Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THIS 2001 CHEVY MALIBU HAD THE RACK AND PINION BREAK FREE FROM THE ENGINE CRADLE DUE TO FRAME CORROSION. THE CAR IS NOW UNDRIVABLE AND NEEDS NEW ENGINE CRADLE (FRONT FRAME). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE FRAME SHOULD NOT RUST ON A CAR IN A PLACE THAT COULD KILL SOMEBODY. BAD DESIGN. POOR QUALITY. NEVER BUY A GM ....EVER. *TR
I HAD MY CAR TOW TO A AUTO SERVICES CENTER CAUSE IT WOULD NOT START, THE TECH TOLD ME IT WAS THE STARTER BUT SAID THERE WAS ANOTHER PROBLEM THE SUB FRAME VERY RUSTED AND THE ENGINE COULD FALL OUT ANYTIME. THEY REPLACE THE FRONT SUB FRAME,OUTER TIE ROD END, SWAY BAR LINK KIT, THE COST WAS $927.39 . IS G M RESPONSIBLE AND CAN I BE REIMBURSE FOR MY COST. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30 TO 40 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY JERK. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE TRAVELD INTO ANOTHER LANE AND CRACHED INTO A CURB. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AXLE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.
I OWN A 2001 CHEVY MALIBU AND OUT OF THE BLUE ONE DAY MY ENGINE JUST SHUT DOWN RIGHT ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAVE NOT YET HAD IT CHECKED DUE TO FINANCE PROBLEMS. NOT ONLY THAT I ALSO HAVE TO CHANGE MY WHEEL BEARINGS EVERY WEEK TO TWO WEEKS. I HAVE HAD THIS CHECKED AND THE GARAGE I TAKE IT TO FOR ALL MY REPAIRS CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE IT OUT EITHER. PLEASE HELP THANK YOU, MRS.SPARKS *TR
NOTICED A HOWLING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT SUSPENSION. DETERMINED TO BE RF WHEEL HUB/BEARING. REPLACE THE HUB/BEARING.*AK
CAN'T KEEP CAR ALIGNED. TECHNICIANS SAID THAT THEY HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS WITH OTHER MALIBU'S. THEY CAN'T DO ANY MORE TO KEEP ALIGNMENT IN PLACE. WE DID A TEST BY ALIGNING CAR AND GOING BACK IN 2 WEEKS AND ALIGNMENT HAS ALREADY DEVIATED FROM SET POINTS.*JB
2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU HAS DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKING AND THE COOLING SYSTEMS.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR ONE MONTH AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WOULD TURN OVER BUT IT WOULDN'T START. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE'S COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK AT THE BY PASS PIPE AT THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE HAZARD AND TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WERE REPLACED. THE RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD WERE WORN LOOSE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD ENDS AND SET THE FRONT END. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED. THE ABS MALFUNCTIONED. *NM
CAR HAS VIBRATIONS AT HIGHER SPEEDS 60+ WAS TOLD IT WAS TIRES/WHEELS THEY WERE REPLACED FOR $280 FOR TIRES AND $200 FOR JUST STEEL RIMS. CAR STILL VIBRATED AT HIGH SPEEDS AND ALSO FELT LIKE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED-THE KIND OF VIBRATING WHEN BRAKING. REPLACED ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS $49 A PIECE FOR ROTORS AND $40 A PIECE FOR BRAKE PADS. CAR CONTINUED TO VIBRATE EXCEPT WHEN STOPPING. AFTER TIME NOW (3 MOS) WHEN THE CAR IS VIBRATING AND YOU GO TO SLOW DOWN IT SHAKES THE CAR EVEN WORSE. WAS THEN TOLD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS. JUST DID THAT YESTERDAY THEY COST ME $230 NOT ONLY DOES THE CAR STILL VIBRATE IT HAS A GRINDING NOISE WHEN YOU TRUN TO THE RIGHT NOW. SINCE IVE BOUGHT IT IT HAS VIBRATIONS AT HIGH SPEEDS AND A "RUBBING" VV, VV, VV NOISE WHEN TURING RIGHT. AFTER REPLACING WHEEL BEARINGS THE CAR STILL MAKES ALL THE NOISES AND GRINDS NOW. DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO TO FIX IT, BEGINNING TO THINK IM JUST GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRONT END. REALLY USED TO TRUST CHEVY NOW IM NOT SO SURE. I HAVE HAD WAY TOO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND I JUST BOUGHT IT IN JULY2004- RIDICULOUS IF YOU ASK ME.
CONSUMER STATES: ABS SYSTEM 11OO MILES BRAKES STARTED GRIDDING, AT 37000 HAD TO REPLACE MASTER CYCLINDER, ABS SYSTEM AND THE DRUM AND BRAKE LINES IN 2003 JULY AND IS GETTING WORSE. HAD NEW BRAKES PADS PUT ON AGAIN IN JANUARY 2005. NOW ABS COMING ON AGAIN FOR 2 OR 3 DAYS AT A TIME.
2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES, TURN SIGNALS, COOLING SYSTEM AND THEFT DETERRENT LIGHT. *MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: A CONTINUOUS BRAKE PROBLEM WITH THE ROTORS, THE THEFT DETERRENT LIGHT ILLUMINATED, SO THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE HAZARD SWITCH. THE RIGHT SIDE HUB ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS WATER IN THE OIL, THEREFORE THE INTAKE GASKETS WERE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKING. *SC *JB
FILLED GAS TANK, DROVE 100 YARDS, GAUGE DROPS TO READ EMPTY. HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY IN THE SAME MANNER. ERRATIC. REQUIRES UTILIZATION OF THE TRIP METER TO TRACK FUEL USAGE. ON ONE OCCASION GAUGE READ TANK WAS ABOUT 1/8 FULL, CAR STOPPED RUNNING AND WAS OUT OF FUEL. SECOND ISSUE: "THEFT SECURITY" LIGHT HAS BEGUN TO COME ON ERRATICALLY. DRIVING ALONG, LIGHT WILL SUDDENLY COME ON. AFTER DEPARTURE OF CAR, AND RETURN, DRIVER MUST THEN FOLLOW 10 MIN. PROCEDURE TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. THIRD ISSUE: WITHOUT INSTALLATION OF HIGH QUALITY TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE, THE NOISE LEVEL AND WEAR PATTERN IS ABSURD. THE CUPPING AND WEARING HAS OCCURED ON 2 DIFFERENT SETS OF GOOD QUALITY TIRES. UPON INSTALLATION OF MICHELIN HIGH QUALITY TIRES, THE PROBLEM STOPPED.
LEFT AND RIGHT HUB BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *PH STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHEN BRAKING DUE TO FRONT ROTORS HAVING EXCESSIVE RUNOUT AND PADS WORN OUT EVENLY. ALSO, CONSUMER HEARD NOISE COMING FROM HUB BEARING, DEALER REPLACED BEARING. *LA
EVERY 15,OOO MILES BRAKES FAILED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, DEALER STATED WHEEL BEARING MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
** I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ABOVE INFO AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. BOUGHT 11/01- HIT POTHOLE 12/01, REPLACED TWO PASSENGER WHEELS(BENT) AND COMPLAINED OF "THUMPING" NOISE. DEALER 2X CLAIMED NOT TO HEAR NOISE. CAR WOULD NOT START ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS STARTING 5/02. PAID 111.00 FOR RENTAL WHILE DEALER INSPECTED. DEALER FOUND NOTHING. NEXT WEEK, FAILED TO START AGAIN, 800# TECH ADVICE TOLD ME ABOUT "ANTI-THEFT" WAS ACTING UP AND GAVE ME PROCEDURES TO START CAR. "ANTI-THEFT" SYSTEM HAS SINCE QUIT WORKING. AUTO IN "VERY MINOR" FENDER BENDER" IN 10/02, THAT WEEK DRIVER DOOR HINGE STARTED "CRACKLING", HANGING UP. INSURANCE COMPANY BODY SHOP SAID "NO RELATION" TO MINOR ACCIDENT. HINGE HAS COMPLETELY BROKEN AND NOT WORKING AT ALL SINCE THEN. 7/03 DRIVER POWER WINDOW "FELL DOWN" UPON ATTEMPT TO OPEN AS NORMAL WITH POWER BUTTON. OTHER PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN/ARE: REAR PASSENGER SPEAKER DOESN'T WORK, INTERIOR LIGHT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, "" BLINKERS/EMER. FLASHERS"" HAVE QUIT WORKING PROPERLY ABOUT 4 TO 6 MONTHS AGO. (THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE I LIVE 'UP' A BLIND DRIVEWAY ON A HIGH SPEED ROAD)?!! 1ST WEEK I HAD THE CAR I NOTICED MOTOR RATTLED PRETTY LOUDLY UPON START UP. QUESTIONED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS "LIFTER BLEED DOWN" AND DEALER WAS WAITING ON GM FOR REMEDY, IF AVAILABLE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR AS USED WITH NEW WARRANTY IN PLACE, ABOUT 23,300 MILES ON 36/36000 NEW CAR WARRANTY AS WELL AS BOUGHT A 1500.00 EXTENDED 5YR/100000 WARR. ANY SUGGESTIONS, VERY TICKED OFF AND DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN.
WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE ALSO LOST POWER STEERING BUT THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER. PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK TWO SEPARATED DEALERSHIPS STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL ONE DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A "HICC UP" AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS NOISY AND THE LEFT FRONT HUB WAS NOISY. *SCC THE FUEL PUMP AND IGNITION SWITCH AND THE CONSUMER HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. ALSO THE FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED. *JB
RIGHT STRUT MOUNT FAILED, CAUSING A SQUEAKY NOISE. *AK
AFTER RESEARCHING THE SERVICE BULLETINS SECTION OF THIS WEBSITE, I HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT I HAVE COMPLAINED/HAD SERVICED ABOUT 85% OF THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT ARE LISTED ON YOUR DATABASE. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW, FROM EVERETT CHEVROLET, WA IN 2000. SINCE THE PURCHASE. DATE, I HAD CHEVY DO THE FOLLOWING: NEW BRAKES (ALL THE WAY AROUND - ONCE, FRONT ROTORS/PADS - TWICE), ALL NEW PISTONS, TRANSMISSION REPLACED, MISS ON #1 CYLINDER - REPLACED 1 FAILED SPARK PLUG, LEFT REAR DOOR SQUEAKS WHEN OPEN/SHUT - LUBED (HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES NOW), FRONT LEFT NOISE FROM STRUTS/BRAKES - NOT ABLE TO VERIFY AS OF YET (POSSIBLE STRUT PROBLEM/LUBE), FAN IN DASHBOARD HAS A SOUND IN THE MIDDLE (JUST ABOVE THE CD PLAYER/RADIO) LIKE THERE IS A PIECE OF PAPER CAUGHT IN THE HOUSING (CONFIRMED AFTER 4 COMPLAINTS, FAULTY FAN MOTOR), PASSENGER FRONT SEAT SQUEAKS WHEN OCCUPIED (DEALERSHIPS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE./FIX), REARVIEW MIRROR RATTLES WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (TIGHTENED, STILL DOES IT IN HOT WEATHER). BOTTOM LINE, THIS IS MY FIRST NEW CAR PURCHASE AND I AM HAVING SERIOUS DOUBTS ABOUT KEEPING THE CAR - AS IT ONLY HAS 21,405 MILES ON IT. WITH THE 3/30 WARRANTY. COMING UP IN OCT. 2003, I AM VERY MUCH AFRAID THAT I HAVE PURCHASED A LEMON AND NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO SPENDING ANYMORE TIME/$$$ ON THIS VEHICLE. ANY SUGGESTIONS? *JB
THE FRONT END IS VIBRATING AT ANY SPEED. DEALER HAS DONE FRONT ALIGNMENT, REPLACED THE FRONT TIRES, AND THE ROTORS WERE TURNED. DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE, BUT WILL ONLY TURN (THREE TIMES) TO BE TURNED LESS THAN THREE MONTHS. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE SEVENTH TIME THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR ONE PROBLEM OR ANOTHER, AND FEELS THAT THE VEHICLE IS A LEMON. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE FOR TWELVE WEEKS FOR A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. A VALVE ADJUSTMENT SEEMS TO REMEDY, THE FRONT END VIBRATION STILL NOT REPAIREED. *SCC
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ON FLAT SURFACE FRONT END WILL MAKE LOUD NOISES, AND VEHICLE WILL HEAVILY VIBRATE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE SHAKES ERRATICALLY. IT VIBRATES FROM INSIDE. ALSO, HAD NEW STRUTS PUT ON REAR. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT DRIVER SIDE HEAD LAMP OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, FRONT BRAKE PADS MAKE NOISE, ENGINE MAKES TAPPING NOISE WHEN FIRST STARTING, THERE WAS A SHIMMY IN VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING DUE TO STRUTS LEAK. *YH
CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE FOR ONE MONTH AND HAD BALANCED TIRES TWICE, WHILE DRIVING OVER 55 MPH THE VEHICLE SHAKES, CONSUMER PULLED INTO TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, VEHICLE FISHTAILED AND EXPERIENCED ROLLOVER, CAUSING ONE INJURY, POSSIBLY FAULTY TIRES, FIRESTONE AFFINITY TOURING T-2, P215/60R15, CLAIM 53-C796-229. *SLC
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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