2000-2011 Chevrolet Malibu

yurakm · May 2001

I did not want to scare you, only to tell where to look and what to check when buying car.

The car is basically sound. I enjoy it - especially after replacing the OEM Affinity tires by Firehawk SH-30. Just today we discussed with my wife, how much fun is to drive our little Malibu. Even when compared with our newer car, a very fast and comfortable Buick Regal.

However, practically every model have its weak points. For example, with Ford Taurus this is head gasket and mediocre transmission. With 97-98 Malibu - brake rotors and, if equipped with 3.1l V-6 engine, the intake manifold gasket.

Of course this is not as bad as you fear. The brake rotors do not need to be replaced every year, even more "every month". I bought the car with already warped rotors, 15k on odometer, and nevertheless could use them for almost a year and 7-8,000 miles. Replaced at 22k or 23k miles.

Moreover, I believe that we would drive longer before the replacement, if not the accident. When the car was rear-ended by an absent-minded girl, who did about 40 mph, my wife braked strong to spare the car in front of her. ABS had to be repaired. The pads started to scratch rotors the next week after the car returned from the body shop. Looks as they did not inspect the brakes, ABS only.

Currently, two years and 18k later, with 41k on odometer, there is no sign of the warping problem to repeat.

Still, the brake problem is relatively widespread. According to Consumer Reports survey, 10-15% of Malibu developed it during the first two years.

As to the problems with the coolant system (including the intake manifold gasket leak), it happens with at most 5% of cars with the 3.1l engine. More probably with about 2%. Consumer Reports does not give exact numbers, only the range(s).

In other words, it happens often enough to deserve a special check when buying a used Malibu. But definitely not with all cars of the model, not with majority, not even close.

yurakm · May 2001

I test-drove Impala, both base and LS, and I have a base Malibu.

The price overlaps somewhat: a loaded Malibu LS costs about the same as a striped-down Impala.

Personally, I did not like the base Impala. Nor my wife. The engine is not strong enough for the weight. Malibu have much better acceleration. Malibu also is more nimble, and the Malibu brakes much better.

My wife skipped the first turn when test-drove the base Impala, and I had difficulty to turn too. Feel absolutely unsafe. But, probably, the brakes just needed some tuning - the car was just delivered to dealership.

Impala equipped with 3.8l engine, though, is much better car, than Malibu. More firm suspension, good brakes, very good acceleration. Plenty of space. Unfortunately, it costs substantially more.

Know nothing concerning reliability in desert: I live in Connecticut.

stnel · May 2001

My brother and I were both looking for cars at the same time. I test drove the Malibu and really enjoyed the test drive. I didn't buy a Malibu though because of a blind spot in seeing over the headrest. My brother did buy the Malibu and really loves it. He's only had it for a week though.

katty2u - Having owned some really bad cars in my life, I wouldn't buy a car that gets "below average reliablity" in Consumer Reports. Starting in 1999, the Malibu gets "average reliability". If you're looking for used, I'd try for a 1999 or later.

dottiez1 - I live in the New Orleans area where it gets very hot in the summer. I bought a Grand Prix with a 3.1 L engine. It's the same engine as the Malibu. I noticed that my temperature runs normally at 185 degrees. I'll give my brother a call and ask him what his temp normally runs. (My '91 Grand Am normally ran 160 in the summer.) It's already getting pretty hot here but we're 5 - 10 degrees shy of our summertime highs. I don't know enough about cars to know why some run hotter that others. It could be with the Grand Prix, it's heavier whereas the Malibu is around 300 pounds lighter.

stnel · May 2001

Forget what I was saying about car temperature. I found out that's a factory setting with the thermostat. The reason my Grand Am ran cooler is because my father changed thermostat. I don't really know how all that works.

crazymaler · May 2001

I just took my '99 Malibu to have the brake pads replaced. The whole job cost $99.99 (including labor). I know my rotors are warped, but I chose not to have them resurfaced (they were too thin already because they were resurfaced once before), and I chose not to have the dealer install new rotors ($270 seems like a rip off to me).

I've heard that Raybestos rotors are pretty good, and I plan on taking the car to Pep Boys for them to change the rotors. But, the cost of these Raybestos rotors is only $125 for both front rotors, including labor. This seems VERY low, and I am not sure whether or not it's a good idea to get these rotors since they are so cheap. Anybody care to give any suggestions?

BTW, the car had warping at 12,000 miles and I had the rotors resurfaced. Only 5,000 miles later, the rotors warped again, but I had neglected to go to the dealer until yesterday at 24,800 miles.

Thanks.

chevymalibu98 · May 2001

I have a '98 Malibu with approximately 42k on. I am hearing warping sound while making turns/hard brakes. I am guessing that it may very well be related to the infamous rotor problem with the early-model Malibu's. I will have it checked when I get my tires rotated next week.

Anyway, if it is a rotor problem, I was wondering if anyone could tell me if I should have the dealer install the improved GM rotors or if I would be better off getting after-market ones, such as the Raybestos ones that many members on this board have highly recommended. What's the difference as far as the cost is concerned?

stnel · May 2001

I read your post where your wife was hit at 40 mph. I guess the Malibu will hold up well in a rear end collision. I was rear ended at 50 mph a number of years ago and my car was totaled. I had a '80 Chevy Citation. Either those extra 10 miles makes all the difference or the Malibu construction is much better. I can't remember what Consumer Reports says for rear end collision for Malibus.

I hope I didn't offend you when I said in another post not to buy a Malibu before 1999.

yurakm · May 2001

First, I am not 100% sure it really was at 40mph and not, for example, 30-35 mph. This is my wife estimation. However, the posted speed limit is 30 mph on the street, with the overwhelming majority of people driving about 40 mph.

There was no tracks from braking tires, though, on the pavement. The girl who hit our car was totally absent-minded.

According to my wife (I was not here) it looked as that several cars ahead of her stopped. Up to the intersection a block ahead, on red light. It was a rash time, something like 5pm, with substantial traffic. She checked in the rear view mirror when started braking, and saw the headlights of the cart that hit her couple seconds later.

In reality, it hit our Malibu not once, but twice. The poor girl broke the windshield by her head. Obviously, she did not use the seat belts. Probably, after her car bounced back, she fall back on the gas pedal.

The hits were strong enough that the Malibu hit in its turn the car ahead - an older Accord. Also twice. Even while my wife braked at full force, trying to avoid this.

My wife get a slight injury. Was OK the evening, but the next morning a very strong headache developed. So strong, she could not work - this very unusual for her.

Had some headache and strong pains at neck / back for a whole week, but already could work. Had slight pains / inconvenience the second week. Doctor said this is normal, just muscles. I believe, this kind of injury is named "whiplash" in US.

Our son, than 8 year old, was at the rear seat. Fortunately, he was not injured even slightly.

I believe, our Malibu was not totalled mostly because it was hit by a small light car, an older Sentra. The Sentra most probably was totalled. My wife told that the whole nose part of the car was crushed, and fluids flowed on the street. Several fluids, not only the coolant. Plus the broken windshield. Looked as it does not pay to repair this - after all, how much can cost an older Sentra?

The damage of our Malibu did not look so serious. Mostly the rear bumper and the rear panel - plus the trunk lid did not close well and the rear fenders went down a bit. The front bumper was just scratched. However, it turned to be that the floor of trunk was deformed badly. The body repair costs about $5000, including paint, and took almost month.

At front only the fender cover was replaced. Probably it is easier to replace than to fix the scratches. The rear fender of the Accord ahead had much more damage. Probably, Malibu is made from stronger metal.

stnel · May 2001

I'm glad your wife and son were okay. If the Sentra got a lot more damage, I would imagine that the Malibu does have stronger metal.

It could be that I was hit at a harder impact than 50 mpg. The man that hit me said he was going 50 and I figured that if he was going any faster, the glass would have shattered on my car. This was on the interstate where the speed limit was 50 at the time (back in 1990) but most people go faster.

All in all, I wasn't seriously hurt. I did have some luck with me that day because the gas tank was ruptured. I filled my car up with gas before I left and that may have kept my car from catching on fire since it's suppose the be the combination of gas and oxygen that's so flammable.

yurakm · May 2001

I also am glad you were not seriously hurt.

As to whether a car is "totalled" or repaired, it depends as much on its age/price, as on the damage. Whis 98 Malibu rear-ended in April 99, it definitely pays to insurance company to cover the $5,000 repair. A 10 year old car, very probably, would be totalled...

stnel · May 2001

The blue book value on the car was only $1000 so it was definitely cheaper to total out the car. I was planning on buying a new car in another 3 months anyway.

That car belonged to my grandmother and passed on to me in 1988. It got me by until I was ready to buy a new one. I had gotten about all the use I could get out of my previous car.

ferraro1 · May 2001

Hello ~
I have a 1998 Malibu that has 42,000 on it and have just had the rotors replaced @ Chevy dealer, but i was just wanting to know What is that AWEFUL shaking/vibratng that is so apparent like at stop lights etc the entire hood is vibrating but when i go it, stops I need to know the cause !! I Want that to be fixed !!! is this a common issue with the early Malibu's ? if so what is the cause ?
Thanks,
Paul

ferraro1 · May 2001

Hello ~
It is me again, last night my brother took his Malibu out and when he got into the car at the end of the night it started then shut of and he tried to jump it an it did the same thing, so he left the car in the parking lot overnight , So we go back to the car the next day and it works fine , just a little sluggish at first, I would like to know what the problem could Be , becasue we are takin the car Wayyyy up to New England in just a few days and we had the car looked over at Chevy and got the rotors replaced and now this , could someone give me any ideas of the cause , before i go to Chevy ( so i dont get ripped off) I was thinking bad/dirty fuel injectors or dirty fuel filter ? ok well any advice would be great !
Thanks,
Paul

chevymalibu98 · May 2001

ferraro1, would you mind telling me how much it cost you to have the rotors replaced at the Chevy dealer--I think I am about to get mine replaced, too, and am deciding between the factory ones and the aftermarket ones.

stnel · May 2001

It seems that I read in a previous post that it costs around $400 or $500. Don't know from personal experience though.

The post would probably be within the past 10-15 posts. Since I'm not sure of the exact cost, you may be able to find the post.

yurakm · May 2001

Pulled the old invoice from file to answer your question:

1. The brakes cost total $431.70 (or $457.60 after addition of $25.90 sale tax @ 6%), including:

- pads $39.72;
- two rotors @118.59 = $237.18
- labor $155.00

The labor includes diagnostics. The problem with brakes occurred very soon after the car was returned from body shop, and it was not clear at first what happened. The service adviser drove with me, and listened to brakes.

The price probably would be less without the diagnostics.

2. I replaced the rotors at dealership. Richard Chevrolet, Cheshire, CT. Connecticut is expensive state, and dealerships are more expensive than independent.

3. The repair was performed two years ago, 06/03/99. The current prices probably are a bit higher.

astrol · May 2001

What was the mileage at the time of service? Were you out of warranty coverage? I know brakes are pretty standard at 1yr./12K but that usually refers to the pads and linings.

yurakm · May 2001

It was at 21,987 miles. The car was under warranty.

However, the manufacturer warranty does not cover brake pads and rotors. Or at least did not cover then. Later GM started to cover rotors, but, I believe, not at 22k miles.

The car was built July 97. We bought it used, with 15k miles, in September 98. The brake pedal pulsated when braking on highway from the first days. Both I and my wife felt it and we discussed the pulsation. Now we understand that rotors were warped, but than we thought that this was how ABS works.

I wrote recently that the car was rear-ended while braking. It happened with 21,200 miles on odometer. I believe, the accident contributed to the brake problem. The rotors died just 700 miles and 20 days after the car was returned from body shop.

By the way, I insisted on checking the brakes while in body shop - exactly because my wife braked hard when the car was hit. According to the records in my file, mechanic aligned wheels and bleed the brake system. But he did not found that the pads will scratch rotors metal on metal just 700 miles later. I believe, he made a mistake.

golfdog1 · June 2001

I have taken my car in repeatedly because of a problem with the AC kicking on and off. The service department finally diagnosed that there was a short in the control head and fixed that.

However, I also have a problem with my car squeaking loudly from underneath while driving down the road at low speeds. The dealer said it was the lower control arms and they said they replaced them; however, driving it from the dealership this morning it was SQUEAKING MORE THAN EVER!! They still have not fixed this problem.
Has anyone else has a problem with the car squeaking and rattling?

yurakm · June 2001

My car had a squeak when I test-drove it before buying. Used car, with 15 k. The sales manager told he know this is the control arm and it will be fixed before delivery. The particular squeak never returned, now for almost 3 years and more than 21k miles.

There was another squieak a year ago. At low speed, over small bumps. The dealer simply lubed a strut and I did not hear the squeak since. However, it was coming not from under the car, but rather from behind the dash.

ferraro1 · June 2001

Hello ~
I have a 1998 Malibu that has 42,000 on it and have just had the rotors replaced @ Chevy dealer, but i was just wanting to know What is that AWEFUL shaking/vibratng that is so apparent like at stop lights etc the entire hood is vibrating but when i go it, stops I need to know the cause !! I Want that to be fixed !!! is this a common issue with the early Malibu's ? if so what is the cause ?
Thanks,
Paul

ferraro1 · June 2001

Hello ~
I hav a 1998 Malibu 4 cyl and when I cank up their is there ticking noise/sound comming from the car , I have to take the car in the beginning of the work week so we wil see but has anyone had this on their Malibu ?? of so please post and if someone knows what it could be please post.
Thanks,
Paul

yurakm · June 2001

I also have a 98 Malibu with 41k miles. No shake at stop.

I have a slight shake at stops (not nearly as strong) with my older car, Ford Taurus. I found that the shake disappear when switching the gear to "N" (neutral). So it is somehow related to auto transmission idling when braking, e.g. on stop light.

av8r4 · June 2001

This 1998, 4 cylinder with 30,000 miles is a constant source of irritation that is now more entertaining than irritating.

We went through all the brake problems other posting commented on. The AC problems and the shudders, shakes, rust spots, fogged headlight enclosures, mirrors falling off and suspension squeaks.

We now drive this car in Korea, after driving it throughout Europe for 2 years. At autobahn and expressway speeds in Europe the squeaks were not noticeable, but at the snail's pace of Seoul traffic they are turning out to be helpful because they warn the pedestrians of an approaching auto. (The bushings were replaced all around, but after a few days they started chirping as usual).

Unfortunately we had to work with GM dealerships in Europe through the military car sales organization.

But, despite all the trials and tribulations of Maliblue ownership, we really do like the car. It handled the autobahn well, both at high speed and during panic stops. It is great in snow and has never failed to start. The original poor factory paint finish is now hardly noticeable under the layer of Seoul industrial grit that is rubbed in/off daily by our parking garage person.

But even after all the difficulties, I am confident that when we return to the states one of the vehicles in our garage will be a new Malibu.

robby8 · June 2001

I have a 2000 Malibu LS. The right, front wheel makes a sound every time I hit a bump. The sound is more like a baby rattle or a tambourine rather than a sqeak. I can hear it at all speeds however it is more noticeable at lower speeds because of less road noise. I have complained to the dealer about the noise three times but they claim they cannot hear it. I will mention it again at my next oil change.

My car also shakes when I am at a stoplight. Is this just the design of the engine? It is very annoying.

malibuinsc · June 2001

Hello,I had the same problem and noticed it alot during the day after the humidity was low and/or dry air. It puzzled me for awhile but suspected the front struts and bushings. The Chevy dealer could not diagnose the problem. I fixed it myself by buying some white lithium grease and some bushing grease from the part store and sprayed and rubbed every bushing and bearing I could see. I drove it awhile to work it in and a day or two later the problem was solved completely and never reoccured. I also have had three A/C control heads replaced which caused the system to kick on and off. Just last week it started hinting to me that its not feeling up to itself and acting up in its strange, once and a blue moon way again. Its doing it just so that the dealer won't be able to reproduce it because of its sporadic behavior. It seems that every spring it does this. I have what Chevy told its dealer a redesigned control head. This control head is rigged that when you turn on the recirc button, the A/I will come on without the A/C button activated. The reason, to eliminate window fogging in winter when some people use this button in humid cold days with the heat on. Year, Malibu's have pretty consistent problems across the board. GM should spin more time on A/C Control units. They are new in this field and need to take a page from Toyota who has had them in Camry's since the 80's. GM is use to vaccum and cable slides more than electromechanical units. I hope the Epsilon chassis Malibu is 100 times better that these P90's/N-bodies. Good powertrain, poor electrical items,and brakes.

ferraro1 · June 2001

Hello ~
You seem to be educated on the Malibu , do you have any idea on my shaking/vibratng situation while in drive but not moving (Stoplight's) The other issue occurs when I am backing up and the wheel is turned and there is this ticking/clicking sound coming from the front end of my 1998 hope you or someone knows.
Thanks,
Paul

malibuinsc · June 2001

Your question is a little unclear but here are different scenarios. If you have a four cylinder with shaking and vibration, that is normal. Yes, the 2.4 L has balance shafts but they can only quell but so much vibration. Four cylinders larger than 2.0 liters have this problem and its due to connection rods of the pistons on the crankshafts. This rotational force is not quite as even as a six or eight cylinder engine. Balance shafts help but some engines will vibrate more than others due to design.
Next Scenario, if you are driving with this condition, check wheel balance or out of round tire condition. Firestone Affinities were bad tires, they wore uneven and were very hard to balance once old.
For the ticking and clicking problems with the wheel turn and backing up, check the CV joints in the front. See if a boot has torn with grease leaking. You may need a new CV joint.

smut1965 · June 2001

I have a 99 malibu where the a/c clicks on and off. I read about the short of the control head how much is it to repair this? Also, there's a noise coming from the left front-end of the car I notice it a low speeds(under 20 mph) and when the car is coasting to a stop. The noise is really loud when the car comes to a complete stop. The tires were rotated January 2001 and I'm still hearing the noise. Does anyone have any ideas what this might be?
Thanks

eat_this · June 2001

I didn't cheap out when I bought my new car, I was considering a Malibu but after reading this board Im glad I didn't. I decided to spend a bit more and got a 2001 Fully loaded Impala LS. No complaints here...

joe3891 · June 2001

When i went to buy my fully loaded 2000 chevy cavalier LS they tried to sell me a malibu i said no thanks i know what i want.13000 miles and 1 yr old no problems.Low tech works best.

chevynighmare · June 2001

I have a 2000 Malibu. This car has been nothing but a problem. On top of it I cant get my car back from the dealer without missing or damaged parts.

At 9000 miles I had a noise in front of my car. When I hit a bump I would get a noise that sounded like a metal tinging noise. The dealer first replaced the lower control arms. Next the dealer replaced the entire power steering rack. Finally on the 3rd try they listened to me and replaced the front struts. The sound was a fluid transfer noise in the right front strut. It is now fine

My moon roof also had an irritating squeak if the car would sit in the sun and heat up. This took 5 visits to dealership. The last thing they did was to totally remove the moon roof and bend the guide rails. Its been very cold in Iowa this spring so I do not know if its repaired.

My car has 18,000 miles now. I just had to have the AC control head replaced, and the turn signals did not always work. The signals were fixed by replacing the hazard lights switch.

This is my first time here but after some reading I now realize I have the piston slap also. If anyone could please tell me where to find the Service Bulletin on this I would appreciate this.
My brakes are feeling spongy also. Does this mean I need a brake job at 18,000 miles?

skipper8 · June 2001

I have a 98 Malibu with 39,000 miles. I have noticed, too, a slight vibration at stop lights. This is when the car is in gear (drive) with brake depressed. Sounds almost like it needs a tune-up. I have a 4 cylinder Corolla..and you can hardly hear it run. It has 37,000 miles. I thot maybe I had some bad gas in the Malibu. This is somewhat annoying. I thot it might go away..but hasn't yet.

aerotus · June 2001

The front brakes on the Malibu are much too weak with extremely poor feel. Making matters worse they vibrate or throb whenever coming to a stop. Poor braking systems seem to be characteristic of most North American autos. Why? .... why is it that good 4-wheel disc systems are few and far between on domestics?

yurakm · June 2001

I have a 98 Malibu. The brakes are excellent.

Though, the same car used to brake only so-so the first month or so when we bought it, and again after the rotors and pads were replaced a year later. Mushy feel.

The brakes needs some time to break-in. If I remember right, about one month. However, probably, it depends on your driving pattern and style. My wife and I drive mostly in city and close suburbs, with longer weekend trips on highways.

Mostly moderate to heavy traffic, with a lot of braking on winding roads, hilly terrains. We work in New Haven CT, and live nearby: this is 80 miles from NY City and 120 miles from Boston.

Though, what you describe (vibration when coming to stop) looks more like ABS is working. I remember something of this kind when the original tires were almost worn-out, especially during rain. Braking improved after replacing the tires.

By the way, I believe that Malibu have disk brakes only on front, the rear being drum.

crazymaler · June 2001

I just had the front discs replaced on my '99 Malibu (24,000) miles because they were badly warped. I went with Raybestos rotors and stock GM pads The rotors cost $180 installed and the pads $100 so total was $280. So far so good, though I've only driven 50 miles with the new brakes. Yes, I agree that brakes are one of the weakest points on the Malibu.

florin · June 2001

I own a Chevy Malibu 01, and I received in the mail a GM Protection
Plan offer, covering major repairs for a period of 5 years (I'm not
sure why one would want such a plan for a car under warranty?! Strange).

The least expensive option is $800, the most complete plan is $1200.
Is it worth it?

Normally, I wouldnt even consider it, but I'm inclined to do so, as the
3.1 liter V6 engine may have the piston problem mentioned on this board.

Is GM trying to avoid recalls by offering this plan instead?

Thanks very much in advance.

-florin

yurakm · June 2001

I received such a letter soon after buying Buick Regal, a car with very different engine. I believe, GM sends them to anybody who recently bought a GM car. Just another junk mail advertisement, not related to any particular problem. The extended warranties is a profitable business for auto makers and dealers.

joe3891 · June 2001

Its not worth the cost,it adds 2 yr an 39000 to the 36-36.

jcuisinier · June 2001

Hey folks...I have a question for everyboy own Malibu or Cutlass...as you guys know that there are 2 coolent fans in the front...in my cutlass, there is ONLY one turn on whenever A/C on or off for cooling purpose...I never seen both fan on together...I did ask the dealer mechanic while they replaced a/c control unit for on and off problem, he said that they don't know when both fans would turn on at the same time...I was just curious ...see you guys have the same situation...knock on the wood...the car never overheat, and i put more than 85,000 miles...and consider changing the transmission fluid...I should go for power flush, or traditionally dropping the oil pan and replacing a filter and transmission oil...which brand or grade is better long-run choice? thank you guys
jcuisinier

chevymalibu98 · June 2001

My Malibu has been making clunking noise in front-end and the dealer has determined that the lower front balljoint is bad and that the left lower control arm needs to be replaced (went through two dealers, both said the same thing). I am considering ordering the part directly from GM Direct Sale and then asking the dealer to install it. Does anyone know what the part number for the left lower control arm is? Can anyone who's had it replaced be kind as to look it up on the invoice for me? Thanks a bunch.

gabagooo · June 2001

I bought a 2001 base Malibu in Bronze mist (which I call Stacy - from the Simpsons - get it?) last week. I am very pleased with the car. I drove to Pittsburgh last weekend and averaged 30 mpg with the a/I on. Not too happy. I am a bit displeased with the fact that I can see the assemble's finger prints behind the instrument panel plastic and along the trim piece that runs the lenght of the dash. I noted this problem on the factory customer satisfaction survey. My car was built at the Oklahoma City factory on Wednesday, December 20, 2000 and it came off the assembly line at 7:51 pm (i got this info from papers left in my glove box). A mid week car not too late at night. I have my fingers crossed.

blgros · June 2001

I've read a lot of this forum.

Seems like there were a lot of minor problems with the 97 and 98 Malibus-- not that suprising for a new design. the major problems were with the rotors and brakes, and those have been minimized with the newer models.

Are there major problems popping up with the 2001 models?
I'm not clear whether this "piston slap" problem is with the 2001 models, and how prevalent it is. I guess only time will tell how serious it becomes.

I'm guessing a lot of people are having good luck with their 2001 Malibus and are the silent majority.

Any big changes planned for the 2002 models?

thanks.

comet69 · June 2001

Hi. Just recently purchased 97 Malibu. No real complaints but after reading this board I am finding a few things in common with many of you. Brakes a little mushy and a clunk sound from the front end. One other that I was curious about is the fan and vent position controls. I get no response on the fan switch until position #3 and I am not able to change positions of air direction. Now blowing out floor and dash vents. Anyone else with similar problems? What was the problem? What had to be done to fix it? Is it a do it yourself fix or shop repair? What kind of cost did you find? Thanks.

ferraro1 · June 2001

Hello Everyone ~ * I need someone to tell me if i am getting srrewed here on all this repair listed below *
I thought i as ok a few weeks ago but I have now fallen into Malibu Hell, ok well I I have now taken my 1,000 mile + trip to upstate New York ( That is where i am writing this) well before I left Arkansas we had a new motor mount and a new computer chip put in the Malibu, but the dealer in Little Rock could not locate/find the front end noise / ticking problem so we still took this trip so 1,500 miles later this problem is AWEFUL the car sounds like a popcorn machine so today i hae located a Chevrolet dealer here in New York and boy did they find stuff wron here is what I need!
1. Lower Control Arms ~ $458.00
2. Upper Strut Mounts ~ $312.00
3. Rear Swey Bar Bushings ~ $98.00
4. 4 Wheel Alignment ~ $106.00
GRAND TOTAL = $1,078 with New York Taxes
And now I have the flickering AC unit I will Be driving and the little green light on the AC will go on and off causing major discomfort. Can some one tell me the root of this flickering AC Unit Please , becasue i will have the dealer take A look at it and get it fixed.
Yhank You !
Paul

chevymalibu98 · June 2001

Paul:

The problem with the A/C is its control unit--replacing the control unit/panel will fix the problem.

Are you replacing Lower Control Arms on both sides? Where did you get the estimate? I am in upstate New York, too (Albany/Troy), and the dealers around here gave me an estimate of between 310 and 320 dollars + Tax. I need only the Left one, though.

ferraro1 · June 2001

Hello ~
I took it to Salsbury (spelling) in Scotia. WOW is that a correct price ? the $310 $320 I am not for sure what I Need i think both ?? is so Are the left and right diffrent prices? I dunno if i want to go through with this reapir through this dealer I will go to Albany/Troy even through Troy is .... you know not the nicest little town, are their any trustworthy dealers in Schenectady ? but please tell me a good honest dealer here that You have gone to and liked that would really cut down on my nervousness !!! Ohh and on the AC problem how much is that reapair cost ??? thanKs alot !!
Paul

chevymalibu98 · June 2001

I am not sure how much the repair on the A/C would cost, since I got it repaired under warranty.

My guess is that the left and right lower control arms probably cost the same. $458 is not too bad if you are having both replaced, but would seem more like a rip-off is you are replacing just one, either left or right.

I purchased my Malibu at DePaula in Albany, but have had my car serviced at three different dealerships since I got it: DePaula (Albany, NY), Portsmouth Chevrolet (Portsmouth, NH--used to work in the area for almost a year and then moved back to NY), and Action Chevrolet (Troy, NY). The people at Portsmouth Chevrolet are the nicest and don't try to rip you off, but I guess it isn't an option.

Both DePaula and Action aren't too bad, either.

DePaula gave me an estimte for the same job (Left Lower Control Arms) for $318, but said that they would match up with it after seeing the estimate from Action for $310. I decided to go with Action anyway, since it is closer to my place and that I was treated nicely when I was there. The only downside is that Action needs to have the part ordered, whereas DePaula has them in stock.

By the way, the $310 + tax includes the lower conotrol arm AND wheel alighment.

joe3891 · June 2001

Why would any one need a lower control arm,it should have a replaceable ball joint & bushings?

chevymalibu98 · June 2001

Apparently the balljoints on the Malibu are sealed and part of the Lower Control Arm. It can't be lubed (because it is sealed) and if worn off the entire lower control arm has to be replaced! :-( Not sure why it is designed this way, but just the way it is.

2000-2011 Chevrolet Malibu

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