1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE IN VERY HEAVY RAINS AND RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THEN MY WIPERS WERE STOPPED & CRISS-CROSSED IN FRONT OF ME. I FELT EXTREMELY LUCKY TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY, WITHOUT CAUSING A WRECK. LATER, I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A KNOW DEFECT ON THE WIPER PIVOTS FOR MY MODEL CAR. BUT REGARDLESS, THE RECALL WASN'T ANY GOOD FOR MY STATE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC BEHIND THIS... IF A PART IS DEFECTIVE- IT IS DEFECTIVE. THE RECALL WAS ONLY EFFECTIVE FOR CERTAIN 'SALT-BELT' STATES, OF WHICH MY STATE ISN'T INCLUDED. I DID HOWEVER LIVE IN ONE OF THESE SALT-BELT STATES FOR SEVERAL YEARS (WITH THIS CAR). BUT WHETHER YOUR CAR IS REGISTERED IN ONE OF THOSE STATES OR NOT YOU COULD HAVE A LOT OF USE OF THE WIPERS. BETWEEN HURRICANE SEASON AND THE RAINY SEASON IN FLORIDA, WIPERS GET A WHOLE LOT OF USE DOWN HERE TOO. *NM

WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS AND TURNING THE VEHICLE, A KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE PROBLEM WAS THE RACK AND PINION, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB *LA

IGNITION FAILED. KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. MISSED WORK!!! BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN SEVERAL HOURS LATER.*AK

UPON ENTERING A MAJOR HIGHWAY, MY STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE. I HAD TROUBLE MAKING LEFT TURNS AND THE CAR WOULD STEER TO THE RIGHT. FORCEFULLY, I HAD TO STEER THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD JUST TO MAKE SURE MY TIRES WERE INTACT. I MADE IT HOME CAREFULLY TO FIND OUT THAT IT COULD BE RELATED TO MY RACK & PINION AND DAMAGE TO HIGH PRESSURE HOSES. *JB

AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR 4 DAYS DEALERSHIP FAILED TO REPLACE THE LOWER PINION BEARING, BUT INDICATED THEY PERFORMED STEERING GEAR BEARINGS RECALL 03V527000 REPAIRS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON A CURVED ROAD DRIVER LOST CONTROL. VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND ROLLED COMPLETELY OVER. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. WITNESSES STATED VEHICLE JERKED TO THE LEFT BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE ROAD. *AK

THERE HAVE BEEN REPEATED FAILURES WITH THIS AUTOMOBILE. THE PASSLOCK ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM OFTEN LOCKS UP THE IGNITION, THE HEADLAMP AND TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLIES HAVE EXCESSIVE MOISTURE IN THEM, CAUSING THE BULBS TO BURN OUT, THE AIR CONDITIONER FAN MOTOR SHUTS OFF, AND THE DRIVERS SEAT IS LOOSE. THESE PROBLEMS HAVE REPEATEDLY BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO REPAIR THEM.*AK

IGNITION LOCK FAILED! WE CAN'T TURN THE KEY TO START CAR! TUMBLERS MUST HAVE FROZEN!*AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE FAILED. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED.*AK *SC *JB

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A RACK AND PINION STEERING PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN CRASH OCCURRED. *AK