1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A BAD SQUEAK NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR STABILIZER INSULATOR BUSHINGS.*JB

I BOUGHT THIS 1997 MALIBU WITH 20,000 MILES ON ODOMETER IN 1998. IN ONE MONTH I NOTICED COOLANT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT COMING ON. I ADDED ANTI FREEZE AND WATER TO SYSTEM. THIS WOULD LAST ABOUT A MONTH AND I WOULD HAVE TO ADD MORE COOLANT. ON 2/ 26/2002 THE LIGHT CAME ON AND I ADDED MORE COOLANT. I DROVE ABOUT 4 MILES AND COOLANT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I CHECKED OIL DIP STICK AND IT REGISTERED ABOUT TWO INCHES ABOVE FULL. I KNEW THEN THAT WATER WAS IN MY OIL. THE COOLANT HAD NEVER LEAKED OUT WHERE I COULD SEE IT ON THE GROUND. I HAD TO PAY $430.00 TO HAVE GASKETS REPLACED FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD . MY OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT THE FRONT DISK BRAKES ARE WEARING OUT MUCH FASTER THAN ANY CAR THAT I HAVE OWNED. I HAVE REPLACED TWO SET OF FRONT DISC PADS AND HAVE HAD ROTORS TURNED AND REPLACED. I AM VERY LIGHT ON BRAKES AND HAVE HAD EXTREMELY GOOD WARE ON OTHER AUTOS. AFTER 2000 MILES THEY ARE MAKING A NOISE AGAIN. THE PADS ARE GUARANTIED FOR LIFE BY THE MANUFACTURER .*AK

TWO FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE GONE OUT/BROKE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE. *AK

SEAT BELT NOT WORKING, ALL FOUR TIRES ARE CRACKING ALL AROUND THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL. LOWER CONTROL ARM REPLACED AND HOOD CABLE DEFECTIVE.

MOTOR MOUNTS ARE DEFECTIVE. IF CONSUMER WOULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE THEN MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION COULD FALL OUT OF VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE.*AK

CAR WOULD NOT START. ANTI-THEFT LIGHT KEPT FLASHING. 1ST OCCURRENCE HAPPENDED ON 10/20/00 AND THEN AGAIN ON 11/11/01. DEALER DIAGNOSED AS DEFECTIVE HOUSING AND TUMBLER AND REPLACED BOTH AT THE COST OF $396.39 EACH TIME.*AK

IN JUNE OF 1999, THE ANTI-THEFT LOCK SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED WHICH PREVENTED CONSUMER FROM STARTING VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP DID REPAIRS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. IN OCTOBER OF 2001, ANTI-THEFT LOCK SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN, PREVENTING CONSUMER FROM STARTING VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED ON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND STAY ON AT TIMES, ALSO CONSUMER WENT TO HAVE FUEL FILTER REPLACED AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE QUICK RELEASE CONNECTION AT FUEL FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED QUICKLY, BECAUSE WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY IT WAS SOME HOW BENT.*JB

AIRBAG DERM MODULE FAILED, DISABLING THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. DEALER AND CHEVROLET DETERMINED FAILURE WAS DUE TO WATER IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT SHORTING OUT MODULE. DEALER DETERMINED, AND CHEVROLET ADMITTED, THAT WATER CAME IN THROUGH HOLES IN CHASSIS OPENED UP DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF PATCHES AT TIME OF VEHICLE MANUFACTURE. DESPITE THIS, CHEVROLET REFUSED TO PAY FOR REPAIR, DUE TO VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. FUEL LINE BREAK OCCURED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, SPRAYING FUEL OVER CAR EXHAUST SYSTEM AND TRAILING CARS. PASSING MOTORIST MOTIONED ME TO SIDE OF ROAD, HELPING TO PREVENT FIRE/EXPLOSION. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, CHEVROLET NEVER NOTIFIED NHTSA OR INVESTIGATED PROBLEM.*AK

5 DIFFERENT TIMES, VEHICLE STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC CAUSING EXTEME ANXIETY AND STRESS, REPLACE THE PCM. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, DUE TO CAP CRACKED, REPLACE FUEL CAP, CLEAN CODE ROAD TEST OK. GAS PEDAL LOOSE, REPLACE ACCEL PEDAL SHAFT AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY

ALL FOUR TIRES ARE SPLITTING IN THE GROOVES. TIRE SIZE P215/60R15 , DOT# W2MWAAA278 CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THE TIRES ARE DRY ROTTING.*AKIT IS 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU 4 DR. *ET