2000-2011 Chevrolet Malibu

annieoak · October 2002

Has anyone had any trouble with their 2002. It seems slow for a V-6, but now that is has 1400 miles it seems fine. For the price, and with the rebate and no down payment, and the fact that I was driving a 2002 Camry that I was robbed on the lease and they had to rush the financing through before I had a repo, I can't complain. I drove the Camry to California and it was squirrely at high speeds. I also would not buy a Honda because a Honda dealer robbed a friend of mine, and now she is carless. I thought about the Cavalier sport, as it had a manuel and looked sharp, but I'm afraid to buy a 4 cylinder American car.

wilfj1 · October 2002

reply to Annieoak... I also have a new 2002,your right for the first 2000km it was sluggish, no get up and go. It's much better now. This is common on most new cars. The engine etc. have to be broken in that's one reason a new car shouldn't be pushed for at least 1000 miles or more.
I understand the Cavalier has a good motor, as to performance I don't know. I've never seen a stick sift in Bu. Do they make one? sorry to hear that the import dealers just don't give a person a break.. I guess they don't have to and it's a common story. the Bu is hardly a BMW but it should do the job and the prices are right. Have fun. Wilf1

tamu2002 · October 2002

Our Malibu has over 2000 miles on it now and it can accelerate quite fast if you floor it to make it downshift. I haven't notice any performance change yet since when it's new. We inflated the tires to 28-26 (?) psi when we first bought it as suggested by the manual and got a little over 20 mpg, now we inflate them to 32-30 psi and the mpg is in the upper 20s, 29 for highway.

I just found out an aquanitance of mine bought a 2003 Corrola for $400 above MSRP and 5.9 APR for 2 years. Talk about being ripped off.

tomcat630 · October 2002

The current Malibu will continue for 2004 as "Malibu Classic", according to Automotive News. While the 2004 "Vectra-bu" gets brought out.

I wonder if it will have the hood ornaments, opera windows, and cordouroy seats of the '74 models?

dtownfb · October 2002

paying $400 over MSRP for a Corrolla is not being ripped off...that's stupid for whoever bought the car. 5.9 % APR is typical for a car loan now outside the Big 3. Remember nobody puts a gun to your head to make you sign the contract. You can always walk away.

credman41 · October 2002

Have just purch. a new (demo) 2002 Malibu basic w/6K miles.....several reasons, and it might help someone else in their decision.
1. I just got rid of my '92 Lumina, same engine, which I had for 10 years and 193,000 miles. Never did anything but change oil every 3500 miles...never gave me any trouble. Had ORIGINAL shocks and EXHAUST system. Stainless Steel, same as my new 'Bu. How much did that save over past few years????
Had serious problems all along with Brakes...not a bad driver, but the brakes wore out every 15K, then found a Class Action suit vs. GM for brake probs. Had something to do with the brake lines, not the pads...
Love my '02 'Bu, feel very comfortable in it.... like putting on an old pair of shoes. Tried a Camry, Mazda 626, and Honda before final decision....definitely not worth the extra $4-7K. Yeah, might not be as luxurious, but I'll have the car for 8-10 years, and know that I'll get my money's worth out of it.
Sorry for the length of this post, but I've read almost all the other posts and know some of you are on the fence about the Malibu, and all I can say is, if it's as good as my 10 year old Lumina, I'll be ecstatic. And, thanks for the tip about the tire pressure (increase by 3 lbs.)...seemed a bit low when I read the manual.....now I'll adjust it.

tamu2002 · October 2002

Some people just have to buy imports. What can you do. And we all know what that means: high prices and bad treatment. For basic wheels, the Malibu is pretty darn hard to beat. It was actually the only midsize sedan we could afford. Thanks GM, for making your cars so affordable for young folks like us who're just starting a family.

Congrats credman41 on your new purchase. Hope your Malibu experience turns out to be even better than the Alumina. And it is good to hear another positive testimony. I thought the recommended tire pressures were weirdly low too.

Our Malibu is running great, good handling and ride, and good gas milage. As far as whether imports offer better everything, I don't know what good a $6000-more-expensive import with a VTT engine will be If you drive the way my wife drives (never accelerate hard, gentle braking, etc). The money could certainly be better spent elsewhere for us. The varous convenience and safety features , e.g. remote lock unlock, trunk release, auto headlight, auto window, and yeah easy car seat fitting, rear door child safety etc, really turn out to be much much more important than I previously thought, and they make life so much easier. And when you think about it, all these things come at a mere $16300 price tag. You see I still can't help praising our Malibu. And this is why I'm getting increasingly upset when some people just act like they've eaten a fly at the idea of buying a domestic.

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

We've been a long, long time together
Through the bad times, and the good.
I've got to celebrate you, baby,
I've got to praise you like I should!

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

quite an interesting article

http://www.msnbc.com/news/818605.asp

wilfj1 · October 2002

gea, I followed your path just 2 months ago in buying a 2002 Bu from a 91 Lumina. The only difference is they were allowing $ 3000. on the Lumina, excellent condition with 146000km or say 100,000 miles. For 3000 dollars I keep the car! Yes we've had our share of brake problems over the years. However our local dealer now offers a a free brake inspection with an oil change, so I have the brakes checked every 3000 miles to avoid freezing up and a big bill.
I would be interested in the Class Action Suit ,if you have any info.
If the 02 gives us the same service as the Lumina we'll be more then pleased. PS I drive the Lumina and my wife has the Bu, I find time to putter around an older car.... waxing,checking for rust not a spot after 11 years. Not much fun with an 02 under warranty!!.Wilfj1

tamu2002 · October 2002

So the take home lesson is-don't trade it in too soon. It's the folks who didn't take advantage of the incentives and are looking to trade in their used car that are hurt the most. It's not as big of a deal for us the new car buyers who plan to keep our car for a while. I do feel for the folks who bought the previous models without the heavy incentives though.

dtownfb · October 2002

Thanks for the article. This is why Honda rarely offeres incentives on their vehicles. They immediately shrink the value of the cars. But that is another argument which I don't want to get started.

The interesting thing is to see if this trend continues of 0% financing, rebates and a glut of used cars. At some point, something has to give. The manufacturers can't afford to keep this up (or can they). At some point people will start to realize that they should hold onto their cars for a coule of more years instead of trading them in once the new car smell wears off. Then what happens.

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

dtown, that's what happens in pretty much every business environment. If there's too much supply, the demand goes down, the prices go down, the production goes down, the prices stabilize. If there is too much demand, the prices go up, the production goes up, the prices stabilize again. So what will likely happen, especially since fewer people will have the means of getting a new car every two years, the demand for new vehicles will go down, but the prices won't go down, as manufacturers already operate with virtually no profit, so they will have to shut down some plants, at least temporarily, and that won't sit well with unions, but sometimes what we want is irrelevant, so some workers will be laid off until the economy improves, many cars get very old, and more people will be looking for a new car. And we'll start all over again :-)

I am obviously no economist, maybe someone has better understanding of the situation, so let's hear it

tamu2002 · October 2002

There's an interesting piont to this story though.

Theoretical loss in value doesn't necessirily translate into real world loss. If you try to trade your car to a dealer, sure. But not necessirily if you're buying from a private party or selling on your own. Just try telling this to the private owner you're buying from after a price is agreed on:"I just found out because new cars are so cheap due to heavy rebates, according to the market theory (or whatever) your car just had a value loss of $3000. Can you deduct the same amount $3000 from the price we just agreed on?" I doubt the owner of the car will say "Sure! That's how it's supposed to work right?"

So the net result is used car owners will either hold on to their cars or opt to sell themselves. And the used car dealers might actually benefit from setting the price by the book--buyer have better luck lecturing them on the theoretical value loss on used cars and consequently getting a better deal, so more people will go to the dealerships for used cars. That said, I doubt even dealers will automatically cut their used car prices by $3000 even though they did that to people with trade-ins.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. The whole thing might not be as bad as it theoretically is.

credman41 · October 2002

I think it's too late for entry into the class-action suit....and not sure whether it would have affected you in our northern frontier, anyway. About 3 years ago, I received notification from a law firm in NJ of a suit brought by a couple of disgruntled Lumina owners vs. GM for knowingly installing faulty brakes on cars between (I think) 1988-1993..Lumina was among them. Had to send in copies of my receipts for brake work done in past 5 years...fortunately, I had kept them. Was promised 80% rebate on over $1200 worth of work. 2 1/2 years later, got a check for about 10% and was told that over $50,000,000 worth of claims had been submitted for a $5,000,000 settlement with US Govt....hence reduced pay-out. Well, since I had already spent the $$ for the brakes, this was like a $150 bonus, found cash. But, I still revere my Lumnina, despite the brake probs...
Also, people should really check out interest rates before accepting that 0% financing.... I had a choice: take the 0% or the $3,000 rebate- I checked, found a 5.5% loan which would cost me just a total of $1980 over 5 years... so I took the $3,000 rebate, and earned another $1,000 off the cost of my "Bu. Also, since the Lumina had over 190,000 miles, would have gotten nothing from the dealer, wound up calling a charity to pick 'er up, and got a slip authorizing a $4,000 donation to the charity...worth about $1,300 off my taxes this year..... all in all,, a sweet deal.

dindak · October 2002

0% does not really hurt car companies that much. It just hurts resale.

dtownfb · October 2002

Actually dindak, it does hurt the profits of the manufacturers. Financing was one of the ways manufacturing companies made money. Think about it, sell the car at invoice or below but have the customer finacne the car at 6-9% and a company can make $3000 just on the financing.

The rebates hurt the re-sale value as well fleet and rental sales. any rebate offered is like taking money right off the top for the car. If think about it, imagine if you bought a Malibu or any other car it was reduced by $3000 off the invoice price because of the rebate. And you happen to be able to pay cash. Say a week or month later you decide to trade the car in for another. The value of the car is what you paid for it minus the rebate (since it came form the manufacturer, you got the money at the sale, you can't get back on the trade), minus the wear and tear for however long you had it.

The fleet and rental sales hurt re-sale because these car tend to have higher then normal miles on them. And they tend to hit the used car market before lease returns. So you have the same model year vehicle, one with 24,000 miles and the other with 40,000 miles. The higher mileage car is worth a few thousand less then the newer car, plus the additional miles tend to mean that parts need o be replaced sooner then the lower mileage car. The value of the higher mileage car drags down the value of the lower mileage car. Plus the used car market is normally flooded with the fleet and rental vehicles. And these cars typically are not pampered like a vehicle that a consumer owns.

What is saving Ford, GM and DC is they sell so many trucks, minivans and SUV that have a hgigher profit margin then their cars. I think I read that Ford makes close to $7000 on each Explorer they sell and break even (and sometimes lose money) on the Escort (the article was a few years ago). But you could make up the money on the financing. So i imagine that both GM and DC are inthe same boat.

dtownfb · October 2002

One thing you have to remember is even if you sell a used car privately, the price of the car is dictated by your market, i.e. what the used car dealers are selling that same vehicle for. So the rebate is already taken affect on the price of the car, whether you realize it or not. Not unless you get a sucker who doesn't do his homework and is willing to pay more for your car, then he can get at the dealership.

Tamu: you have to remember that it's supply and demand. There are a ton of used cars on the market so they have to be priced to sell. The used car dealers can't even inflate the prices if they wanted to. If they cahrge too much, people will jsut take advantage of the new car deals. Imagine if a dealer tried to charge you $15000 for 2001 Taurus SE with 17,000 miles. I would laugh at him. Because I know (and he does too) I can get a brand new one with the rebates for about $16500 and maybe even less. Plus I could get a lower finance rate then for a used car.

This is why I find this whole 0% financing and huge rebates interesting. Right now, if you are short on cash, you can get some dynamite deals on the used car market.

I look at the re-sale price of the 2001 Malibus and it's scary. But I know I'm not trading in this car for at least another 4 years. Luckily I am enjoying my experience with this vehicle. It has been a very good buy for me and my family.

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

I heard quite recently that GM is doing the best, actually making a small profit last year, while Ford is in a bad shape and lost close to 6 Billlion USD in 2001. It's true, though, that SUVs bring tons of money to the manufacturers. Most of the SUVs are just pickup trucks with a roof over the bed and some extra seats. Yet they cost 1.5 - 2 times as much

bigdaddycoats · October 2002

doesn't hurt the auto companies as much as the press claims. Think about this - last year GM raised prices on their vehicles 3 times(I believe). Now this year, many once standard items, such as ABS are now optional. It costs GM around $315 to put ABS in a vehicle. Now ABS is an option of at least $400 and the base price of the car has not decreased. So, just with ABS there is a price swing or at least $715. The Rendezvous that my wife got at the end of Feb. listed for $27775 now sells (with the same equipment( for around $29795.
An analyst from ?? just came put with a study that the incentive war is not hurting the big 3 as much as originally thought. Also, the incentives have kept the metal moving and has stopped costly plant slow downs.

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

that automakers now have to pay higher wages to their workers, and inflation also is a factor. So, I don't think they're making much more profit than before, especially on family sedans, where the competition is simply brutal

dukeorange · October 2002

For those of you who are considering a Malibu let me explain.

Our current car is a 1999 model. We were dumb enough to get it after GM took our 1997 back under the Washington State Lemon Law. We thought lightning would not strike us twice so to speak.

The 1997 car had repeated brake problems (warpage, brake booster failure among other things). In addition speakers broke as did electric mirror motors. It was in the shop more that my wife drove it the first six months we owned it.

The 1999 has 41K on it. The battery went dead after a month. Then things quieted down for about six months. Then the brake warp issue came up. We are still dealing with that today. The A/C control unit failed at 37K. GM replaced that saving us $400. But in the process they found a gasket under the troddle body that was failing. If not replaced we would have failed the engine due to hydro-lock. That cost $900. We need to have that inspected by a GM tech. tearly to assure it's ok. Now at 42K interior trim items are falling off. Is this car made by Yugo?

This car is my wifes car used to drive kids to school etc. It's never stranded her or refused to start. But it's built really cheap. I've never had these problems with a Toyota, Honda, or Ford product. I grew up with Chevy's. Dad had a 1966 PU and Mom drove a 1970 Impalla. Those vehicles were solid. But based on my experience with the Malibu my wife wants a Toyota next time. And She'll get one.

dindak · October 2002

0% only costs a manufacturer a couple of grand on average, not much more than the incentives that were in place before 9/11. Fact is, the 0% has kept American (and Canadian) car sales rolling in a big way. Given the volumes, it has really not hurt car makers like GM that much and in fact has helped GM build market share. There was a very good article in Business Week a number of weeks ago that went through the ups and downs. In the end, the big loosers are people who have used cars to sell and paid higher prices/rates before 9/11.

wilfj1 · October 2002

Reply to Dukeorange... sorry to hear of your problems. Did GM stand behind the warranty on the 1999? The problems listed would seem to be under warranty. I purchased 02 and really counting on the warranty for the major repairs.
My sons 99 Honda civic just had the main module go out$ 800 plus to replace. They claim gas tank was over filled recently and damaged the module... they are taking it up with Honda HQ for a ruling.

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

It puzzles me. Say, the brakes. They are bad on pretty much all the Bu's. Or, say, the transmission. I am yet to hear a single complaint on that. But other things, such as intake gasket, or electric mirrors, or the battery, only bother a relatively small number of owners. And I wonder why that is the case? How come it doesn't happen to everyone? All Bu's are made by the same people, what could possibly be the difference between a car which is virtually maintenance-free, and a vehicle which only goal in life is to make its owner a beggar. Anyone ventures to offer his thoughts?

usaf52 · October 2002

Why do some people complain about things? Why do some folks complain about everything and others just roll with the punches. Remember, only a very small percentage of any car owners actually post on any of these forums, and mostly it is someone who has a complaint. So, there may not be too much different in the cars, only the people who drive them.

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

You've got a point, usaf52, but it's understandable when people get frustrated after having to spend hundreds of dollars on their relatively new vehicles, would you not say?

tamu2002 · October 2002

It's totally understandable how frustrated one can be owning a lemon. I really feel bad for you dukeorange and wish you better luck with your future Toyota. But the truth is every car maker makes lemons and exceptionally reliable cars at the same time. The extreme good and bad fall in the two opposite ends of the statistical distribution curve. You'll be very lucky or unlucky getting either one of the two extremes and will more than likely statistically get an average car, which is what it comes down to. I think we all agree the average domestic reliability is much better now, and personally I believe the risk is worth the $6000 or so saved.

Plus its not like importants are all that problem-free. One's mentality plays a very important and subconcious role here. Its like if you have a positive opinion of somebody you tend to look at whatever he does in a positive way and find excuses for yourself to continue your belief in him, even when he's not living up to your admiration. The same holds true when you don't think too highly of someone. That person will have an awfully hard time changing your opinion about him because you subconciously look at whatever he does in a negative way and tolerates no imperfection.

jesse11113 · October 2002

I've never test driven an Accord, but I had a Camry for a month before returning it. It's not better, just different. The upholstery was nicer in the Camry, but I didn't buy the LS. The suspension is a lot softer than the Malibu. I would imagine someone would think that's better if a cushy ride is your thing. But you lose road feel, and the Camry was nerve racking to drive at high speeds. You need a death grip on the steering wheel The sound system is defin. better in the Malibu. The Camry would also need a $250 tune up every 12000 miles, or they wouldn't honor the warrenty.

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

I have pretty much the same complaint about Impala. It has such horribly overboosted steering, that you simply cannot feel the road. Add to it a pillow-soft gas pedal, and your leg gets tired really fast. Whose bright idea was it?

As for Camry requiring you to pay $250 (plus tax?) every 12K miles, it's outrageous. That's another 750 + tax before the warranty is up! Talk about a ripoff, hehehe

pandboy · October 2002

I currently own 99LS which had problems many had stated such as famous brake warpage, dead battery and unfixable tire overwear on side, etc. Luckily, most problems were covered under warranty. Just out of the warranty, I was making the car checkup at 30K, the dealer found the coolant is leaking in air intake manifold. This is a $400 out of my pocket. I am wondering if any one have the similar problem, should I dump it as my gut feeling tells me there will be more problem down the road. Any comments are appreciated.

wilfj1 · October 2002

GM dealer has 2002 bu ls model demo with 12000km for $14995 with balance of warranty. 5 in stock. Is this an indication used cars are dropping like a stone.?? Also, Ford dealers offering similar pricing on 02 demo's. With all the new car incentatives offered for year end sell offs,trade-ins must be building hugh inventory on dealer lots with winter on the way. Has to be a good time to to buy a top used car, I would think.

dtownfb · October 2002

You have the infamous intake manifold leak. This is a common problem with the Chevy small V6. The bad thing about it is this seems to have been going on for some time. The good thing is that once it's fixed it does not come back. Which makes you wonder why they can't solve this problem inthe factory. I believe that this also does not hurt the engine in the long run either.

There was a discussion about this in Edmunds. I'm sure if you do some searching around, you can find the discussion. But it is a known problem with this engine.

larryt22 · October 2002

I have a 99 Malibu LS that is out of warranty. Before the warranty expired, I had the a/c switch replaced because of the typical on/off problem that many have talked about here. Now I have the fan not working in switch position #1 & #2 positions. Is this contolled by the same a/c switch that I had replaced? If so, it appears they replaced my defective switch with another one that was of questionable quality. Can someone let me know if this is the same part? Also, how much does it cost to get the fan problem fixed?

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

Please don't consult your owner manuals, as it would kill the fun. Ok, so

How long (the distance in miles or kilometers) do you have to drive with either your left or right turn indicator turned on before you hear a warning chime?

wilfj1 · October 2002

I just had my first oil change and of course something always happens when the dealer gets their paws on a car. The air bag light flashes for about 30 seconds on start up. Someone had a note on this way back. It never came on before ,is there something about turning the key off and on or something like that .. any thoughts before I go back to the Dealer and end up with a major module replacement, under warranty, but great revenue for the dealer.. they love these little bugs, sometimes I suspect they just make them happen.Any thoughts?

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

Hey, Wilfj, check your manual, it should say how long the air bag light should normally be on after you turn on the ignition. It definitely should flash for some time, though I doubt it should be 30 seconds. But when it flashes, it means the computer checks the air bag module to see if all the components are functioning properly. So I guess maybe your computer is a bit slow or constantly needs to double check something. Are you sure the light never flashed before? Maybe you simply didn't notice it, as there like 15 lights flashing at the same time? Of course, if the problem appeared right after your visit to the dealer, chances are their mechanics did the favor.

wilfj1 · October 2002

Thanks BCMALIBU for your quick response. I will check the manual and count the flashes. It seems to stop after doing up the seat belt. As you say it may well be I just didn't notice it before. Actually my wife also mentioned it after using the car and she has no idea what's happening when she turns the key( just as Well). I recall just a short one , two flash and gone, now it on up to the time the belt is done up. The seat belt lights up and gone when done up. Strange... I'll just leave it for now.
The car is running just fine, no squeaks or rattles, but my 90 day "POWELL TEST" period is just about up. What happens now? Pray...

spyder61 · October 2002

I have a 98 model, and I changed the brakes every 21/2 months, till I finally realized what the problem was. The inboard pad has protrusion in the center of it at the top. What worked for me is I ground this down (with bench grinder) to the point that it would allow the pad to slide in/out of the caliper. If it is not ground down the pad does not retract back into the caliper and is worn down by the rotor

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

Have you figured out what's going on? As for the seat belt light (and chime), it should flash and chime only if you are not buckled up when you start the car. It should also stop flashing and chiming the moment you buckle up. Your manual should have a very good explanation of that. I don't know if they've changed anything as far as chimes and lights since 99 model year

wilfj1 · October 2002

Looks like the seat belt indicator is mixed up with the air bag. The manual covers the operation very well but my lights ain't doing what they should. The belt light does'nt flash but I get the chime. The air bag light goes off after buckling up. they screwed something up , on an oil change!!

Some times I wonder... my sons buddy who has worked in the service business implied I'm a marked car as I have a non deductible warranty and electrical work is a real winner for the dealer. It just can't be so...tell me so.
It's suggested to leave it be unless something else occurs . The point being when they get into the dash to remove the instrument cluster it's all one piece ,and with module checks I could have never ending electrical problems and rattles for the life of the car.
Thanks for your help and I'm just going to ignore it unless something major occurs. I just can't handle the hassle knowing that they will make it a major testing program with days of trying to locate the flashing lights...the problem will be corrected but what else could they mess up in doing so . Just not worth the risk at this point. Cheers Wilf1

wilfj1 · October 2002

I just couldn't leave it.. believe it or not problem resolved!! Since my last message I went for a drive to recheck the bells and whistles. I DID NOT do up my belt for the drive. The red light for the belt come on, started flashing and chimes on . The bag light went off after blinking about 4 times after start up.
Returned home and turned off the car. On re start all went according to the manual!.
What could have happened? It is possible that by not doing up the belt for an extended period and on re start the computer self adjusted to it's default. This may have got out of sink when the oil change was done as they drive the car without buckling up. Heaven knows...sure glad it's back in the right sequence. I take back what I said about the dealer or do I: time will till. say good night, good night. Wilfj1

bcmalibu99ls · October 2002

Congrats, Wilfj! I know it wasn't a major thing, but I also know how frustrating and upsetting it could be, especially if it's a brand-new car. To put things in perspective, though, the attachment usually becomes somewhat weaker as years pass by. I remember three years ago I was so enraged when during the oil change they slightly scratched my dashboard with the key around the ignition hole (was the mechanic drunk and couldn't hit the hole with the key, or something?). Now my car has like seven visible "blemishes" such as scratches, dents, etc, and doesn't bother me a bit, hehehe

albuterol · October 2002

Decided it was time to get rid of the annoying coolant leak from my '98 Malibu with 100k miles. Saw everywhere on the 'net how the problem is with the lower intake manifold gasket, and yes I could see the fluid trail from that seam all around as predicted.

Can't afford to pay over $1000 for the dealer to do it so decided to do it myself. It took a week during my evening hours and weekend to get everything moved out of the way, but I finally got there.

When I got to the lower intake manifold, I noticed there were 8 bolts holding it on, the bolt only need a 10mm socket wrench. Seems kinda small.

Anyway, all eight bolts were loose! No wonder I'm losing coolant! So I pulled those bolts out and removed the lower intake manifold then saw embossed on one of the head blocks, "Made in Mexico."

So much for buying American.

BTW, the bolts had no loctite on them, so I'll be sure to put some on when I install the new gasket.

And it looks like coolant leaked both out and in, meaning my engine oil has been running with coolant for beaucoup miles. Explains why the engine sounds like it's always low on oil.

joe3891 · October 2002

gasket compresses the Locktite won't help.

tamu2002 · October 2002

I just noticed today my 2002 Malibu's instrument panel light suddently became very dim at night. Could it be the automatic sensor didn't think it was dark enough outside or something, which doesn't make sense 'cause it was way past sunset time and very dark. Does anyone have any idea?

ps:I noticed this when we drove from daytime till late evening.

tamu2002 · October 2002

Turns out, as silly as it sounds, my wife unknowingly turned the brightness adjust thumbwheel all the way off. So far with almost 3000 miles on it, our malibu runs great. we got 21 miles a gallon in the city and 29 on the highway and everything is in great working condition. There's a small intermittent rattle on the driver side and the passenger side power window seems to be a little slower than the driver's side. We're very happy with the car. Still think its a tough car to beat considering the money you paid for it.

wilfj1 · October 2002

reply to TAMU 2002. I have an 02 as well and so far so good. The rattle on the drivers side reminds me when I had a new Pontaic and reported the same to the dealer. The rattle was a coke bottle in the door side panel. It might have stayed there for ever but a bump jarred it loose and started the rattle. I don't think robots drink coke so it can't be that today.Wilf1

tamu2002 · October 2002

Thanks Wilf1. I couldn't believe you had a coke bottle in the door panel! Well, it could be worse, could've been a beer bottle

Anyways, the rattle is intermittent and very minor. You're right, it could be a slightly loose door panel. At this point I'm not gonna worry about it. It's my wife who drives the car and she doesn't even notice it. As long as she's happy... Another thing is from the beginning the brakes make a very small dull friction noise. I'm sure it's no big deal, although I didn't notice that on aother Malibu we testdrove. And again my wife doesn't hear it, so we'll just let it be.

wilfj1 · October 2002

To TAMU 2002 I think the girls have the right idea, gas , oil and drive. It works for my wife.I'm the nut at the wheel trying to guess what Detriot may have in mind for me.
As one Service fellow said to me one time " get in the car and drive the damn thing " I did and drove 180000 km , oil, tires and brakes on a 1992 mustang. Great cars.Wilf1

2000-2011 Chevrolet Malibu

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles