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We found the following complaints for CHEVROLET MALIBU (1997)

Read complaints for CHEVROLET MALIBU (1997)

Premature airbag deployment with slight impact to front undercarriage.

No summary.dt

I have had to change the front disc brakes at least 5 times and the rotors twice in the 2 years since i have owned the vehicle.the air bag sensor has not been functional since 1 month after i bought the vehicle. It also has a problem with the abs system, causing the brakes to wear so fast. I believe the system should be recalled due to safety issues. I have checked on the internet with other owners and most of them have the same issues with the brakes as i do.

Air bag light on control panel started blinking.i contacted the dealer.the service department checked it the following day.the mechanic thought i had been in a wreck because of the codes and behavior of the airbag system.i have not been in a wreck.following is the tech comment:scanned computer and found codes 18,24,25,26,and 71.performed diagnostic tests and found vehicle to need a new pass side air bag and control module. (som).vehicle may need more.he felt the driver's side airbag would give the same reading.i know i am slightly over my warranty, but this is for a safety part that has never been used.he stated that the ballpark figure of a replacement airbag and controller on the passenger side alone would near $1,200.this is totally ridiculous...more so, if the driver's side must have the same thing.what kind of assistance can you give me?

I was driving on a residential street and realized i was going the wrong way. I turned left to make a u-turn and drove onto the easement (dirt). When i turned the steering wheel to the left all the way, both airbags deployed. I was burned by the chemicals over the left side of my neck and chest, left ear and inside left wrist. I was traveling less than 5 mph while making this turn. The passenger airbag knocked my window camera off and broke it and sent part of a handheld fan clipped to the passengers visor, into my head and ended up in the backseat. I did not hit anything as it was just dirt.

Airbag derm module failed, disabling the airbag system.dealer and chevrolet determined failure was due to water in passenger compartment shorting out module.dealer determined, and chevrolet admitted, that water came in through holes in chassis opened up due to improper installation of patches at time of vehicle manufacture.despite this, chevrolet refused to pay for repair, due to vehicle being out of warranty.fuel line break occured at highway speeds, spraying fuel over car exhaust system and trailing cars.passing motorist motioned me to side of road, helping to prevent fire/explosion.vehicle was repaired under warranty, but to the best of my knowledge, chevrolet never notified nhtsa or investigated problem.

Swerved to avoid a deer and struck a guard rail, head on.air bags didn't deploy and seat belt didn't lock up.police, fire, ambulance and tow truck driver couldn't believe the bags and seat belt failed.daughter was driving and receive a concussion, a v shape cut in scalp requiring 17 stitches to close and severe bruising all over.police thinks her head struck the steering wheel or possibly the rear view mirror.slack in seat belt allowed too much body movement and the air bags failure cause the head trauma.entire front end of car is destroyed so sensors should have activate.

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the frame separated from the vehicle causing it to flip and crash into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed. The contact sustained head and neck injuries which required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The failure mileage was 50,000.

No summary listed for abov evehicle.

While driving at 15 mph andfor no reason driver's side and the passenger's side air bags deployed.

During ahead-on collision air bags did not deploy.consumersustained some whiplash that hurt real badly.

Inadvertent driver and passenger air bag deployment.

While traveling on a side road without prior warning.the vehicle driverside airbags went off without physical contact.the dealership is aware of the problem. Mr

Dt: on 07/19/2005 the contact's vehicle was hit from behind which caused it to nose dive into a ditch.upon impact the air bags did not deploy.there were no lights illuminated on the dash prior to the accident.the contact didnot know how fast the other vehicle was traveling at the time of impact.the impact of the crash bent the vehicle's doors and busted he windshield.

While driving 20consumer crashed head on into a pole. Upon impact,air bags did not deploy.

Consumer bought the vehicle two weeks ago. And he received a recall noticethat was issuedin july.

While driving at 35 mph, the consumer hit a pot hole and then she lost control of the vehicle.the front end of the vehicle impacted a ditch and then thevehicle bounced onto a field.none of the front air bags deployed upon impact.consumer fractured her back.*scc

While driving 55 mph and without warning, vehicle was involved in a front end collision. Upon impact, air bags did not to deploy and driver sustained major body injuries.also, vehicle was totaled.

Dt*:the contact stated the frontal airbag deployed while pulling the vehicle into the driveway at 5mph.there was no impact or warning prior to the deployment.the vehicle has not been inspected and manufacturer has not been alerted.

Was driving approximately 10mph,attempted to turn off the road into a gas station. Upon approaching the entrance to gas station, both air bags deployed without warning.

While driving 55 mph and without warning was involved in a front end collision, upon impact,air bags did not deploy. Driversustainede major body injuries. Also, vehicle was totaled.

Vehicle was involved in an accident while driving at 45-50 mph both driver's and passenger's side seatbelts unbuckled when vehicle rolled over.also their was no deployment of driver's or passeger's side airbags. Cause unknown.

While driving forward at 5mphthe vehicle stopped and airbag deployed. Dealer said the innertie rod had broken.

Consumer complained about anair bag problem.air bag light came on.dealer replaced the sensors, and air bags won't deploy.dealer was charging$425.00 to repair the air bags.

I own a chevrolet malibu,1997 model and every time i go out to start it, i vehiclewill start and then die.i will have to continue to start it at least 6 times before it will start and stay running.i have taken my vehicle to mechanics and they don't seem to know what is the problem.the last mechanic i took it to called a gm garage and they said that it was the theft lock system.i kindly suggest that this part be recalled, because in talking with the gm garage they mentioned that they were seeing a lot of the same problem.

1997 chevrolet malibu.consumer writes in regards to ignition switch cut off issues. *tgwthe ignition switch was replaced at a cost of $400.00 and is seeking reimbursement. Also, the outer and inner tie rods were replaced.

Resistor failed.nlm

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. The contact had trouble starting the vehicle and the anti-theft system warning indicator illuminated. After ten minutes, the vehicle was operable. The contact stated that the failure occurred twice a month. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.*lnconsumer stated had to keep key in ignition for 10 minutes in a position not good not safe, chance of battery dying.i'm also afraid theft system light will come on and lock car up while driving. Updated 7/25/18

Vehicle experienced electrical problems.

My first issue is with the lights on the malibu. My light developed condensation in them which in the rear caused the light to glow dim, and caused e to get pulled over on a number of times. In the front it has caused the glass shield to fog causing me to fail vehicle inspection. There have are many other electrical malfunctions on my car such as the theft lock system, the power moon roof, the manufacturer's cd player, the headlight control switch. Then it has a problem with emissions. The headliner is falling off the ceiling.

1997 chevrolet malibu. The consumer states that the auto would not start or would continue to run after the key was removed from the ignition. *tathe consumer stated the vehicle left her stranded during the months of may, june, and july.the ignition lock cylinder was finally replaced.

I have a 1997 chevy malibu. Recently, the anti-theft light has been coming on and disabling the engine. There is no fix for this problem per the dealership and the only option i have is to disconnect the battery and reconnect it. This isn't ever convenient and is a major safety issue.

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. While driving approximately 15 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.

The vehicles computer system malfunctioned. Thewarning lights for abs brakes and anti theft would come on frequently.finally the dealer replaced the computer control module.*dt

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. The contact was having the vehicle serviced and when the battery was disconnected, the fuel gauge needle became stuck. The failure occurred twice. A private mechanic was able to repair the vehicle after the first failure. The dealer was contacted about the failure and advised the contact that the failure could have happened due to a spike in voltage when the battery was reconnected with the key left in the run position. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 126,930.

There has been numerous problems with the brakes, they have been replaced every 20,000 miles. The cruise control has been fixed a few times and needs repair again. Now, the engine has started to consume oil and i have been told it needs replacement. The malibu is a lemon of a car.

5 different times, vehicle stalling in the middle of traffic causing exteme anxiety and stress, replace the pcm.check engine light is on, due to cap cracked, replace fuel cap, clean code road test ok.gas pedal loose, replace accel pedal shaft and bracket assembly

1997 chevrolet malibu.consumer writes in regards to ignition cylinder lock and switch recall repairs and seeks reimbursement.updated 11/24/15

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that the auto theft system independently functioned and caused the vehicle to stall without warning. After 10 to 15 minutes, the vehicle was operable again. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle passkey sensor and ignition switch were defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

When driving at night consumerwas unable to see the gauges because the lights shut off inside of the vehicle.

While driving vehicle at 60 mph fender skirts fell off for no reason. Vehicle also experienceswiring problems which cause problems with abs light.

Car goes into lockdown frequently because of the theft alert system and you have to wait 10 minutes before the car will start.i believe this is a safety concern and potential hazard to anyone is operating this vehicle.i called dealership to discuss this problem and there reply is "well the car is old and you need to see about purchasing another one".i got this replyin 2007.i have also researched it on the internet and found that this is a common problem in chevy malibu's, which to me constitutes a manufacturing defect as well as a safety concern.

Electrical system failed causing other components to malfunction.

I have a 1997 chevrolet malibu and my sister has a 1997 chevrolet venture. We both experience the same instances with our vehichles. The check engine light will come on frequently, the abs brake light will come one frequently. It happens to my car, the 97 chevrolet malibu every other time i turn on my car. I have to turn it off, and then restart it and then the lights go off. When the light is on, the abs brakes do not work. My sister got her 1997 chevrolet venture looked at and fixed and they said that it was a sensor. I find it odd that we both have the same problems. Is there a recall on any electrical device or sensor? please let me know.

Was driving on interstate when car completely shut off, lost all power , no power steering or power brakes. Second time, came to a stop on city street and car shut off again , no power , no power steering or power brakes again. Car had to be towed. This happened after i paid modern chevrolet to fix the issue which ignition switch was found to be at fault. (nhtsa reference number-14v400000) affected number- 5,877,718

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that the anti-theft system engaged without warning and caused the vehicle to stall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 130,000.

Anti theft system arms and disarms randomly, causing the car to not start or stall out.

There have been repeated failures with this automobile. The passlock anti-theft system often locks up the ignition, the headlamp and tail lamp assemblies have excessive moisture in them, causing the bulbs to burn out, the air conditioner fan motor shuts off, and the drivers seat is loose.these problems have repeatedly been reported to the dealers, and they have been unable or unwilling to repair them.

The car has a theft system in it which on numerous occasions doesn't letme start the car .it is a 1997 chevy malibu.

My ignition switch and cylinder kept turning my car off when i started it. Also while i was driving the car would just cut off..now it got to the point where i have to replace the piece.

Vehicle has been serviced eight times for the electrical problems.

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu.while driving approximately 45 mph, the engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel.the light remained illuminated until the engine was turned off.the vehicle has not yet been repaired.the failure and current mileages were 100,000.

I have had to change the passenger caliper and rotors twice because the bolts for the caliper keeps popping out and the bolts for the bracket keeps popping out.. My windshield wiper on the passenger side went out last month..last night the car wouldn't start up anymore when i do turn the key the lights come on but when i try to start the car up i get a clicking noise, the radio kept going in and out also. Now my o2 sensors and tripping. I've had to change the egr valve because it kept getting stuck in open position and i also changed the belt

My thief light starts blinking and my car will not start.this has happened 3 times this past month.i was told it was the passlockto turn car in on position for 10 minutes or until light stops blinking then it would start.this is a safety issues that needs to be fixed before it happens while driving

No summary listed for above vehicle. (dot number: 0tiresize: 215r60-15)

Vehicle would shake while driving.suspension was bad in the front.also,battery did not work & needed charging/ windshield needed replacing due to wind singing/ vehicle wouldstall/ brake rotors were warped, and tires were wearing out excessively due to the poor suspension. Vehicle at dealer.

Loud squeaking noise coming from the idle pulley.had that part replaced with new part.by the time i got home noise was back.brought car back to mechanic this morning.he is checking to see if new part was defected or if belt needs replacement.i am very disappointed with the malibu's performance.in the 3 years that i have the car, i have replaced front and back brakes, alternator, battery, etc. Etc. And now the idle pulley (hopefully nothing else major).

Battery failed.mjs

No summary listed for abov evehicle.

Brake lights went out at unknown time to driver resulting in rear end collison by another automobile. Instrument panel went black and emitted a black smoke resulting in unoperative use of any fan/heat/defrost..main instrument of power windows on driver side operated enough to roll down windows but not roll up drivers side resulting in ice/snow/rain buildup.alternator went out 4 times resulting in power failure on highway resulting in crash into guard rail. Please provide us with any information to protect our family and prevent any future accidents..thank you very much. Nlm

Power steering seemed rough brought car to dealer and they replaced box $689.00, i brought car in for oil change dealer said it needed rack and pinion and new lower control arms $2000.00 approx. I was driving and battery light went on brought to a shop open at night needed a new alternator and battery.i contacted gm and they said they had no complaints on any of the following.i guess they lied with all the information i have found.

I was driving my car on the byway and took the interstate merge lane while increasing my speed to merge into traffic i felt a snap in my steering wheel and gas pedal, i then lost the dash and the car immediately overheated, i had no real power to turn the wheel and the gas pedal was a loose push.being that i had merged onto the interstate when this occurred i had to drive an additional 5 miles to the next exit.not everyone has a cell phone.when i got to the next exit i was almost unable to turn the wheel enough to get it into the nearest parking lot, it was harder to turn than my first truck a 1959 ford twin i beam pickup.i fortunately didn't hit any one or anything.upon raising my hood after parking the car i am appalled to see that the tensioner pulley and one of the idler pulleys are gone and my serpentine belt is shredded.i have replaced the parts but since then i also found that within 5 miles the "dreaded" gaskets that so many people have complained about, and mine we already eating fluids in sipps before this, were gone.i have replaced the broken pulleys serpentine belt alternator waterpump and gaskets not a month later the other idler pulley that was unaffected in the first incident went.when the first two were replaced that dreaded squeaking stopped for about 3 days and started back up again.something must not be straight for me to have to keep replacing the moving parts that run on the serpentine belt and everytime one of them goes you loose your power steering and the car is hard to turn.not only that but the tail lights would be a better place for a gold fish than a light bulb.everytime it rains, or snows i have to replace tail lights.this car is the bane of my existence.i have the first idler pulley part still the rest of them were lost to the highway the thing is melted.

Alternator belt broke, car over heated and anti freeze boiled over.

Horn assembly failed.

The way horn is assembled it does not work when applied. Dealer has not been contacted.

Consumer states intermittently the vehicle anti-theft light would come on while driving, within a few seconds it would start to flicker on/off, when this occurs the vehicle would cut off,dealer was unable to duplicate the problem.also, consumer states dealer replaced fuse, multifunction switch, dome lamp wiring, ignition lock cylinder, power steering hose, fuel pump, engine mount, heater, left door window switch, right front seat belt, left front door handle cover, and left front door lock switch.*yd

Ignition cylinder lock failed twice. Key would not turn in ignition.

This car is a lemon (wife's car).in many instances, the car would not start at all, despite it being brand new.while parked or driving, the instruments would go haywire (pinning and moving violently), and the dash lights would turn on and off by themselves.in addition, my wife's brakes failed for a few seconds, then started working again.the front end makes a strange noise, and the ride is very harsh.been to the dealer many times for the electrical system problem, but they did not 'find anything wrong'!at this point, they should have given us professional customer service and a new car!this is the last time we are buying an american car.it's japanese and german from now on!!

The starter and ignition failed causing the key to become stuck in the start position with the engine racing, the vehicle could not be turned off nor could the key be removed, the battery had to be disconnected at the dealer to shut the vehicle off.nlm

Key won't turn in ignition, had to be fixed twice.

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that it took numerous attempts to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the ignition switch and sensor were both replaced. In addition, the engine piston slap made a loud knocking noise whenever the vehicle was in operation. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

Ignition lock failed! we can't turn the key to start car! tumblers must have frozen!

I once owned the chevy malibu. Incidents happened in the past. Three times when i hit a bump my car shut down. I brought it to davidson chevrolet in malden mass. They could not find the cause of the problem. Someone did suggest that i remove extra stuff off my keyring. I nolonger own this car. I am writing to you because it sounds similar to what is happening with the chevy cobalt ignitions. From my experience, i feel that your current recall may not be reaching as far as it should.

Ignition failed. Key would not turn in the ignition. Missed work!!! began to work again several hours later.

Ignition failed.

We have had numerous things repaired or replaced on this car.everything from the carpet to the radio to warped rotors.we are currently trying to "get out of" our lease due to the number of problems that we are experiencing.it's become quite a nuisance to have and we are dissappointed and even angry at the fact that these many problems have gone uninvestigated by the dealer that we take it to for repairs.fortunately, there have been no serious malfunctions with the car causing accidents.we have an extensive list of repairs done to the car starting less than six months from the date of purchase.to date, we have had this car serviced for repairs on average, once every six weeks.

Key won't turn in ignition, had to be fixed twice.

I have had this vehicle for just over two years, and in that time frame i have had the following problem occurring 3 times, and almost a 4th.when i get in the car to start it up, the "theft system" light on the dash comes on and the car starts up but shuts right back off.this continues, with the results being that the car needs to be towed in to be fixed.the first time this occurred was a few months after i purchased the vehicle, and it was diagnosed as "open pass codes" and fixed by replacing the ingnition cylinder.the second occurrence was in july, 1998 and after several unproductive days in the tuscaloosa chevrolet service department was diagnosed as a defect/short in the wiring, which was replaced.the third occurrence was this one reported - 5/15/99, which was again diagnosed as "open pass codes" with the fix being replacement of the ignition cylinder.this same scenario almost occurred again yesterday evening 5/29/99, but the car started back up after having sat there for 10-15 minutes (this waiting period was not previously effective).the service people at the dealership have no idea what triggered this event nor how to prevent it.in fact, they say they have never seen it before except in my car.it may not be a safety issue while driving, but it is definitely a personal safety issue and an issue of vehicle reliability.

Car would not start.anti-theft light kept flashing.1st occurrence happended on 10/20/00 and then again on 11/11/01.dealer diagnosed as defective housing and tumbler and replaced both at the cost of $396.39 each time.

My fiance and i have had a 1997 chevy malibu for a year and a half. About a month after purchasing it, the vehicle started having problems with the passlock theft system that would leave us stranded for 10 minutes because the car wouldn't crank. Gradually it started doing it more and more. We've had incidents where the theft system light would go off after 10 minutes but when trying to start it again; it would do the same thing. I've actually had times of being stranded for 2 hours because it would keep doing it! right now our car is at my fiance's work because it won't crank and we got tired of trying after 3 hours. This is so annoying! chevrolet should be ashamed of themselves! i know a lot of people that have had this same problem(not counting all the other problems like the brakes and windshield wipers). With so many people having the same problem..that means they should recall it and fix it. We don't have money like they do and can't afford to keep putting it in the shop to be worked on. I'm currently a college pell grant recipient that is going to lose my grants because of this lemon car! i was adopted by my grandparents that are on ssi and disability and they can't afford to send me to school. I hope the people at chevrolet are happy with ruining my future! please help me!!!i need my car fixed before it's too late!

Dt*: the contact stated, the anti-theft device malfunctioned, keeping the vehicle from restarting until the device was resets which usually takes 10 minutes or more. An independent mechanic replaced the pass lock cylinder, to correct the failure. However, the malfunction continued. The manufacturer was contacted and refused to reimburse, or replace the affected part because an unauthorized service mechanic had performed work on the device.the consumer wants the device disconnected.updated 08/14/06.

Passive theft system continually if set off, not allowing engine to run. Thishas caused many problems from being late to work, to simply missing a movie.in past instances the engine would start after the system reset in ten minutes, this time it just will not start and now we are late to celebrate new years eve with our family.i have had the car looked at by a mechanic, i have looked in chevrolet repair manuals, and i have even asked the dealer about this, but i can not find an answer on how to fix this problem.this vehicle also has a random multiple misfire that can not seem to be fixed as well. From talking to other malibu owners this is a common problem. This may be caused by the intake penelem gasket. When iquiring at the auto parts store about this gasket i came to findan improved design has been made. I do not feel that i should have to take care of these problems myself.

Passlock theft deterrent system malfunctions, causing car not to start.theft deterrent light will flash on dash board.after approximately 10 minutes, car can be started.this is an intermittent problem that has occurred for several years.dealers have been able to find source of problem.*la

I am submitting this complaint for my mother.her 1997 chevrolethas had two instances of problems with the anti-theft controller.both occurrences has required major work at the dealership in order for her car to start.the first time this occurred was a couple of years ago, and after paying almost $400 the dealership appeared to have fixed the problem.now once again this same problem has occurred and cost her another $400.it's only been a couple of years between the two instances.i feel based on the number of instances that this is a defect and that she should not have to continue to pay every couple of years to fix this on-going problem with the malibu.i too think she should be reimbursed by gm for this defect.

In june of 1999, the anti-theft lock system malfunctioned which preventedconsumer from starting vehicle.dealership did repairs to correct this problem.in october of 2001,anti-theft lock system malfunctioned again, preventing consumer from starting vehicle. Consumer stated that the anti theft system malfunctioned on 4 different occasions, the light would come on and stay on at times, also consumer went to have fuel filter replaced and was informed that the quick release connection at fuel filter needed to be replaced quickly, because when it was installed at the factory it was some how bent.

Theft system continues to come on intermittently after multiple repairs.i own a 1997 chevrolet malibu 3.1l.

Theft light comes on while driving, then next time i try to start car it flashes and i can start car from 10 mins like owners manual says to try after 10 mins after light stops flashing. I do this and the light starts flashing. This is very unsafe not being able to start a car leaving a motorist stranded where ever they turn there car off for hours and in my case 1 1\2 days with no cell service to call for repair i had to sleep in my car until another motorist passed the following day. I understand that normal equipment failure is an issue of its own the dealership says there no fix for the problem but to have the car towed evertime to the shop to be reprogrammed which happens every 2-3 months.

Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle it failed to start and the theft system light illuminated.once the vehicle started it was taken to the dealership and they replaced the pass lock sensor, which remedied the problem.the manufacturer was alerted.updated 06/16/06.

April 2000, the pass lock theft system stranded me the first time within 30-days of paying cash for my 1997 chevrolet malibu ls.the first 30-days the car spent more time in the dealer shop than in my possession. I was told by dealership management that they had put too much money in car already, not going to fix theft system and brakes, which were complaints within the 30-day warranty.two years with theft system disabling car numerous times, finally wouldn't start at all, i took to chevrolet dealer in ontario oregon, they replaced ignition assembly. Less than two years later i am stranded once again, it would not start for 3-days, went to dealer in payette idaho where i paid cash for the car, they again didn't want to put any more money into the car. On 5/30/2004 car spent the night in parking lot, wouldn't start. Also have problems with brakes, in less than 4 years 2-complete brake assemblies (rotors, pads, callipers, etc.), 6-sets of brake pads, all les schwab work. I've poured almost as much money into the car since ownership, than i paid for the car. I have 3 children, we've been stranded, late for school, missing school, late for work, lost jobs because of lost hours.i leave the car running now, because i'm scared that my family will be stranded. I'm sooo frustrated with chevrolet, no one can answer any of my questions, chevrolet of boise, said that i didn't have a theft system, wow this has all been my imagination!i have 3-children that have been late for school, missed school, i have lost jobs because of missing hours, everytime i get in it i'm not sure if it will start.i have run out of money to continue to fix the same things every few months, leave the car running at $2.09 per gallon, my children are scared of going anywhere as am i. Please help!!

Driving at approx 10-25 vehicle will begin to stall when trying to come to complete stop or starting up vehicle. Dealer claims that the vehicle is basically a lemon. Changed/replaced all four fuel injectors/cleaned fuel plugs/replaced the computer, reprogrammed it.

Many problems with my 1997 malibu, suspension noise/leaky water pump/key agnition, and lock collar. 32600 miles on the car many repairs.

Consumer experiencing ongoing problem with ignition switch. Intermittently the vehicle would start and sometimes would beunable to start. Dealer notified,and replaced and repairedignition switch, but problemstill reoccurring.

When putting the key into the ignition switch the cylinder will not turn, cause unknown. Dealer replaced the cylinder three times which has not corrected the problem.please give any further details.

Key will not turn in ignition. Had to replace switch twice.

Dealer had replaced ignition switch, and problem still recurring.

Ignition switch failed.

Ignition switch went bad keepingvehicle from starting. Dealr has been contacted.

I cannot start the car. The key lock loose. Friend had same problem. I put the key into the lock to start the car and the key does not turn. This makes the mileage a guess, as it is electronic and only displayed when the key turns over. Friend said his wife found this problem documented somewhere on the internet but i was unable to find it. Thank you.

One month after i leased this vehicle, i began to have an ignition problem with my car.once the key is inserted into the ignition, it will not turn in the ignition cylinder in order to start the car, the anti-theft light on the dash board flashes and the key cannot be pulled out.the ignition cylinder has been replaced twice by the dealer not including the original one.i have been stranded 7 times.the first three times i was pregnant.the rest of the time, i had my infant son in the car or was on my way to picking him up from day care.when i have called the dealer, they instructed me to wait at least 15 - 30 minutes and if that did not work, then i was to call the towing service.i have been stuck in many parking lots and most recently, on christmas day i was stuck in new york state.i have filed with the state of new jersey's lemon law unit, and have contacted the manufacturer, per their instruction.i have left several messages with the manufacturer and my "assigned" rep. Has yet to return my phone calls.this has been an extremely frustrating experience because i paying $300 a month for a car that i never know when or if itwill not start.i am, particularly, afraid to drive it at night. I cannot comprehend how three different parts, ignition cylinders, can all be defective.

While driving interior lights went off due to burned out electrical wiring.

The defective braking system malfunctioned, causing no braking ability and an accident.been to dealer several times.dealer replace brake pads/rotors/master cylinder and the wiring harness.dealer cannot determine problem. Cause unknown.please provide problems.

Abs light comes on after i lose brake. Chronic problems associated with this year vehicle are abs sensor, belt tensioner breaks away,cooling system heat controls, wiring to the rear lights. These are problems that this year model has that should be recalled. Especially when the break sensor goes out and brakes are lost. Why has nothing been done to force chevrolet to fix these problems? it is not just one car but all of 1997 malibu that has the problem.it is a definite safety issue.

Electrical wiring failures causing the dash lights and power window to fail.

Wiring in the steering column failed resulting in smoke from burning.

Horn assembly would only respond intermittently when in use. Acts as ifelectrical system has a short in it. Have not taken to dealership.

When the defroster is turned on, fuses in vehicle short out, causing all gauges and electrical systems to fail including the lights. A private mechanic replaced compressor invehicle to correct this defect.vehicle also has a head gasket leak.

Rear tail lights have a tendency to overheat, short out circuit board inside tail light.owner has had to replace 5 bulbs from the tail light assembly, along with one light recepticle.please describe details.

Electrical system fails causing the whole instrument panel to go out.

Computor body module failed.yh

The same electrical failure has now happened 4x. No one has any idea why it happens or how to fix it.

All electrical gauges on the vehicle just die out. No prior indication or warning, vehicle will automatically shut off. Vehicle being towed to dealer. Dealer is aware of the problem. Incident has occurred four times prior.dealer cannot duplicate the problem, and problemstill occurs.

Theft light keeps coming on, my car will stop when it happens.this has happened while driving. And will not start.iā€™ve had the recall fixed years ago that was said to be the reason.it didnā€™t fix the problem

Basically this is to complain about the gm 3.1l v6 engine in my 1997 chevrolet malibu. I understand that there are 1100 such complaints and would appreciate some help with my situation also. In the last couple of weeks my vehicle has begun to have a multitude of problems that had led up to my current fiasco. About 2 weeks ago after an oil change my 97 malibu began to have problems with a lifter ticking. My mechanic suspects a collapsed lifter; this has not been repaired yet. My car also now runs very rough and does not have the power it used to have. Today 10/2/03 i had to drive into seattle and began to have a severe heating problem with the car. My wife and i were deathly afraid we were going to be stranded on the freeway somewhere or stuck in a part of seattle we did not feel very safe in. The temp gauge began to rise very quickly as we arrived at our destination just south of seattle, the needle was pegged and the temp light actually came on. I had dex-cool anti-freeze leaking all over the engine and all over the ground. We waiting approx 30 minutes before we started out again and yes were afraid the entire way home that we would get stranded on the road somewhere. I got the car to my mechanic and he has informed us that we probably need a new engine, on a car that only has 95,000 miles on it. I have read other complaints on the internet about the faulty gaskets which result in anti-freeze leaking into the engine causing bad camshafts, bad bearings and who knows what else. If i had the resources to dump the piece of junk i just might, however i do not have the recourses to do that, i must get it fixed. Right now a $4000.00 dollar repair will not be good for my family. Frankly i am tired of being sold junk, 20000.00 dollars might not be much too some people but it is to me. My car now is barely worth $4000.00 and the thought of putting $4000.00 into it just to get it running again makes me sick. I will think twice the next time about purchasing a gm product.

Intake manifold on my 1997 chevy malibu has started to go bad i know its the lower gasket i called chevy after seeing so many other people with the same problem i was told chevy would not replace it due to it being over ten years old well it seems like with was a problem waiting to happen as soon as they sealed the manifold at the factory i think gm should replace this item once free of charge per car also my rack and pinion seems to stick on my left side i've replaced the power steering pump and checked the rack and pinion seems the ball bearing wanting to come out or is gone i told gm i don't think they replaced it when they recalled it and they told me the first owner did but wont send me paperwork on the repair or the dealership that did the work.

Suddenly brakes stopped working, andconsumer's vehicle was involved in four collisions. . inthe most recent collision consumer's vehicle struck the rear end of a truck at 30 mph. Also, vehiclestalledand cuts off in traffic.

Vehicle stalled while driving. When this occurred the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who performed a diagnostic test in whichno failure code was found. Dealer was unable to find the cause of the problem.

Intake manifold gasket, 1997 chevrolet malibu (3.1 v6 engine).my understanding is that this is an extremely common problem with gm products, particularly this engine and car.i also searched the complaints dadabase and i found that it appears to be a common problem.also, theft system light coming and excessive brake pad wear and rotor warping appears to be a very common problem.this was fixed once, the problem is reaccuring.$1200 in major repairs so far on a 1997 chevrolet malibu, not to mention the other small but frequent repairs.i am dissatisfied with both of my recent gm products because they both had similar problems that lead to costy repairs or engine failure at 120,000 miles on a 1994 grand am and 89,000 miles on a 1997 malibu.i have had to fix the radio numerous times (cable comes unplugged quite often).

Engine check light and the abs lightilluminated while driving. Vehicle been to a repair shop on 3 separate occasions, and the problem had not been resolved. Vehicle had itsgas tank cap replaced, and the brake system was overhauled. But problem recurred.

I have a 1997 chevy malibu (54,000) miles that seized up in traffic due to antifreeze in the oil. I have recently learned that the antifreeze (dexa-cool) use by gm has a long history of causing premature engine failures by eating away the gaskets, water pumps and other associated engine cooling components. I?m not able to take advantage of the class action law suit since my problem happened long after the closing date. I feel a national recall should be initiatedby nhtsa.

Basically this is to complain about the gm 3.1l v6 engine in my 1997 chevrolet malibu. I understand that there are 1100 complaints and would appreciate some help with my situation also. In the last couple of weeks my vehicle has started to have a multitude of problems that had led up to my current fiasco. About 2 weeks ago after an oil change,my 97 malibu began to have problems with a lifter 'ticking.' my mechanic suspects a collapsed lifter; this has not been repaired yet. My car also now runs very rough and does not have the power it used to have. Today, 10/2/03, i went to seattle and experienced a severe heating problem.the temp gauge began to rise very quickly as we arrived at our destination just south of seattle, the needle was pegged and the temp light actually came on. I had dex-cool anti-freeze leaking all over the engine and all over the ground. We waited for approximately 30 minutes before we started out again and yes were afraid the entire way home that we would get stranded on the road somewhere. I got the car to my mechanic and he has informed us that we probably need a new engine, on a car that only has 95,000 miles on it. I have read other complaints on the internet about the faulty gaskets which result in anti-freeze leaking into the engine causing bad camshafts, bad bearings and who knows what else. If i had the resources to dump the piece of junk i just might, however i do not have the recourses to do that, i must get it fixed. *la

While driving atany speedintermittentlyvehicle stalled. Driver consumer had managed to get vehicle out of traffic. Had tried to restart vehicle, and some times had to wait an hour torestart vehicle. However,vehicle was inspected by two separate dealerships, butcould not duplicate or correct the problem.

Consumer stated there was a fluid leak coming from the engine, the dealer replaced the coolant hose, consumer also stated while driving, the vehicle began to vibrate, consumer was informed that 2 of the 3 engine mounts failed, which caused damage to the front exhaust pipe converter.

I bought a 1997-malibu ls brand new.before it turned 14,000 miles had to have work done on brakes.before even turning 30,000 miles i had to replace a complete brake job, (2nd set) tires, water pump, wheel cylinders, my head lights pop on, and i have a little over 33,000 miles.the dealer were i bought the car said unless they see the lights pop on.they could do nothing.gm sent out a recall.which i did take my car into dealer.i took it to the dealer i bought it from a few times.i moved back to indiana and took it to coyle chevrolet in new albany.i have had nothing but problems with this car.both dealers said there was nothing i could do as a consumer..i am mad as hell-and feel i was ripped off, and will not recommend to no one to ever buy a malibu.i had one in 1969.and, it was the best car.when you pay around $25,000.00 for a new car-you would think you would not have all the brake trouble.i to this day do not feel safe with these brakes.i am a single women and thought by buying a new car i would feel safer.please check into this.as soon as i can afford to get rid of this car i plan too.i have spent several hundred dollars on out of pocket repairs.battery-2 brake jobs-abs brakes-wheel cylinders-roaries-water pump.*la

Coolant seeps out.

I bought this 1997 malibu with 20,000 miles on odometer in 1998.in one month i noticed coolant system warning light coming on. I added anti freeze and water to system.this would last about a month and i would have to add more coolant.on 2/ 26/2002 the light came on and i added more coolant.i drove about 4 milesand coolant warning light came on again. I checked oil dip stick and it registered about two inches above full. I knew then that water was in my oil. The coolant had never leaked out where i could see it on the ground.i had to pay $430.00to have gaskets replaced for the intake manifold . My other problem is that the front disk brakes are wearing out much faster than any car that i have owned. I have replaced two set of front disc pads and have had rotors turned and replaced. I am very light on brakes and have had extremely good wareon other autos. After 2000 miles they are making a noise again. The pads are guarantied for life by the manufacturer .

Brakes gone (again). Been replacing about every 10000 miles. This car has been one thing wrong after another. Already replaced lower control arms at 7500 miles, leaking antifreeze gasket, a/c control head (twice), and the brakes are ongoing.

Car engine overheating not due to thermostat or water pump.

Many problems with my 1997 malibu, suspension noise/leaky water pump/key agnition, and lock collar. 32600 miles on the car many repairs.

Coolant leaking, engine overheats after highway driving.brakes and rotors fail consistently within 15000 miles of replacement. *nlm

Automotive cooling system> vehicle began loosing coolant on driveway. Took vehicle to repair shop. Was informed that vehicles entire cooling system was corroded. And needed to be replaced. The cause was attributed to the use of the coolant dex-cool this was required by general motors tokeep up warranty on the vehicle. Now i find that this was the wrong thing to use and i will be out $1800 in repair work. I believe g.m. Should be responsible for the largest part of this expense.

Complaint #1 a/c cuts on and off.complaint #2 suspension knocking, serviced 4 times, still have same problems.

No summary listed for above vehicle. (dot number: 0tiresize: 215r60-15)

The oil pan on the car has defective gaskets the engine manifold has defective gaskets the emergency brake light does not work the brakes have had to be replaced twice in less than 36,000 miles.

Engine failed due to gasket leaks.yh

The right side engine mount has sheared off, causingengine to have no support on that side,it was hanging.

While drivingat any speed and without any warning vehicle stalled.

Engine failed due to gasket leaks.yh

The vehicle stalled on highway when the drive belt snapped due to broken pulley assembly.yh

The tensioner pulley for the accessory belt completely broke off from the engine block.the dealer had to remove the engine to drill out the old bolt and to get the new assembly in.this is a piece that should never just break.dt

The vehicle stalled on highway when the drive belt snapped due to broken pulley assembly.yh

Motor mounts are defective. If consumer would continue to drive thenmotor andtransmission could fall out of vehicle. Please provide.

Losing water from radiator reservoir into the intake manifold gasket. I have researched this problem and it seems to be very common on 97 chevy malibu.

Engine failed due to gasket leaks.yh

Cars add engine coolant light came on, no obvious leaks; taken to auto repair place and was informed that i had an intake leak; then informed by another repair shop there was water in my oil ; possibly because of a problem with gasket;basically same situation as odi-id758781.

Renee borstad, director/superintendent of the board of chosen freeholders writes on behalf of parker flores, " also, 2 of the 3 engine mounts on vehicle failed, incurring damages where extensive repairs and replacement was needed.*jg

Consumer experiences electrical shock when removing oil filter.

The vehicle stalled on highway when the drive belt snapped due to broken pulley assembly.yh

Car engine overheating not due to thermostat or water pump.

Coolant poured out of vehicle.manifold gasket was a lemon.repair place informed us, this was a common problem with chevrolet vehicle's.

Renee borstad, director/superintendent of the board of chosen freeholders writes on behalf of parker flores,also, 2 of the 3 engine mounts on vehicle failed, incurring damages where extensive repairs and replacement was needed.*jg

While driving andwithout warningvehicle will completely shut down, cause unknown.please give any further details.

While drivingengine overheated. Vehicle was taken to dealer to be repaired.once again had to be repaired, and dealer said that engine had been worn out.

Upon initial start up with cold engine, engine runs fine until driver attempts to accelerate. Upon acceleration engine runs extremely rough, has no power, and will stall as soon as pressure is released from accelerator pedal.engine is difficult to restart.once restarted engine continues to run rough, etc until near normal operating temperatures are reached.vehicle is unsafe to drive until normal operating temperatures are attained due to stalling and lack of power.this vehicle has been into the dealer's shop at least twice.on the last servicingon september10, 1999, dealer rep laced throttle position sensor and reprogrammed ignition computer with newer version of manufacturer's software.dealer charged $64 for new software which i strongly believe should be covered by manufacturer's warranty or the extended warranty i purchased with this vehicle.

Abs brake light was on. Consumer had to get the sensor replaced. Also, leaves are getting into the engine.

Vehicle has experienced continued problems with engine failure at idle , several repair attempts however continues to experience failures. Mjs

Oil leaks and transmission is pulling .consumer contacted dealer.

No summary listed for above vehicle.

I have made sevearl attempts to have this vehicle looked at regarding the sounds i hear upon startup.the clicking at first sounded like tappets or valves out of adjustment. The vehicle has a 75000 mile warranty. I called the dealer closest to me and he informed me that this particular engine a 3.1 l were notorious for "wrist pin tolerance defects" he told me it was an engineering problem and there was nothing to worry about.it should clear up after the metals have expanded inside the engine.i guess you can call me consciecious but the word "defect" has a tendency to unnerve a person after paying for a "new" car. And having had mechanical trainingi know any tolerances where parts are allowed to move freely even when "warming up" are parts that are usually wearing.wearing parts mean a unpredicible situation and i worry for my family's safety when we bought a new car to have piece of mind.this tolerance thing is unsafe since wrist pins are what hold the pistons on the connecting rods.there can be no tolerance gap on a part as important even if it stops after a while.i was told there is a technical bulletin on this problem but my mechanic can never seem to find it.my warranty is up in another 8000 miles.i am afraid that the engine will give away after our warranty has expired and as usual then it will be a big deal to the mechanics and dealer when they can take my money to fix a "nothing to worry about".

Air conditioner cuts off, engine fails to start (security system), carpet has disentegrated, front end problems, brake pad replaced and belt.

Intake manifold gasket leaks on my 1997 chevrolet malibu.the local chevrolet dealer verified this problem with my car and recommended gasket replacement at a cost of $585.mileage is only 46,000.i must continue to add coolant at regular intervals otherwise engine will overheat.

Excessive brake pad useage with this car.the intake manifold had to be replaced at 88,000 miles.i am very very dissatisfied with this car and do not plan on purchasing another gm at this time.

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu.while driving 55 mph the contact smelled antifreeze and noticed some on the engine.the mechanic stated that the manifold gasket was defective.the failure was remedied at approximately 50,000 miles.thirty days later the same failure occurred.once again, the mechanic stated that the manifold gasket was defective and performed the repairs.the failure recurred.the manifold gasket was replaced on two more occasions.the current mileage is 80,000 , and failure mileage was 50,000.

The oil pan on the car has defective gaskets the engine manifold has defective gaskets the emergency brake light does not work the brakes have had to be replaced twice in less than 36,000 miles.

Dt*:the contact stated there was antifreeze on the ground under the engine.an independent repair shop determined the intake gasket needed to be replaced.

Coolant-oil leak problem with the lower intake manifold.*nlm

I have had to replace the intake manifold gasket twice on the car already. The last repair was in march of 2004. It is only three months from the last replacement, and it is leaking anti freeze again. I would repair the car, but apparently it is not going to do any good. Each repair was over four hundred dollars. There has got to be some kind of major defect with this part. I have only owned the car for four years and it only has 81,000 miles on it, and yet this is the third time the gasket has failed.

My car has always used an excessive amount of anti-freeze. Apparently, my chevy malibu is not the only, and from the mechanic i talked to today, he says that it is the engine. I now have to get a new manifold, which to me costs a lot of money. It seems to me that if the same cars all over are having the same problem it would be some sort of manufacter defect and the consumers should not be responsible.

Driver and passenger windows fog up, during high humidity, when air conditioner is set bi-level.

No summary listed for abov evehicle.

A/c is leaking freon, and dealer is unable to locate the leaks or problem.

Air conditioner cuts off, engine fails to start (security system), carpet has disentegrated, front end problems, brake pad replaced and belt.

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. The contact was driving approximately between 5 to 10 mph and encountered several speed bumps in the roadway. Immediately after driving over the speed bumps the engine stalled without warning. The vehicle would not restart and was towed to his residence. The contact stated that the failure was contributed to theanti-theft path lock. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired when the complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 150,000.

Antenna failed due to wiring connection loose.

The radio, left front speaker and cd player are defective.nlm

Speaker making noise in rear of vehicle.

The radio, left front speaker and cd player are defective.nlm

Radio failed causing static noise.mjs

The vehicles headlights keep blowing out, cause is unknown. Please provide any further information. Ts

Rear brake light housing assembly is melted on both the left and right side of the vehicle.

Broken brake light - chevrolet is aware of bad circuit behind the light panel.

Left brake lights shorted out due to water in tail lamp assembly

Consumer states that the right brake light keeps going out. The dealer has ruled out the fuse or bulb. When bulb is wiggled light comes back on. The dealer has no remedy. Nlm

Exterior brake tail lights are constantly blowing out. Have replaced bulbs at my own expense four times in the last year. Today i was pulled over by the police and issues a warning because it has blown out yet again. Lost of condensation is gettin inside the lamp itself.

Right rear brake light socket and bulb melted due to the heat generated inside the unit.

The driver's side brake light blows every time it rains or there is water in the light - i have checked the lens for cracks and/or damages there are none - i have replaced the light 12 times in 4 months.

Brake light bulbs failed.mjs

This is a follow-up to my report of the failure of the flashing of the turn signals and hazard warning lights (oid#10121781). I replaced the hazard warning switch in the dash on june 4, 2005, and this fixed the problem. This is the same part that is under a recall for the 2000 and 2001 models of this same car (nhtsa campaign id number 03v327000). As suggested previously, i think it would be appropriate to extend the recall to the 1997 models, since it is the same defective part.

The turn signals and hazard signals suddenly stopped flashing. Intermittently, they flash rapidly when activated, but they typically just stay on continuously. This appears to be the same problem which led to a recall on the 2000 and 2001 models of this same car (nhtsa campaign id number 03v327000): "exterior lighting:hazard flashing warning lights:switch". I think it would be appropriate to extend the recall to the 1997 malibu models.

The turn signals are not reliable they might work one time and the next time they wont work. There is a lot of rattling sounds coming from the rear wheels, the steering column makes a weird sound when being turned.

After washing my 1997 chevrolet malibu i noticed that both front headlights were condensated covering 75% of both lenses. Vechicle was taken to the dealer, when i picked up the vechile i was told that was a normal condition and i was to drive the vechile for 2 to 6 hrs with the lights on to correct it. I primarily drive this car for vacations and i always have the car washed when i reach my destination.after driving many hours, it is ludicrous to think that i would want to drive for even one more hour.i feel that it is a defect, causing the headlights not to operate at 100% causing an unsafe condition, especially at night.i contacted general motors 1-800 number and was told the same thing that the dealer told me.i feel that the explanation is completely unacceptable and causes an unsafe condition. Both g m and the dealer refered to their bulletin number 638206a. Ii was also given a number from g m (990079295).

Headlights are steaming up due to water entering inside of headlight, causing poor visibility.dealer told consumerto leave highbeams on for 1 hour to dry out the water.

Headlamps will not operate when vehicle is cold. If vehicle is warm, headlamps come on automatically.

Water goes into the front headlights, causing poor visibility.

Brake pads failed with out audible warning damaging rotors. Bulb bases in rear light both melted for 2nd time. Pwr window fails intermittently. Noise in suspension, dealer couldn't find it.brakes also not covered under extended warranty, very expensive to repair. Model should be investigated by all the complaints listed.

Headlights fog up on inside after every car wash. Dealer says units are designed with vents, and nothing can be done to correct problem.

Headlamp assembly leaking.mjs

Head light fogging replaced two times.

Moisture or water formsinthe headlight casing andin the bulb area, causing the headlights to become dim or foggy, cause unknown. Dealer sealed the casing which did not remedy the problem. The consumer will be notified when it is to make replacement..et.

Headlight lens' have constant moisture in both lens, they freeze at night and eventually the bulbs will melt the ice, but lighting is distorted.i've reported this 4 times to dealer.the 1st time, they replaced one lens and after further complaints, their comments were "chevrolet won't authorize replacement any more replacements" so they take off the lens and wiping them dry.that lasts until the next rain.this is very frustrating especially when driving in freezing rain and fog.they never seem to dry out.

Moisture buildup in headlight assemby of both sides.also, during rain or car wash, water pours into passenger side floor.unknown origin point of the water.

While driving the headlight on the drivers side went out due moisture in the seal casing.the dealer has repaired thevehicle.

No summary listed for abov evehicle.

Headlights get water caught in them and fog up, making visibility poor for the driver at night. Dealer has replaced the lenses, and problem is occurring again.

Switch that activates high beam lights malfunctioned. This is in reference to complaint # 7 of the nhtsa complaint reports for the 1997 malibus.

Switch which activates high beam lights does not work effectively. Has to hold in position to have high beam lighting.

Tail light failed.

Turn signal indicator does not turn off once a turn is completed.nlm

Signal light switch failed.

While driving, signal lights do not work (not always, never know when you will have them.service dept. Replaced switch, now it is worse.never happens to service when they have the car.

Turn signal control failed.

I started to notice that over the last two months i've had to add coolant to the car i did'nt notice any leakage but i kept an eye out. When i went to change the oil the other day coolant leakage was evedent and was coming from the intake manifold, closer inspection revealed that the intake manifold bolts were loose, you could move them with your fingers. Dealer cost estimate for repair is 500 dollars.the tire situation is as follows, 2 sets of firestone afinnity tire that are supossed to last 80000 miles a set and we can only get aout 33000 miles both sets have been maintained by a firestone dealer and of coarse it's not the tires it is the car so they say.i have them rotated every 6000 miles and keep them inflated to the proer specs,also have them balanced and have the car s alignment performed annually.(tiresize: 215/60/15)( dot number:tire size: 215/60/15 )

While having vehicle servicedmechanic stated that intake manifold had a slight leak. Advised consumer to have manifold replaced. Consumer was concerned because there was only 35000 miles onvehicle.

Walking towards vehicle & noticed strong smell of gasoline. Took to dealer & was informed a defective part in gas line & they had to repaired it. Month later having same problem, only gasoline spilling out of vehicle.

Gas cap cable broke off.mjs

Gas cap failed.

While driving and foot removed from brakes, vehicle would accelerate on its own. When this happens,dashboard lights would flash on/off. Would need to slam on brakes to stop vehicle. Will be taking to dealership to have mechanic check it.

While traveling andwithout any indication rear passenger's door becomes unlocked.please provide further information.

Trunk release switch failed.mjs

No summary listed for abov evehicle.

The service dealer stated that the transmission rubbed a hole into brake line.*mrwhen the incident occurred, the brake pedal had gone to the floor.scc

When engine is warm the transmission continuously shifts in and out of overdrive.the transmission jerks entire engine and has difficulty on inclines, making loud noise when shifting.

The transmission is not locking when the key is in the accessory position.

Purchased this car from centennial chevrolet, the transmission was slipping at times. Took it back several times to dealership and they said they could not find nothing wrong. Even after a mechanic had it personally after a few days. To this date it is slipping dramatically, and since the car is now out of warranty it has to come out of my pocket twice!know a few other people that have had the same issues and they had to replace the transmission for $2400. Doesn't seem quite right to me.

Oil leaks and transmission is pulling .consumer contacted dealer.

No summary provided by consumer

Vehicle parked and running to warm up, vehicle started moving backwards out of garage running into tree etc. *mjs

While driving 70 mph, vehicle began to wobble, it spun around and went across 4 lanes of traffic. Towed to dealer, left front wheel had snapped due to axle breaking.consumers daughter can be reached at 860-276-8617; gayle rossi.jlg

Transmission seal failed.yh

Seat belt not working, all four tires are cracking all around the tread and sidewall.lower control arm replaced and hood cable defective.

The plastic locking latchplate on both the front driver and front passanger seat have broken.the dealer fixed the first problem because it was still under warranty, but now that the driver's side has broken and it is out of warranty, it will cost over $100 to fix it.the vehicle has not been in a crash.

No summary listed for abov evehicle.

No summary.dt

Letter from phyllisgifford (fl) owner of a 1997 chevrolet malibu who wasa involved in an accident and seat belt was broken. Contacted gmc to repair/replace broken seat belt. Reply to orlando fl. District ofc atten: jon miller staff assistant.*nlm.

Both rear seat shoulder belts had to be replaced at a cost of us$202.49 due to the plastic covering on the latchplate cracking and falling off. This vehicle has never been in an accident and the belts were primarily used to secure child seats. I don't feel the belts are of quality to support child seats. I'm also afraid that people who have the same problem will not spend this kind of money to make their restraints safe again. The dealer told me we would have to purchase the belts due to there not being a recall on them. I also feel chevrolet should absorb this cost.

The seat belt buckle is inoperative.the dealer is aware of the problem. *nlm

The driver/passenger side seat belt buckle snapped in half while in use.

All seat shoulder belts had to be replaced at a cost of us$100. Plus labor due to the plastic breaking off and the internal spring scratching my hand. This also prevents the seat belt from retaining a small child safety chair.

The rear seat belts were too short.

Disc brake pads failed at 22k and again at 34k.dealer blames pad quality but will not warranty. Center hinge on rear fold down seats has also failed twice.

Rear seatback is falling to the floorboard due to a retainer missing from the seat. Consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has replaced clips, problem still occurs,.consumer therefore contacted a second dealer, dealer stated that retainer was missing before vehicle left the assembly line. Please provide any further details.

While driving at 65-70 mph and then lightly pressing brake pedal the car shakes in the front end, almost like a convulsion.we do not feel this should be a problem when a car is only 2 1/2 years old.we were told this is not a warranty item.

When i purchased the car it was one year old and had 27,000 miles on it.the abs light and squeaking brakes were a problem from day one.i have replaced the brakes on this vehicle 2 times a year since i bought it.in october, 2000 the brake pedal would go all the way to the floor.the dealer who sold me the car said the system had been contaminated.i do not do my own repairs and the shops deny they contaminated the brake sys.is it possible that there is a leakinto the abs system from another part of the engine?after my entire brake system was replaced in 2000 i did not have the abs failure until midas did an oil change in jan 2001. Mr

Brake sensor failed.yh

Excessive brake pad wear, and noise.abs light on and off.mechanic questioned wiring problem coming from wheel bearing to abs light which could not be found.when abs light is on the vehicle has no antilock brakes.

While driving vehicle's front passenger side disc brake wears faster than others and ruin the rotors. Dealer notified. Please provide additional information. Ts

Brake calipers sticking causing premature brake pad wear and rotor damage

Front brake problem; excessive pad wearing and rotor scoring.dealer claims this is normal.

Right front brake pad burned and damaged the rotor.new vehicle with 16,856 miles.

Front brake problem; excessive pad wearing and rotor scoring.dealer claims this is normal.

Rotors warping and causing the front end to vibrate when braking, pulling to the right making it hard to steer.

Repeated brake and rotor failure.

I have owned my malibu since it was new in 1997.in its lifetime it has had 4 or 5 sets of rotors and at least 7 sets of brake pads. It is now ready for a new set of rotors and brakes.the last time these were replaced on the car was 2 years ago.gm knew about the brake problem from day one.the 1997 and 1998 models have had numerous brake problems with them.they don't do anything about it because no one has gotten killed from the problem. Do i have to die in a wreck before someone listens?? 2 years ago when i had it fixed i thought that would be the last time, but no, the brakes and rotors still don't fit my car right or they wouldn't wear like they do.gm need to fix the problem on my car.they seem to have corrected the problem on the 2000 models just fine.

Bought car new 4-14-1997----problem car 32750 mi now chevrolet ran away from this car and so did dealers---kept customer in the dark----waiting for 3 yrs or 36000mi suspension noise on going---rattle---creaking---glunking water pump leak at 23000 miles--fix est.$835.00--29295 mi suspension noisy yet 32655 mi on car. Relaced ignition lock cylinder $532.42---32600 mi replace 4 tires $314.00---32525 mi took 3 years to get brakes up tp par. Suspension still a problem.over all this car has problems from day one. Battery---windshield---poorly built auto. That's why i have low miles don't use it much.

Vehicle shakes violently when braking at high speeds and the front end clunks.dealer stated that the owner over-inflated the tires, rides the brakes which warped the rotors.owner's company have two vehicles which experienced the same problem.

Ongoing problem with pulsation when applying brakes. At 21,000 miles/at low speed it appear moderate, and severe at high speed. Dealer was notified, and hadfront rotors turned. At 30,000 miles problem reoccurred. Dealer notified again, and returnedfront rotors, and replacedpadsat consumer's cost. At 33,000 miles, again problem reoccurred while coming down the mountain at 60 mph and applying brakes, it caused severe vibration / pulsation. Feel free to provide any further details on this matter.

While traveling and when depressing the brakes,brakes make a noise. Dealer has been notified, andbrake pads were replaced. Consumer has to replace pads every 3 thousand miles.only the outer brake pads are wearing, neither dealer nor gm can provide an explanation.*ml

Intermittently while driving vehicle would pull to the right or left, which may cause loss of control or accident.consumer thinks it may be the abs braking system, but no warning light came on.nas not been to the dealer.please provide further information and vin#.

The abs brake warning light, indicating non-functioning of the abs braking system, has been coming on.after the ignition is turned off and the car is restarted the light goes out.the warning light has been coming on more frequently.it seems to occur when making fairly sharp left turns, and is often accompanied by a metallic scraping sound.the dealer was notified after first occurrence and said to come in if it starts happening more often.i intend to take the car into the dealer this week.

On-going / intermittent failure with asb senor light and brake sysytem; sometime when abs senor light would come on the, it appear to affect the braking system on the vehicle/ vehicle been in/out of dealer shop on 15 occasion and condition still occur. Seeking help from nhtsa in this matter.

I almost hit a large number of cars due to this problem. Once i tired to up up the the mouintains and when i returned,brakes would make the card shake and vibrate and i could not control the weel and could not brake the car. I praid and reducedspeed via gear, and then i could stop the car, but my car was so out of control that i almost went out of the road. I have changed my rotors and pads like 10 times and calipers once within 20.000 miles. I have checked the internet and there are over 5000 compaints about the same problem i am having with my brakes, wearing out very soon. I have spent over 3500 dolars on pads and brakes, with and without original parts and nothing seens to work. Even the dealer mechanic says that the brakes is fine, but for me and everyone else, they are not.

Whenever brakes are applied, while driving at 40mph,they make squealing noises. They would also lurch & jerk. Have been to dealer, and dealer replaced rotors. The noise in the brakes still exists.

Abs brake light was on. Consumer had to get the sensor replaced. Also, leaves are getting into the engine.

These cars are a constant repair bill and dangerous to operate because the tail lights will blow bulbs and without tail lights you are due for a rear collision.the brakes are awful and the rack and pinion didn't give any warning before it failed(locked up) gm will not take responsibility for any of these and numerous other defects in the car please help!

While traveling onhighway and without prior warning abs braking light appeared ondashboard.dealership was aware ofproblem.

While driving 20 mph and whendepressing brakes pedal it traveled to floorboard, resulting into extended stopping distance, causing consumer to crash head oninto a pole.

Front abs brakes failed quickly.

While driving the vehicle the brakes and steering all of a sudden locked up,causing the driver to lose control of the entire vehicle. Took vehicle to dealer,and they did not understand what had happened so they were trying to fix the computer.when the driver drove again the same thing happened again.

Whendriving abs braking light comes ondashboard intermittently. Brake light goes off whenconsumer turnsvehicle off.

The oil pan on the car has defective gaskets the engine manifold has defective gaskets the emergency brake light does not work the brakes have had to be replaced twice in less than 36,000 miles.

Abs warning light comes on at least three times per week but dealers cannot reproduce the problem and find anything wrong.

The car has brakes that need replacement at about 35,000 miles then at 51000 miles and now need to be done again.i have not had an accident but it could happen. The brakes pulse which cause a shimmy at high speed and thus instability.i accept responsibility forbrake repair but feel that cheverolet has a design fault with the brakes. I have noted on the internet other people with similar problems with the brakes and know personally of two people who have also had problems. This is a problem that could cause an accidentmy repair records indicate several visits to the dealer.they claimed i was riding the brakes, that it was a design problem and in one instance i had two tires replaced and they blamed the tire dealer for not torqueing the bolts correctly.i realize that brakes wear out but this is a problem beyond fair wear and tear.

No summary listed for abov evehicle.

When applying brakes the vehicle does not stop in a proper amount of distance. Dealer has seenvehicle, and can't duplicate the problem.

Abs light keeps coming on. When pressing on the brakes, extended stopping distance occurred.dealer contacted on numerous times, problem still exists.

Slowing down vehicle, heard a grinding, screeching noise. Took to dealer & informed that the brake rotors/pads & calipers were shot & needed replacing. Took vehicle back for same problem, but in rear wheel cylinder.

Consumer has been experiencing problems withanti-lock brakes.the consumr replaced brakes once already, and needs to have them replaced again.also, when applying the brakes, they make a high squeaky sound.manufacturer has yet to be contacted.

No summary listed for above vehicle. (dot number: 0tiresize: 215r60-15)

Front brake pads need replacement due to prematurewear. Vehicle haslow mileage, dealer notified.

The abs light illuminates with the slightest disturbances on the road.nlm

At 19,000 front rotors needed to be resurfaced, and at 24,000 miles rotors needed to be resurfaced again. At 47,000 miles front brakes, and 1 rotor needed to replaced. At 71,000 miles front rotors and pads needed to be replaced again. Dealer claimed itwas normal to have rotors turned every 15,000-20000 miles.

Consumer took vehicle to dealerforrecall repairs.after leaving the dealersteering wheel and the brakes locked.dealer checked vehicle, and stated that it was okay.however,vehicle was still experiencing the same problem.

Brake pedal goes to floor.

Anti- theft system activates ramdomly and the ignition will not start. Has been in the shop for repairs numerous times without success.the abs light comes on at random.the rotors wear out excessively on this car.the cruise control cuts itself off while driving.we have also had sensors replaced on the air conditioner twice.those are just the major problems.

Due to improper installationrear brakes are inoperative, causing the rear brakes to rust out. Consumer has contacted the dealer. Please provide any further details.

We did not purchase this vehicle, however upon rental i experienced problems with the brakes rubbing.we reported this to the facility where it was rented and was assured this vehicle had just been serviced.we then took said vehicle to the mountains and the brakes went metal to metal. Upon my return to the agency i made a complaint and was treated unfairly. We then went to court.raffield tire master testified that the chevy malibu in question was notorious for brake sounds and rubbing and that the parts were consistently on back order.we want this verified and put a stop to these people trying to take others for a ride and free brake repair.we are currently in litigation over the deposit against so-called damages to said vehicle.we won the case in magistrate, but they have appealed to the state court.

While driving at 55 mph i had to stop for a car, the brakes failed,( brake clear to the floor) i had to drive into the bar pit to avoid a collision.i have had the vehicle to a gm authoriized service department 3 times to have them fixed because of how slow it stops. Brake pads were replaced, calipers replaced, everything was done to the brakes that they could.the brakes failed after the brakes on the wheel were in working order.i think the abs system is going out.!

While driving consumer applied brakes and they made a popping noise.also front end shook like it was going to come off.the problem was due to defective rotors, and wants to be reimbursed for the cost of their replacement. *ml

Abs light comes on when making slow turns. When car is re-started the light goes out until another slow turn is made. This happens 5-6 tim.es a week.

The abs light stays illuminated while the vehicle is in motion.the dealer has been notified.

While drivingwould step on the brakes and it will makes noise like grinding metal to metal. Brakes had to be replaced nine times.

Ever since i bought the car the abs light stays on ,it does not stop in the snow it slidesabs does not work and from day one the dealer would do nothing to help me fix the problem and now my warrentyis up and they say too bad for you . Nice car dealership ,not! is there anything you can do about this abs failure.

While driving vehicle40 pmh driver stepped on the brake pedal to stop vehicle, the brakes made noise like grinding metal to metal sound, and vehicle stopped a few inches away.also consumer said that he lost control of vehicle , almost causing an accident. He had to replace brakes many times before.manufacturer and dealer were contacted.

I have had problems with this vehicle since the day i financed it. I understand buying a used car is risky but not like this. I have had my complete brake system replaced and still have major problems. I purchased the vechicle from folsom lake used car outlet and all they can do is point the blame towards me. They tell me it is the way that i drive, i ride the brakes, i drive with two feet. Excuses mainly. Instead of saying we don't honestly know what is wrong fingers are being pointed. I have gone through 6 sets of pads, 4 sets of rotors due to hot spots, a set of calipers, and now everything needs replaced again. I have not had the car 1 year yet. Pretty much my brakes fail every month to month & 1/2. When the dealership first put my vehicle in the shop it went to the original dealer 2 weeks after having it, for blown headgaskets & cooliant problems. The brake problem was there but where i purchased the vehicle from wanted to fix the problem themselves. I have a 4 year old son, and i look at it as what if the brakes totally fail. I guess it is no ones problem until someone gets hurt and a major law suit is brung against the dealer. That makes people then open their eyes and think how the situation could have been prevented. I do not bring all the blame against chevy because when a dealership sells a vehicle new or used safety is the most important thing. And i don't have that safety in my vehicle. Please someone can you help me in my situation.

The brakes and rotors have been replaced three times.

Brakes pulling and rubbing creates a serious safety hazard,

Brake pads have been replaced twice/ mileage on car less than 32,000 miles (calipers and rotors replaced once)

Brake failure/noisy.

When applyingbrakes a loud grinding noise occurs,cause unknown.dealer can not identifyproblem.please give any further details.

Brakes continually pulling and rubbing, unable to rectify problems.

The brakes and rotors have been replaced three times.

Throttle body was clogged, causing the accelerator pedal to stick.also, the vehicle has expoerienced premature brake wear.

While driving on road and whenever applying brakes, vehicle shakes and grinds.contacteddealer, and they have replaced rotors twice andpads four times.

Disc brakes have never worked properly. Pads replaced at 30k miles. Brakes have never been right since i have owned this car.

Upon depressing the brake pedal, noticed a loud grinding sound coming from the front of the vehicle. Consumer, therefore, contacted the dealer.cause was determined to be the brake pads and rotors which needed replacing. Please provide any futher details.

Front end shimmy at 50-60 mph when brakes applied;rotors&pads replaced.

Front brake pads and rotors are prematurley wearing, cause unknown. Dealer cannot identify the problem..et.

Brake system:i complained to the dealer on 7/13/98 that there was a rubbing/squeaking sound when depressing and releasing brake pedal.the dealer was unable to confirm sound.i reported the problem again on 9/16/98.the dealer stated that the rotors were grooved.the dealer resurfaced the rotors and applied stop squeal to the pads.less than two months from this service, the problem has recurred.returning to dealer for service on 11/11/98.suspension:i complained to the dealer about clunking sound when hitting bumps or gaps in road surface and of low pitch whirring noise in front wheel area (audible at speeds of 20-25 mph).first reported problem of clunking sound to dealer on 7/13/98.dealer attributed noise to loose gear assembly and replacedit.this problem recurred and was again reported to dealer on 9/16/98.dealer replaced lower front arm assembly.problem has recurred.returning to dealer for service on 11/11/98.

Disc brake pads failed at 22k and again at 34k.dealer blames pad quality but will not warranty. Center hinge on rear fold down seats has also failed twice.

I have had three new front control arms put on. Now the rear suspension is bad. The brakes wear out fast because the rotors are junk, they need to be replaced every 15k to 20k miles. The car has 47k miles on it and i have owned it for 20k of those miles and have had the rotors replaced once and they need it again now. The brakes need replaced often as a result of the rotors wearing down so quickly. I don't know why this is but i urge chevy/gm to offer a solution shortly or they will lose a lot of loyal customers. I have spoken to a number of malibu owners with similar problems.

Severe shaking of front wheels when applying brakes at speeds of 55 to 70 mph.traveling over the mountains of western maryland, i could not keep my foot on brakes.had to pump the brakes to avoid the severe shaking of the front wheels. This is more than just annoying, it is frightening because you have to get off the brakes to stop the shaking when descending long grades.have had the car to the dealer twice for this problem.first time at 21,368 (dealer machined rotors) and the second time at 30,467 (dealer machined rotors and replaced pads).each time, problem only stopped temporarily. At 54,400 i had to purchase 2 rotors ($240.00) and was told that gm had redesigned the rotors to fix the problem.since i was beyond 3yr/36,000 mile waranty gm would not cover this cost.the original rotors are defective and dangerous under high speed downhill conditions.i have just learned of a gm bulletin to dealers that acknowledges that the rotors are a problem.my neighbor advised me of a 1999 malibu that exhibited the same severe front end shaking under braking.i have the original rotors and the pads that i replaced on 10/27/2000 at a cost of $357.30 (parts only).this problem deserves immediate attention.

Right brake pad wore out/grinded,andleft rotor was warped. Dealer has been contacted.

We have had to replace the brake pads and rotors three times since feb. 11 2000. The mileage was 34,000. The vehicle only has 62,000 miles as of today april 30, 2002. With the receipts we keptthe combined total for brake work in the past two years equals $800.our machanic did some of his own investigating and came up with the conclusion that the rotors are too thin, and the calipers were too light for the heat dispersment causing premature brake failure.

While drivingwould step on the brakes and it will makes noise like grinding metal to metal. Brakes had to be replaced nine times.

Vehicle made a grinding or groaning noise while stopping from various speeds. Had brakes replaced three times.

The calipers stick and wear the rotors down to the metal.dealer has repaired the vehicle .

Brake rotors warped and pads worn causing vibration while braking. Mjs

Brake pads failed.

Excessive brake pad useage with this car.the intake manifold had to be replaced at 88,000 miles.i am very very dissatisfied with this car and do not plan on purchasing another gm at this time.

Heard a loud noise when applying brakes, and brake pedal felt spongy.been in dealer shop on five occasions to replacebrake lining and front pads, but problemreoccurredevery 3-4,000 miles. The manufacture knew of the problem but never informed the consumer.

Front brake pads need replacement due to prematurewear. Vehicle haslow mileage, dealer notified.

Air conditioner cuts off, engine fails to start (security system), carpet has disentegrated, front end problems, brake pad replaced and belt.

Brake pads and rotors failed several times causing pulsating.

Brakescausefront end to shake.dealer states that the only solution is to turn the rotors.

Brake problems; the brake rotors have been turned once and replaced twice because of warping. Turned on 3/6/98 with 14,574 miles.; replaced on4/30/98 with 18, 225 miles, and 7/31/98 with 25, 039. When applyng the brakes, the steering wheel would pulsate and shake.

Front brake rotors warped & uneven. Has happened twice before. Had the rotors turned at least twice. Mechanic could not locate cause of problem.

Consumer replaced rotors due to the noises they made when the brakes were used and they did not fit properly, they were too loose and they shifted.

12 service visits, suspension control arms, rack and pinion, steering gear bad, brake rotors warped.all have been replaced 2 to 3 times and several reapir attempts with tape and bushings.other items as well.

Front end shakes at highway speeds,brake rotors failed,tires worn at 30000 miles.( dot number: tire size: p21560r15 )

Brake rotors are defective. Yh

Whenever brakes are applied, while driving at 40mph,they make squealing noises. They would also lurch & jerk. Have been to dealer, and dealer replaced rotors. The noise in the brakes still exists.

Brake rotors warped and pads worn causing vibration while braking. Mjs

Brake pads and rotors failed several times causing pulsating.

Coolant leaking, engine overheats after highway driving.brakes and rotors fail consistently within 15000 miles of replacement. *nlm

Consumer purchased vehicle 7-29-97/ 8-04-97, the steering rack was determined defective. Whenever turning a curve the rigt front tire rattles, otherwise any bump in the road causes the vehicle to make rattling noises. Dealer has replaced steering rack eight (8) times already,and says that until gm redesigns steering rack there is no need to replace again. Brakes vibrate, front rotors warped.clicking noise comes from the motor of the driver side window express down feature.consumer had vehicle in shop 8 different times, however the rattling noise has not been corrected, manufacturer has a newly designed steering rack, however consumer declined due to pursuing the lemon law.lower control arms replaced, caused a thumping noise.

Front rotors worn out excessively. Yh

Grinding sound while turning to the left-has been there since i bought the car-the dealer would not fix it when i took it back a week later- i feel there is a problem with it and it should have been taken care of within the time that i first bought the car without a charge!

Brake rotors failed, causing grinding noise.

Failed again 28,800;indpndt shop says original rotors 2thin 2turn after "miked";rotors have never been turned;no grooves.

Brake lower control arms had excessive clearance, damaged joints.rotors out of round causing severe vibrations upon braking.

The front rotors and drums squeak.nlm

Rotors installed improperly causing brake failure.

Consumer wasconcerned with the front brake rotors,brake rotors were replaced on two separate occasions, but problem recurred.

The front rotors and drums squeak.nlm

While driving 35 mph consumerlost steering power. Coasted vehicle to side of the road.consumer turn off the vehicle, and restarted it.then,drove the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanicdetermined thatwhile turning the steering column it was hard to steer, andthat the steering system needed to be replaceddue to worn out parts.

While making a left turn the vehicle fail to turn.without prior warning the vehicle kept straithe was able to the vehicle by his brakes ts

Consumer states that while driving at any speed and no warning the steering bolt are lose and it is causing the steering wheel to jump around causing it to be hard for consumer to steer the vehicle. Dealer notified.nlm

While making a left hand turn at 25 mph the vehicles steering wheel suddenly locked up.*ph*jg *nlm

Consumer was making a slight turn to avoid something in the road ahead when the steering wheel became very loose, anddriver lost control of the vehicle. Vehicle spinned around 3 times before landing in a ditch.

We bought this 1997 malibu from my dad less than a year ago for my son to drive to college.my dad is meticulous in caring for his vehicles so all the scheduled and routine maintenance work has been done and it still only has 70xxx miles on it. My complaint is this : last night my son was parking the car when it suddenly became very hard to turn the steering wheel. He finished parking, but a short time later as he started to drive home, he realized that the power steering was completely gone. There have been so many incidents like this one that there wasfinally a safety recall issued in 2004. The paperwork i have states that the dealer "replaced steering gear pinion bearing and reset toein". Obviously,that remedy failed since the power steering went out anyway. I'm so thankful that no one was hurt, that it didn't happen while he was driving to or from school, and that he was home for christmas break when it happened. We'll be taking the car in to the dealer on tuesday and, because there have been so many of these incidents in the '97 malibu (and other '97 gm models) that they had to issue the recall, i expect them to fix it free of charge.

Tl- the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. The contact was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 03v527000 (steering), received the recall repair and weeks later the failure recurred. The contact stated that while making a turn, extreme force had to be applied to the steering wheel and the vehicle was unstable to drive. The vehicle was taken back to the authorized dealer who refused to repair the vehicle. The authorized dealer indicated that someone damaged the subframe and bolts along with the quarter panels being rusted. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop who indicated that the authorized dealer needed to replace the bolts, subframe and the quarter panels which were rusted. The vehicle was taken back to the authorized dealer provided an interim fix of welding the brackets to the frame and within weeks the components fractured. The vehicle was towed back to the authorized dealer for further inspection, diagnosis and repair. The bolts were broken and the engine was sitting on top of the steering rack due to the fracture. The contact was waiting for approval from the manufacturer to remedy the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 158,160. Dyd

I was driving on my way home, and i made a right turn into my neighborhood and when i began to turn left into the curve my steering wheel was turning but my car continued to go straight into a neighbor's yard causing me to slam on brakes and hit a hill! i got my car checked out that next morning and found that it was my rack and pinion that has caused this. I knew my car had a recall so i decided to search recalls for my car (year make and model) i saw where there was a recall on the rack and pinion where if it went out you would not be able to turn left only right. I contacted the gm corporate office and stated as such and they said thatwas a recall but not on my specific vin # so there is nothing that could be done. Is this possible seeming as they have issued a recall on this particular part already on 97 and 98 chevy malibu's?

Steering wheel makes a clicking noise when turning. Steering wheel has to be fully rotated twice before the vehicle goes into that direction.

While traveling on highway and without prior warning steering wheel locked up, and the vehicle veered into oncoming traffic. Dealership was aware ofproblem.

Steering wheel will not lock at times in park not allowing the key to turn in the ingition.dealer cannot recreate problem and refuses to fix.occurred about 4 months ago and has happen apprx 8 times since.

Whenvehicle goes over bumps or when makng a turnsteering wheelbecomesloose, causing entire vehicle to shake. Consumer has been having this problem since 2,000 miles. Dealer has been contacted, buthas beenunable to remedyproblem. Please provide further details.

While driving there is a rattling noise coming from steering wheel, and there a lot of play in wheel.consumer feels may loose control of vehicle.please provide any further information. Ts

Air conditioner cuts off, engine fails to start (security system), carpet has disentegrated, front end problems, brake pad replaced and belt.

Engine check light andanti theft system illuminated oninstrument panel, indicating a malfunction.cause unknown.please give any further details.

While driving steering/ front wheels locked up. Consumer contacted his personal mechanic, and was told they had never seen anything similar.contacted the dealer. However, the priblem recurred.

When driving my 1997 chevy malibu, i turned left and the steering wheel locked. I almost crashed into a parked car due to the fact that i couldn't move the steering wheel at all. When i tried getting the steering wheel to move again, it wouldnt budge right but when trying left it would make a "hissing" sound, like air pressure being released. This happened at 10pm and i had passengers in the vehicle, this could have been catastrophic. This happened suddenly with no warning whatsoever. I am going back to the dealer asap.

Recall 03v527000 concerning steering gear bearings: consumer states after taking their vehicle for this recall repairs,vehicle commenced to make noise after starting and while driving. Vehicle was not having any problems until this repair was done.dealer refused to do anything concerning this issue.

Control arms and steering gear replaced multiple times.now at 38,000 miles, the front end shakes almost uncontrollably during slight turns at approximately 60mph.

Nhtsa recall 03v527000 concerning steering gear bearing.three weeks after having recall repairs performed the lower pinion bearing failed while turning left and consumer lost power steering.consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle and drove the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. Mechanic determined that the lower pinion bearing needed to be replaced.

A malfunction occurs within the steering gear box, causing the steering wheel to lock up and lose control cause unknown.please give any further details.

Failed steering drive gears.

Re: general motor corporation declines to make adjustment of complaint. Gm had a recall for the racket pinion steering part on the car consumer owned.the consumer had this part replaced 6 times in a 2 year period.consumer wants to be repaid for monies spent.*tc

Steering is very loose. Please describe.

While driving on a curved road driver lost control.vehicle went off the road and rolled completely over.driver andpassenger sustained injuries, and were transported to the emergency room.witnesses stated vehicle jerked to the left before running off the road.

Abs light comes on when making slow turns. When car is re-started the light goes out until another slow turn is made. This happens 5-6 tim.es a week.

Consumer's grandmother was severely injured in a crash when she experienced the same defect as stated in the loss of power steering assist recall.*phas stated on the recall that there's an intermittent loss of power steering when making left turns at low speed.consumer tried to find out the cause of the accident.however, since consumer's grandmother (the driver) suffered severe brain hemorrhage and permanent short term memory loss due to accident, the only incident the consumer found out is that the driver was trying to make a left turn at low speed.*la

While turning into a parking space power steering failed.

The return line for the power steering is located right under the exhaust and rests upon it.it got hot and subsequently melted a hole in the pressurized lines causing all the fluid to leak out and not hold any more fluid.

While driving vehicle was making a funny noise, had vehicle serviced. This was a result of a leak in power steering fuel hose. Contacted dealer.

Power steering failed and almost caused an accident.my investigation revealed that the power steering line had a hole in it.this was caused by the exhaust pipe which burned through the insulation and the line.theloss of power steerig caused loss of control and could have caused a fire because the fluid was leeking onto the exhaust pipe.i feel this is definately a safety problem which should be looked into right away. My car will be towed to the dealer on monday morning11june 2001.

Consumer experiencing problem with power steering hoses not holding up properly. The hoses were replaced and repaired.both times the hoses failed to hold, causing steering lock up due to loss of fluid. Dealer/manufacturernotified and were willing to repair until warranty ran out.

Consumerhas replaced steering fluid more than often. Dealer has been contacted, couldn't duplicate problem . Please provide further information.

Steering wheel column pump broke.couldn't steervehicle. Dealershipwas aware ofproblem.

Dt:there was a recall regarding rack and pinion steering.this has been repaired and replaced twice.the vehicle still has problems with the steering system.contact took the vehicle to a service dealer, and they concluded that it was a power steering pump pulley.the contact has not had this repaired, the vehicle is at the dealership at this date.

At 65 mph idler pully failed lostbelt that drives water pump ,gen ,p/s.

While driving at low speeds, the right side inner and outer tie rod broke, causing wheel to separate from the vehicle, the power steering rack boots were torn and replaced, consumer states the metal is defective.

Broken, right front tie rod, car is in shop, unable at this time to verify milage and car id. Nos.

While driving forward at 5mphthe vehicle stopped and airbag deployed. Dealer said the innertie rod had broken.

Steering wheel locked up while completing left turn.

Rack and pinion steering gear failed causing the steering wheel to lock up while driving.nlm

Upon entering a major highway, my steering became very difficult to manage. I had trouble making left turns and the car would steer to the right. Forcefully, i had to steer the vehicle off the road just to make sure my tires were intact. I made it home carefully to find out that it could be related to my rack & pinion and damage to high pressure hoses.

Consumer took vehicle to the dealer on a recall for rack and pinion.dealer replaced the bushings at amanufacturer's expense after consumerrefused to pay.

I am stationed overseas in the military. While driving on base, the steering wheel jerked violently out of my hands and i started into the ditch, luckily, i was able to stop before hitting a pole. I was able to back up and the steering wheel was locked. Upon examination by the garage on base, the mechanic said that the steering gear and pinionhad failed and that it never should have occurred. I have been fighting with general motors for over 2 months now to acknowledge what 2 seperate mechanics have told them, that the steering gear is bad and that the failure should not have occured. They both said that had the failure occured while traveling at a higher rate of speed, the crash would have been fatal at the expense of me and my wife and 2 children. Gm overseas keeps trying to say that the mileage is too high and that it is normal wear and tear. I guess to them it is normal to crash your car. Their technical dept also says that i should have noticed a gradual looseing of the steering. I did not, it happened suddenly and as the mechanics told gm, this is no fault of the customer! i cannot get gm to accept responsibility of this problem, which i guess is why it is still sitting at the gm dealership(schwarzkopf) in amberg germany. It has been sitting there for over a month and before that a month at the garage on base, 2 months without my car. I don't know if this will do any good to write this, but i guess that what it will take is for someone to crash their car before chevrolet acknowledges a problem with the steering gear. This car has been well maintained since i bought it new, so maintenance is not the issue here. I hope that someone can help me with this matter. I have provided an address and phone # in the u.s. From my in-laws, and here is my address and phone # overseas:cmr 414 box 1228, apo ae 09173.ph #011-49-9493-902717. Thank you for any assistanceyou can give regarding this matter.

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu.the contact received a recall notice in february of 2004 regarding the lower rack and pinion steering.he had not experienced any failures at the time; however, he took the vehicle to the dealer for the recall repair.six months later, while driving approximately 45 mph, the steering wheel locked.he was able to pull the wheel back to the right and stop the vehicle.the contact drove home and his father, a mechanic, inspected the vehicle and declared the cause of failure to be the lower rack and pinion.the contact called the dealer and they stated that nothing could be done because the recall repair had already been performed.the recall number was unavailable.the current and failure mileages were 243,831.updated 01/11/08. *ljupdated

Vehicle taken to dealer for repair due to front end suspension noises (creaking/popping) while cornering. Service center stated that lower control arms needed replacing. I was also informed that rack and pinion gear needed replacing even though i have not experienced any of the warning signals of a failure.

While driving 45 mph, the steering wheel locked. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop, where the rack and pinionwas replaced.while driving the vehicle had become difficult to turn one way while remaining easy to steer in the opposite direction.the rack was replaced. *scc

Bushing within rack and pinion steering assembly failed,steering became loose/unstable and lost control.

After receiving a recall letter, consumer took the vehicle to gm dealership but no corrections were made. *ph the steering was hard when the consumer turned left. *screcall #03v527000

Car shakes at 60mph leak on driv. Side wind. Steering column noises

Rack and pinion assembly failed.nlm

After the vehicle was serviced for nhtsa recall 03v527000 concerninglower pinion bearing in therack and pinion, vehicle experienced ongoing steering problems.dealerrefused to admit that vehicle was running in good conditions before it was brought in for a recall.

The car has had air condition problems, power steering was changed, the drivers seat pedal to move forward broke, the two left doors had to painted a week after purchased, i wanted another car since i had given 10,000.00 dollars as down payment but they said this was not possible, please can you help me?

Consumer complained about a rack and pinion steering problem.vehicle was involved in an accident due torack and pinion steering failure. Driver was unable to make a left turn whencrash occurred.

Due to a malfunction in the steering rack and pinion, the vehicle shakes and rattles while driving the vehicle.consumer feels it will lead to a steering problem.

Dt*: the contact stated the steering wheel failed to steer for the first 10 minutes after turning on the vehicle.it was taken to the service dealer, who determined that the steering rack and the power steering pressure hose were leaking.there was a nhtsa recall #03v527000, regarding the steering: rack and pinion.the service dealer performed the recall, however the gear assembly was not replaced.updatd 01/30/07.

I went to the dealershop for complaints of squeaking in "tires" and t2222he undercarriage felt lose over small bumps.i got the steering gear assembly replaced for $1,200 and declined the other repairs at this time.with the car only being 3 years old, i shouldn't have any major repairs!i have already contacted customer service.with the new steering assembly, the undercarriage still feels loose.i can feel it under my feet.to add to the problem, the 1 and 2 blowers don't work!they worked fine when i first took the car in!when it came out of the shop, they didn't work. I will continue to get these problems solved.2

While making left turn, steering wheel locked up, also heard a clicking noise while making the turn, dealer said manufacter wasworking on building a new pinion, almost had an accident.

While turning left vehicle steering locked up consumer was forced to stop vehicle. Took to dealer, and they said rack and pinionsteering was defective.

Steering became noisy when making a turn and difficult/hard to manage. With less than 11000 miles rack and pinion steering had to be replaced.

When driving over bumps and turning the vehicle, a knocking noise was heard.the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated the problem was the rack and pinion, but the vehicle was not covered under the recall.please provide further details.*la

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu.the contact stated that the steering rack and pinion fails to turn properly.she could not explain the failure any further; however, it is the same failure stated in nhtsa campaign id number 03v527000 (steering:rack and pinion).the speed was unknown.the current and failure mileages were 125,000.

The dealer would not honorrecall #03v527000 concerning thelower pinionbearings.the dealer claimed that the parts were unavailable. *sc

The vehicle's steering rack malfunctioned at 64,000 miles. The part was repaired twice, however the problem still exist. The cause has not been determined. Please provide any additional information.

After having the vehicle for 4 daysdealership failed to replace the lower pinion bearing, but indicated they performedsteering gear bearings recall 03v527000 repairs.

Consumer denied reimbursement for power steering rack assembly replacement.*ph also, as consumer received recall notice dealership refused to perform recall repair since steering rack was replaced recently.*la

Normal drving conditions. He entire visor and its hinges on driver's side spontaniously falls off.the end of hinge has sharp plastic spikes which injured the driver.

Glove compartment problems.

Glove compartment would not close and would not lock since new.yh

Dashboard separates between the upper dash next to windshield and the door, repaired and replaced several times however continues to separate.

Glove compartment replaced due to noise and looseness.

While driving vehicle at 60 mph fender skirts fell off for no reason. Vehicle also experienceswiring problems which cause problems with abs light.

Design of the vehicle's hood/windshield area is very wide causing snow, leaves and debris to enter engine compartment.

Seat belt not working, all four tires are cracking all around the tread and sidewall.lower control arm replaced and hood cable defective.

Vehicle makes alot of noise, especially when turning and hitting bumps.

When vehiclestops at a light or stop sign it vibrates, cause unknown.dealer cannot identifyproblem.please give any further details.

Suspension system is defective, several repair attempts, however did not rectify problems. Yh

Vehicle has experienced continued noise in the suspension system, several repair attempts however continues to experience noise.mjs

No summary listed for above vehicle.

Experiencing problems with the vehicle vibrating at all speeds, and vehicle has been taken in to be serviced, the problem has not been remedied.please describe details.

While traveling at low to high speed, consumer noticed vehicle vibrating, dealer dropped surame and tightened rack mounts, lower control arms rattle at low speed and vehicle vibrates at high speed.engine torques back under power, dealer stated this was because of faulty lower control arms.

Consumer took the vehicle to the dealer. They checked the tires, and found that the tires were within specifications.could not determine the problem or cause of it.while driving 40 miles per hour the vehicle pulled multiple times towards oncoming traffic.the consumer pulled towards the shoulder and the vehicle ended up in a ditch. *tc

Renee borstad, director/superintendent of the board of chosen freeholders writes on behalf of parker flores, " while driving vehicle home, serious vibrations began necessitating it be brought in for repairs.*jg

While driving at any speed and with no warning, while making a turn, can hear a loud clicking noise in steering column. Dealer notified.

Renee borstad, director/superintendent of the board of chosen freeholders writes on behalf of parker flores, while driving vehicle home, serious vibrations began necessitating it be brought in for repairs.*jg

Suspension system has had continuous repairs of components however the vibration and rough ride are still present, unable to rectify poor suspension system.

Car made a lot of front end noise.dealer states a lot of lower control arms are failing on the 1997 chevrolet malibu.this part should not go bad, at least not under 100,000 miles . General motors knows this component is a safety defect.i spent $1200.00 in repairs within a 2 week period.

The vehicle swerved left and right without warning. The dealer was notified.*nlm

No summary listed for above vehicle. (tiresize: 215r60-15)

Air conditioner cuts off, engine fails to start (security system), carpet has disentegrated, front end problems, brake pad replaced and belt.

Right front suspension failed.yh

Front end squeak and thump. Dealer reports no repair/remedy at this time.

Front end shakes at highway speeds,brake rotors failed,tires worn at 30000 miles.( dot number: tire size: p21560r15 )

Rattle, clunk coming from left front end of vehicle while driving.

Many problems with my 1997 malibu, suspension noise/leaky water pump/key agnition, and lock collar. 32600 miles on the car many repairs.

The front of my car vibrates still after being in the shop 5 times at three different dealers, at 21000 miles had to buy new tires due to the frontof car being defective, steering went out along withsome type of arms and a gear box , we bought this car for my daughter and its done nothing but cost us money along with the orignal payment ,the dealer says he dosent no why he cant stop the vibration i cant afford new tires every 21000 miles or a new car for my daughter i want my money back,and the dealer says they cannot do that, would you let your child drive this car ?:(

The vehicle vibrates in the front end when applying brake at speeds of 70 mph. Yh

No summary listed for above vehicle. (dot number: 0tiresize: 215r60-15)

Control arms failed causing noise in the front end.

Complaint #1 a/c cuts on and off.complaint #2 suspension knocking, serviced 4 times, still have same problems.

Control arms and steering gear replaced multiple times.now at 38,000 miles, the front end shakes almost uncontrollably during slight turns at approximately 60mph.

Dealer replaced both control arm due to rattling and sqeaking in the front end as a result the tire had to be replaced, after 20000 miles the noise is back.nlm

Front end failure.vehicle has been serviced 7 times for this problem.control arm replaced twice and problem still exist.

While driving the vehicle at any speed and hitting a bump in the road, a very loud noise comes from the front end of the vehicle. The dealer is not able to correct the problem with the vehicle. On 6/9/98 the control arms were weldedto the frame of the vehicle, and the owner is still experiencing a prolbem with the vehicle. Please describe details.

Lower front control arm failure.

The vehicle has a real bad squeaking problemdue to the independent front suspension. The vehicle has been brought to dealership (5) times for suspension problems in the last (6) months. Lower control arm and bushings have been replaced (4) times.

Control arms failed.

Control arms, r & r arm, control lower-one side . Both went out, both needed replacement.

Seat belt not working, all four tires are cracking all around the tread and sidewall.lower control arm replaced and hood cable defective.

Front suspension malfunction.dealer advises owner that the dealership has replaced 5 sets of lower control arms on this model.

Front suspension loose and banging when going over bumps. Dealer replaced lower control units 8/16/99. Starting to experience severe steering vibration at 60-70 mph, again. This is how the original problem started.

Front lower control arm ball joint failed.yh

Control arms, r & r arm, control lower-one side . Both went out, both needed replacement.

Noticed a howling noise coming from front wheel.noise grew louder at higher speeds.determined it to be the wheel hub/bearing. The hub/bearing was replaced.this has now happened 4 times on this vehicle3 on lf and 1 on rf wheel.

Suspension system has had continuous repairs of components however the vibration and rough ride are still present, unable to rectify poor suspension system.

Clamps to the stabilizer is loose resulting in vibration.

Two front wheel bearings have gone out/broke while consumer was driving, and it became difficult to control vehicle.

Rear suspension making noise.

Rear axles--oil seals leaking into wheel brake drums.

Consumer stated there was a bad squeak noise coming from the rear of vehicle, the dealer replaced the rear stabilizer insulator bushings.

Suspension system has had continuous repairs of components however the vibration and rough ride are still present, unable to rectify poor suspension system.

Front 2 tires wore out prematurely, only had 25, 756 miles and was rotated 5-6000 miles.( dot number: unknown tire size: p215/6015 )

All four tires are splitting in the grooves. Tire size p215/60r15 , dot# w2mwaaa278contacted dealer, and dealer stated the tires are dry rotting.it is 1997 chevrolet malibu 4 dr. *et

I was passing another car, when my car,started goingout of control, i managed to getover top the right lane and on to the shoulder,when i ,got out to check out what was wrong . I noticed ,t here was'nt any rubber on the rim accept, on side and pieces of steel was sticking out all over. A car across the 4-lane interstate ,had to stop & pick up the hunk of tire, to get it off the road. The tire damnaged the drivers side rear fender, when it came apart. The dealer where ,i bought my car ,replaced that tire and repaired the damage to the car,as it was under warranty .( dot number: tire size: p215160r15 )

Tiresfailure.

We were towing our malibu behind a motorhome, had just pulled on to i75 after an hour stop at a truck stop.we walked around the vehicle before leaving the truck stop and all tires appeared to be in good condition. Fortunately two passing vehiclesmotiioned us to pull over.the tire was completely removed from the rim.we took a photograph.( dot number:tire size: p215/60r15 )

Unanticipated blowout on interstate access ramp.tire was completely destroyed and had the appearance of those shown on tv related to the suv tire problem. (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number:tire size: p215/60r15 )

Jan 7, 2001 we were driving between 45 to 50mph.my husband said to pull over because we had a flat tire. Two months ago we bought the malibu used.so i was obvious that the previous owner had those tires put on.we noticed a week later that the front tires needed to be rotated, we did so.so 3000 miles later we had this blowout.the right-rear tire came apart.usually when you get a flat tire theres a puncher or slow leak.pieces of the tire came off.i looked at the other tire yesterday and i can see some cracks on it.and those tires aren't bald but worn.the front tires are firestonebut newer.i know these tires aren't on the recall list, but there is something is wrong with these tires.i think firestone should replace my tires. (tiresize: p215/60ris)( dot number:tire size: p215/60ris )

Service bulletin #00-03-10-003b. No safety defec tmentioned. (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number:tire size: p215/60r15 )

The tires are 80,000 mile tires that need to be replaced at 35000 due to premature wear on the center rib.the center rib is bald, but the outer ribs have well over half of the original tread left.this was first noticed at about 12000 miles, so we ran the tires at 25psi to try to correct center wear.the inflation specs on the car door call for 29psi front, 26psi rear.we have kept the tires rotated and air pressure check at regularly scheduled times.the tires are becoming unsafe, and need to be replaced.the dealer will not warranty the tires, and firestone claims that the tire is only a 40,000 mile rated tire.the firestone customer service rep stated that the oem affinity tires were only 40,000 mile tires, but if i were to buy new affinity tires from a firestone dealer, i would get an 80,000 mile rated tire.the dealer checked the car for proper front and rear adjustment, and claims that the car is not at fault.we were given a 98 model malibu to drive while they checked our car that had 17,600 miles, and we noticed that the front tires on this car were worse than on our car, but the back tires were not quite as bad.it looked as though the tires had never been rotated on this car.of course, the dealer states that if we had brought the car in 20,000 miles sooner, he could have done something for me.of course he could say that now that it is already past.gm and firestone both think it is the responsibility of the other to be responsible for the tires.furthermore, the dealer's service dept suggested i run the tires at 35psi and tried to send me home with the tires inflated to that amount of air pressure.the tires are becoming unsafe, and need to be replaced.( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 )

Spare tire rubs brake caliper. ( dot number: )

Seat belt not working, all four tires are cracking all around the tread and sidewall.lower control arm replaced and hood cable defective.

Firestone affinity tires (p215 60 r15) experienced a blowout of the sidewalls and tread separation.

Tirs have cracks in between treads.

These were orig. 80,000mi. Tires that needed to be replaced at 35,560mi due to early tread wear.( dot number: )

No summary listed for abov evehicle.

Cable nearly severed.had reported accelerator problems in past to dealer.was dismissed as floor mat catching the pedal.

While driving at low speed, the drive wheel pulley shattered causing inablity to steer vehicle. Car had to be towed for repairs to local dealership.

Cup holder fell off on two occasions.

Air conditioner cuts off, engine fails to start (security system), carpet has disentegrated, front end problems, brake pad replaced and belt.

Side trim on the inside (top and bottom) are defective.nlm

Passlock* (theft system) engages not enabling the car to start (gas is cut off to the engine).chevorlet is replacing ignition lock (believed to be the fix). *nlm

Engine check light andanti theft system illuminated oninstrument panel, indicating a malfunction.cause unknown.please give any further details.

Vehicle surges, and rpms jump up and down, causing the abs to kick in and roll forward, happened two times. Dealer and manufacturer contacted and are not aware of the problem.

Throttle cable from pedal to engine broke

Throttle body was clogged, causing the accelerator pedal to stick.also, the vehicle has expoerienced premature brake wear.

Cable nearly severed.had reported accelerator problems in past to dealer.was dismissed as floor mat catching the pedal.

Cruise control failed.

The accelerater sticks and the engine accelerates. . the only way to stop is to turn the key off. Has been to dealer 4 times for same problem.

While driving at 50 mph. On the right line the vehicle accelarated by itself, comsumer couldn't deaccelerate. The vehicle had been taken to the shop for three days, the mechanic saidthe problem was the throttle cable.

Whiledriving accelerator cable broke. Consumerpulled to the side of the road and called a tow truck.

Accelerator cable broke at throttle body causing the gas pedal not to work.nlm

Accelerator cable failed while consumer was accelerating.nlm

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while driving in rainy weather, the windshield wipers failed. The contact stated that the wipers crossed over each other and stopped working. The contact then moved off the roadway and manually dislodged the wipers however, they would not move. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the linkages needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and stated that the vehicle was not included in any recall. The failure mileage was 142,200.

Middle dash vents failed.

Blower motor failed resulting in vibration.

Defroster control module failed.

Power window motor failed.

Power windows switch failed.

While traveling on a busy interstate in very heavy rains and rush hour traffic, i heard a loud noise and then my wipers were stopped & criss-crossed in front of me.i felt extremely lucky to get off the highway, without causing a wreck.later, i found out that there was a know defect on the wiper pivots for my model car.but regardless, the recall wasn't any good for my state.i don't understand the logic behind this... If a part is defective- it is defective. The recall was only effective for certain 'salt-belt' states, of which my state isn't included.i did however live in one of these salt-belt states for several years (with this car).but whether your car is registered in one of those states or not you could have a lot of use of the wipers.between hurricane season and the rainy season in florida,wipers get a whole lot of use down here too.

Exterior rear view mirror loose.mjs

Exterior rear view mirrors vibrate, obstructing vision.

Driver side exterior rearview mirror vibrates at all speeds obstructing view especially at high speeds, all attempts to remedy have failed, dealer has contacted manufacturer and both refuse further attempts to repair.

For months the airbag made noises when driving as air was seeping through the rubber border. Then today the sunroof just flew off the car on the highway so there was no way of salvaging it. It broke off the hinges and the sunroof was not open anyway at all. It was the type that you could either vent or slide back.

Windshield seal failed resulting in leakage.mjs

Windshield failed causing it to crack.

The vin number of car fell into recall but since car is in missouri gm says it doesnt qualify for recall. The car was from st. Louis missouri which borders illinois . Illinois by the way is in recall. We feel gm knows about defect and is avoiding fixing it. No safety defect listed.

Windshield wiper arm broke. There is a recall, but only for vehicles in salt belt states. Thisvehicle was not included.

Windshield wipers became inoperable in a rain storm, cause unknown.please give any further details.

Wiper assembly failed.

Recall 01v068000 concerning windshield wiper arm.front windshield wipers stopped operating during inclement conditions. Dealer was notified, butdealer informed the consumer that this vehicle was not covered under the recall due to vin.

1997 chevrolet malibu wipers the part broke from the armcalled chevrolet place in boaz alabama to check if they had a recall he checked and said no.

While driving in inclement weather, the windshield wipers stopped working ontheir own.the consumer drove the vehicle to the dealer for an inspection,and the mechanic informed the driver that this vehicle was not covered under the recall.the wipers are inoperative. *sc

Date of incident- heavy rains, driving on 1-95 north in stratford, ct- the passenger side wiper system fail- breaks off its mounting bracket- leads to failure of drivers side wiper in a pouring rain on highway- visibilty becomes zero- was lucky to get off the road from middle lane without incident. Found a garage who had never seen anything like this before- put rin-x on my windshield was able to get home. Showed dealer- next day they had never seen anything like this. Made arrangements to have repaired, done and contacted chevrolet and described this as amanufacturer defect. Car out of warrantee and they would not cover. How many demolished vehicles and fatalities have happened on a rainslick road and the culprit has been the weather when actually the windshield wiper system was at fault, but the dead person was unable to explain what happened just prior to the collision. The car would have severe damage and this defect would have been overlooked. I thoroughly believe by my experience, and lucky to be alive, that this is a manufacturering defect and cause for several deaths. I have the defective parts, or those that where given me by the dealer after the repair. I would like a thorough investigation into this defect as i believe i am one onf the lucky few who survived.

The windshield wiper linkagefailed.a recall has been issued however, the vehicle identification number was not included. *sc

I am the owner of a 1997 chevy malibu. One day while i was driving around town, it was raining, and my windshield wiper arm flew off of the car. I looked up recalls on your site and found that there is a recall for the problem i have. I contacted chevrolet and they told me that there is no such recall for my car. I don't feel i should have to pay for replacement parts if there is a recall on defective parts. The nhtsa campaign id # is 01v068000

Consumer experienced recall(01v-068) failure causing visibility problems during snow storm, chevrolet claims no recall exists.

The windshiled wiper failed prior to recall (01v-068) during a rainstorm which resulted in poor visibility while driving.nlm

Windshield wipers are experiencing the same defect as stated in recall # 01 v 068 000, but this vehicle not included in recall due to vin.incident dated to be corrected when the evoq is returned. Per aaj.7/7/04.

Sep.6 2001 &july 22, 2003 recall windshield wiper pivot housing---dealer said i didn,t need the recall replaced and mercy from g.m. Said take the car in on that recall still no work on wiper pivot housing----lots of problems with this low milelage car---32610.

There is a recall on my 1997 chevy malibu for the windshield wipers and i have had them break do to the recall but the dealer in my town will not cover the recall because i do not have the vin number that is listed in the recalls and i live in the state of missouri. Just because someone has not reported it from missouri about this happening does not mean it should not be covered. The exact thing that is said to happen to the wipers on the recall has happened to mine and it will cost me 150.00 to replace the whole system that broke. I want this problem fixed so i can get my car fixed. Please ad missouri to the list and also all chevy malibus in 1997 should be covered under this recall as it has happened to me.!!!

Vehicle's windshield wipers stopped working. *mr the dealer told the consumer the problem was the pivot housing.please refer to recall #01v068000*scc

Gmc replaces defective part in "salt belt" area only (recall 01v068000); should replace in all areas. Consumer complains that the defect appears in all locales and when the housing snaps there is a possibility of an immediate safety issue should this occur in inclement weather.also, consumer would like to be reimbursed for monies charged to her by general motors. *jg

The contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu.while driving approximately 40 mph in inclement weather conditions, the pivot housing fractured and caused the wipers to fail.as a consequence, the contact's visibility was significantly reduced and the risk of a crash was increased.the dealer stated that his vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 01v068000 (visibility:windshield wiper/washer:linkages).the contact paid $380.68 to replace the windshield wiper pivot housing.the manufacturer did not assist.the failure and current mileages were 93,986.updated 1/26/09 updated 01/26/09.

The consumer recieved recall notice 01v-068 for the windshield wipers, the recall listed states which were included in the recall but the consumers state was not listed therefore the consumer took no immediate action, however while driving in a heavy snowstorm the vehicles wipers suddenly ceased to function, the consumer feels this recall should have included the state in which he lives.nlm

Passenger side pivot holder windshield wiper was broke so we took it into the dealership-they said the tranmission was broke on both wipers-there seems to be a recall on this but only in certain states not in missouri.unfair!

The vehicle experienced the same problem as mentioned in recall #01 v 068 000 concerning windshield wipers. Howeverthis vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin.

While driving in rain windshield wiper switch was turned from delayed to low, and left wiper went over to right side, and right wiperjust stopped working. Wipers broke, smoke from motor that burned out, came from underhood. Dealer contacted, and warranty will remedy problem. Provide further information....

Windshield wipers got out of sync/ caught and stopped and stuck and stuck togehter in middle during operation. This problem caused poor visibility. Wiper transmission broke, same problem occurred again at 23350 miles, however transmission did not burn out this time.

Wiper motor and relay board failed.

Windshield wiper motors failed resulting in driver's side wiper detaching.

During rainstorm at night traveling on light road with lights out on poles due to lightning strike, cars windshield wipers suddenly stopped working at high rate of speed with a down pour of rain that was hard to see in anyway. The passenger side wipe transmission assembly broke causing the drivers side wiper to not work either since the passenger side is designed to run both. The part was made of plastic and seem to be designed for failure as anyone knows plastic once heate4d and cooled thru seasons will break. The potential hazard could have been many deaths as the driving was in a large city with high traffic had not i been able to gradually slow down due to a curb being on the side of the road that allowed me to feel my way driving.. Nlm

When driving in inclement weather whenwindshield wipers were needed,windshield wiper on passenger's sidestopped working. There is a recall listed regardingpassenger's side windshield wipers only.

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We found the following complaints for CHEVROLET MALIBU (1997)

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