1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE CONTINUEING TO NOT WORK. I HAVE REPLACED BULBS ETC. THE ISSUE IS THE BULB SOCKETS ARE OVER HEATING AND THE RIGHT SIDE BRAKE LIGHT SOCKET IS BEGINNING TO MELT DUE TO EXCESS HEAT.

COOLANT LEAK IN MY 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU - 3.1 LITER ENGINE. 55,800 MILES. THIS DEFECT IS VERY COMMON ON THIS ENGINE. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. $800 REPAIR. LOST ONE WEEK'S WORK

ON MY 1998 MAILBU (3100 ENGINE) WITH ONLY 50,000 MILES HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. NO ASSISTANCE FROM GM OR THE DEALER.

OUR 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU WITH A 3.1 LITER V-6 ENGINE HAS STARTED LOSING ENGINE OIL AND ANTIFREEZE. WE HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES WITH THIS ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAS BEEN IN USE SINCE AT LEAST 1996. OTHERS HAVE TOLD ME THAT MECHANICS ARE SEEING THIS PROBLEM IN CARS ON A DAILY BASIS. THE FLUIDS ARE LOST THOUGH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND DO NOT LEAVE A TELLTALE STAIN OR RESIDUE UNDER A PARKED CAR. A REPAIR AT A CHEVROLET DEALER WAS QUOTED TO US AT $900. WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO WARRANTY COVERAGE OR RECALL. IS THIS PROBLEM BEING RESEARCHED? IS THERE A RECALL IN THE WORKS?

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: THE FRONT END SUSPENSION ARM NEEDS CHANGING, RACK PINION ASSEMBLY IS LEAKING OIL AND INTERNAL NOISES, THE PUMP CAP HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE (THE PRESSURE OIL RETURNS TO THE CAP), AND THE REAR CRANKSHAFT SEAL IS LEAKING. SCC

AFTER HEARING A "CLICKING/CREAKING" SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING (ON FULL LOCK)WHEN MANEUVERING AT SLOW SPEEDS, I.E. PARKING, I HAD THE CAR INSPECTED. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A BAD RH LOWER CONTROL ARM AND A LOOSE LH LOWER CONTROL ARM.

DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET / COOLANT REACTION. ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHEN DRIVING ON BUSY TWO LANE ROAD LEAVING ME STRANDED IN A TRAFFIC LANE. I HAD TO WALK A HALF A MILE AND BACK IN HEAVY TRAFFIC TO USE A TELEPHONE TO SUMMON HELP. DIAGNOSIS BY QUALIFIED MECHANICS FOUND COOLANT WATER HAD INFILTRATED THE ENGINE, TWO VALVES WERE BENT WHEN THE PISTONS HIT THEM. SEVERE INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS IS REPORTED TO BE A REGULAR PROBLEM WITH THE 3.1L GM ENGINE AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. TS

MY 1998 CHEVY MALIBU DEVELOPED A INTAKE MANIFOULD COOLENT LEAK AT 33,XXX MILES. IT COST ME & MY EXTENDED WARRANTEE COMPANY OVER $400.00 TO REPAIR. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT GM IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT BUT CONTINUES TO SELL VEHICLES ANYWAY. THIS IS FRAUD!

THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM: THE FRONT END/LOWER SUSPENSION ARMS NEED CHANGING, THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IS LEAKING CONSTANTLY AND HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE, AND THE REAR CRANKSHAFT SEAL IS LEAKING OIL. *SCC *NLM

I PURCHASED NEW 98 MALIBU AND TRADED BACK IN W/IN ONE MONTH FOR ANOTHER BECAUSE OF SEVERE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THIS AUTOMOBILE WAS IN FOR SERVICE ON 11/23/01 FOR TRANSMISSION LEAK AND ALL GASKETS & SEALS REPLACED. I HAD IN FOR SERVICE ON 8/5/02 FOR $1146 WORTH OF WORK ON VARIOUS PARTS. I REPORTED THAT VEHICLE LOST POWER ON HIGHWAY BUT FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED FOR THAT PROBLEM. I POINTED OUT THAT I THOUGHT CAR HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AT THAT TIME AND WAS TOLD THAT CAR DID NOT HAVE HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS EVEN THOUGH AUTO HAD ALL TRANSMISSION SEALS REPLACED IN 2001 BY DEALERSHIP. ALL WORK WAS DONE BY DEALERSHIP THAT AUTO (#2) WAS PURCHASED FROM. REGULAR MAINTENANCE DONE ON CAR WITHOUT FAIL. JUST REPLACED FRONT ARMS ON VEHICLE LESS THAT 1 MOS. AGO FOR $400 AND WAS TOLD BY SALES THAT THIS WAS AN EARLIER PROBLEM ALSO W/98 MALIBU. DT