1998 Chevrolet Malibu Other / unspecified Problems

THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT COMES ON AT SPORADIC TIMES AND DOES NOT ALLOW CAR TO START. YOU THEN HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST 10 MINUTES TO RESTART CAR. THIS COULD BE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION DEPENDING WHERE YOU ARE WHEN CAR WILL NOT START. I HAD A SMALL CHILD WITH ME ON THE WAY TO THE DOCTOR AND MADE A STOP AT THE DRUG STORE, THEN TRIED TO RESTART CAR TO PROCEED TO DOCTOR AND CAR WOULD NOT START. SINCE I ONLY RECENTLY ACQUIRED THIS CAR, I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND SEE THAT IT IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH CHEVY MALIBUS. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL FOR THIS--OR, IF THERE IS ONE, PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10449914

Incident

Feb 15, 2012

THE AC CONTROL KEEPS ON JUMPING FRONT INSIDE AIR TO OUTSIDE AIR, AND THESE CAUSED THE COMPRESSOR TO CYCLE ON AND OFF, BOUGHT A NEW ONE FROM THE DEALER COST 150.00 NO WARRANTY STILL KEEPS ON DOING THE SAME THING, GOT ANOTHER ONE FROM THE JUNK YARD STILL DOES THE SAME THING, SPENT 200.00 DOLLARS ON AC COMPRESSOR BUT AC DOES NOT WORK BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEM , DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO, I NEED HELP! *TR

NHTSA ID

10280582

Incident

Aug 12, 2009

Mileage

75,000 mi

AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, I BOUGHT A 1998 CHEVY MALIBU, 2.4 L, 4 CYL, SEDAN. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE I BEGAN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS LIGHT COMMMING ON AND MY BRAKES WERE GRINDING REALLY BAD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM THE DAY MY WARRENTY WAS TO RUN OUT. THEY SUPPOSIDLY RESET THE ABS SYSTEM BECAUSE IT DID THROW THEM A CODE. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURED. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I'VE ALSO BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR COMPRESSOR. IT MAKES AN AWFUL NOISE. THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM ALSO SUPPOSIDLY REPLACED THE COMPRESSOR WITH A USED ONE. THE COMPRESSOR IS STILL MAKING THE SAME NOISE AS IF THEY NEVER REPLACED IT. BUT THESE REPAIRS WERE DONE ON MY LAST DAY OF MY WARRENTY SO THE DEALER WILL NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEMS ANYMORE. I LOVE MY VEHICLE, IT IS PERFECT FOR THE SIZE FAMILY THAT I HAVE AND IT IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL VEHICLE BUT THE ISSUES I AM HAVING WITH IT ARE ALMOST NOT WORTH DEALING WITH. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.

NHTSA ID

10127305

Incident

Mar 21, 2005

Mileage

65,000 mi

1) NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, MOSTLY HIGHWAY. 2) FAILURE OF THE HUB ASSEMBLY. VERY NOISY, REDUCED NOISE AROUND CORNERS. 3) THIS HUB HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. I HAVE SEARCHED FOR ANY RECALLS ON THIS AND COULD NOT FIND ANY. IT HAS BEEN 25000 MILES SINCE IT WAS REPLACED LAST AND THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND EXPENSIVE. WAS TOLD THAT CONTINUED DRIVING COULD CAUSE MORE DAMAGE INCLUDING ABS SYSTEM. INCIDENT DATE BELOW CORRESPONDS TO THE LASTEST TIME HUB FAILED. HAVE NOT HAD IT REPLACED YET, SO PART IS STILL AVAILABLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10118160

Incident

Apr 19, 2005

Mileage

139,400 mi

WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS FULL THE GAS GAUGE READ EMPTY AND WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS EMPTY THE GAS GAUGE READ FULL. *AK THE STEERING WHEEL MADE NOISES, THE A/C LIGHT DID NOT STAY ON AND THE A/C BLEW HOT AIR WHEN THE BUTTON WAS NOT ACTIVATED, THE KEY WOULD COME OUT OF THE IGNITION AND WOULD NOT STAY IN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STILL DRIVE WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE BRAKES WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR, THE ANTENNA DID NOT PICK UP AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF STATIONS, (CASE EFFICIENCY DECREASED FROM 350 TO 250 TO REFILL THE CAN), WHEN TWO BATTERIES WERE REPLACED, THE GAS GAUGE DID NOT WORK, AND CONDENSATION WOULD SET IN THE REAR LIGHTS AND BURNED THEM OUT. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10053978

Incident

Aug 15, 2001

ALUMINUM ALLOY TIRE RIMS: I OWN A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU, AND THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE RIMS. I AM ON MY THIRD PURCHASED REPLACEMENT RIM FOR THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN THE TIRE GOES THROUGH A CHUCK OR POT HOLE IN THE ROAD THEY ARE CRACKING, CAUSING DEFLATION OF THE TIRE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM SINCE THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE TELLS ME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACING ALOT OF THESE RIMS.

NHTSA ID

10053014

Incident

Dec 24, 2002

Mileage

65,000 mi

I HAD TO HAVE THE RACK & PINION SYSTEM REPLACED ON MY 1998 MALIBU ALONG WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY DUE TO BEING WORN THRU AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY THE SERVICE TECHINICIANS RECOMMENDATION. THIS WAS DONE AT 68719 MILES. I ALSO HAD THE INTAKE VALVES REPLACED 2 MONTHS AGO FOR THE SECOND TIME DUE TO LEAKAGE OF LOTS OF OIL INTO THE ENGINE, ALSO PER THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS RECOMMENDATION. THIS WAS ONLY 14 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS DONE THE LAST TIME. I HAVE MY SERVICE DONE AT A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND I THINK THAT 68719 MILES IS LOW MILEAGE TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE RACK & PINION SYSTEM. I ALSO THINK THAT I WAS GIVEN FAULTY INTAKE VALVES ON THE ORIGINAL ENGINE AND ALSO ON THE FIRST REPLACEMENT. I AM ALSO TAKING MY CAR BACK FOR THE 3RD VISIT TO TRY AND FIX THE CHIRPING SOUND THAT IS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I ALSO REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT AND BEARINGS 2 MONTHS AGO WHEN THE INTAKE VALVES WERE DONE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043404

Incident

Oct 9, 2003

Mileage

68,719 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST ITS RACK AND PINION STEERING AND ALL POWER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE POWER WINDOW CONTROL PANEL ON THE DRIVER SIDE ARM REST POPPED OUT, THE VEHICLE PULLED SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT (DEALER COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM). THE DEALER FINALLY REPLACED THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS, BRAKE ROTORS, 2 SETS OF TIRES/ALMOST COMPLETELY BALD AT THE TIME ONLY 13K MILES. THE RIMS HAD TO BE FORCED OFF, THE FRONT ROTORS HAD BECOME RUSTED AT 20K MILES, THE IGNITION WIRE HARNESS HAD COME APART, THE POWER STEERING HOSES HAD COME LOOSE, LOST FLUID AND POWER STEERING WHILE IN MOTION, THE TRUNK LEAKED, THE ABS LIGHT HAD COME ON TWICE A WEEK, THE FRONT END SQUEAKED AND RATTLED, THE ANTENNA WIRE WAS LOOSE, THE RIGHT HEAD LAMP HAD PERMANENT MOISTURE WITH NO CRACK, THE A/C WOULD SHUT ON/OFF INTERMITTENTLY, THE ALTERNATOR FAILED AT 60K MILES AND THE WANING LIGHT HAD COME ON FOR ONLY FIVE MINUTES, THE ENGINE LEAKED OIL, AND THE RIGHT WINDSHIELD WIPER PIVOT HOUSING HAD BROKEN. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10022685

Incident

Jun 9, 2003

Mileage

58,000 mi

FRONT BRAKES & ROTORS CONTINUOUSLY NEED REPLACING (5 TIMES IN 4 YEARS). *AK

NHTSA ID

10028656

Incident

Jul 20, 2003

Mileage

38,000 mi

FRONT WHEELS DEVELOPED GRINING NOISE. DEALER SAYS ITS WORN OUT HUBS AND BEARING ON BOTH SIDES AND CLAIMS ITS FROM POTHOLES. I DON'T HIT MANY POTHOLES. I MAKE A CONSCIENCE EFFORT TO AVOID POTHOLES. REPAIR IS COSTING ME $1000. I THINK I'M BEING TAKEN.*AK

NHTSA ID

744241

Incident

Apr 18, 2001

PREMATURE FAIL OF FRONT ROTORS DEALER WILL REPLACE ROTORS BUT WILL CHARGE FOR PADS AND ADDITIONAL LABOR. WHEEL CENTER COVERS PRESENT A CONDITION (ALL 4) THAT MAY CAUSE THEN TO COME OFF DUE TO FATIGUE OF SUPPORTING BRACKETS. REAR GLASS WEATHERSTRIPE SHRINK ABNORMALY CAUSING WATER TO ENTER INSIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID

735994

Incident

Oct 8, 2000

3 TIMES TO DEALER FOR TRUNK LEAKS, PAINT REPAIR ON NEW CAR. BRAKES ARE PULSATING AGAIN AFTER SECOND ROTOR SET REPLACEMENT. CHEVY HAD BEST GET GOING WITH A FIX OR ITS GOING TO LOSE MANY CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE. THE BRAKE PROBLEM SEEMS ENDEMIC TO MALIBU OWNERS! BLOWER MOTOR REPLACED, DOOR HANDLES LEAK COLD AIR, RATTLES AND SQUEAKS LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE. I'VE NEVER HAD A WORSE NEW CAR PURCHASE THAN THIS PIECE OF CRAP. CHEVY HAS REALLY SCREWED US ON THIS ONE!

NHTSA ID

720397

Incident

Dec 10, 1999

DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE LUGS: NUTS,THE ONLY WAY TO REMOVE THE LUGS:NUTS IS BY BREAKING THEM OFF WITH A HAMMER CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER STATED NORMAL REMOVAL STANDARD. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE MOUNTED STOP LAMP ASSEMBLY WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, PE99071. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

857024

TWO FRONT WHEEL HUBS MELTED OFF WHEEL, CAUSING THE HUBS TO FLY AWAY WHICH MAY CAUSE INJURIES. BUT BOLTS ARE STILL ON THE WHEEL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

835917

Incident

Nov 1, 1998

LEFT FRONT WHEEL RIM CRACKED RESULTING IN VERY SLOW AIR LEAK. YH

NHTSA ID

609319

Incident

Jan 21, 1998