1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

CONTROL ARMS AND STEERING GEAR REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. NOW AT 38,000 MILES, THE FRONT END SHAKES ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY DURING SLIGHT TURNS AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPH.

STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT LOCK AT TIMES IN PARK NOT ALLOWING THE KEY TO TURN IN THE INGITION. DEALER CANNOT RECREATE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO FIX. OCCURRED ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO AND HAS HAPPEN APPRX 8 TIMES SINCE. *AK

FRONT SUSPENSION LOOSE AND BANGING WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. DEALER REPLACED LOWER CONTROL UNITS 8/16/99. STARTING TO EXPERIENCE SEVERE STEERING VIBRATION AT 60-70 MPH, AGAIN. THIS IS HOW THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM STARTED.

AIR BAG LIGHT ON CONTROL PANEL STARTED BLINKING. I CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CHECKED IT THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE MECHANIC THOUGHT I HAD BEEN IN A WRECK BECAUSE OF THE CODES AND BEHAVIOR OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN A WRECK. FOLLOWING IS THE TECH COMMENT: SCANNED COMPUTER AND FOUND CODES 18,24,25,26,AND 71. PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND FOUND VEHICLE TO NEED A NEW PASS SIDE AIR BAG AND CONTROL MODULE. (SOM). VEHICLE MAY NEED MORE. HE FELT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG WOULD GIVE THE SAME READING. I KNOW I AM SLIGHTLY OVER MY WARRANTY, BUT THIS IS FOR A SAFETY PART THAT HAS NEVER BEEN USED. HE STATED THAT THE BALLPARK FIGURE OF A REPLACEMENT AIRBAG AND CONTROLLER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ALONE WOULD NEAR $1,200. THIS IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS...MORE SO, IF THE DRIVER'S SIDE MUST HAVE THE SAME THING. WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE CAN YOU GIVE ME?*AK

I WENT TO THE DEALERSHOP FOR COMPLAINTS OF SQUEAKING IN "TIRES" AND T2222HE UNDERCARRIAGE FELT LOSE OVER SMALL BUMPS. I GOT THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY REPLACED FOR $1,200 AND DECLINED THE OTHER REPAIRS AT THIS TIME. WITH THE CAR ONLY BEING 3 YEARS OLD, I SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY MAJOR REPAIRS! I HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE. WITH THE NEW STEERING ASSEMBLY, THE UNDERCARRIAGE STILL FEELS LOOSE. I CAN FEEL IT UNDER MY FEET. TO ADD TO THE PROBLEM, THE 1 AND 2 BLOWERS DON'T WORK! THEY WORKED FINE WHEN I FIRST TOOK THE CAR IN! WHEN IT CAME OUT OF THE SHOP, THEY DIDN'T WORK. I WILL CONTINUE TO GET THESE PROBLEMS SOLVED.2 *AK

THE OIL PAN ON THE CAR HAS DEFECTIVE GASKETS THE ENGINE MANIFOLD HAS DEFECTIVE GASKETS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT DOES NOT WORK THE BRAKES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE IN LESS THAN 36,000 MILES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD AND WHENEVER APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE SHAKES AND GRINDS. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY HAVE REPLACED ROTORS TWICE AND PADS FOUR TIMES. *AK

THE VEHICLE VIBRATES IN THE FRONT END WHEN APPLYING BRAKE AT SPEEDS OF 70 MPH. YH

HEADLIGHTS GET WATER CAUGHT IN THEM AND FOG UP, MAKING VISIBILITY POOR FOR THE DRIVER AT NIGHT. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE LENSES, AND PROBLEM IS OCCURRING AGAIN.*AK

BRAKE PADS FAILED WITH OUT AUDIBLE WARNING DAMAGING ROTORS. BULB BASES IN REAR LIGHT BOTH MELTED FOR 2ND TIME. PWR WINDOW FAILS INTERMITTENTLY. NOISE IN SUSPENSION, DEALER COULDN'T FIND IT.BRAKES ALSO NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. MODEL SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY ALL THE COMPLAINTS LISTED.