1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE THAT ALLOW COOLANT TO LEAK. WATER CAN MIX WITH OIL OR CAN GENERATE OVERHEAT OF THE ENGINE. *JB

THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE I WAS BACKING UP ON MY DRIVEWAY. I TOOK IT TO A TRUSTED LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED BOTH FRONT SUSPENSION UNITS WHICH INCLUDED THE STRUT, COIL SPRING AND MOUNTING PLATE. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, IT'S SAFER TO REPLACE BOTH SIDES AT THE SAME TIME. I AGREED WITH HIM, WHO KNOWS IF I DID NOT REPLACE THE RIGHT SIDE IT COULD HAVE BROKEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE RESULTS COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE DRIVER AND OTHERS. MY 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU HAS LESS THAN 57,000 MILES ON IT AND THE COIL SPRING SHOULD NOT BREAK IN HALF IN SUCH LOW MILEAGE. THAT SAID, I AM THINKING IF THERE''S ANY DEFECT IN THE DESIGN AND/OR BUILD MATERIAL OF THE COIL SPRING. I SPENT $634 TO FIX IT AND IT COULD HAVE COST MUCH MORE, INCLUDING MY LIFE, LOVED ONES AND OTHERS. I STRONGLY URGE NHTSA TO TAKE ACTIONS, INFORM GM AND BEGIN A RECALL CAMPAIGN IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. REGARDS, SCOTT SHYU [email protected]. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED EVERY TIME SHE USED THE CRUISE CONTROL IT DEACTIVATED ON ITS OWN. THIS STARTED APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES FOR CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEMS, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *AK UPDATED 2/7/2006 - THE BRALKES FAILED AT LESS THAN 2800 MILES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKES AND ROTORS. *NM

1998 CHEVY MALIBU: FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET RESULTING IN COOLANT LEAK, GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 100,000 MILES (MAY BE RELATED TO MANDATED USAGE OF DEXCOOL ANTIFREEZE IN VEHICLE PER MANUFACTURER). *NM

THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON ONE MINUTE THE NEXT MINUTE THE CAR CUT OFF. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO CURTIS CHEVROLET IN WASHINGTON, DC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO THE OIL REGULATOR AND FILTER EXPLODED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 57500 ORIGINAL MILES, SERVICED MAINLY BY CURTIS CHEVROLET...OIL RECENTLY CHANGED BY CURTIS YET I WAS TOLD THAT TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WOULD BE $6,000. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERED TOTALED. *JB

FRONT PASSENGER COIL STRUT BROKE WHILE DRIVING. RUBBED UP AGAINST TIRE. LEFT MY CAR IN THE PARKING LOT UNTIL I COULD AFFORD TO REPLACE IT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A TRUSTED LOCAL MECHANIC WHO FIXED MY CAR. FRONT PASSENGER COIL WAS REPLACED AS WELL AS THE TWO FRONT STRUTS. ALSO TWO NEW TIRES WERE REPLACED UP FRONT. *NM

ON AUG. 10,2005 MY 1998 CHEVY MALIBU, WHILE PARKED WITH IGNITION OFF CAUGHT FIRE. WHILE EXITING CAR BEFORE THE FIRE, I SMELLED NO SMOKE OR "HOT" SMELLS, I STOOD THERE APPROX. 3 MIN. WHILE TALKING TO MY DAUGHTER. 10 MIN. LATER THE LEBANON, TENNESSEE FIRE DEPT. WAS THERE EXTINGUISHING A FIRE THAT WAS MOSTLY CONTAINED TO THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT HEADLIGHT AREA, THEY DEEMED THE CAR "TOTALED" . I CONTACTED GM THE SAME DAY, AND AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CONVERSATIONS , ON SEPT.13, 2005, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MR. MIKE DEMARE, CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGER, THAT "GENERAL MOTORS IS UNABLE TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGES AND WE SUGGEST THAT YOU RESOLVE THIS MATTER THROUGH YOUR INSURANCE CARRIER." SO I AM STILL WITHOUT A CAR, AND I AM DISABLED, WITH A MINOR CHILD LIVING WITH ME. I CAN NOT AFFORD FULL COVERAGE , AND ONLY HAD LIABILITY ON THE VEHICLE. *NM SEPT.

DT: ONE OF THE COIL SPRINGS ON FRONT DRIVER' S SIDE PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE CONSUMER DID NOT CONTACT THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER. THERE WAS A BIG BOOM SOUND. THIS HAPPENED ON JUNE 14, 2005. *AK THE CONSUMER DID CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER, HOWEVER IT WAS NOT THE RESPONSE SHE HOPED FOR. *JB

REPEATED FAILURE OF FRONT ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSORS CAUSING ERRATIC ABS AND BRAKE OPERATION. *JB

SUDDEN FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT SPRING CAUSING PUNCTURED TIRE SIDEWALL AND SUDDEN DEFLATION OF TIRE. *JB