Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 010308003A | 02/01/2002 | 010308003 | 629407 | Some customers may comment on a squawk noise from the front and/or rear suspension while driving. *tt | 04/02/2002 |
| 010308003 | 10/01/2001 | 627662 | Information regarding squawk noise from front and/or rear suspension. *yh | 02/13/2002 | |
| 050901 | 09/05/2001 | 626054 | Some customers may comment of a squawk noise from the front or rear suspension area. *slc | 12/12/2001 | |
| 290601 | 06/29/2001 | 623599 | Concerns with suspension noise.*jb | 10/29/2001 | |
| 990308004 | 08/01/1999 | 607580 | Subject pertaining to front and / or rear stabilizer shaft squawk / squeak noise. *tt | 09/29/1999 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||||
| 010308002 | 08/01/2001 | 624058 | Information regarding front suspension clunk / rattle noise diagnosis. *tt | 11/01/2001 | |
| 010308002 | 08/01/2001 | 624042 | Subject regarding front suspension clunk / rattle noise diagnosis. *tt | 10/31/2001 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | |||||
| 0221001 | 02/02/2001 | 617510 | Subject regarding front control arm replacement. *tt | 03/19/2001 | |
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||||
| 32 | 02/01/2001 | 623586 | Customers may complain of a creak or pop noise from the rear of the vehicle, this may occur on turns, on acceleration or deceleration, or on maneuvers that twist the suspension. *slc | 10/29/2001 | |
| 000309003 | 11/01/2000 | 617720 | Some vehicles built prior to vin breakpoint 1m531582 or 16145701 may exhibit a creak / pop noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. *tt | 03/24/2001 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | ||||||
| EA03021 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 11/04/2003 | 10/19/2004 | FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE | ||
| The failure rate of the subject vehicles is low relative to past odi investigations.the engineering analysis is therefore closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.please see the attached report for additional details. | ||||||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | ||||||
| PE03031 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 07/14/2003 | 11/04/2003 | FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE | ||
| The subject vehicles are equipped with a coil spring-over-strut front suspension with the spring itself resting in compression between two polymer isolators.pe03-031 was opened to investigate reports of fracture of this spring.the fractures occur in the first active coil above the lower isolator and apparently originate in corrosion pits found beneath regions of damaged epoxy coating.consumer complaints and warranty data show that the failures occur predominantly in the | ||||||
| EA03021 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 11/04/2003 | 10/19/2004 | FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE | ||
| The failure rate of the subject vehicles is low relative to past odi investigations.the engineering analysis is therefore closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.please see the attached report for additional details. | ||||||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | ||||||
| EA03021 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 11/04/2003 | 10/19/2004 | FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE | ||
| The failure rate of the subject vehicles is low relative to past odi investigations.the engineering analysis is therefore closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.please see the attached report for additional details. | ||||||
| PE03031 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 07/14/2003 | 11/04/2003 | FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE | ||
| The subject vehicles are equipped with a coil spring-over-strut front suspension with the spring itself resting in compression between two polymer isolators.pe03-031 was opened to investigate reports of fracture of this spring.the fractures occur in the first active coil above the lower isolator and apparently originate in corrosion pits found beneath regions of damaged epoxy coating.consumer complaints and warranty data show that the failures occur predominantly in the | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 03/15/2010 | 80000 | 1 | |
| First incident. i have a 1999 chevy malibu and in december 2009 (i believe) the front passenger side tire came off due to lugnuts snapping off. i had to replace all the lugnuts the spring on the shock and bend the wheelwell. unfortunately the parts are not available from that incident but the car only had about 77,000 miles on it. second incident. the front driver side spring wore right in half and broke just before getting into the car. i had to replace the whole front strut and i do still have the parts. the car has about 80,000 miles on it. *tr | |||
| 04/02/2005 | 1 | 02/10/1999 | |
| Dt: contact says that he owns a 1999 chevrolet malibu and the front coil spring on the passenger side broke, this past week the rear coil spring broke on the drivers side. the dealer told him that he could bring the vehicle in, and while driving to the shop the strut on the front passenger side broke and caused his tire to shred. the consumer did not have any warnings prior to the failure. the consumer was driving in the city. *ak *sb *nm | |||
| 02/13/2005 | 31000 | 1 | |
| The vehicle alarm went off. the consumer went to check the vehicle, upon trying to back the vehicle out of the garage, the vehicle leaned over to the right. the consumer had the vehicle towed and it was discovered the strut and the spring had broken on its own. *nm | |||
| 05/21/2004 | 41695 | 1 | 12/24/1998 |
| The consumer smelled fuel while driving. she then observed fuel dripping onto the ground while parked, the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. it was determined that the fuel line was leaking at the fuel filter connector due to corrosion. the consumer feels the manufacturer should be 100% responsible for replacing the fuel line. the consumer has had other components fail on the vehicle. all four tires were replaced due to center tread wear. the front brake pads were replaced at 20000 miles and again at 41313. the driver's side sunvisor broke. both front wheel hub assemblies were replaced due to bearing failure at 41313 miles. both front brake rotors were replaced at 41313 miles. *jb *nm | |||
| 12/15/2002 | 48000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 05/15/2000 | 37000 | 10 | 04/10/2000 |
| 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. *jb | |||
| 01/31/2001 | 60000 | 4 | 11/01/2000 |
| 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 *nlm | |||
| 08/21/2001 | 3 | 03/21/2001 | |
| 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 tank also my climate control fan won't work on the 1st 3 speeds. *nlm | |||
| 5 | 09/01/1999 | ||
| The tires were wearing abnormally and all four tires were replaced. the right front rim was bent and all four rims were replaced. suspension made noise. *yh | |||
| 13 | 04/01/1999 | ||
| 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. *scc | |||
| 07/25/2000 | 6 | ||
| 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 *scc | |||
| 05/01/2000 | 2 | ||
| 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. *jg | |||
| While driving and accelrating extreme vibration occurs within steering wheel, cause unknown. dealer cannot identify the problem. please give any further details.*ak | |||
| 02/09/1999 | |||
| When applying the brakes at any rate of speed extreme vibration occurs within the steering wheel. dealer cannot identify the problem. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| 05/15/1999 | |||
| The stepped on brakes which disenguaged the cruise control from 40 mph to 70 mph. consumer had to hold on tight to the steering wheel due to loss of control. also, there was too much air within the tires, and there wasn't any type of suspension within the tires. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC) | |||
| 12/22/2006 | 119676 | 15 | 10/24/2003 |
| I purchased a 1999 chevy malibu in november 2003. i have replaced the brake pads at least 10 times ($20 each time), the rotors have been replaced 3 times ($70 each time). the brakes give you no warning they just quit suddenly which has almost caused several accidents. the abs light always comes on and when this happens you can guarantee the ignition switch is about to lock up on you. the rear windows quit working, i hear a weird popping noise coming from the rear of the vehicle while driving down the highway. the anti theft system has came on 6 or 7 times and will not allow me to crank the car(once it happened while my child was having an asthma attack and i was attempting to take him to the er). if you hit a bump in the road sometimes it sounds like a small explosion in the front end and causes the steering wheel to jerk uncontrollably for several miles. i have taken this vehicle to several mechanics who absolutely refuse to work on it because of the general fact that it is a 1999 malibu, now my ignition has completely quit, actually it hung in the start position and was making my starter grind and almost catch fire, this has happened several about 15 times, but usually after jiggling the key a few times it comes undone, but not this time. my dad had to take my battery off in order to make the engine die. so now my employer got so fed up with me being late or calling in because of my car problems that i was terminated. i am a single mom with 2 children, both have chronic asthma and have to be rushed to the er with severe asthma attacks all the time, and now i have no way to take them should the need arise. the parts are going to cost me $200 and the cost of labor and now i have no job. if you call chevrolet all they tell you is to take it to a dealer and let the mechanic look at it for a fee, and then they want to charge you more than i make in 2 months, and they never even ask you any personal info so there are no documented claims on your calls. *nm | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 10/12/2009 | 68000 | ||
| Malibu 1999 with 68000 miles came out to leave for work found pass side spring | |||
| 12/25/2009 | 185000 | 1 | |
| The subframe of my 1999 chevrolet malibu suffered corrosion to the point where it needed to be replaced. this is a very unusual failure of the suspension system. the area round one of the bolts holding the subframe broke off due to corrosion, causing the vehicle to not be able to be steered properly (could not turn right more than 10-15%). if this had happened while i was driving at any speed, it very well could have caused an accident (the component broke while i was attempting to parallel park). recently hyundai recalled a number of vehicles due to the same damage for those residing in the salt belt (i happen to own a hyundai involved in the recall). based on the damage my malibu suffered, i believe that the issue of subframe corrosion for those in the salt belt may go beyond the hyundai recall. *tr | |||
| 08/06/2009 | 140000 | 1 | |
| After driving to work (25 miles) i backed into the parking space in the morning. at noon, i started the car to move forward and heard a heavy rubbing. the front left strut spring had broken at the its bottom ring and was rubbing on the tire. i was fortunate that i was not traveling 50 mph to work. car mileage 140,000. 1999 malibu. *tr | |||
| 03/10/2009 | 123440 | 1 | |
| Front passenger side coil suspension spring broke without warning severly damaging tire. heard a loud bang sound and then saw a lot of smoke coming from front passenger side tire. bottom of front passenger side coil suspension spring broke and lodged into tire without warning. *tr | |||
| 01/31/2009 | 70000 | 1 | |
| 1999 chevrolet malibu sedan with about 70,000 miles on odometer. a similar problem to that described in your nhtsa action number pe03031. within a few hundred yards of starting up the car and leaving my home, there was a audible bang and the passenger side macpherson strut coil spring suddenly fractured and the broken spring end penetrated the front tire inside sidewall leading to a blowout. i did not travel over any kind of bump or pothole. fortunately i was traveling at a low speed and the loss of control did not cause an accident. it was winter conditions (salted roads) with an air temperature of around 20 deg.f. i feel that this was a design flaw structural failure in the suspension that should never have happened as it could have been extremely dangerous. i am having both front strut assemblies and a tire and rim replaced at considerable expense. *tr | |||
| 08/24/2008 | 88013 | 1 | |
| On august 24, 2008 my 1999 chevrolet malibu was driven less than a mile and the passenger side front coil spring broke. on august 25, 2008 i took the vehicle to bob sumerel tire co. for repair. the spring appeared to have broken at the top first ring. the spring was replaced. i have the remainder of the broken spring. the top part that broke off has been lost. i noticed there are at least two other reported instances of this that were previously investigated by the nhtsa but no recall was issued. this could have resulted in severe tire damage and accidental injury. *tr | |||
| 07/17/2008 | 19000 | 1 | |
| I just filed a complaint, odi# 10234547, 2 days ago on the front strut spring breaking without notice and after replacement of the front struts, i took the car to a local repair shop for an alignment and nys inspection. i receive a call from the mechanic stating that he cannot do the alignment and inspection because both rear strut springs are broken. this car has less than 20k miles on it. this is obviously a defect in the steel used to manufacture these springs.....with many, many complaints filed.....yet no recall....it will continue to happen to these cars and the pontiac grand am, which is basically the same car. will tragedy have to strike a determined amount of families before the investigation into these strut springs is reopened? i hope not. *tr | |||
| 07/03/2008 | 19000 | 1 | |
| Driving at 35 mph, the spring fractured on the front left strut of a 1999 chevy malibu with 19000 miles. the break caused a huge bang and the front of the car dropped. luckily the sharp part of the break did not puncture the tire, damage the brake line or break the tie-rod end. the spring did indeed contact the tire and wore the epoxy coating off, but again, did not puncture the tire. i had the two front struts replaced and saved the broken one and the receipt for verification in case there is a future recall. i have seen that this problem has many complaints and i can say that this is a defect in the steel that was used to make the spring....not a corrosion problem. the spring is covered with an epoxy coating and where it rubbed off, from contact with the tire, the steel looked shiny new. *tr | |||
| 06/27/2007 | 90100 | 2 | 11/26/2005 |
| Failure of front strut springs. no notification either time they broke / passenger's side front spring broke about 6 months ago. i did not think too much of it because dealer stated they have seen this happen before. 6-27-07 my driver's side strut spring broke. i was now told that this could have caused an accident by the way this had broke. i contacted another dealer per recall or any notification out there regarding this safety issue. i was told by dealer that they replaced them often enough that they even stocked them. i felt that in this year the production defect required intervention by you. i again had no indication until i heard a clung. which at that time i was not driving very fast. i work in a repair shop, and have never seen a spring break on any vehicle. the shop i work for deals with vehicle with lots of miles on them. my 99 malibu only has 85,000-90,000 miles on it and both my springs broke within 6 months of each other. thanks for taking the time to read my concern. please let me know if you have heard of anymore issues that may relate to my concern.*ak | |||
| 08/18/2006 | 5000 | 8 | 03/30/2000 |
| 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 | |||
| 09/12/2003 | 30200 | 4 | 12/11/1999 |
| 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. *ph | |||
| 07/25/2002 | 100 | 09/01/2099 | |
| 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 | |||
| 01/01/2002 | |||
| 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.*ak | |||
| 04/26/2000 | 3 | 03/13/1999 | |
| 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. *tt | |||
| 1 | |||
| 6 months after purchase and presently, left front brakes cause vehicle to shake, consumer states vehicle is hard to control on ice and snow at high speeds, consumer also hears a low hum coming from front of vehicle, sound could be brake related or a suspension problem. *jb | |||
| 10/01/2000 | 6 | ||
| Vehicle has had 6 sets of rotors. steering wheel and front shake and vibrate at highway speeds. vehicle experienced engine and coolant problems. air conditioner faulty and was repaired. *slc | |||
| 08/01/1999 | |||
| Clunking/grinding sounds coming from front end when turning corners and/or going over bumps (such as r/r tracks, driveway approaches, etc); brakes shuttered and barely responded while driving 35-40 mph down decline in a light rain; rotors were replaced 8/2000 but noise has not lessened. cold air comes in from door handle of driver sd door, making it necessary to continuously drive w/defrosters on when temperatures are @/below 50 degrees; very poor acceleration, engine sluggish and misses when accelerating; very poor gas mileage avging 21-23 mpg hwy. on 4-cyl engine; rear tail light replaced due to condensation formation when 1st purchased; rear passenger brake light burnt out and need of replacement.; rear passenger door 3 section of paint corroding and in need of repainting/finishing.*ak | |||
| 05/05/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle has been in for a front end noise 3 times so far..1st the front suspension arms were replaced...2nd the steering knuckles were replaced....3rd they still dont know....4th to replace front left strut....on 5/22/2000 the brakes locked and shimmied, was told the rotors were worn and needed turned. *ak | |||
| 05/18/1999 | |||
| Ongoing problem with frontal vibration while traveling at highway speed of 65-70 mph. also, caused vehicle to go out of control when applying brakes at that speed. vehicle been in/out dealer shop on nine occasions. some repairs and parts replacements was made; but, problem still occurring. *ak | |||
| 06/01/1999 | |||
| When driving the car upon putting on the brakes the car shakes and vibrates. sometimes it is violent enough that it is hard to control. this has happened three times. i have had the car fixed twice and waiting for an appointment to have it fixed again. the lights also go dim when you roll the windows down. this was a program car when we purchased it. i need a dependable car for me and my family. something that i do not believe that this car is. | |||
| When traveling consumer noticed a loud knocking noise coming from the front end. also, when attempting to make a normal stop when traveling on wet pavement, vehicle continued to move forward, causing loss of vehicle control. consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has replaced the control arm, but problem still occurs. please provide any further details. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | |||
| 04/30/2000 | 1 | 12/01/1998 | |
| While driving heard something rattling. took to dealer, and they said that rear wheel control arm broke in two. vehicle could have flipped over. failure due to a poor weld. dealer contacted. *ak *ml | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - HUB | |||
| 06/25/2003 | 123000 | 2 | 02/03/2003 |
| Defective intake manifold gasket and then the head gaskets blew on me requiring expensive repairs. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - MACPHERSON STRUT | |||
| 03/05/2005 | 33153 | 1 | 06/08/2000 |
| Car had been driven from ohio to florida for vacation. car was driven out of living complex when black smoke & burning rubber was noticed,drove back into complex & exited car when the tire on front passenger side blew.called aaa to have vehicle taken to an auto repair shop. *ak | |||
| 07/16/2003 | 1 | 07/23/2002 | |
| Problems with brake equipment on chevrolet malibu. *mr the consumer has had to replace the vehicle's brakes, calipers and rotors many times. the vehicle's struts were also replaced. *nm the consumer was made aware of other consumers with the same make/model that have experienced the same problem. *sc | |||
| 11/04/2003 | 70000 | 10 | 07/25/2001 |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 05/01/2002 | 03/05/1999 | ||
| 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. *nlm | |||
| 06/25/2003 | 123000 | 2 | 02/03/2003 |
| Defective intake manifold gasket and then the head gaskets blew on me requiring expensive repairs. *ak | |||
| 05/30/2001 | 1 | 07/12/1999 | |
| Consumer stated there was a cracking noise in the right front of vehicle, dealer replaced the right front strut.*jg | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| There's a number of problem with the vehicle. the shocks work intermittently and there's a lot of knocking in the engine. tires seeme to be lower since consumer purchased the car. it was taken to the dealer, they saw nothing wrong with it. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | |||
| 03/10/2009 | 123440 | 1 | |
| Front passenger side coil suspension spring broke without warning severly damaging tire. heard a loud bang sound and then saw a lot of smoke coming from front passenger side tire. bottom of front passenger side coil suspension spring broke and lodged into tire without warning. *tr | |||
| 04/19/2008 | 105000 | 2 | 04/16/2003 |
| Coil springs breaking on 1999 chevrolet malibu. i was standing outside one morning last year when i heard a large bang. front coil spring broke and was rubbing up against the tire. replaced it with a used strut. last week found a broken spring in the rear while rotating tires. i went on-line and did a search and found that this has happened to many people and what is scary is that it has happened to some while driving, which immediately blows out the tire. contacted a friend of mine that is a gm service manager, he had just gone through this problem with his nephews 1998 car. he told me that gm had no recalls on this. this is my sons car and i don't want him to become a statistic, to resolve it this safety issue. *tr | |||
| 04/11/2008 | 0 | 1 | 04/15/2005 |
| Front right coil spring broke on my 1999 chevrolt malibu wondering if there may be a recall on said part? *tr | |||
| 02/24/2008 | 103290 | 1 | 10/29/2002 |
| The right front coil spring on our 1999 chevy malibu broke while we were driving. the strut assembly dropped & punctured the new tire we had gotten less than a month before. the car was not drivable & had to be towed & repaired. i researched this problem online & found that there have been a lot of complaints about this same problem with 1999 chevrolet malibus, while chevrolet has no consequences for having defective parts. this is dangerous & someone could be killed by the defects. we still have the broken coil spring with the part number on it. we should be reimbursed for the cost of the repairs, the new tire that was ruined & the mental anguish of having come so close to a possibly fatal accident. does someone have to die before defective parts will be recalled & replaced at the manufacturer's expense? *tr | |||
| 12/12/2007 | 1 | ||
| 1999 chevrolet malibu front end coil spring failed. consumer states that the front end of the vehicle fell onto the tire due to the failed coil spring. she states that gm should have recalled this problem. *kb | |||
| 01/18/2007 | 90000 | 1 | 08/05/2004 |
| Right front coil spring broke damaging strut and damaging tire. break was due to rust. vehicle was making a turn when break occurred causing wheel to be stuck in the turn position due to parts rubbing on tire. mechanic says many of gm products are and have experienced said problem. *jb | |||
| 12/25/2006 | 77317 | 1 | 08/01/2004 |
| While driving 30 mph on christmas day, my right tire burst. after investigating i learned the right front suspension coil ring had fractured and punctured the tire. i had to have the entire front suspension replaced, as well as purchase a new tire. *nm | |||
| 06/02/2006 | 140000 | 1 | 12/01/1998 |
| Front driver side coil springs failed causing vehicle control to be reduced. the spring failed after its first winding down from the top, it appears during compression the spring end contacts the winding below which probably induced a crack and ultimately propagated a stress failure. the part failed while backing out of a driveway with the steering wheel near full right turn. during the turn the spring failed. the passenger spring was also replaced and looked as failure was immanent based on a marks in nearly the same spot as the failed spring. the failed spring is currently in my possession. | |||
| 03/17/2006 | 1 | ||
| I was driving on the highway to work in the morning on a clear and dry day. all of a sudden my vehicle jerked to the left and it was out of control. i managed to pull off to the side of the highway and my tire was ruptured. after getting the car towed, the dealer let me known now that the left front spring broke and punctured the tire. not only was this a very dangerous situation, but the repair is very costly, not to mention i had just gotten new tires a few thousand miles prior to the incident. i have heard this complaint before and now wonder if this could or should be a recall item??*jb | |||
| 11/26/2005 | 95000 | 1 | 02/27/2001 |
| While pulling out of my car port, i heard a loud noise. all of a sudden the front passenger side of my car fell. i proceeded to go to a auto repair shop not too far from my home to have the problem checked. while in route, right around the corner from where i live, my tire blew out. there was a weird smell and smoke coming from the front right tire. i was able to pull into a parking lot to wait for aaa to tow my car to a repair facility. thank the lord, i wasn't on the freeway when this happened. the right passenger spring broke and caused the tire to blow out. had to replace the coil springs, a tie rod and struts. *nm | |||
| 10/07/2005 | 99909 | 1 | 07/15/2000 |
| Passenger side front coil spring broke and punctured tire causing immediate flat tire. car was traveling at slow speed and driver did not lose control. *jb | |||
| 07/21/2005 | 35617 | 2 | 02/14/1999 |
| Both front coil springs have broke since owning this 1999 chev malibu. purchased the car new in 1999. left front spring failed within 36 months of purchase. the right front spring recently failed and penetrated the right front tire and ripping it open causing the tire to rupture.*jb | |||
| 07/29/2005 | 139100 | 1 | 03/31/2001 |
| Right front coil spring broke while getting into the car. *nm | |||
| 07/31/2005 | 84880 | 1 | 05/05/2000 |
| Dt: the front driver side strut spring sheared off yesterday and was flushed against the tire. backing out of the driveway at about 8:45 pm heard a loud noise and the car locked u for a second. tried to pull it off the road, and could smell the tire burning. got it to a side road, and drove it a little while to see what was wrong. finally got it to the house garage and noticed the coil spring pressed against the tire.*ak | |||
| 05/22/2005 | 62230 | 2 | 04/06/2002 |
| Dt: coil spring broke twice. the first time it broke on the front and now the front one broke again. *ak | |||
| 04/17/2005 | 73318 | 09/18/2001 | |
| I was driving my 1999 chevrolet malibu down my driveway when i heard a loud clunking noise. the front passenger side of the car went down almost to the ground. i turned car around to go back to my home and smoke started pouring from under the car. had to have it towed to the dealer where the spring and strut had to be replaced. they had broken and cut into the tire. extended warranty paid for the broken spring and strut but would not replace other side. just have to wait for it to break. i had to pay to replace the tires which had only 30,000 miles on them. the malibu has 72,000 miles on it. i bought it at 29,000 miles. have had to replace 4 fuel injectors, replace brakes, have had the blower control fixed twice, still does not operate on 1 or 2 setting, check engine light and anitlock brake light comes on and off for no reasons, replaced belt tensioner twice, serpentine belt twice, had oil leaks, has a loud tapping noise when first starting engine (was told that this is common in this car) (sounds like a valve problem to me. i am keeping this car only until the extended warranty is about to expire. it has been a lemon since day 1. this model of malibu should have been recalled. it is a danger for anyone to drive. thank god i was in my own driveway and not on the expressway with my grandaughter. no more chevrolets for me! *nm | |||
| 04/09/2005 | 88189 | 1 | 09/15/1999 |
| (1) i was driving my 1999 chevrolet malibu about 35 mph on a town street. (2)without warning, i heard a loud bang from the left front wheel. the car instantly made a sharp left hand turn into the oncoming lane. there were no oncoming cars. i was able to quickly regain control of the can and get back into my lane. i pulled down a side and looked at the left front tire and it looked normal. under the hood looked normal. i proceded home. the left front wheel had a noticable clunk over the slightest bump in the road. i went home about one mile and took the left front wheel off. i noticed the coil spring around the strut had fractured. the base of the coil spring, (the pearch it was sitting on was bent) was close to the tire. i noticed a rub in the tire was caused by the fractured spring. the fracture was clean except some corrosion was evident at the start of the crack propagation. i have photos if you want. i will also ask for the fractured spring. (3) the car had both front end struts replaced and coil springs replaced. *ak | |||
| 03/05/2005 | 33153 | 1 | 06/08/2000 |
| Car had been driven from ohio to florida for vacation. car was driven out of living complex when black smoke & burning rubber was noticed,drove back into complex & exited car when the tire on front passenger side blew.called aaa to have vehicle taken to an auto repair shop. *ak | |||
| 01/22/2005 | 43264 | 1 | |
| Vehicle experienced front coil spring problems. consumer was backing out of the driveway and the suspension dropped. then, driver saw the tire smoking. the tire was damaged because the spring went right inside the inner sidewall. *ak | |||
| 01/19/2005 | 100800 | 1 | 10/01/2000 |
| I heard a really loud bang and the front of the car dropped down while traveling at 25 mph near my home. after pulling into my driveway and removing the front tire, i found that the drivers side coil spring had broken and the coil was now rubbing on the tire. the tire was slightly damaged and the car is not drivable. i am planning to have the car towed to my repair shop. *jb | |||
| 01/08/2005 | 97235 | 1 | 11/20/2003 |
| I was pulling out of a parking space and heard a loud clunk following with the vehicle dropping a few inches. after i got the vehicle towed i pulled off the left front wheel and noticed the spring broke off, and there was a fracture that occurred in the first active coil above the lower isolator. the coil spring did not damage the tire, but was lying on top of the tire prior to removal. nothing has been repaired yet, and yes the old parts are still and will be available.*ak | |||
| 04/28/2004 | 62100 | 2 | 01/11/2003 |
| Front spring failure and front tire blowout.*ak | |||
| 06/10/2004 | 55000 | 1 | 05/31/1999 |
| 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).*ak | |||
| 06/09/2004 | 1 | ||
| 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.*ak | |||
| 03/07/2004 | 72254 | 2 | 12/17/1998 |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| 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. *ak | |||
| 12/01/2003 | 13400 | 3 | |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 08/09/2003 | 1 | ||
| While backing into a parking lot front suspension coil broke, and caused front tires to burn. *ak | |||
| 11/29/2001 | 10794 | 1 | |
| The hub bearing on the left side of the vehicle failed. also on june 5, 2003 the coil spring broke. *mr *ts *jb | |||
| 05/27/2003 | 50000 | 1 | 08/01/2000 |
| While driving at a very low speed, the driver's side spring over the strut broke and caused the tire to blowout. *ak *scc *jb | |||
| 06/04/2003 | 57000 | 1 | |
| While backing out of the driveway front coil spring snapped and ripped through the tire. dealer notified. *ak | |||
| 12/01/2002 | 46000 | 1 | |
| The passenger side coil spring broke.ts *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 02/07/2002 | 12/04/2001 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 01/02/2004 | 1 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 12/29/2003 | 32728 | 0 | 04/22/1999 |
| !999 chevy malibu ls, replaced left front wheel bearing. mileage on car 32,728 | |||
| 11/04/2003 | 70000 | 10 | 07/25/2001 |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 11/29/2001 | 10794 | 1 | |
| The hub bearing on the left side of the vehicle failed. also on june 5, 2003 the coil spring broke. *mr *ts *jb | |||
| 07/14/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that he heard a loud noise in front of the vehicle contacted the dealer said front wheel bearing has gone bad. ts | |||
| 03/01/2000 | 2 | 06/07/1999 | |
| Brake pads and rotors are prematurely wearing, cause unknown dealer can not determine the problem. *ak *slc | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||
| 09/24/2008 | 133200 | 1 | |
| Noticed left rear of '99 malibu lower than right while parked in a filling station on the evening of 9/24/08. while hoisted for an oil change on 10/01/08, the technician showed me the left rear coil spring was completely ruptured. (in august of 2005, the front left coil spring ruptured. i paid to replace it with a new one.) the right spring coils are original to this day. *tr | |||
| 07/17/2008 | 19000 | 1 | |
| I just filed a complaint, odi# 10234547, 2 days ago on the front strut spring breaking without notice and after replacement of the front struts, i took the car to a local repair shop for an alignment and nys inspection. i receive a call from the mechanic stating that he cannot do the alignment and inspection because both rear strut springs are broken. this car has less than 20k miles on it. this is obviously a defect in the steel used to manufacture these springs.....with many, many complaints filed.....yet no recall....it will continue to happen to these cars and the pontiac grand am, which is basically the same car. will tragedy have to strike a determined amount of families before the investigation into these strut springs is reopened? i hope not. *tr | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - AXLE - NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||
| 05/22/2007 | 123810 | 1 | |
| Rear suspension - bolt holding lower control arm for rear tire. either unscrewed itself or broke. vehicle began to shake violently and was difficult to control. any other driver may have not been able to handle vehicle causing a serious accident with injuries or even death. *tr | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - AXLE - SPINDLE | |||
| 06/25/2003 | 123000 | 2 | 02/03/2003 |
| Defective intake manifold gasket and then the head gaskets blew on me requiring expensive repairs. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | |||
| 04/19/2008 | 105000 | 2 | 04/16/2003 |
| Coil springs breaking on 1999 chevrolet malibu. i was standing outside one morning last year when i heard a large bang. front coil spring broke and was rubbing up against the tire. replaced it with a used strut. last week found a broken spring in the rear while rotating tires. i went on-line and did a search and found that this has happened to many people and what is scary is that it has happened to some while driving, which immediately blows out the tire. contacted a friend of mine that is a gm service manager, he had just gone through this problem with his nephews 1998 car. he told me that gm had no recalls on this. this is my sons car and i don't want him to become a statistic, to resolve it this safety issue. *tr | |||