE "CRUISE" LIGHT ON THE DASH AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF, BUT KEPT ACCELERATING AS INDICATED BY THE GAS PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. I APPLIED BRAKES AND IT STILL WOULD NOT TURN OFF. AFTER REACHING 80 MPH, I WAS ABLE TO START SLOWING DOWN, EVEN THOUGH I COULD FEEL THE CAR CONTINUE TO TRY TO ACCELERATE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR ON THE DASH WAS STILL ON. AFTER TRAVELING 1/4 MILE, I FINALLY GOT THE CAR STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE RPM'S WERE PULSING BETWEEN 2500-3500 AND CONTINUING TO CLIMB. I TURNED OFF THE KEY. SMOKE WAS BOILING FROM THE FRONT BRAKES. IT TOOK A FULL 15 SECONDS FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO RELEASE FROM ITS ENGAGED POSITION. I COULD HEAR A "POP" AND FEEL THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SPRING BACK TO ITS NORMAL POSITION. THE DEALERSHIP IS BLAMING MY FLOOR MAT. *AK

REAR BRAKES WERE NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY WHICH PUT MORE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE FRONT BRAKES, AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO SHAKE AND STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE, WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ROTORS REQUIRED TURNING AT 18,860 MILES. BRAKE PADS HAD AT LEAST 50% LIFE REMAINING. AT 26,733 MILES, ROTORS REQUIRE TURNING AGAIN. NEW REPAIR SHOP (ALEXANDER CHEVROLET, MURFREESBORO, TN 37133 615-893-6600) INDICATES AT LEAST 50%-60% LIFE REMAINING ON BRAKES PADS. THERE IS AN APPARENT DEFECT IN THE QUALITY OF ROTORS BEING SUPPLIED ON VEHICLE. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE (1-800-222-1020) WILL NOT RESOLVE DISPUTE BY WAIVING CHARGE TO TURN ROTORS FOR A SECOND TIME. IT HAS BEEN LESS THAN 8,000 MILES SINCE THE INITIAL REPAIR WAS MADE. ROTOR FAILING PREMATURELY AND TOO OFTEN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE CONTROL ARM BROKE, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, CAUSING A SPIN-OUT AND CAME TO REST AT A CURB. *AK

FRONT BRAKES WARPED; HEADLIGHT FOGGED/LEAKING WATER.

FEMALE SEATBELT PART BROKEN.

THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED WHICH MAY RESULT IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND CRASH. BEEN TO DLR 4 TIMES. DEALER REPLACED ROTORS ONCE, AND RESURFACED ROTOR 3 TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

IT SEEMS AS THOUGH SOONER I GET ONE THING FIXED AND ANOTHER GOES WRONG. I WANT GM TO PURCHASE THE CAR BACK. IT IS TO THE POINT I AM AFAID TO EVEN GET INTO THE CAR ANYMORE. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE ACTING ERRATICALLY. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK.

CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP 11 TIMES, DEALER FOUND PROBLEMS 10 TIMES. CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP OVERNIGHT 16 DAYS SINCE 9-2-98. ON ONE VISIT, DEALER DROVE CAR 187 MILES AND HAD CAR 6 DAYS, ACTUALLY FIXING CAR, FINDING ANOTHER FRONT SUSPENSION PROBLEM, AND FIXING AGAIN.

MY VEHICLE'S BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MY EMERGENCY BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WOULD NOT WORK ON MY DASH BOARD. MY IGNITION SWITCH ON MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT WORK SOMETIMES.

LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED.

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED, IT WAS LEAKING FLUID OVER THE ENGINE.. DEALER ORDERED GASKET KIT AND WILL FIX WHEN PARTS COME IN, COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. *MJS

THE SAFTEY BELTS ARE HARD TO FASTEN AND COME UNDONE,TICKING NOISE WHEN COLD THEN DIMINISHES,HEADLIGHTS FOGGING UP INSIDE,LOW SPEED BRAKING, CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT. *AK

FIRST FAILURE RESULTED IN RESURFACING OF ROTORS UNDER WARRANTY. PROBLEM REOCCURRED APPROX. 5,000 MILES LATER. ROTORS TO BE REPLACED UNDER "GOOD WILL POLICY". *AK

FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN CUT AT 9000, 19,000 AND ARE TO BE REPLACED ON 4/12/99 AT 22,300. ALSO, FRONT CONTROL ARMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED.

BRAKE ROTORS WERE BENT AND OUT OF SHAPE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULSE AND BOUNCE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR VEHICLE TO STOP, AND RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALER CLAIMED THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. BUT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 7,000 MILES. *AK

BRAKE ROTORS KEEP WARPING. ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITHIN 33,000 MILES. DEALER CLAIMS CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING THE BRAKES TO WARP. *AK

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

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

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

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

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

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.

REAR SEAT BACK LOWER MOUNT BOLTS FAILED DURING VEHICLE COLLISION RESULTING IN BROKEN BACK OF OCCUPANT.

BRAKE ROTORS CONTINUALLY FAILING.

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.

HEADLIGHTS LEAK RESULTING IN FOGGING UP AND POOR VISIBILITY, NOT ABLE TO REMEDY.

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

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

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.

WHEN COMING TO A STOP VEHICLE TOOK OFF DUE TO GAS PEDAL GETTING STUCK. VEHICLE TURNED OVER AND WENT INTO AN ENBANKMENT. *AK

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

BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS FAILED.

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED.

CD PLAYER/RADIO FAILED.

GAS GUAGE FAILED. *YC