2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE AIR BAG EQUIPMENT IN THE 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU STATING IT HAS A 1998 MALIBU AIR BAG SYSTEM.*MR SHORTLY AFTER THE CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THE CONSUMER HAD A FACTORY WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE, SO HE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX THE AIR BAG SYSTEM PROBLEM BECAUSE THE AIR BAG WAS FROM A 1998 CHEVY MALIBU. CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW IF IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO HAVE OLD CAR PARTS IN A NEWER MODEL CAR.*SB *NM

THE CHEROLET MALIBU WE OWN THINKS IT IS BEING STOLEN AS THE KEY HAS A COMPUTER CHIP IN IT AND AT TIMES WON'T COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR.TODAY I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED FOR THE THIRD TIME BECAUSE THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN GETTING IT TO THE DEALER.MY HUSBAND AND I ARE IN POOR HEALTH AND NEED A RELIABLE CAR.IT HAS ONLY 49000 MILES ON IT.

BRAKE PROBLEMS RESULTED IN MINOR ACCIDENT. 2 WEEKS FOLLOWING ACCIDENT BRAKE NOISE BEGAN. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT ONLY THE INSIDE BRAKE PADS ON EACH FRONT WHEEL HAD FAILED, INDICATING FAULTY BRAKE DESIGN. NUMEROUS SERVICE BULLETINS ARE NOTED FOR BRAKE RELATED ISSUES FOR THIS VEHICLE ARE POSTED ON THE NHTSA SITE. GM REFUSED TO ASSIST CLAIMING NORMAL WEAR.

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT SHE OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS . SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2003. JANUARY 2004 SHE NOTICED A QUIVERING PULSATING BRAKE PROBLEM. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY CLEANED THE BRAKES AND THEN THEY WERE FINE. MARCH 204 SHE TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR A REGULAR PENNSYLVANIA INSPECTION AND SHE HAD THEM CHECK THE BRAKES. THEY SAID THEY WERE EXCELLENT. MAY 12 2004 SHE HAD BRAKE FAILURE. THE BRAKE PADS, SHOES, AND ROTORS HAD ALL BURNT OFF THE VEHICLE. SO SHE HAD ALL OF THEM REPLACED. SHE TAKES HER VEHICLE IN EVERY FOUR TO FIVE WEEKS FOR AN OIL CHANGE. EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE SHE HAS BRAKES INSPECTED, SO IT IS ABOUT EVERY 10 WEEKS. THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH SHE WENT IN FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE CALIBRATION ON THE BRAKES LOOKED PERFECT. MAY 10TH 2005 BRAKE FAILURE AGAIN, THE BRAKE SHOES, PADS, AND THE ROTORS BURNT OFF AGAIN. THE CONTACT CALLED THREE DEALER IN THE PENNSYLAVNIA AREA AND ALL THE DEALERS STATED THAT CHEVROLET MALIBUS ARE KNOWN FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. SHE CALLED GM ON MAY 10TH, AND THEY WERE ONLY WORRIED ABOUT HOW MANY MILES ON THE VEHICLE SHE HAD, AND TOLD HER TO GET BRAKES SERVICED MORE OFTEN. IN A TOTAL OF SIX WEEKS VEHICLE HAS BURNT OUT THE BRAKE PADS, SHOES, AND ROTORS.*AK

THE REAR BRAKES WERE BRAND NEW, THEY NEVER HAVE BEEN USED. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY WORN OUT. MECHANIC STATED THAT SOMETHING IN THE REAR BRAKES THAT HAD NOT BEEN ADJUSTED CORRECTLY WAS CAUSING THE FRONT BRAKES TO PERFORM FOR THE REAR BRAKES.*AK *BF *NM

FRONT BRAKE FAILURE. 4 REPAIRS OF MACHINING / REPLACING ROTORS. CAR HAS UNDER 15,000 MILES. BOUGHT IT NEW. CAR SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY ON HIGHWAYS WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. STEERING WHEEL LITERALLY BOUNCES 1.5 INCHS IN ALL DIRECTIONS. SERVICE DEALER KEEPS ON REPLACING AND MACHINEING THE ROTORS. SOMETHING IS CAUSING THEM TO WARP ... MY COMPLAINT IS HEARD BY DEAF EARS... HELP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-35 MPH A METAL TO METAL NOISE OCCURRED UPON DEPRESSION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A MECHANIC, WHO INDICATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER BRAKE PAD BROKE IN HALF. *AK

'RECALL CAMPAIGN' FOR CHEVROLET MALIBU 2003, VEHICLE ALSO INVOLVED IN 2 ACCIDENTS. *BF THE CONSUMER HUSBAND BELIEVED BOTH ACCIDENTS WERE THE RESULT OF A RECALL GM HAD ISSUED REGARDING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. (HUSBAND ON BEHALF OF WIFE DORIS NELL DECEASED) *JB

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 60 MPH THE CAR WON'T GET ANY GAS AND STALLS THEN DIES. IT WON'T RESTART. TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP. THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPEN 6 TIMES SINCE THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT DATE LISTED HERE.*AK

THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM CHECK LIGHT HAS TURNED ON A TOTAL OF FOUR TIMES AND HAS CAUSED THE FUEL SUPPLY TO CUT OFF AND NOT START THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY CONSUMER. *JB