1999 Chevrolet Malibu Engine Problems

TAKATA RECALL: MY SONS ANTITHEFT CONSTANTLY TURNS ON CAUSING THE CAR NOT TO START OR SHUT OFF AND DISABLES HIS KEYLESS REMOTES WHICH THAN NEED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE I WAS ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO GET IT STARTED DUE TO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE HAD SOME TRICKS. MY SON IS IN COLLEGE AND HAS BEEN STRANDED MANY TIMES DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION. HE'S HAD 2 ACCIDENTS WHERE THE CAR WON'T FULLY STOP CAUSING HIM TO HIT A CAR. HIS AC LIGHT CONSTANTLY SHUTS OFF MAKING THE AC NOT WORK PROPER. THIS IS THE WORSE CAR!

NHTSA ID

10897411

Incident

Aug 1, 2016

IGNITION SWITCH HAS BEEN GETTING LOOSE AND DIFFICULT TO TURN ON FOR A LONG TIME. RECEIVED NTSB RECALL LETTER ABOUT UNINTENTIONAL KEY ROTATION FOR THE 1999 CHEVY MALIBU. I FOLLOWED THE NTSB INSTRUCTIONS AND REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE KEY RING. ON APRIL 21, 2015 THE CHEVY DEALER GLUED A PLASTIC HOUSING TO MY KEYS. AFTER RECEIVING MY KEYS BACK I COULD HARDLY GET THE KEY TO ROTATE THE IGNITION LOCK, I HAD TO JIGGLE THE KEY QUITE VIGOROUSLY TO GET THE IGNITION TO OPERATE. FOUR DAYS LATER THE KEY FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH. ALTHOUGH DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BRAKE I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY BRING THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, LOCATE THE KEY ON THE FLOOR AND AFTER REINSERTING THE KEY RESTARTED HE CAR. I HAD A ROLL OF TAPE IN THE GLOVE BOX AND I USED IT TO TAPE THE KEY IN POSITION. NO FURTHER DIFFICULTIES. ON APRIL 27, 2015 I REPLACED THE LOCK CORE SUCCESSFULLY. THE RECALL FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ACCEPTABLE OR SAFE. I KNEW THE IGNITION LOCK WAS GETTING BAD BUT WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN IF THE KEY FELL OUT. THIS FIX GAVE ME A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THAT A PROBLEM WAS TAKEN CARE OF. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER I THOUGHT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE LOCK CORE AND KEYS AND NOT JUST GLUE A HOUSING ONTO MY WORN-OUT KEYS. MY REPLACEMENT OF THE LOCK CORE SOLVED THE PROBLEM THE WAY THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE. A LETTER NEEDS TO GO OUT TO ALL THAT RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER THAT THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE FIX IF THE LOCK CORE IS NOT REPLACED. WHEN THE DEALER SHOWED ME THE FIX I LAUGHED AT THE TIME AND SAID YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME THAT I'VE WASTED 1:45 OF MY TIME WAITING FOR THE GLUE TO DRY. I DO NOT KNOW WHO THOUGHT THIS WOULD SOLVE ANYTHING OR APPROVED IT BUT I THINK THEY ARE AN IDIOT AND SHOULD BE FIRED FROM ANY POSITION OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY THAT THESE RECALLS ARE SUPPOSE TO ADDRESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10713496

Incident

Apr 25, 2015

Mileage

160,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI THEFT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT A SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

NHTSA ID

10659291

Incident

Jun 2, 2014

Mileage

86,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 7/9/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED ON A REGULAR BASIS IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SWITCH THE VEHICLE OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. FOR THIS REASON THE CONSUMER OPTED TO "JUNK" THE VEHICLE INSTEAD OF TRADING IT IN. UPDATED 07/14/2014 *JS

NHTSA ID

10577357

Incident

Apr 14, 2004

Mileage

65,000 mi

THE THEFT SYSTEM, PASSLOCK, FAILS CAUSING THE CAR TO NOT START FOR 10 MINUTES. THIS CAN AND HAS HAPPENED CONSECUTIVELY, SOMETIMES CAUSING A WAIT OF 30 MINUTES, BEFORE THE CAR CAN BE STARTED. APPARENTLY THE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE, KNOWN ISSUE WITH GM, AND DOES NOT READ THE KEY PROPERLY WHEN INSERTED IN THE IGNITION SYSTEM. SO, IT WILL SHUT OFF THE FUEL PUMP TO THE ENGINE, DISABLING THE ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10463858

Incident

Jun 8, 2012

Mileage

87,900 mi

MY CAR STARTED LEAKING ENGINE COOLER, I HAD IT CHECKED, THEY SAID IT WAS COMING FROM THE OVERFLOW VALVE OR HOSE, AND THAT I MAY HAVE PUT TOO MUCH IN THERE. AND THEN ONE MORNING I GOT UP AND STARTED TO DRIVE, IT CRANKED UP FINE AND THEN I STARTED HEARING A NOISE, I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM , SO I TOOK IT BACK HOME. ONE MECHANIC SAID IT MAY BE MY INTAKE MANIFOLD OR A GASKETS, I REALLY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT CARS, BUT I KNOW IT WILL PROBABLY COST A LOT OF MONEY THAT I DON'T HAVE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I PROBABLY WILL TRY TO TRADE IT SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE, I SPENT A LOT OF MONEY KEEPING MY CAR RUNNING, IF YOU CAN MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS , IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10408481

Incident

Apr 21, 2011

THE MOTOR KEEP GOING OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10323970

Incident

Oct 15, 2009

Mileage

136,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LIFT OPEN THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE COOLANT SUDDENLY SPLASHED ON TOP OF THE ENGINE AND THE PAVEMENT BELOW THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT HAD THE COOLANT TANK REPLACED. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR WHILE TRAVELING AT 20 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT COOLANT HAD BEGUN LEAKING AND THAT SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

NHTSA ID

10319912

Incident

Feb 20, 2010

Mileage

155,000 mi

GASKET ON INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKING AGAIN REPLACED IN 2001 WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IN 2008. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249564

Incident

May 25, 2001

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS GET CONDENSATION BEHIND THEM AND I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET. ALSO THE COOLANT TANK NEEDS TO BE REFILLED MORE THAN AVERAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243436

Incident

May 10, 2008

I HAVE A CHEVY/MALIBU. I HAVE BEEN REPLACING THE GASKET, IT SEEMS, EVERY TWO YEARS. I HAVE JUST LEARNED ABOUT THE RECALL. I AM APPLYING FOR REIMBURSEMENTS FOR PARTS AND REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10239039

Incident

Aug 7, 2008

1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU UPPER AND LOWER MANIFOLD GASKETS REPLACED. CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR THIS PROBLEM. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO GET REIMBURSED. *KB THE DEX-COOL COOLANT CORRODES ALL PARTS OF THE ENGINE IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH INCLUDING THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10208372

Incident

Oct 17, 2007

MY 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU WILL SUDDENLY STALL IN HOT WEATHER ON A HIGHWAY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10202270

Incident

Jul 12, 2006

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE ENGINE COOLANT INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED, ALLOWING THE COOLANT TO FLOW INTO THE ENGINE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 54,300. *AK

NHTSA ID

10189049

Incident

Apr 26, 2007

Mileage

54,300 mi

MY 1999 CHEVY MAILBU HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS. I WILL START WITH THE 2 FUEL INJECTERS REPLACED 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING. THE CAR BEGIN TO RUN ROUGH THEN WOULD HAVE PROBLEMS STARTING. THEN THERE WAS THE ALTANATOR, THE THERMOSTAT, THE HEAD AND INTAKE GASKETS AND THE NUMUROUS ELECTICAL PROBLEMS. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS STILL CANNOT BE SOLVED AFTER NUMROUS TRIPSTO THE REPAIR SHOP. MOST OF THE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN CORRECTED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. AS A CONSUMER I HOPE YOU WILL HELP US MALIBU OWNERS WHO ARE IN DESTRESS. I KNOW THE AUTO COMPANIES ARE IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE BUT THAT STILL DOES NOT EXCUSE MAKING AN UNSAFE AUTO. I AM AFRAID ENOUGH NOT TO DRIVE MY CAR. I FEEL I PUT MY FAMILY AND MYSELF IN DANGER TAKING THSI CAR ON THE ROAD. I HOPE YOU WILL HELP CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL MY ONLY NEXT OPTION IS TO CONTACT A LAWYER OVER MY LEGAL RIGHTS.

NHTSA ID

10185956

Incident

Feb 7, 2002

AFTER REPLACING MY INTAKE GASKET 8 MONTHS AGO, MY CAR STILL OVERHEATS. ONE OF MY COOLING FANS IS NOT WORKING. MY AC LEVEL CONTROLS 1 & 2 DOESN'T WORK, ONLY 3,4, AND 5. AC SHUTS OFF ON ITS OWN. MY ENGINE BELT WENT FROM SQEAKING TO MAKING A NOISE I NEVER HEARD BEFORE. NOW MY CAR IS NON OPERATIONAL DUE TO A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. SO FAR IN THE PAST 8 MONTHS, I REPLACED MY INTAKE GASKET $600, REPLACED MY ENGINE BELT COST $120, REPLACED MY BRAKE PADS AND CALIPER TWICE IN THE PAST 2 YEARS $250 EACH TIME. NOW I'M LOOKING AT ANOTHER MAJOR REPAIR JOB. HELP ME PLEASE

NHTSA ID

10177289

Incident

Dec 15, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE RAN HOT. IN MARCH 2006, THE SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT LOCATE ANY PROBLEM. IN OCT 2006, THE VEHICLE RAN HOT AGAIN CAUSING SMOKE TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. WHEN PULLED OVER, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE NEEDED ANTIFREEZE. THE CONTACT FILLED THE ANTIFREEZE AND TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AGAIN. WITHIN ONE MILE SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE AND THE ANTIFREEZE WAS EMPTY AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

10170790

Incident

Mar 1, 2006

Mileage

100,000 mi

COOLANT SYSTEM OVERHEATING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10166769

Incident

Aug 17, 2006

ROTOR REPLACEMENT X 3. SUSPENSION - FRONT REPLACED. CALIPERS X3. TIRE WEAR AND LEAKS - REPLACED ANNUALLY. RADIO - BAD WIRING. A/C IN DASH WIRING REPLACED TWICE. REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY REPLACED TWICE. LEAKING IN REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND TRUNK. COOLANT LEAK - 8/06 AT 74000 MILES. MECHANIC BELIEVES IT IS THE WATER PUMP. A/C SENSOR REPLACED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10166043

Incident

Aug 18, 2006

Mileage

5,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE AND REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THREE YEARS LATER, THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SAME COMPONENT.

NHTSA ID

10157079

Incident

May 9, 2006

Mileage

106,000 mi

CHEVROLET MALIBU 1999. 84000 MILES. IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS I HAD TO REPLACE THE TAIL LIGHTS TWICE THIS IS THE ENTIRE UNIT WHICH COST OVER $250 EACH I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE STOP/BRAKE LIGHT BULBS AT LEAST SIX TIMES ON EACH SIDE. THE SOCKET THAT HOLDS THE BULBS KEEP MELTING AND LAST DECEMBER IT MELTED TO THE POINT THAT I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT AND WHEN I OPENED THE PLASTIC SOCKET WAS COMPLETELY MELTED. AS OF NOW NEITHER LIGHT IS WORKING. I CHECKED IN THIS SITE AND NHTSA ACTION NUMBER RQ04005 INDICATES THE FOLLOWING: GM IN DECEMBER 2004, GM WILL ISSUE A SPECIAL POLICY FOR MY 1999-2000 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V327. THE POLICY COVERS TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH. GM WILL SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING DECEMBER 30, 2004. THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS. THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FUTURE ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I CALLED GM AS WELL AS THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE LIGHT THEY CLAIM THE AGREEMENT WAS ONLY FOR SOME OF THE 1999 CHEVY MALIBU AND MY VEHICLE [XXX] IS OUTSIDE THE RANGE THEY ARE COVERING. I WAS TOLD BY A GM CUSTOMER SERVICE TO WAIT AND SEE IF THEY RECALL OTHER CARS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED OF THE ADVICE AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ALSO, THE INFORMATION AND AGREEMENT POSTED ON NHTSA (SEE ABOVE) DOES NOT INDICATE ANY EXCEPTIONS. CAN SOMEONE INVESTIGATE THIS PLEASE? IN ADDITION TO THIS PROBLEM, THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING AND I HAD TO HAVE THE MANIFOLD REMOVED AND A NEW GASKET PUT IN TWICE. REPLACED BRAKE PADS 5/6 TIMES AND ROTORS ONCE. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012*JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10153529

Incident

Mar 18, 2006

Mileage

40,000 mi

VEHICLE HAS JUST REACHED 62000 MILES. MOST RECENT INCIDENT - ALL DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON-CAR DIED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. REPLACED ALTERNATOR - SUPPOSEDLY "COMMON" AT THIS MILEAGE. SIX WEEKS PRIOR - COOLANT INDICATOR KEEPS COMING ON. DEALER REPLACED LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND WATER PUMP. ALSO TOLD COMMON IN THIS CAR AT THIS MILEAGE. BRAKES DONE ALSO - ROTORS NEEDED REPLACEMENT - AGAIN SUPPOSEDLY COMMON IN THE MALIBU. *JB

NHTSA ID

10149489

Incident

Feb 2, 2006

Mileage

62,300 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HE CHECKED THE COOLANT AND IT WAS LOW DUE TO A LEAK FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. REPAIRS WILL BE MADE AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE.*AK UPDATED 01/11/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10145860

Incident

Oct 22, 2005

Mileage

45,000 mi

BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE 2002- A/C GOES OFF AND ON- IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE- DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DON'T ROLL DOWN- ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY REPLACED- INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND RADIATOR REPLACED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10132611

Incident

May 4, 2005

Mileage

60,000 mi

. I BOUGHT CAR NEW. THE ROTORS, CALIPERS AND BRAKE PADS ON THIS CAR HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES. THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED EVERY YEAR DUE TO WATER GETTING INTO THE ASSEMBLY. THE AC SWITCH - BLOWER RESISTOR HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE FIRST TIME I REPLACED THE ROTORS - IT ONLY HAD 5000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS 61000 TODAY.

NHTSA ID

10121776

Incident

May 18, 2005

Mileage

5,000 mi