1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACEMENT. THERE IS A RECALL BEING CONDUCTED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS NOT A PART OF IT. RECALL NO. #01VO68000, WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE. *NM

WHILE DRIVING OR TURNING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. *JB

THE HEATER ONLY BLOWS ON SETTING 5. RESEARCH INDICATES THE POSSIBILITY OF MELTED RESISTOR. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON, RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MALIBUS. *LA

CAR IS LEAKING COOLANT. AFTER HAVING IT CHECKED, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED IT IS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM NOT ONLY ON MALIBUS BUT ON MANY GM/GMC CARS. *LA

THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH THE HOUSING OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND AS A RESULT THE WIPERS DID NOT MOVE AT ALL. ALTHOUGH THIS DEFECT WAS ON RECALL THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

AIR COMPRESSER AND WIRE HARNESS HAD TO BE REPLACED FAN DID NOT WORK ON SETTING 1 AND 2 NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN THE FIRST TIME WAS IN 2000. AIRCONDITIONING PROBLEM CAUSED THE FUSES THAT CONTROL GAS TANK, TEMP GAGE AND LIGHTS ON DASH BOARD TO GO OUT ALL FUSSES REPLACED

MY 1998 CHEVY MALIBU'S 3.1L ENGINE REQUIRED AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AT AROUND 30000 MILES. MY CAR HAS BEEN USING MORE FLUID LATELY AND I AM THINKING THAT THE GASKET WILL ONCE AGAIN REQUIRE REPLACING. SECONDLY, MY CAR RUSTED AROUND THE DOORS AND THE HOOD SEAMS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS BEEN FOUR MONTHS SINCE THE REPAIRS AND THE SEAMS LOOK WORSE THAN EVER.

HARSH WINTER OF 2003 WITH UNUSUAL BUILDUP OF SNOW/ICE IN NORTH CAROLINA HAS RESULTED IN FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER PIVOT HOUSING AND/OR RELATED PARTS OF MY DAUGHTER'S 98 CHEV. MALIBU. CHEVY DEALERS REFUSE TO HELP REPAIR AS A RECALL, BECAUSE THE RECALL IS LIMITED TO GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS, AND CLOSEST STATE IS OUR NEARBY NEIGHBOR WEST VIRGINIA (WHERE, OF COURSE, OUR NC RESIDENTS NATURALLY TRAVEL REGULARLY DURING THE WINTER FOR THE SPORT OF WINTER SKIING). PART COST HAS BEEN QUOTED AS $137, THOUGH I HAVEN'T YET DETERMINED IF I HAVE THE TOOLS/CAPABILITY TO REPAIR MYSELF. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO BE CURRENTLY NOT DRIVABLE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON 3.1L V6, AND HEAD GASKET FAILED. SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE RESULTED FROM COOLANT ENTERING ENGINE, FREEZING TWO EXHAUST VALVES AND RENDERING THE CAR INOPERABLE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. COMPLETE DAMAGE ESIMATE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. CAN UPDATE LATER. CONTACT WITH GM CUSTOMER SERVICE INDICATES THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NOT TRUE! A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THEY KNOW IT WELL! THEY APPARENTLY REFUSE TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO MAKE RIGHT THIS MAJOR ENGINE DESIGN ERROR. THIS CAR FAILED IN A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE.