I have more problems with my 1997 malibu than I can count I have replaced the brakes too many times I've lost track. The first couple of months I had it was in the dealership everyweek (headlights repeatedly had moisture in them, the speedometer and all the gauges would just drop, speaker replaced, brakes brakes and more brakes, AC goes on and off, oil leak and who knows what else. It was so bad to the point where the dealership purchased half and I paid the other half of an extended warranty. I just replaced the brakes, (rotors, pads, calipers) only after having them done a year ago. Now I have coolant leaking and they can't find out where it is coming from. The low coolant light came on yesterday! I have one more payment on this beast! I love the size and room of the malibu, but I will never buy another one again.! I'm buying foreign next time. I wish GM would recall these lemons!
Get the coolant leak fixed ASAP or you'll blow the engine. My '97 had the same exact problem. You have a leaking intake manifold and the coolant is slowly seeping into your engine. It's very, VERY common problem with the Malibu... as are a tone of other things. Due to the costly, mounting problems I had with my Malibu, I opted to trade it in. A couple dealerships weren't even interested in taking the car. They said they were 'lemons'... to put it mildly.
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