2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

MALIBU 2002 PURCHASED ON MAY 18, 2003 WITH 33,000 MILES . ON JULY 15, 2003 THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLANT SYSTEM AND CAR OVERHEATED. ACCORDING TO DEALER CAR WAS FIXED. ON JUNE 1, 2004 THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. JUNE 27, 2006 WITH 72, 000 MILES, THERE IS OIL IN COOLANT RESERVOIR AND A COOLANT LEAK. THERE WAS A LOWER INTAKE LEAK AND LEAK AT WATER PUMP. THE LOWER INTAKE AND WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED BUT ON JULY 17, 2006 THE SAME PROBLEM CAME AGAIN. JULY 17, 2006 ONLY A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE PROBLEM WITH OIL IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY WHICH WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE SMELL OF GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THE FIRST 6 TIMES, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. ON THE SEVENTH VISIT, THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A GAS LEAK IN THE FUEL LINE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED, THE FUEL LINE FRACTURED AND BECAME COMPLETELY DETACHED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT 5 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SHOCK ABSORBER DETACHED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP COMPLETELY. THE DETACHMENT ALSO BROKE THE TIE ROD AND THE STRUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE DETACHMENT WAS DUE TO HITTING A POTHOLE IN THE PARKING LOT. THE CONTACT DID NOT OBSERVE ANY POTHOLES IN THE VICINITY. UPDATED 7/18/2006 - *NM

PURCHASED THIS 2002 MALIBU USED FROM LOCAL CHEVY DEALER. FIRST INCIDENT, AFTER A BRIEF STOP AT A GAS STATION THE CAR WOULDN'T RESTART. TURNED OVER BUT NO FIRE. HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE THEFT-DETERRENT SYSTEM WAS STOPPING THE CAR FROM STARTING. THEY EXPLAINED THAT ONLY A DEALER CAN PROCESS OR RECYCLE THIS PROBLEM. THEY DID A TEMPORARY "RECYCLE" OF THE SYSTEM AND THE CAR STARTED BACK UP. I PLANNED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO FOLLOW UP, BUT THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, AT A STORE, CRANKED NO FIRE, THEFT LIGHT FLASHING, SAME EXACT SYMPTOMS. I WAS TOLD AT THE REPAIR SHOP THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THESE MODELS. THEY CHARGED ME $70.00 FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC TIME SPENT, AND I WAS THANKFUL THAT THE CAR WOULD AT LEAST START. NOW IT'S STUCK IN A PARKING LOT ACROSS TOWN AND I CAN'T EVEN GET IT TOWED (NO TOW COVERAGE). MY FEAR IS THIS HAPPENING REPEATEDLY. FIRST EVENT WAS ON JUNE 19, SECOND ON JUNE 30. I AM CURIOUS ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT "TRICKS" I AM HEARING ABOUT TO BYPASS THE SYSTEM AND GET THE CAR TO START. ONE SAID I SHOULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL QUICKLY SIDE TO SIDE WHILE APPLYING MY FOOT TO THE ACCELERATOR, AND TURN THE IGNITION, ANOTHER SAID TO TRY SWITCHING KEYS, (WHICH I DID TRY BUT IT DIDN'T WORK). ANY OTHER IDEAS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED! IF I COULD GET IT TO START THEN I COULD AT LEAST GET IT TO THE DEALER - I AM A SINGLE MOM, VERY BROKE, NO RESOURCES TO FALL BACK ON FOR THIS REPEAT EVENT SO SOON. I HAVEN'T EVEN MENTIONED THE CONSTANT BURNED OUT BRAKE LIGHTS- I REPLACE THE BULBS AND THEY BLOW WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS...NO VISIBLE ELECTRICAL LINE DAMAGE, EITHER...*NM

2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU, TURN SIGNALS STOP WORKING. THE FUSE IS GOOD FOR THE TURN SIGNALS, LIGHT BULBS FOR TURN SIGNALS ARE GOOD AND HAZARDS WORK. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LEAK AT APPROXIMATELY 13000 MILES. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. UPDATED 07/05/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FRONT PASSENGER HUB AND SPEED SENSOR. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED. THE VEHICLE IS A MALIBU. *AK

MY FAMILY'S 2002 CHEVY MALIBU'S TURN SIGNAL FLASHERS ARE INTERMITENTLY FAILING. THE PROBLEM BEGAN YESTERDAY, 7 JUNE 2006, AND REOCCURED TODAY, THE 8TH OF JUNE, 2006. I NOTICE THAT NHTSA HAD A RECALL PENDING ON THIS EXACT ISSUE, BUT IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CLOSED. WHY, AND WHAT IS NHTSA DOING ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN LIEU THEREOF? *NM

CAR STARTED LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON ENGINE AT 45000 MILES. WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM BUT THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $900.00 FOR THIS REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. THIS COULD LEAD TO A FIRE AND OVERHEATING ENGINE FAILURE. *NM

BOTH FRONT CALIPERS AND BOTH REAR CALIPERS LEAKING. PROBLEM COVERED UNDER MY FIDELITY EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT THE NEW BRAKES THAT I HAD ON THERE WERE RUINED BY BRAKE FLUID CAUSED BY THE LEAK. WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER BRAKES. I HAVE 3 FRIENDS WITH THE EXACT SAME VEHICLE AND THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. *JB