1999 Chevrolet Malibu

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. NO MATTER WHICH WAY HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL, THE VEHICLE WOULD HEAD IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRAME THAT HOLDS THE RACK AND PINION HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY. HE FURTHER STATED THAT IT WAS VERY RARE FOR THAT TO OCCUR TO A VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT NOTIFIED GENERAL MOTORS; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED AND IS CURRENTLY USING A USED FRAME. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 184,000.

ON AUGUST 24, 2008 MY 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN A MILE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE. ON AUGUST 25, 2008 I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BOB SUMEREL TIRE CO. FOR REPAIR. THE SPRING APPEARED TO HAVE BROKEN AT THE TOP FIRST RING. THE SPRING WAS REPLACED. I HAVE THE REMAINDER OF THE BROKEN SPRING. THE TOP PART THAT BROKE OFF HAS BEEN LOST. I NOTICED THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO OTHER REPORTED INSTANCES OF THIS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA BUT NO RECALL WAS ISSUED. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SEVERE TIRE DAMAGE AND ACCIDENTAL INJURY. *TR

THIS IS THE 2ND CHEVY THAT I'VE OWNED WHOSE BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL (CENTER BRAKE LIGHT CONTINUES TO WORK) TO ILLUMINATE DUE TO A FAULTY TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. ALTHOUGH THE TURN SIGNAL, CRUISE CONTROL, WIPER CONTROL, ETC. WORK FINE, THERE IS SOMETHING INTERNAL TO THIS TURN SIGNAL/MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH THAT SUDDENLY CAUSES THE LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE. THE DRIVER IS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL ANOTHER DRIVER ON THE ROAD BRINGS IT TO THEIR ATTENTION. THERE ARE NUMEROUS GM CAR OWNERS WHO COMPLAIN OF THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, YET GM HAS NOT OFFERED TO REPLACE THIS SWITCH FOR THE OWNER. THE DEALER WANTS $170 FOR THE PART AND CHARGE 2 HOURS LABOR AT $90/HOUR FOR A WHOPPING COST OF $350 + TAX AND ONLY OFFER A 12-MONTH WARRANTY FOR THEIR PARTS/LABOR. TO ME, THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION THAT GM FAILS TO RECOGNIZE BY RECALLING OR SIMPLY REPAIRING FREE OF CHARGE. APPARENTLY, GM SAYS THE LEFT/RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH IS WIRED THROUGH THE MULTI-FUNCTION/TURN SIGNAL SWITCH SO THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL CANCEL ONCE THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED, BUT THAT FEATURE STILL WORKS EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T ILLUMINATE! OTHER CAR MANUFACTURERS' CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES OFF WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED, YET THEY DON'T HAVE THE ISSUE OF THE MULTI-FUNCTION/TURN SIGNAL SWITCH FAILING INTERNALLY CAUSING THE LEFT/RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT TO NOT ILLUMINATE. PLEASE DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO GET GM TO REPLACE THIS POORLY DESIGNED SWITCH, FREE OF CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT BOTH THIS 99 MALIBU AND 96 MONTE CARLO WERE BOTH VERY WELL CARED FOR BY US AND STILL, THESE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED WITH LESS THAN 100K MILES. THANK YOU. RESPECTFULLY, SCOTT STEFFES *TR

I WAS INSTALLING OUR INFANT CAR SEAT AND FOUND THAT NEITHER OF THE SEATBELTS IN THE BACK SEATS THAT HAVE SHOULDER HARNESSES LOCK WHEN YOU PULL THE BELTS OUT ALL THE WAY. WE PURCHASED THE CAR USED LAST DECEMBER. THERE WAS ONLY ONE OWNER PREVIOUS TO OUR PURCHASE. WE DID NOT REALIZE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SEATBELTS UNTIL NOW BECAUSE WE HAD NOT INSTALLED A CARSEAT UNTIL THE BIRTH OF OUR DAUGHTER THIS SUMMER. I CANNOT PROPERLY SECURE OUR CHILD'S CARSEAT WHEN THE SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT LOCK. I CANNOT GET THE SHOULDER BELT TO LOCK, SO I CANNOT INSTALL THE CARSEAT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND WAS TOLD THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON SOME OF THE MODELS FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM, BUT I DON'T SEE THERE'S ONE FOR OUR MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. I AM CONTACTING THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP MONDAY MORNING TO GET THE BELTS REPAIRED/REPLACED. *TR

I JUST FILED A COMPLAINT, ODI# 10234547, 2 DAYS AGO ON THE FRONT STRUT SPRING BREAKING WITHOUT NOTICE AND AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT STRUTS, I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ALIGNMENT AND NYS INSPECTION. I RECEIVE A CALL FROM THE MECHANIC STATING THAT HE CANNOT DO THE ALIGNMENT AND INSPECTION BECAUSE BOTH REAR STRUT SPRINGS ARE BROKEN. THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 20K MILES ON IT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN THE STEEL USED TO MANUFACTURE THESE SPRINGS.....WITH MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS FILED.....YET NO RECALL....IT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN TO THESE CARS AND THE PONTIAC GRAND AM, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME CAR. WILL TRAGEDY HAVE TO STRIKE A DETERMINED AMOUNT OF FAMILIES BEFORE THE INVESTIGATION INTO THESE STRUT SPRINGS IS REOPENED? I HOPE NOT. *TR

DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE SPRING FRACTURED ON THE FRONT LEFT STRUT OF A 1999 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 19000 MILES. THE BREAK CAUSED A HUGE BANG AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR DROPPED. LUCKILY THE SHARP PART OF THE BREAK DID NOT PUNCTURE THE TIRE, DAMAGE THE BRAKE LINE OR BREAK THE TIE-ROD END. THE SPRING DID INDEED CONTACT THE TIRE AND WORE THE EPOXY COATING OFF, BUT AGAIN, DID NOT PUNCTURE THE TIRE. I HAD THE TWO FRONT STRUTS REPLACED AND SAVED THE BROKEN ONE AND THE RECEIPT FOR VERIFICATION IN CASE THERE IS A FUTURE RECALL. I HAVE SEEN THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS MANY COMPLAINTS AND I CAN SAY THAT THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE STEEL THAT WAS USED TO MAKE THE SPRING....NOT A CORROSION PROBLEM. THE SPRING IS COVERED WITH AN EPOXY COATING AND WHERE IT RUBBED OFF, FROM CONTACT WITH THE TIRE, THE STEEL LOOKED SHINY NEW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE TURNING INTO THE PARKING LOT AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE TIRE STRUCK THE CURVE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE WEATHER WAS SUNNY AND THE STREETS WERE DRY. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE HE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO SHATTER. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND WAS RUSHED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.