1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

STEERING BECAME NOISY WHEN MAKING A TURN AND DIFFICULT/HARD TO MANAGE. WITH LESS THAN 11000 MILES RACK AND PINION STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW TO HIGH SPEED, CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE VIBRATING, DEALER DROPPED SURAME AND TIGHTENED RACK MOUNTS, LOWER CONTROL ARMS RATTLE AT LOW SPEED AND VEHICLE VIBRATES AT HIGH SPEED. ENGINE TORQUES BACK UNDER POWER, DEALER STATED THIS WAS BECAUSE OF FAULTY LOWER CONTROL ARMS. *SLC

BROKEN BRAKE LIGHT - CHEVROLET IS AWARE OF BAD CIRCUIT BEHIND THE LIGHT PANEL. *AK

DURING A HEAD-ON COLLISION AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED SOME WHIPLASH THAT HURT REAL BADLY. *AK

WE WERE TOWING OUR MALIBU BEHIND A MOTORHOME, HAD JUST PULLED ON TO I75 AFTER AN HOUR STOP AT A TRUCK STOP. WE WALKED AROUND THE VEHICLE BEFORE LEAVING THE TRUCK STOP AND ALL TIRES APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. FORTUNATELY TWO PASSING VEHICLES MOTIIONED US TO PULL OVER. THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE RIM. WE TOOK A PHOTOGRAPH. (TIRESIZE: P215/60R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/60R15 )

CONSUMER REPLACED ROTORS DUE TO THE NOISES THEY MADE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE USED AND THEY DID NOT FIT PROPERLY, THEY WERE TOO LOOSE AND THEY SHIFTED. *SLC

HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, AND BRAKE PEDAL FELT SPONGY. BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIONS TO REPLACE BRAKE LINING AND FRONT PADS, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED EVERY 3-4,000 MILES. *AK THE MANUFACTURE KNEW OF THE PROBLEM BUT NEVER INFORMED THE CONSUMER. *YH

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH PULSATION WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. AT 21,000 MILES/AT LOW SPEED IT APPEAR MODERATE, AND SEVERE AT HIGH SPEED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND HAD FRONT ROTORS TURNED. AT 30,000 MILES PROBLEM REOCCURRED. DEALER NOTIFIED AGAIN, AND RETURNED FRONT ROTORS, AND REPLACED PADS AT CONSUMER'S COST. AT 33,000 MILES, AGAIN PROBLEM REOCCURRED WHILE COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN AT 60 MPH AND APPLYING BRAKES, IT CAUSED SEVERE VIBRATION / PULSATION. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

SEVERE SHAKING OF FRONT WHEELS WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT SPEEDS OF 55 TO 70 MPH. TRAVELING OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN MARYLAND, I COULD NOT KEEP MY FOOT ON BRAKES. HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO AVOID THE SEVERE SHAKING OF THE FRONT WHEELS. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST ANNOYING, IT IS FRIGHTENING BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET OFF THE BRAKES TO STOP THE SHAKING WHEN DESCENDING LONG GRADES. HAVE HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. FIRST TIME AT 21,368 (DEALER MACHINED ROTORS) AND THE SECOND TIME AT 30,467 (DEALER MACHINED ROTORS AND REPLACED PADS). EACH TIME, PROBLEM ONLY STOPPED TEMPORARILY. AT 54,400 I HAD TO PURCHASE 2 ROTORS ($240.00) AND WAS TOLD THAT GM HAD REDESIGNED THE ROTORS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SINCE I WAS BEYOND 3YR/36,000 MILE WARANTY GM WOULD NOT COVER THIS COST. THE ORIGINAL ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS UNDER HIGH SPEED DOWNHILL CONDITIONS. I HAVE JUST LEARNED OF A GM BULLETIN TO DEALERS THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE ROTORS ARE A PROBLEM. MY NEIGHBOR ADVISED ME OF A 1999 MALIBU THAT EXHIBITED THE SAME SEVERE FRONT END SHAKING UNDER BRAKING. I HAVE THE ORIGINAL ROTORS AND THE PADS THAT I REPLACED ON 10/27/2000 AT A COST OF $357.30 (PARTS ONLY). THIS PROBLEM DESERVES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.*AK

FIRESTONE AFFINITY TIRES (P215 60 R15) EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT OF THE SIDEWALLS AND TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC