Owner of a 1999 chevrolet mailbu. Front driver's side coil spring failed, resulting in having the car towed to a service facility. The failure occurred in our driveway. If it happened while driving it could have resulted in an accident. Did some research on your website and found an investigation into this defect (ea03021).
1999 Chevrolet Malibu suspension complaints
Page 3 of 4: complaints 41 to 70 of 82, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Consumer's wife was driving down the street and front coil spring broke. This caused the vehicle to break down in the middle of an intersection, which was very dangerous. Vehicle was towed to a private mechanic.
Ea 03021 - while traveling on 3/7/04 the drivers side front coil spring broke on my 1999 chevy malibu. This broken spring rubbed against the tire and caused it to pop. It also ruined the drivers front strut assembly.
While driving 30 MPH consumer smelled a burning rubber odor and smoke. Without any indication passenger front end dropped down on to rim. Consumer removed tire to change it, and noticed that coil spring snapped.
Have to replace brake pads/rotors every 5,000 miles. I've spent more money on the brakes on this car than gas. I've also gone through 5 sets of tires. Replaced wheel hub bearings, and still, after replacing items, the vibration, shaking, instability comes back. Also, problem with ABS. Light comes on and stays on. I've had it looked at 6 times and dealer can't find problem. Each time after seeing dealer, it goes out. But then comes back on again in a few days. Have problems braking. I've had to stop quickly, and the brake pedal goes to the floor, and car won't slow down. It's as if I'm trying to slow down on a sheet of ice, and I live in florida!!! Back taillights constantly melt around bulbs. I've had to replace the tail light assemblies in both. Is chevrolet going to do anything about these problems?? I've read that a lot of other people are having these same problems. Does it take a few people's deaths to finally get them to care? Come on chevrolet, I used to believe in you, but now I'm questioning the cars. This is the 6th chevrolet car I've owned. Strongly thinking of never buying a chevy again.
Air controls switch back & forth from fresh to recirculate. Car has refused to start twice & antitheft system activated. Intake manifold leak upper and lower. I had the gasket replaced and gm canada paid for the labor and I paid for the parts, approx $180 canadian. I believe there was 78000 km (48,000 miles) on the car at the time. Seatbelts are slow to retract. Clunking noise in front end, they can't identify or fix. Recall on rotors caused pads to fail.
Since I've had the car, the brakes have been replaced twice, rotors replaced (also cleaned and other things-to the point they asked me to see if there was a recall on brakes and rotors). The right front passenger window will not work from the driver side to roll down but can still roll it up from there. The air conditioner button(resistor) needed replacing and then the vent button(resistor) needed replacing. Also, had to replace tie rod end and wheel bearing . Not to mention a water pump. We bought the car used from sawyer chevrolet with 38,000 miles on it. It now has 76,000. But within a year and a half of owning it, this is all the work we had to put into it. I've never had a car that needed all that repairing done before it reached 100,000 miles. Plus we had to get new tires because they had firestone tires on them that were warping, etc. But sawyers refused to replace them and firestone did not get back to us in time before our vacation. So we put new tires on ourselves.
!999 chevy malibu ls, replaced left front wheel bearing. Mileage on car 32,728
When depressing the brakes at any speed there was pulsation and severe vibrations throughout the steering column. Also, there was extended stopping distance. Dealer had vehicle three times, and replaced rotors/pads on both sides, and the left front coil spring.
This 1999 chevrolet malibu was purchased in july 2001 in had a water leaking problem took 3 tries before they found it needed thermostat gasket didn't even have one in it they sold it to me .this way with a promise it had been fixed. Within the first year I had the car they had to replace both front wheel bearings & strut bushings. Then the alternator went out & it cause my battery to go bad overcharged it they replaced alternator but refused to re-emburse me for the battery. Then ignition switch caused problem with anti-theft system would not start. Had that replaced in march 2002. Then anti-lock brake system went out had to have it replaced window switch very slow had to be cleaned another one not working at all now, not covered under warranty, at this time also had to have anti theft system fixed again light on all the time another bad ignition switch. Also had blower motor & relay switch for heater to go out over the summer most of the interior lights have long ago burnt out & had to be replaced lock out for trunk lid also broke not covered on warranty. Hub caps have lug nuts made in them that screw onto your lug bolts stripped out when took for repairs by dealer refused to replace them because they cost $500.00 for a new set. So I purchased the lug nut part & repalced it myself at a dealership for $10.00 set of 5. November of 2002 brakes & rotors were replaced in jan. 2003 brake pads replaced again in march 2003 pads replaced again in july 2003 pads replaced once again then in sept. 2003 master cylinder replaced in oct. 2003 master cylinder replaced again now it's nov 2003 & master cylinder being replaced again tomorrow.these cars have a real brake problem that needs to be fixed it's costing a fortune.
At about 27000mi (3000mi. Service) I notified dealer of squeaking in front & rear suspension bushings. Dealer sprayed lube on rear (about $100)and notified me that they would have to lower complete front end to lube front, approx $200 more. Extended warranty didn't cover. At 30000 mi service dealer notified me I needed complete brake job. I inspected brakes while on lift. Mechanic said he made mistake! He said that he hadn't pulled wheels of yet. Said there was 80% left, repair invoice said 50% left. A little over a week later there was a puddle of trans fluid on garage floor & air conditioning smelled like urine when on, also switching itself from recirculation to fresh. Took car to dealer, they replaced switch, deductible $se on extended warranty, sprayed something in outside vent (mold they said?), and tightened trans cooling line, their fault! Three days later cooling leak, dealer replaced water pump, deductible $'s on extended warranty. Two weeks later the rear power window actuator (motor & cable assembly) quit! I might have used this window 12 times since I bought 99 malibu ls from champion chevrolet, reno,nv. New in 12/99! All things considered, I feels like they are sabotaging my vehicle to get back at me for discovering they lied about brake job! Also after reading your complaint list, I realize that I am not alone thinking that brakes, steering vibration, and reliability in general is poor on this vehicle.
While backing into a parking lot front suspension coil broke, and caused front tires to burn.
Broken left front strut and spring. Just driving down the freeway the strut broke. The service dealer couldn't believe that happened. The left front strut, spring and strut bearing had to be replaced on a car with only 50,182 miles on it. Again I called gm zone they told me to send copies of all my bills and I have not ever heard anything else.
The front brakes have been repaired at 20,150 miles, 29,853 miles, 44,379 miles, and 60,000 miles. The consumer has contacted chevrolet who stated there was nothing that could be done. *ak the left and right front wheel bearings were replaced and the upper bearing strut plate was also replaced. *ph
Defective intake manifold gasket and then the head gaskets blew on me requiring expensive repairs.
While driving at a very low speed, the driver's side spring over the strut broke and caused the tire to blowout. *ak *scc
The hub bearing on the left side of the vehicle failed. Also on june 5, 2003 the coil spring broke. *mr *ts
While backing out of the driveway front coil spring snapped and ripped through the tire. Dealer notified.
I have had nothing but problems with the brake system in my 1999 chevrolet malibu. Replaced calipers, bearings,rotors,of course pads. Now my ABS light comes on and off (idiot light) also the gas gauge malfunctions when it gets to 1\4 tank also my climate control fan won't work on the 1st 3 speeds.
The passenger side coil spring broke.ts
Consumer states that he heard a loud noise in front of the vehicle contacted the dealer said front wheel bearing has gone bad. Ts
The left rear brake makes noise and the brake cylinder was replaced. Also, warped rotors were replaced and turned as well.
The rotors warp every 10,000- 15,000 miles. Also, the stopping distance has increased. The dealer has repaired this problem 3 times already. *ak the consumer states that there is early shifting in all the gears, the ride is rough, the electrical rear defogger doesn't clear well, sometime the passenger seat belt sticks, the brake pedal goes to the floor/too far, sounds like air is coming through the front door/and window-per bulletin, the passenger inside door handle had broken out of the support braket-r/r, the rotors are worn/out of adjustment/and make noises when stopping/pulsation from rear brakes-drums, and at low speeds the transmission jerks/slipping-diagnosed a leak from pan bolts.
Suspension is still having problems after three trips to dealership for repairs. Gm admits service alert, but remedy they suggest doe snot fix problem. When vehicle is moving at higher speeds on rough surface, car jerks, squeaks and feels generally less controllable
The consumer states that when applying the brakes, the vehicle will vibrate. The consumer takes the vehicle to the dealer every 4000 miles for the same vibration/squeaking and they just replaced the brake pads, and trimmed the rotors. The problem still occurs every 3,000 to 4,000 miles. *jb the consumer states that the vibration immediately caused the alignment to go bad and gets very hard to control the vehicle if driving at highway speed. *jb
When making turns ABS light comes on intermittently, consumer will then shut off engine and restart. Abs light will then be off. Mechanic cannot find a cause.ABS light was illuminating at time of purchase. Consumer had to have a new motor put in because of a knocking noise in the piston plates. Alignment to the front suspension was needed.
Immediately after the purchase of the vehicle, consumer made no less than four trips back to the dealership because the control panel for the locks and windows located on the drivers door came loose.
There is a thumping noise in front end of vehicle when consumer is driving. Contacted dealer, and the dealer is not willing to do anything.
Front wheel started to squeak. This was the fourth set of front wheel bearing contacted dealer ,and dealer stated just keep changing wheel bearings . *akglove box door does not close, headlight brigher than other, fog lamp fell off while driving, foglamp assembly was replaced, passenger rear door queeks when opened / closed, automatic transmission fluid leaks, brakes noisy / squeeking when braking, vehicle squeeks when sterring right, consumer also states failures with struts and strut caps. *tt consumer complains that all four tires worn out too fast, whirring noise from fl tires. No tire information given.
While driving and accelrating extreme vibration occurs within steering wheel, cause unknown. Dealer cannot identify the problem. Please give any further details.
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