1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

ONCE THE VEHICLE IS AT "NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE" THE POWER STEERING BECOMES HARD AND WILL SQUEAL. I HAVE REPLACES THE POWER STEERING FLUID, IN ENTIRETY, AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. I PLAN ON GOING TO A DEALERSHIP ASAP, BUT READING ALL OF THE ARTICLES ON THIS VEHICLE, IT APPEARS THEY WILL TELL ME THE SAME. IT IS A RACK-AND-PINION PROBLEM THAT I WILL HAVE TO INCUR AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. *NLM

INTAKE GASKET FAILED IN MY 1998 CHEVY MALIBU, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK. I KNOW THIS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE PLASTIC INTAKE GASKETS, SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS. OBVIOUSLY A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THIS CAR. CHEVROLET SHOULD RECALL IT. *JB

I HAVE REPLACED A BATTERY TWICE. I BOUGHT MY 1998 MALIBU USED. THE FIRST TIME WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP JUMPING IT, TO GET IT WERE I NEEDED TO GO. FOUND OUT THE POSITIVE CHARGE WAS BROKEN FROM BATTERY. SIX MONTH'S LATER ON JANUARY 19. MY ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND I LOSE ALL POWER ON SNOW AND ICE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF MY CAR AND GET IT STOPPED. IF THERE WOULD BE A BEEN ANOTHER CAR COMING TOWARDS ME I WOULD HAVE HIT THEM HEAD ON. I HAD IT TOWED THE FOLLOWING DAY, AND THEY SAID MY BATTERY WAS LEAKING ACID AND MY TIMING BELT WAS BREAKING. I HAVE ONLY HAD MY CAR A YEAR AND I BOUGHT IT FROM A DEALERSHIP. WHAT'S CAUSING THE BATTERY TO LEAK ACID? I AM SCARED TO DEATH IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND NEXT TIME I WON'T BE SO LUCKY.*JB

THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A DIP STICK, THEREFORE THE MECHANIC HAD NO IDEA WHERE TO POUR THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. *JB

THE STEERING RACK & PINION AND THE ENGINE INTAKE GASKETS IN THIS 1998 MODEL ARE FAULTY. THE SHODDY RACK & PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND I HAVE GONE THROUGH NUMEROUS TIRES OVER THE YEARS. THE INTAKE GASKETS ARE LEAKING FLUIDS AND AN ENGINE BLOW OUT IS IMMINENT. WITH THE LEAKAGES, THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE MAINTAINED ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL AND THE CAR IS STILL UNDER 50,000 MILES BUT I AM LOOKING AT A HUGE MECHANIC'S BILL DUE TO A SHODDY RACK & PINION AND INTAKE GASKET LEAKS. *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL#0 1 V 068 000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB

INTAKE GASKET FAILED IN MY 1998 CHEVY MALIBU, KNOW THIS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE PLASTIC INTAKE GASKETS, 500 DOLLARS TO REPLACE, SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS.*JB

VEHICLE LEAKING COOLANT FLUIDS FROM LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD. GM IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AS I WAS TOLD BY A SERVICE ADVISOR AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP.

I HAVE A 1998 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 60,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM STARTED AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES. BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS STARTED TO RATTLE OVER CRACKS AND BUMPS AROUND JULY 2001. IT HAS STEADILY BECOME WORSE AND IS TO THE POINT I CAN HEAR A LOUD CLUNK EVEN OVER EXPANSION JOINTS OR WHEN IT SHIFTS GEARS DURING ACCELERATION. I HAVE HEARD FROM SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM, SOME WITH FEWER MILES. IN ALL CASES CHEVROLET REFUSES TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND SAYS WE HAVE TO REPLACE WITH NEWLY DESIGNED CONTROL ARMS AT OUR OWN COST. I AM GOING TO REPLACE THEM FOR FEAR THAT THE BOLTS ARE GOING TO BREAK FROM THE EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT ALLOWED BY THE INFERIOR BUSHINGS USED IN THE ORIGINAL PART, BUT I THINK GM'S DECISION TO NOT RECALL THIS OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD SHOULD BE QUESTIONED. THEY HAVE ADMITTED THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW BY PRODUCING A REDISIGNED PART, WHY SHOULD THEY NOT RECALL IT?

CAR DEVELOPED A COOLANT LEAK FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I'VE SEARCHED AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. SOME SORT OF FAULT IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. GM INFORMED ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE THEY WILL NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. ALSO THE AC CYCLES OFF AND ON RANDOMLY, ANOTHER PROBLEM COMMON TO THESE VEHICLES