2002 Chevrolet Malibu LX review from North America

First problem was engine oil light coming on.

That was about one month after I received the car. It was a quart low.

Six months later the engine oil light came on again and again was a quart low.

Next oil change I asked them to tell me if it was low and it was again one quart low. Dealership says that is about normal.

About six months ago I started having trouble with brakes pads. I told them the driver's side front was bumping and grinding when braking.

Dealership replaced pads and ground down the rotor. When I left dealership car almost didn't stop. Had to return with it. I guess they left air in line. The brakes were worse than before I had them fixed. I had to pay for pads.

Brought car back in within warranty on pads. Still grinding.

Dealership attempted to tell me it was the way I drove the car. I had less than 20,000 miles at that point. Again they ground the rotors. Telling me pads were thinner on the 2002 Malibu.

I called GM the first time I brought car in for brakes as dealership wanted me to pay for putting the pads on the car when they had to work on rotor. I paid for new pads the first time.

Second visit was under warranty. I just took the car back in within 3,000 miles of the last set of pads and it was grinding again.

I had filled out the GM survey and told them how unsatisfied I was with the car.

GM called and asked me to bring Malibu in to dealership for the third time for brakes and two minor problems.

I picked car up today and they had replaced rotor on left front. Said they did not replace the pads as they were good. That seems strange to me. For now it seems to be working fine.

On second trip for brakes I had a complaint that my car wouldn't start correctly. It was making a click click sound and then would finally start. The morning of the appointment, I went to start it and it would not start. They had to send a wrecker. The dealership tried to tell me it was the battery. I told them I knew what bad batteries performed like and this wasn't it. I told them to keep it over night and try to start it in the morning. They did and called to say it was the fuel pump.

Air-conditioning vent louver fall off on passenger side.

Dealership had to order part and fixed it on this last visit.

My radio knob paint came off.

GM told me it was due to oil on skin. Funny, I have never had any other car do this. They did replace the entire stereo.

I do want to say that GM has really tried to resolve these problems and has called and checked on the car while it was in repair and called me at home. Keeping fingers crossed that all the little problems are resolved. I love the way the car drives and how much room is in the vehicle.