1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN 40,000 I'M REPLACING THE ROTORS. THE STEERING SHIMMIES, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSES. THE BRAKES ARE POORLY DESIGNED. IT'S NOT MY DRIVING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH APPLIED BRAKES, AND BRAKES DID NOT WORK, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. A TECHNICIAN SAID THAT THIS WAS A ROTOR PROBLEM, AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, PREMATURE FAILURE OF BRAKE PADS HAVE AFFECTED THE ROTORS. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. *AK

AT HIGHER SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL SHUDDERS DURING BRAKING. DEALER REPAIRED AT 17,000 MILES, FAILING AGAIN AT 25,000 MILES. *YH

BRAKE LIGHTS BECOMES INOPERABLE DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE PANEL AND THE WIRING ASSEMBLY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WATER IS LEAKING INTO HEADLIGHTS, CAUSING MOISTURE AND CONDENSATION, AND RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY. *AK

FRONT ROTORS REPLACED AT 8500 MILES,RESURFACED ROTORS AT 14,470,REPLACE BOTH FRONT ROTORS AT 17,156 AND ARE NOW STARTING TO PULSATE AT 21,300. *AK

ROTORS AND PADS FAILED AT 22,000 AND AGAIN AT 30,000 MILES. DEALER ADVISED NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. REPORTED THIS DATE TO GM. WAS ADVISED NO RECALLS OF WARRANTY WORK AUTHORIZED. WILL CONTACT DEALER TO REQUEST A HEARING WITH FACTORY REP. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY DEFECT. MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO YOUR ORG FOR SAME DEFECT. PLEASE ADVISE IF RECALL OR OTHER ACTION BEING INVESTIGATED OR IS FORTHCOMING. THANKS. *AK

I HAD THE CAR SERVICED EACH 3000 MILES AS RECOMMENDED BY THE OWNERS MANUAL BY CHEVROLET DEALERS IN THE AREA I WAS IN AT THE TIME SERVICE WS REQUIRED. TOM BANNEN CHEVROLET , 2340 GALLATIN PIKE NORTH, MADISON, TN. HAS BEEN THAT DEALER SINCE SEPTEMBER 1999. I WAS CHARGED FOR SERVICE WHICH WAS TO INCLUDE INSPECTION OF THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE CAR. SCHEDULED TIRE ROTATATION WAS DONE EVERY SIX THOUSAND MILES AS DIRECTED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL AND BRAKE WEAR WAS NEVER REPORTED TO ME . WITH OUT WARNING BOTH FRONT BRAKE ASSEMBLIES WENT OUT AND BOTH ROTORS WERE SO WARPED AND SCORED AS TO BE UNSERVICEABLE. I WONDER IF THE ROTORS USED IN THIS MODEL IS DEFECTIVE.*AK

THERE IS EVIDENTALLY A DESIGN DEFECT ON ALL 1998 MALIBU FRONT ROTOR BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONETS. IN 37,000 MILES I HAVE HAD THREE SETS OF ROTORS REPLACED ON THE FRONT OF MY MALIBU. I HAVE JUST RECEIVED WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER NOTED THAT GENERAL MOTORS IS AAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. MY DEALER TELLS ME THAT THEY WILL COVER ANY FUTURE ROTOR/BRAKE PROBLEMS UP TO 60,000 MILES AND/OR UP TO FIVE YEARS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN TO SERVICE. THE SERIOUS CONCERN IS WHY HAS GENERAL MOTORS FAILED TO ISSUE A NATIONWIDE CONSUMER ALERT TO ALL MALIBU OWNERS OF THIS SERIOUS, AND VERY COSTLY, PROBLEM? IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER/DESIGN TYPE DEFECT THAT, FOR SOME REASSON, IS BEING KEPT VERY QUIET. I DON'T APPRECIATE HAVING TO DIG TO FIND OUT INFORMATION THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FREELY DISPENSED TO ME ASS WELL AS ALL OTHER MALIBU OWNERS. I WONDER HOW MANY CONSUMERS HAVE PAID HARD EARNED MONEY OUT OF THIER POCKETS BECAUSE THEY WERE UNAWARE THAT THIS IS A GM PROBLEM? I AM FULLY PREPARED TO FOLLOW THIS ISSUE THROUGH IN A MORE FORMAL MATTER IF YOU SO ADVISE. I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP AND GUIDANCE. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THIS SERIOUS SAFETY RELATED MATTER. PLEASE NOTE..... THE SECOND TIME I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS....THE SITUATION WAS SO CRITICAL THAT WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE FRONT SHOOK SO BAD LIKE IT HAD RUN OVER A WASHBOARD. EVERY 10,000 MILES ROTORS AND COMPONENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I NEED HELP VERY BADLY....THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ASSISTANCE. I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. SINCERELY, TROY M. CURNUTTE. *AK