1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V527000 (STEERING), RECEIVED THE RECALL REPAIR AND WEEKS LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A TURN, EXTREME FORCE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNSTABLE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER INDICATED THAT SOMEONE DAMAGED THE SUBFRAME AND BOLTS ALONG WITH THE QUARTER PANELS BEING RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO INDICATED THAT THE AUTHORIZED DEALER NEEDED TO REPLACE THE BOLTS, SUBFRAME AND THE QUARTER PANELS WHICH WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER PROVIDED AN INTERIM FIX OF WELDING THE BRACKETS TO THE FRAME AND WITHIN WEEKS THE COMPONENTS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE BOLTS WERE BROKEN AND THE ENGINE WAS SITTING ON TOP OF THE STEERING RACK DUE TO THE FRACTURE. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR APPROVAL FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,160. DYD

I ONCE OWNED THE CHEVY MALIBU. INCIDENTS HAPPENED IN THE PAST. THREE TIMES WHEN I HIT A BUMP MY CAR SHUT DOWN. I BROUGHT IT TO DAVIDSON CHEVROLET IN MALDEN MASS. THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. SOMEONE DID SUGGEST THAT I REMOVE EXTRA STUFF OFF MY KEYRING. I NOLONGER OWN THIS CAR. I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE IT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE CHEVY COBALT IGNITIONS. FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I FEEL THAT YOUR CURRENT RECALL MAY NOT BE REACHING AS FAR AS IT SHOULD. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIPERS CROSSED OVER EACH OTHER AND STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT THEN MOVED OFF THE ROADWAY AND MANUALLY DISLODGED THE WIPERS HOWEVER, THEY WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE LINKAGES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,200.

CAR GOES INTO LOCKDOWN FREQUENTLY BECAUSE OF THE THEFT ALERT SYSTEM AND YOU HAVE TO WAIT 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WILL START. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND POTENTIAL HAZARD TO ANYONE IS OPERATING THIS VEHICLE. I CALLED DEALERSHIP TO DISCUSS THIS PROBLEM AND THERE REPLY IS "WELL THE CAR IS OLD AND YOU NEED TO SEE ABOUT PURCHASING ANOTHER ONE". I GOT THIS REPLY IN 2007. I HAVE ALSO RESEARCHED IT ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN CHEVY MALIBU'S, WHICH TO ME CONSTITUTES A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AS WELL AS A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED AND WHEN THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED, THE FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE BECAME STUCK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. A PRIVATE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE COULD HAVE HAPPENED DUE TO A SPIKE IN VOLTAGE WHEN THE BATTERY WAS RECONNECTED WITH THE KEY LEFT IN THE RUN POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,930.

ANTI THEFT SYSTEM ARMS AND DISARMS RANDOMLY, CAUSING THE CAR TO NOT START OR STALL OUT. *TR

INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1997 CHEVY MALIBU HAS STARTED TO GO BAD I KNOW ITS THE LOWER GASKET I CALLED CHEVY AFTER SEEING SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM I WAS TOLD CHEVY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT DUE TO IT BEING OVER TEN YEARS OLD WELL IT SEEMS LIKE WITH WAS A PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN AS SOON AS THEY SEALED THE MANIFOLD AT THE FACTORY I THINK GM SHOULD REPLACE THIS ITEM ONCE FREE OF CHARGE PER CAR ALSO MY RACK AND PINION SEEMS TO STICK ON MY LEFT SIDE I'VE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND CHECKED THE RACK AND PINION SEEMS THE BALL BEARING WANTING TO COME OUT OR IS GONE I TOLD GM I DON'T THINK THEY REPLACED IT WHEN THEY RECALLED IT AND THEY TOLD ME THE FIRST OWNER DID BUT WONT SEND ME PAPERWORK ON THE REPAIR OR THE DEALERSHIP THAT DID THE WORK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING AND VIBRATING ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER TIRE SHOP AND AFTER INSPECTING IT THEY FOUND THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS WARPED AND HAD TREAD SEPARATION. THE BRAND NAME WAS LARAMIE, MODEL, PERFORMER HP, SIZE 235/60R15. THE DEALER WHERE THE TIRE WAS PURCHASE WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND CONFIRMED BASED ON THE DOT NUMBER THAT THE TIRE WAS NOT ON RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,598.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 5 TO 10 MPH AND ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL SPEED BUMPS IN THE ROADWAY. IMMEDIATELY AFTER DRIVING OVER THE SPEED BUMPS THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ANTI-THEFT PATH LOCK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

I HAVE A 1997 CHEVY MALIBU. RECENTLY, THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND DISABLING THE ENGINE. THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM PER THE DEALERSHIP AND THE ONLY OPTION I HAVE IS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AND RECONNECT IT. THIS ISN'T EVER CONVENIENT AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR