I just found out the rotors on my 2000 Malibu need replacing. They were machined once before, but now because of rust etc. they are too thin to machine again. Is this something that should be covered under warranty? I have approximately 21,000 miles(33,750 km) on the car. Any help would be appreciated.
I have a 99 Chevy Malibu LS with 24K miles purchased new in September of 99. Two questions:
1. I have tried my damndest but I have attempted to change the wiper blades myself with no luck. There is lever I press and I can't get the old blades out. Any advice? These are the original blades believe it or not. Otherwise I can ask the dealer which I would rather not.
2. My three year warrantly runs out in September. Should I take the car in for some sort of "inspection" to ensure there are any last things that need to be looked at before my warranty expires?? Just wondering.
On a different note have enjoyed my Malibu. Particularly since I stand 6'6" I have found the car a comfortable ride. My rotors did warp at 10K, had a a/c malfunction, all rectified quickly by the dealer, but that's it so far.
The wiper arms are ending in a hook. After pushing the lever, you can slip the blades out the hook, as shown on the pictures.
I am using Trico blades for my cars. Buy them in Pep Boys. I believe, the OEM were made by the same company. There are 4 types of the blades, for different attachments; the hook is type 1.
My 98 base Malibu is using 22 inch wiper blade on driver side, and 19 inch on passenger side. Trico Perfectfit 22-1 and 19-1. Most probably your 99 LS is using the same sizes, but it is better to verify with your car manual. Any case, there is a book in the blades aisle.
2. The general inspection is allways a good idea.
More specific:
Many GM V6 engines, including the 3.1l in my Malibu, are developing a coolant leak in intake manifold. The leak is slight (like one quart every 3 months), but it can cause other problems later. The intake manifold gasket must be replaced to fix the leak. Cheap part, but a lot of labor. Costs from about $550 in independent shop, and up to $800 at some dealerships.
Pressure testing the coolant system costs only about $25. By the way, my Malibu manual recommends a yearly pressure test. GM must know better...
I have a 98 Malibu LS with the V6. Dark Cherry Metallic. I am having the oft mentioned problem with the air conditioning flickerig on and off constantly causing me to overheat in more ways than one! I have loved this car and continue to do so. It is as tight as the day I bought it and I dare you to find a rattle or a squeak in the thing. Great power and I have been lucky enough to be still using original tires, brakes and rotors. (56,000 miles). Tires need replaced, and brakes need checked I'm sure...but I have not had problems with either. The only real problem that I am having is with the AC. It's great AC...when I can keep it on. I have some questions for you:
1. What needs to be replaced to correct this problem? 2. How much does it cost on average for parts and labor? 3. Can I take it to another auto shop and avoid the dealer to have this work done?
I don't want to be taken on this repair and as we head into summer, I need the AC to work properly. I know I probably could find these answers in the 900 other messages...but it did not see the ability to search via keyword....thus making the search extrememly tedious and difficult. Let me know if you can and I appreciate the help!
Hi All, I have a 3 month old 2002 Malibu with 5000 miles. The other day the car began to stall. 4 time now the engine quits with no putter or attempt to continue running. It has happened 4 times: Right after starting Rolling to a traffic light, car pulling itsef Starting to move from a stand still up a small hill Do 75 on I81 in NY...
Local chevrolet dealer ran diagnostics, with no uck, no trouble codes in the computer. Road test for 15 mins. could not reproduce the problem, even I can't figure when it will occur. Car will start immedialty and run fine...I drove 270 miles after the stall on the highway with no problem.
Check your battery cable connections for tightness.I had the same stalling problems with a different car but I discovered my negative cable slightly loose at the terminal. This causes a power shutdown (loss) which kills any computer engine trouble code storage.
Hi, I had the same stalling problem on my Malibu 97 LS with 60k miles. An independent shop diagnosed the problem with one of my fuel injectors. They replaced the injector and now the car runs fine. Also I am using only premium gas to get the added detergent qualities.
I believe there was a TSB out on the A/C flickering on/off. I think it affected earlier model malibu's. It had to do with a bad switch, i believe.
mjohns: I just changed the winter blades on my Malibu this weekend, which considering the weather we have had the past few days may have been premature. Mine came off pretty easy (not what you wanted to hear). I simply push the lever as far as it could go and slid the wiper blade down. Be careful not to push on the wiper blade first. This causes too much pressure on the connections and it won't allow it to disconnect. If that doesn't work, use a pen or screwdriver for additional pressure to release the switch. I had to do this on my Explorer Sunday. The lever didn't lift the "catch" far enough for it to disengage from the wiper blade arm. So i used a screwdriver to push on the lever and release the 'catch'. good luck.
I was able to get a new AC control unit for under $100 new from a relative that owns a parts store. I had the new unit installed in about 20 minutes and it completely corrected the problem of the AC flickering on and off. I would recommend that nobody pay a shop for this job....it is easyily done at home and you will not be charged 50 dollars and hour labor. I took each connection off the old part one by one and installed them on the new one. Easy as pie!! Pain in the butt problem .......but solved in 20 minutes and for 95 dollars!
J.D. Powers is fine to gauge "initial" quality, but what about after the initial 90-days. With all the problems written about on the Malibu boards, I'd sooner believe the Consumer Reports opinion : "reliability has fallen to below average"...
Hi, everyone! Glad to see so many happy Malibu owners gathered in one place! I would like to become a regular on this board, so let me introduce my 99 Malibu LS. Please welcome a vehicle which has already been in four accidents (one per none months, not bad, eh?), was broken into, cost me more in speeding tickets than in maintenance, and successfully moved me across the continent two times.
This car was manufactured in Feb of 99 and I bought it in June of the same year in California. Now it has 35K miles. The very first accident happenned about a week later. I rear-ended, of all cars, a Porsche Boxter. The SOB was moving in traffic as if it was an obstacle course, and I had the stupidity of following him. The difference in braking ability between a Porsche and a Malibu became apparent when I was unable to stop in time and hit him. The speed was low, though, as air bags didn't deploy, but the other car jumped forward a couple of yards after the hit. The most amazing thing was that neither car had a single scratch, and the Porsche driver didn't even bother to come out and see what happenned. Maybe it was stolen? Hahaha. When we stopped at the next light I pulled up, rolled my window down, and asked him if he wanted to come out and check the vehicles. He only asked me how badly was it damaged, and when I said not a scratch, he said he was late for a doctor's appointment and sped away.
When it was barely 3 months old and had just over 2 thousand miles on it, I had the most serious accident, as I T-Boned an older Toyota SUV which failed to yield to me while making a left turn at an intersection (I was going straight). The airbags again didn't deploy, but the car was damaged to the tune of $2,000 USD, all covered by insurance except the deductible. The car was quite driveable after the accident, though the hood popped up slightly. It was like new three weeks later.
And then I moved to Texas, where it was 110 degrees every single day in the Summer. I went to an airport to meet my friend, and at the airport the car wouldn't start. It was such a luck to have a dead battery where they have a portable jump-start battery in every airport tow truck. Five minutes later I was on my way, thanks a lot. The battery was replaced under warranty, and I was told it died due to extreme outside heat.
Then I moved to East coast, where I drove the car for the first time in Winter conditions. It did pretty well.
After that I put all of my stuff in Malibu and drove for 3000 miles to Vancouver, BC, where I currently live. The car performed admirably, and at one point it gave me 33 miles per gallon despite being fully loaded. Miracles do happen.
Then my very first day in BC I rear-ended a Honda minivan, very slightly, cause the guy stopped abruptly after starting to make a left turn at the intersection, though he had plenty of time to turn, and I thought even I would have time to turn, so I hit the gas, and voila, the guy decided to yield to a car seventy yards away. Again my front bumper wasn't even scratched, while he had a half-penny scratch. He said he would talk to my insurance company, but he didn't.
And then I rear-ended a Toyota Corolla, this time it was entirely my fault, as I was looking at something on the sidewalk and didn't notice the traffic in front of me started to slow down. The Corolla got a very big scratch on its bumper, while my bumper again didn't have a single scratch! A woman driving the Corolla just looked at my Malibu in amazement. Tongue-in-cheek I told her to buy a Malibu next time, because now I would have to pay for repairs to her bumper.
The brakes problem didn't escape me, though, as my pads had to be replaced at 20K miles. I must admit I used to brake very hard, so I guess it's partially my fault too. I also had problems with electric mirrors. They won't work. The passenger side mirror was fixed once, and driver side - twice, all under warranty. Also, a week ago I had calipers replaced - 200 CAD.
The tires I have right now are Goodyear Aquatred III. Cost me 700 CAD with all the labor, taxes, etc. Quite expensive, but a must to have in Vancouver, where it rains on average 160 days a year. These tires are just amazing, especially on wet pavement. Probably saved me from hitting many more cars :-)
Also, I get occasional rattles from the dash, always in the morning, and they seem to disappear completely five minutes later, when the car warms up. I wonder why that is the case? What is it in the dash which rattles when the car is cold?
Oh, yeah, the car was broken into about two months ago. The SOBs stole stuff worth maybe CAD 100, and did $2,600 CAD damage! The car was "repaired" by Port Chev in Port Coquitlam, BC (very bad job, don't go there), and after I got the car back the following was discovered:
1. I had no AM reception - had to go back so that they would spend one minute exactly turning some radio switch on in the trunk.
2. The horn wasn't working! Had to go back again, they fixed that too.
3. Sunroof started to rattle like crazy. The fixed it when they fixed the horn.
4. After a while, get this, my car would honk by itself! Especially when I would make turns. Literally every minute. You can imagine how many irritated looks I got from other drivers who thought I was honking at them on purpose. It's a miracle I wasn't shot. Went back to that Port Chevrolet, and they replaced the entire horn. Now everything works fine.
The bottom line, reading how many problems others had with their Malibus, I guess I am lucky I've got a worry-free car. Living (now) in a benign climate doesn't hurt either. My warranty has just expired, so here's hoping my Malibu gives me many tens of thousands very happy miles.
I am brand new to this site but very glad to see that other people are experiencing problems like mine. To start I bought my 98 malibu used in oct of 2001 after a women decided to run right in the side of my 96 dodge grand caravan and send me head on into a tree which totalled the van out so i bought this 98 malibu because i saw it at the dealership and fell in love with it and had to have it, well 1 month after having it i experienced the a/c switch flicker like many others but only 1-2 times so i didn't think anything of it until about a week ago when it started back up constantly. I also have the problem of turning the a/c switch to 3 to get the air to start and i would like to know if anybody can tell me exactly where this part is i need to fix that problem and if i can get it at a parts store not the dealer. To continue i have the rattle that everybody speaks of in my dash and the rattle in the front engine compartement, i was told by a fellow malibu owner it could be the lifters and or deposits on the outside of the fuel injector if this is true or not true could someone let me know how to clean the outside of my injector. So finally my biggest problem and the real reason for babbling on so much, around a month after i had my 98 malibu i was at wal-mart and went to start my car and saw an indicator light that said theft system so i didnt think anything of it until i tried to start my car and it wouldn't....so i ended up replacing the battery..still did'nt start....so replaced the starter..that fixed it for about two weeks ...finally i took it to the dealer and they found that a there was a bad part so they replaced it or so they said(cost $400 no warranty)and that seemed to fix it for a month until i was driving down the road in daytona beach florida and all of a sudden at a red light my information center guages started lighting up like a xmas tree and my head lights flicked off and on until i pulled over and shut the car off...i got it home and found the alternator wasn,t putting out enough charge so i replaced it myself...well to make a long story even longer it fixed my ignition/starting problem once again for a month now i am constantly sitting in my car waiting for the theft system light to stop blinking so i can fight with the car to get it started.Is there anybody out there who is or has experienced this theft system problem and if so how do i fix it. I know that the tsb knows about this but have they put out any recall where i can take it in to be fixed any info on this problem would help
I would take anything CR reports with a grain of salt also. Heavily flawed methods of reporting over there. There are no perfect quality reports so it's best to read many to get a good idea of what is happening.
Bottom line is, the Malibu/GA/Alero plant is highly improved and probably one of the best assembly plants around now.
We have a 2002 Malibu with a busted tail light cover. The dealers are giving us a price of $233 for the tail light. Does anyone know if this is the same tail light from previous models? We are trying to avoid shelling out the $233 if we can.
I believe it is the same lens since the '98 model-everything else is. Call a junk yard-they will have one for 50.00 bucks.Good luck. P.S. It is easy to replace.
An update on my earlier post, 1 chevy dealer backpedaled quickly and said it would be extremely difficult to fix an intermitant turn signal problem, unless the signals didn't work when the car was there. Recognizing Bozo's when I see them, I went to another Chevy dealer who fixed the problem in 30 minutes, while the signals still worked (that day).
They replaced the Hazard Switch, that had an open circuit and was faulty (although it worked), failure code: 6F. They said the two are directly related, and it is a common Malibu problem. Parts and labor: $67.50, if I was not still under the 3yr/36 mo. warranty.
I've read that one Malibu owner complained about Malibu's large blind spots. While that may be the case, the problem is easily solved by small blind spot eliminating mirrors which you attach to your original mirrors. At Wal-Mart you can get them for a couple of bucks. It works great, especially during the day. At night it's still a good idea to look over your shoulder when changing lanes. I think other drivers feel better around your car when they see you have those little mirrors, because they know you have no blind spots. I can speak for myself that I am very happy to drive beside such prudent people :-)
This is partly an update to my previous post and also my new problem. I had excessive oil use these last 3 months and finally took my car to Dan Perkins Chevrolet in Milford, CT. The final conclusion was the intake manifold gasket (repair cost $700). The new problem is alot like post #920. Just yesterday I too had a blinking Theft System light. The car would not start (as per manual) till the light shut off completely. On my way to work this morning the Theft System light stayed on till I got to work (20 miles later). After I parked the car I shut it off and waited a minute then started the car again. The light went off. I call Dan Perkins just to ask what they thought it might be. The Tech suggested cleaning off the key I used as that could cause the sensor to go off. In any case the Theft System light would have to stay on consistently for the Tech to be able to read the code. I too will wait for feedback.
My wife and I stumbled onto the Malibu rebates and found it very hard to resist. We test drove a base model today and were surprised at how well it drove. Well, we are in the process of moving across states next week and the 7-1 deadline really seems to zero in on us. We really need to make a decision soon. Please, tell me this is a good idea. Please tell me the Malibu's reliability is at least average. Thanks!
I was very interested to read that others are having problems with their anti-theft system on their malibu. I too have had occasions where I cannot start the car for several tries because the anti-theft light keeps coming on. It only happens at select times, so of course the dealer can never seem to duplicate it. I have even asked them if they could disable it, since it is more important to me that I have a car that I know will start than worrying about it being stolen where we live. They said that was not something that they could do. If anyone knows of a solution to this problem, it would be greatly appreciated!
Have a 2002 Malibu base model and have had no problems at all. There has been one recall to possibly replace the left headlight assembly. The low beam on some vehicles do not meet federal standards. From what I have read, the 2002 Malibu's quality has greatly improved.
I have a 98 Malibu with 3.1 v6 and, while I like it, it was anything but reliable.
Most of problems were small. Fixed with oil change, did not influence driveability. Like bad speakers or door sensor (the car thought it is not closed, needed a second attempt). Major items were transmission (not typical for Malibu and GM cars in general), intake manifold gasket, and brake rotors.
On the other hand, my Malibu is an early build even for 98 model (July 1997), and I bought it used just several months after the car was put in service. Who knows, what the previous owner did with the car, and why he sold it so fast?
According to the last surveys (J.D.Power), the 2002 model have very few defects. Must be much more reliable.
My wife and I were very surprised at how well the Malibu drove. She wasn't a bit interested in it before the test drive and afterwards she was completely sold. The car had good acceleration, smooth shifting, quiet ride and fantastic brakes (what a difference compared to our Geo storm!). The interior space and trunk space are good. It was a breeze to secure our carseat, and it was TIGHT. The exterior is a little generic and the interior could use some refinement especially the fake wood in the LS. But overall it's a great car with great value. I've always been wanting to buy domestic but was turned off by the high prices (for us anyway). Now with the rebates the Malibu is just too good to resist.
I testdrove the Altima on the same day. Fancy looking inside and out, but is it worth the thousands extra. I'd say no for people like us on a TIGHT budget. I really hope this thing will work out and I can already imagine us as satisfied Malibu owners.
We tested a base Malibu and a base Alero back to back. We ended up with the Alero even though the Malibu had a V6, mainly because we like the looks of the Alero better. The 4 cyl Ecotec in the Alero wasn't much slower either. We were on a tight budget also so I know how you feel. Day care is expensive!
We need your input on this car we're looking at. Since we're moving across state early next week, we need to act soon. So far I have only got two quotes in the state we're moving to, and both are higher than this one.
1) Is this a good deal? Is there still room for negotiation?
Malibu LS with spoiler: $16,250 before TTL
2)Is it a lot of trouble to change the titles and everything once we move to another state. How does it work? Is this price worth the trouble?
I assume the invoice is whatever the edmund's figure minus the rebates. Is that right? We've got a very good APR with 0 down for 60 months. Please comment! Thanks!
I believe the invoice price for a Malibu LS is around $18500. Most GM cars invoices are about $1500-$1700 below the MSRP. Plus the Malibu has a rebate going on. I woudl offer invoice minus the rebate. I paid $200 over invoice (not including the rebate) for my 2001 Malibu LS last July. The $16250 sounds like a good price to me. What is the rebate on the Malibu?
So far absolutely no problems with mine. I have 15,500 miles on it. The only thing I would change is the tires. Which will be done in a year or two.
The latest quote I got is $15650 for an LS with spoiler. That's a very good price but trouble is we're moving to another state 1000 miles away next week and will have to transport the car. I hate the idea of towing a trailer behind a rental truck. The best quote I got from our new place is $450 dollars more with 1% less sales tax though. Touch decision to make. What do you think?
I wouldn't buy the Malibu now. I would wait. I'm not sure of how the sales tax works but you could be responsible for paying sales tax in your current state as well as the state you are moving to. Plus you don't need another distraction when you are moving.
I would buy from the dealership in the area you are moving to. It still seems liek a great deal you are getting and it will only cost you about $300 or so dollars more. And you never know what kind of sale may pop up once you get there. The end of the month is coming up. Dealerships like to move inventory around that time and salesmen need to meet their monthly targets.
New on the board. Just wanted to comment about my 2001 Malibu LS. Have 17K miles on it, and just had a fuel injector replaced. It's had a rough idle for some time. I took it in the Chevy dealer for an oil change and mentioned to rough idle. They found the problem and tried to clean the injector but it didn't work, so they replaced it. Runs great now and my gas mileage should improve.
I have had no other problems with the car, and am very happy with it so far.
The road noise from the tires is more than I like. I guess this is a problem others have expressed. I had a 97 Malibu before this one and it had the same excess tire noise. I have Firestones on my 2001 Malibu. Car is a lease so I don't want to invest in new tires.
Don't buy a Malibu. I have had nothing but problem after problem with my '99 Malibu. I have had the breaks and rotors replaced at least five times in the past three years. The first 3 times was in the first year I owned the car. I have had numerous other problems such as the coolant level light always going on and being low on water and coolant at times but not always, my front end rattles almost incessantly, my a/c button has not worked on a couple of occassions (by the way, the A/C has never been very good in my opinion). I have had to replace the fuel pump as well. It seems now that my transmission is slipping. One thing after another. I am certainly not a satisfied Malibu owner and would not recommend this car to anyone. Except maybe the girl who stole my boyfried in 12th grade. Ha.Ha. I am stuck in a 4 year lease. Does anyone know how to get out of a lease? It is the first time I have ever leased a vehicle and don't know if I can wait another year to turn it in.
Sorry about all of your problems with 99 Malibu. Most of the items you mentioned should have been covered under warranty. The brakes and rotors were a known problem with the Malibu as well as the Grand Am, Alero and L-series. The A/C problem is a faulty switch which has been documented numerous times on this board. I hope you have had the coolant level checked. It could be an indication of an internal leak.
As far as getting out of the lease, your options are limited. If you were interested in another GM product, I bet the delaership would be willing to work with you. Unforutnately you are bound by the contract you signed and required to make those payments. There are ways to get out but normally it is not advantageous to the consumer. I would check on the Leasing Board. Those guys know can give you more information.
Malibu's are so incredibly inexpencive, and i'm a teen that's had his license for a little while and i really want a car. Now that I'm older and having to spend my own money the Malibu sounds great. But I also don't want to have to pay for repairs which the Malibu is known for. Do all Malibu's have problems, or is it just some situations and/or drivers? If you have a better idea for me or a better car I'd love to hear it. Just post another message please.
Older Malibu, 97-98, are not reliable. Mostly small problems, to fix at oil change, but a lot of them.
1999-2001 were close to average.
According to the last J.D.Power report, the initial quality of 2002 improved sharply, and currently it is one of the best cars in this respect. Initial quality (number of defect found during first month to 3 months) correlates well with long-term reliability.
However, to feel safe, I would suggest to price the car plus long-term after-market extended warranty. Something like 7-9 years / 90-100k miles. The warranty may cost about $1000 via Internet.
To the best of my understanding, with the warranty tossed in, Malibu is still less expensivethan most of competition without such a warranty.
If you decide to buy the car, you can go without the extended warranty till about 30 months / 30k miles. Then you will know, if your car is reliable or have a lot od small problems.
Well i am glad to see that i am not alone after posting my life story about my troublesome 1998 malibu and not long after i posted my original message my malibu started acting up again but bad this time my gas petal went(had no acceleration up hill) all my gauges went off and my temp,fuel and rpm gauges went dead. I ended up 30 miles away from home and having to call a tow truck to get me back to my house. the only good news i have is that is didn't get into an accident when it died in the middle of rush hour traffic in orlando florida. i was able to talk to a mechanic friend of mine who has access to ALLDATA he said all the symptoms or problems i'm having are to deal with the theft system so i guess i have to breakdown and pay to get the other part fixed.
hi all, i just got a 2001 used malibu from a car rental sales place. this car did not come with the keyless remotes, does anyone know how i would go about getting these? thanks
I have 98 base Malibu, with power door and trunk locks, but without remote.
Aftermarket remote lock / fobs are available from hundreds places around. Even at Pep Boys, if I remember it right. I see advertisement often in local newspapers, mostly from small shops.
For cars with power locks the remote are reasonably priced. Strong competition. Usually are combined with remote starter, for cold winter.
However, 4 years later, I am still did not bought the gizmo. Nice to have, but do not really need, no problems to live without.
I have a 98, and am considering trading in for a 2002. I like the many features of the car, and as I put on a lot of mileage, I don't like to spend alot on my cars, but I still need something that looks professional enough for my sales calls.
I am thinking about getting one this weekend, but would like any reassurance available that the 2002's have most of these recurring issues fixed.
Comments
21,000 miles(33,750 km) on the car. Any help would be appreciated.
1. I have tried my damndest but I have attempted to change the wiper blades myself with no luck. There is lever I press and I can't get the old blades out. Any advice? These are the original blades believe it or not. Otherwise I can ask the dealer which I would rather not.
2. My three year warrantly runs out in September. Should I take the car in for some sort of "inspection" to ensure there are any last things that need to be looked at before my warranty expires?? Just wondering.
On a different note have enjoyed my Malibu. Particularly since I stand 6'6" I have found the car a comfortable ride. My rotors did warp at 10K, had a a/c malfunction, all rectified quickly by the dealer, but that's it so far.
Thank you in advance, Magnus
http://www.impalahq.com/Wiper.html
Different car, but the same wipers design.
The wiper arms are ending in a hook. After pushing the lever, you can slip the blades out the hook, as shown on the pictures.
I am using Trico blades for my cars. Buy them in Pep Boys. I believe, the OEM were made by the same company. There are 4 types of the blades, for different attachments; the hook is type 1.
My 98 base Malibu is using 22 inch wiper blade on driver side, and 19 inch on passenger side. Trico Perfectfit 22-1 and 19-1. Most probably your 99 LS is using the same sizes, but it is better to verify with your car manual. Any case, there is a book in the blades aisle.
2. The general inspection is allways a good idea.
More specific:
Many GM V6 engines, including the 3.1l in my Malibu, are developing a coolant leak in intake manifold. The leak is slight (like one quart every 3 months), but it can cause other problems later. The intake manifold gasket must be replaced to fix the leak. Cheap part, but a lot of labor. Costs from about $550 in independent shop, and up to $800 at some dealerships.
Pressure testing the coolant system costs only about $25. By the way, my Malibu manual recommends a yearly pressure test. GM must know better...
I have a 98 Malibu LS with the V6. Dark Cherry Metallic. I am having the oft mentioned problem with the air conditioning flickerig on and off constantly causing me to overheat in more ways than one! I have loved this car and continue to do so. It is as tight as the day I bought it and I dare you to find a rattle or a squeak in the thing. Great power and I have been lucky enough to be still using original tires, brakes and rotors. (56,000 miles). Tires need replaced, and brakes need checked I'm sure...but I have not had problems with either. The only real problem that I am having is with the AC. It's great AC...when I can keep it on. I have some questions for you:
1. What needs to be replaced to correct this problem?
2. How much does it cost on average for parts and labor?
3. Can I take it to another auto shop and avoid the dealer to have this work done?
I don't want to be taken on this repair and as we head into summer, I need the AC to work properly. I know I probably could find these answers in the 900 other messages...but it did not see the ability to search via keyword....thus making the search extrememly tedious and difficult. Let me know if you can and I appreciate the help!
I have a 3 month old 2002 Malibu with 5000 miles. The other day the car began to stall. 4 time now the engine quits with no putter or attempt to continue running. It has happened 4 times:
Right after starting
Rolling to a traffic light, car pulling itsef
Starting to move from a stand still up a small hill
Do 75 on I81 in NY...
Local chevrolet dealer ran diagnostics, with no uck, no trouble codes in the computer. Road test for 15 mins. could not reproduce the problem, even I can't figure when it will occur. Car will start immedialty and run fine...I drove 270 miles after the stall on the highway with no problem.
Anyone have any ideas...Thanks
Phil
Phil
I had the same stalling problem on my Malibu 97 LS with 60k miles. An independent shop diagnosed the problem with one of my fuel injectors. They replaced the injector and now the car runs fine. Also I am using only premium gas to get the added detergent qualities.
Hope this helps
mjohns: I just changed the winter blades on my Malibu this weekend, which considering the weather we have had the past few days may have been premature. Mine came off pretty easy (not what you wanted to hear). I simply push the lever as far as it could go and slid the wiper blade down. Be careful not to push on the wiper blade first. This causes too much pressure on the connections and it won't allow it to disconnect. If that doesn't work, use a pen or screwdriver for additional pressure to release the switch. I had to do this on my Explorer Sunday. The lever didn't lift the "catch" far enough for it to disengage from the wiper blade arm. So i used a screwdriver to push on the lever and release the 'catch'. good luck.
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/GMcnsmrs/
"reliability has fallen to below average"...
Have you seen the Letter from the Town Hall Manager on the Town Hall Welcome page? If not, you might want to follow that link to have a look.
And hang on to your seats. Change is never easy - for any of us - but resolving the Search problems we've had will be worth the pain.
Pat
Sedans Host
for years the owners of import bragged about how well their cars were when new, now they "pooh-pooh" any new car quality surveys.
This car was manufactured in Feb of 99 and I bought it in June of the same year in California. Now it has 35K miles. The very first accident happenned about a week later. I rear-ended, of all cars, a Porsche Boxter. The SOB was moving in traffic as if it was an obstacle course, and I had the stupidity of following him. The difference in braking ability between a Porsche and a Malibu became apparent when I was unable to stop in time and hit him. The speed was low, though, as air bags didn't deploy, but the other car jumped forward a couple of yards after the hit. The most amazing thing was that neither car had a single scratch, and the Porsche driver didn't even bother to come out and see what happenned. Maybe it was stolen? Hahaha. When we stopped at the next light I pulled up, rolled my window down, and asked him if he wanted to come out and check the vehicles. He only asked me how badly was it damaged, and when I said not a scratch, he said he was late for a doctor's appointment and sped away.
When it was barely 3 months old and had just over 2 thousand miles on it, I had the most serious accident, as I T-Boned an older Toyota SUV which failed to yield to me while making a left turn at an intersection (I was going straight). The airbags again didn't deploy, but the car was damaged to the tune of $2,000 USD, all covered by insurance except the deductible. The car was quite driveable after the accident, though the hood popped up slightly. It was like new three weeks later.
And then I moved to Texas, where it was 110 degrees every single day in the Summer. I went to an airport to meet my friend, and at the airport the car wouldn't start. It was such a luck to have a dead battery where they have a portable jump-start battery in every airport tow truck. Five minutes later I was on my way, thanks a lot. The battery was replaced under warranty, and I was told it died due to extreme outside heat.
Then I moved to East coast, where I drove the car for the first time in Winter conditions. It did pretty well.
After that I put all of my stuff in Malibu and drove for 3000 miles to Vancouver, BC, where I currently live. The car performed admirably, and at one point it gave me 33 miles per gallon despite being fully loaded. Miracles do happen.
Then my very first day in BC I rear-ended a Honda minivan, very slightly, cause the guy stopped abruptly after starting to make a left turn at the intersection, though he had plenty of time to turn, and I thought even I would have time to turn, so I hit the gas, and voila, the guy decided to yield to a car seventy yards away. Again my front bumper wasn't even scratched, while he had a half-penny scratch. He said he would talk to my insurance company, but he didn't.
And then I rear-ended a Toyota Corolla, this time it was entirely my fault, as I was looking at something on the sidewalk and didn't notice the traffic in front of me started to slow down. The Corolla got a very big scratch on its bumper, while my bumper again didn't have a single scratch! A woman driving the Corolla just looked at my Malibu in amazement. Tongue-in-cheek I told her to buy a Malibu next time, because now I would have to pay for repairs to her bumper.
The brakes problem didn't escape me, though, as my pads had to be replaced at 20K miles. I must admit I used to brake very hard, so I guess it's partially my fault too. I also had problems with electric mirrors. They won't work. The passenger side mirror was fixed once, and driver side - twice, all under warranty. Also, a week ago I had calipers replaced - 200 CAD.
The tires I have right now are Goodyear Aquatred III. Cost me 700 CAD with all the labor, taxes, etc. Quite expensive, but a must to have in Vancouver, where it rains on average 160 days a year. These tires are just amazing, especially on wet pavement. Probably saved me from hitting many more cars :-)
Also, I get occasional rattles from the dash, always in the morning, and they seem to disappear completely five minutes later, when the car warms up. I wonder why that is the case? What is it in the dash which rattles when the car is cold?
Oh, yeah, the car was broken into about two months ago. The SOBs stole stuff worth maybe CAD 100, and did $2,600 CAD damage! The car was "repaired" by Port Chev in Port Coquitlam, BC (very bad job, don't go there), and after I got the car back the following was discovered:
1. I had no AM reception - had to go back so that they would spend one minute exactly turning some radio switch on in the trunk.
2. The horn wasn't working! Had to go back again, they fixed that too.
3. Sunroof started to rattle like crazy. The fixed it when they fixed the horn.
4. After a while, get this, my car would honk by itself! Especially when I would make turns. Literally every minute. You can imagine how many irritated looks I got from other drivers who thought I was honking at them on purpose. It's a miracle I wasn't shot. Went back to that Port Chevrolet, and they replaced the entire horn. Now everything works fine.
The bottom line, reading how many problems others had with their Malibus, I guess I am lucky I've got a worry-free car. Living (now) in a benign climate doesn't hurt either. My warranty has just expired, so here's hoping my Malibu gives me many tens of thousands very happy miles.
Bottom line is, the Malibu/GA/Alero plant is highly improved and probably one of the best assembly plants around now.
They replaced the Hazard Switch, that had an open circuit and was faulty (although it worked), failure code: 6F. They said the two are directly related, and it is a common Malibu problem. Parts and labor: $67.50, if I was not still under the 3yr/36 mo. warranty.
So far, so good.....
Most of problems were small. Fixed with oil change, did not influence driveability. Like bad speakers or door sensor (the car thought it is not closed, needed a second attempt). Major items were transmission (not typical for Malibu and GM cars in general), intake manifold gasket, and brake rotors.
On the other hand, my Malibu is an early build even for 98 model (July 1997), and I bought it used just several months after the car was put in service. Who knows, what the previous owner did with the car, and why he sold it so fast?
According to the last surveys (J.D.Power), the 2002 model have very few defects. Must be much more reliable.
My wife and I were very surprised at how well the Malibu drove. She wasn't a bit interested in it before the test drive and afterwards she was completely sold. The car had good acceleration, smooth shifting, quiet ride and fantastic brakes (what a difference compared to our Geo storm!). The interior space and trunk space are good. It was a breeze to secure our carseat, and it was TIGHT. The exterior is a little generic and the interior could use some refinement especially the fake wood in the LS. But overall it's a great car with great value. I've always been wanting to buy domestic but was turned off by the high prices (for us anyway). Now with the rebates the Malibu is just too good to resist.
I testdrove the Altima on the same day. Fancy looking inside and out, but is it worth the thousands extra. I'd say no for people like us on a TIGHT budget. I really hope this thing will work out and I can already imagine us as satisfied Malibu owners.
tamu2002
All new V6 engines and a 5-speed automatic among the spec sheet for this car.
Bye, bye old Malibu!
1) Is this a good deal? Is there still room for negotiation?
Malibu LS with spoiler:
$16,250 before TTL
2)Is it a lot of trouble to change the titles and everything once we move to another state. How does it work? Is this price worth the trouble?
Your input will be GREATLY appreciated!
tamu2002
tamu2002
So far absolutely no problems with mine. I have 15,500 miles on it. The only thing I would change is the tires. Which will be done in a year or two.
Good luck!
The latest quote I got is $15650 for an LS with spoiler. That's a very good price but trouble is we're moving to another state 1000 miles away next week and will have to transport the car. I hate the idea of towing a trailer behind a rental truck. The best quote I got from our new place is $450 dollars more with 1% less sales tax though. Touch decision to make. What do you think?
tamu2002
I would buy from the dealership in the area you are moving to. It still seems liek a great deal you are getting and it will only cost you about $300 or so dollars more. And you never know what kind of sale may pop up once you get there. The end of the month is coming up. Dealerships like to move inventory around that time and salesmen need to meet their monthly targets.
Good luck with the move.
We have decided to buy after the move. Like you said, it's just too much trouble buying now. Will keep you guys posted.
I have had no other problems with the car, and am very happy with it so far.
The road noise from the tires is more than I like. I guess this is a problem others have expressed. I had a 97 Malibu before this one and it had the same excess tire noise. I have Firestones on my 2001 Malibu. Car is a lease so I don't want to invest in new tires.
As far as getting out of the lease, your options are limited. If you were interested in another GM product, I bet the delaership would be willing to work with you. Unforutnately you are bound by the contract you signed and required to make those payments. There are ways to get out but normally it is not advantageous to the consumer. I would check on the Leasing Board. Those guys know can give you more information.
thanx
1999-2001 were close to average.
According to the last J.D.Power report, the initial quality of 2002 improved sharply, and currently it is one of the best cars in this respect. Initial quality (number of defect found during first month to 3 months) correlates well with long-term reliability.
However, to feel safe, I would suggest to price the car plus long-term after-market extended warranty. Something like 7-9 years / 90-100k miles. The warranty may cost about $1000 via Internet.
To the best of my understanding, with the warranty tossed in, Malibu is still less expensivethan most of competition without such a warranty.
If you decide to buy the car, you can go without the extended warranty till about 30 months / 30k miles. Then you will know, if your car is reliable or have a lot od small problems.
Aftermarket remote lock / fobs are available from hundreds places around. Even at Pep Boys, if I remember it right. I see advertisement often in local newspapers, mostly from small shops.
For cars with power locks the remote are reasonably priced. Strong competition. Usually are combined with remote starter, for cold winter.
However, 4 years later, I am still did not bought the gizmo. Nice to have, but do not really need, no problems to live without.
I am thinking about getting one this weekend, but would like any reassurance available that the 2002's have most of these recurring issues fixed.
Any help or insight greatly appreciated!!!
L~
The Malibu LS we're looking at was built in Jan 2002. Was this after all the major improvements? We're buying tomorrow. Please comment!
Also, has anyone put in an aftermarket cassette player?
Thanks tons!
tamu2002