1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

1998 MALIBU - THEFT SYSTEM WILL ACTIVATE FOR NO REASON AND THERE IS NOT A SOLUTION IN THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR THIS CONDITION. IF THE INTERNET SEARCH OF 10 MINUTE WAIT DOES NOT WORK, USING ANOTHER KEY, SPRAYING THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH CLEANER OR KICKING A TIRE - YOU WILL HAVE TO TAKE A CAB. THERE IS NOT A WAY TO DISARM THIS SYSTEM. I WILL NOT OWN ANOTHER GM PRODUCT BECAUSE OF THIS SYSTEM AND THE INABILITY TO TURN OFF MY HEADLIGHTS. *TR

ANTI THEFT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION IN MY 1998 CHEVY MALIBU HAS CAUSED TURMOIL AND HARDSHIPS. THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS REGULARLY AND STRANDS ME IN NOT SO SAFE PLACES. IT IS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS TO SIT IN MY CAR IN A DARK PARKING LOT THEN TO HAVE IT STOLEN. SOMETIMES AFTER THE 10 MINUTE WAIT, THE IGNITION STILL DOESN'T TURN OVER, AND IM WAITING ANOTHER 10 MINUTES, AND THEN AGAIN. LAST NIGHT IT TOOK 4 HOURS FOR IT TO GO OFF. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS VERY LATE FOR WORK. I HAVE READ THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE, AND THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED. IT IS DANGEROUS TO CHEVY'S CONSUMERS, A HORRIBLE ENGINEERING IDEA, AND THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR NOT RECALLING THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE. *TR

I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT HAS CAUSED THE FAILURE. I AM USING THE SAME KEY THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAVE ONLY BEEN USING IT FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. THEFT SYSTEM IS CAUSING ME A BIG HEADACHE WITH THE TEN TO TWENTY MINUTE WAITS FOR THE LIGHT TO STOP FLASHING SO I CAN START THE CAR AGAIN. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS SO EXPENSIVE TO FIX AND MY FINANCIAL STATUS IS PREVENTING ME FROM BEING ABLE TO REPAIR IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPARE WHEEL THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE DOES NOT FIT ONTO THE FRONT AXLE. HE NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND NO ASSISTANCE COULD BE PROVIDED. THE EXACT PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN; HOWEVER, THE YEAR WAS 1999. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,900. UPDATATTED 11/05/07. *JB

USE OF THE WINDOW AND FAULTY DESIGN WITH PLASTIC PARTS LED UP TO THE FAILURE. WINDOW IS NO LONGER ABLE TO BE USED AND HAS TO STAY IN THE CLOSED POSITION OR IT FALLS INTO THE DOOR. TOO EXPENSIVE TO CORRECT. *JB

ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK WHEN I TURN THE KEY TO START THE CAR, IT CRANKS BUT DOESN'T START. THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT STARTS FLASHING. AFTER 10 MINUTES I CAN TRY AGAIN AND IT USUALLY STARTS. I'VE FOUND DOZENS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. I'VE CALLED CHEVROLET (NATIONAL 800 NUMBER) TWICE; EACH TIME THEY SAY THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT. I'VE CALLED TWO DEALERS; THEY KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BUT OF COURSE A DIAGNOSIS IS STILL REQUIRED. *JB

I OWN A 1998 CHEVY MALIBU AND IT IS ONE OF THE THOUSANDS WITH THE ANTI-THEFT PASSLOCK SYSTEM ERROR. MY CAR CONTINUALLY READS AN ERROR IN THE THEFT SYSTEM AND CUTS OFF THE FUEL FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE I CAN START IT AGAIN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT STRUTS THAT HOLD UP THE VEHICLE WITH THE COIL SPRINGS WERE DEFECTIVE. HE STATED THAT THE COIL SPRINGS ARE NOT HEAVY ENOUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THERE ARE NO CURRENT RECALLS FOR THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL OF VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT AND LEFT COIL SPRINGS WERE DAMAGED. THE STRUTS HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PART THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS MUST COME FROM ANOTHER GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,742 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,727. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM WILL ACTIVATE FOR NO APPARENT REASON, PREVENTING HIM FROM BEING ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURS WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT ISSUED ANY RECALLS FOR THIS DEFECT. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN FEBRUARY OF 2007. CHEVROLET STATED THAT IT WAS A GOOD VEHICLE AND HE SHOULD NOT WORRY. THE MANUFACTURER APOLOGIZED FOR THE DEFECT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 41,780 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,138.

CAR WOULD BE RUNNING STEPPED ON GAS AND WOULDN'T MOVE, HAD IT BACK WHEN IT WAS NEW, BUT WOULDN'T HAPPEN WHEN BONNER CHEVROLET IN KINGSTON, PA MECHANICS WOULD TEST DRIVE IT. VEHICLE CONTINUED UNTIL I COULDN'T GET IT OUT OF PARK, THEN I HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED 2003. ITWAS A 1998 LS CHEVY MALIBU FULLY LOADED, BOUGHT NEW. MY SON HAD THE SAME CAR AND IT HAD DONE THE SAME.*AK