Comments: 1-15, 16-27
Where do I start... I bought the car used. About a month after I purchased the car the alternator goes and the dealer wouldn't cover it. I should have known then that this car was going to be one big headache. Then two months after I purchased it the coolant light when off. So I filled it up with coolant. It went on every two months or so for the next year, then this past winter it got really bad. I was filling up the coolant every week. I have looked on many sites and read that this is a common problem with the Malibu and that it is the lower manifold gasket, which is a $1200 job just in labour. I have also had to replace the brakes, which are made completely wrong for the car. It should have a rounded edge on the inside of the brake pad, but instead it has a flat edge which rubs up against the rotor hub and makes a small rubbing noise. Then I had to replace the starter. I've now noticed that since I have put some sealant into my coolant system that I also have oil leaking into my coolant (Great, that's all I need). So now I have to get the head gasket fixed (it's a good thing I am friends with a mechanic) and soon before it blows. I've had to replace the tires, but that's to be expected. I've also had to replace the passenger side wheel bearing which isn't cheap because you have to buy the whole hub which is around $300, and now my other one is starting to go. I also have to get the strut mount fixed on the passenger side because it's decided that it wants to go now too. And don't let me forget the gas tank had to be replaced. The car is 5 years old and it needed a new gas tank already, give me a break. I had my Cavalier for 10 year and I never had to do any of these major repairs to it. It just goes to show you how bad manufacturing of cars are today. My Cavalier was a 94, and the Malibu is a 99. I have put more money into my Malibu in a year then I ever put into my Cavalier in the whole 10 years that I had it. Now I wish I would have kept the Cavalier. So far I have put about $3000 into the car and I've only had it for a little over a year, and I still have some major problems to fix on it. I still have a small coolant leak, the strut mount, and the head gasket to fix. Hopefully with the help of my boyfriend and my mechanic friend I should be able to save some money on labour because this car has definitely cost me way more than it's worth.
My comment about this car is don't buy it. It's a money pit and if I could go back and buy a car again I would have gone with a Honda or Mazda for sure. GM products just seem to be made too quickly and too poorly now a days and your more likely to put more money into them then their worth.
Alternator, brakes, starter, and wheel bearings are all basic maintenance issues that crop up in any car. These are not defects, simply routine wear parts. As for the lower intake manifold gasket, yes, that is a design flaw and common problems with GM's 60 degree V6 motors. The new gasket material and revised torque specs should take car of the problem.
I would like to disagree with the previous person saying that starter, alternator and wheel bearings are common wear items. I have owned four cars in my life, put on over 120,000 miles on each of them, and never had to replace any of the aforesaid mentioned parts. I should say that all four were Japanese (3 Toyotas, 1 Nissan). I currently own a Nissan Maxima, which I love. The Toyotas were fine, but I didn't like the stiff handling in the Camry and Corolla; but they were reliable. My wife owns a 1999 Malibu and she hates it. She has had nothing, but problems with it, wheel bearings, brakes, and the head gasket problem the original reviewer referred to. Mind you that my wife does not drive like a nut, and she has only put on 65,000 miles on the car. This is a quality problem and a good indication on why GM is on the edge of bankruptcy!
I have a 2000 Malibu and have also done all the same repairs plus now my air conditioning is only cool. I have changed to Midas brakes because the GM ones are junk. My fan speed resistor also burned out. My front spring actually broke, lucky it was in a parking lot and not on the freeway.
My next cat will be a Toyota or Honda after being a GM guy forever.
When you buy a used car, you have to expect to replace aforementioned parts.
I bought a 1998 Malibu LS. During the 3-yr warranty period, the problems were minor:
Continuing water condensation in headlight housing -- which could not be fixed because that was supposed to be normal -- repeated light bulbs burnt out.
Exploding noise from the front passenger suspension (dealer found nothing wrong though) and repeated failing of the fan-speed control.
As soon as the warranty ran out, major repair bills accumulated quickly to the total amount of $6k (that does not include fixing paint chipping & peeling in many places along the sheet metal edges).
The worst problem was the leaking of the manifold gasket. That was fixed 3 years ago, but now it happened again. Instead of paying $2500 to fix that plus other problems related to suspension and radiator, I traded-in the car for $750 to buy a Toyota Camry 07.
I also must say that the 99 Chevy Malibu has not lived up to my expectations. I bought my Malibu used with 25,000 miles. Within the first month, the drivers side seat belt casing broke and I was told it would cost over $250 to repair. Also within that first month I started experiencing electrical issues; various lights burned out; on the tape selection panel every other number was burned out, then as time went on the lights that illuminate the door locks and window controls burned out and now my Low Washer fluid light is on and stays on even though it's full. Oh and recently my check engine light came on along with what seems to be my transmission slipping. I could be sitting at a stop sign or stop light and all of a sudden the car lurches forward. Or I'll be sitting and the engine will start surging. I had both the transmission and the check engine light checked out be 3 different mechanics and a transmission specialist. All say the transmission is fine, but I have a leak in the intake manifold and about 6 error codes came up on the diagnostic computer. It took the transmission specialist over 2 hours to review the first error code alone and they still haven't found what the problem is. I'd have to say this car has been an issue since I bought it 6 years ago. I'm glad it's paid for, but I just can't see putting any money into it to fix it. I have to say, after reading all of these comments, I definitely won't get another Malibu. Another GM?? I don't know. I'll definitely check this site for reviews when I start looking.
DZ - 6-1-06.
My mother has a Malibu 99 and has had no problems what so ever she bought the car two years after it came out. And therefore had all sorts of info on it and it’s problems. The car has been more reliable than my stepfathers optra.
To the previous poster, does she own the 4 cylinder, or the v6 version of the malibu? There is a difference, the 4 is a lot more reliable than the v6, (with the exception of the brakes, of course).
I'd just like to chime in and say that the water pump and alternator have died on my '99 V6 Malibu . . . multiple times. Also, I've had the expensive "coolant leaking into the engine" problem fixed once, and as of last month it appears to be back again. The AC is weak, and I've had numerous minor electrical problems (2 windows no longer roll down, cruise control is flaky, bulbs burn out quickly, etc.)
Incident = Change those springs & struts AT 135,000 km at the latest.
Last night, I heard a clunk from under my 1999 Malibu, & shortly after smelled burning rubber.
I stopped,& the smell went away. While creeping home three blocks later at 15 km/hr, BANG- the front tire blew.
One broken coil spring later...
& I am lucky. The front coil spring on the Malibu (Maul - Boo?) Strut has no retainer, so at highway speeds it could have done a H*** of a lot of damage.
Damage Resulting :
Luckily, the broken spring went through the tire at a very low speed. The Wheel, front suspension, etc, are undamaged.
HOWEVER, at highway speed, the wheel could have broken, the vehicle could have rolled... the suspension could have been wiped out...YIKES!
, etc.
The repair is 1,250.00 $CDN, Plus the cost of a tire, or about 425.00 /Cdn in parts if I do it myself.
So get those struts& springs replaced if you plan to keep the car. The design is a bad accident just waiting to happen...
& pass on the word. GM should be notifying customers
Regards
Reg.
1999 Malibu 4 cyl. It's been great. Wheel bearings last year. A few sets of brakes (one because of the wheel bearings). It's got 180 000km and I'll keep it for a few years yet. (Paint this spring, the front of the hood has chips).
I have a '98 Malibu and have had to replace both front wheel bearings TWICE!! It's ridiculous. Also the check engine light is on and no mechanic can find the problem. I now have another warning light that, (when looked up in the manual) says to pull over immediately and have the car towed. What is all that about? It doesn't even say what the problem is! Oh well I am going to trade it in on a Toyota Celica. I hope they give me $500 for the trade and then send it to the junk yard.
Darn...I wish I would have read this before having my coolant leak fixed. The day after having that fixed, I heard a clunk from under the front passenger side as I was leaving for work. It sure sounds like the coil went out and the mechanic is on his way to take a look. My wife said get rid of the car and don't fix it. She said that before having the leak fixed. If I would have listened, I would have saved a lot of money.
Recall this model Chevy!!!
The gaskets are made of bubble gum
it not good for the heartbeat of america to suck
RECALL and FIX IT.
I own a 1999 malibu and after reading all of these comments I would have to say that because I have the 4 cylinder model I would guess that is why I have had no problems. The car has 126,000 miles on it and all I have changed was the brakes a few times, regular oil changes and the serpentine belt bracket and of course the tires. I would recommend this car to anyone and I continue to use my car everyday.
Peter.