Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIRES | |||
| 10/03/2010 | 159598 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. while driving 60 mph the vehicle was shaking and vibrating coming from the driver rear side. the vehicle was taken to a dealer tire shop and after inspecting the tires they found the rear driver side tire warp and belt separation. the brand name was laramie, model name performer hp, size 235/60r15. the dealer where the tire was purchase was not notified. the manufacturer was called and asked for the dot number and informed him the tire was not on recall. the failure mileage was 159,598 | |||
| 09/15/1997 | 14000 | 1 | 07/15/1977 |
| 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 | |||
| 09/26/2001 | 1 | 05/06/1997 | |
| All four tires are splitting in the grooves. tire size p215/60r15 , dot# w2mwaaa278 contacted dealer, and dealer stated the tires are dry rotting.*akit is 1997 chevrolet malibu 4 dr. *et | |||
| 05/30/2001 | 03/01/1997 | ||
| Service bulletin #00-03-10-003b. no safety defec tmentioned. *ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 ) | |||
| 11/01/2000 | |||
| 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 firestone but 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.*ak (tiresize: p215/60ris)( dot number: tire size: p215/60ris ) | |||
| 11/05/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1997 | |
| 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 vehicles motiioned us to pull over. the tire was completely removed from the rim. we took a photograph. *ak( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 ) | |||
| 11/05/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1997 | |
| 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 vehicles motiioned us to pull over. the tire was completely removed from the rim. we took a photograph. (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 ) | |||
| 06/14/2000 | 1 | 07/01/1997 | |
| 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.*ak (tiresize: p215/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p215/60r15 ) | |||
| 06/28/1998 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| I was passing another car, when my car,started going out of control, i managed to get over 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 . *ak( dot number: tire size: p215160r15 ) | |||
| 06/19/2000 | 2 | 06/01/1997 | |
| Front 2 tires wore out prematurely, only had 25, 756 miles and was rotated 5-6000 miles. *ak( dot number: unknown tire size: p215/6015 ) | |||
| 09/24/1999 | 4 | 07/01/1997 | |
| 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 ) | |||
| 2 | |||
| Tiresfailure. *ak | |||
| TIRES - TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE | |||
| 12/24/1999 | 03/01/1997 | ||
| Spare tire rubs brake caliper. *ak( dot number: ) | |||
| TIRES - TREAD/BELT | |||
| 03/22/2005 | 33000 | 4 | 05/15/1997 |
| Steering wheel made an irritating sound when turned. the dealership was notified. upon inspection they indicated that the steering gear had an internal fault, and replaced it. cause of the internal fault was not disclosed to the consumer. *ak recall campaign# 03v527000. the steering was repaired. a year later the entire steering assembly had to be replaced again. the check emissions light would come on intermittently. there were noises when the vehicle was turned left due to the steering gears internal fault and the gear was replaced, the left front tire had a steel belt showing on the inside. *sc *jb | |||
| Seat belt not working, all four tires are cracking all around the tread and sidewall. lower control arm replaced and hood cable defective. | |||
| 03/01/1997 | |||
| Tirs have cracks in between treads. *ak | |||
| 05/08/2000 | 2 | 09/01/1997 | |
| Firestone affinity tires (p215 60 r15) experienced a blowout of the sidewalls and tread separation. *slc | |||
| 03/19/1998 | 01/01/1997 | ||
| These were orig. 80,000mi. tires that needed to be replaced at 35,560mi due to early tread wear. *ak( dot number: ) | |||