2002 Chevrolet Malibu

MY 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH DOWN AN INCLINE WHICH LEADS TO A ROTARY. ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY WERE LOST. THE CAR KEPT GAINING SPEED AS IT DROVE DOWN THE INCLINE. I HAD TO FORCE THE CAR INTO PARK AND USE THE FOOT EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP IT AFTER IT ROLLED THROUGH A STOP SIGN AND UNTO THE ROTARY. *JB

MALIBU 2002 PURCHASED ON MAY 18, 2003 WITH 33,000 MILES . ON JULY 15, 2003 THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLANT SYSTEM AND CAR OVERHEATED. ACCORDING TO DEALER CAR WAS FIXED. ON JUNE 1, 2004 THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. JUNE 27, 2006 WITH 72, 000 MILES, THERE IS OIL IN COOLANT RESERVOIR AND A COOLANT LEAK. THERE WAS A LOWER INTAKE LEAK AND LEAK AT WATER PUMP. THE LOWER INTAKE AND WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED BUT ON JULY 17, 2006 THE SAME PROBLEM CAME AGAIN. JULY 17, 2006 ONLY A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE PROBLEM WITH OIL IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. *JB

CAR HAS FAILED TO START ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO TELL US WHY. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET, WHICH HAD NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. OUR WIPERS ONLY WORK ON HIGH. OUR HEAT ONLY WORKS ON NUMBER 4 AND 5. WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR WITH MY BABY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR, THE CAR JUST DECIDED TO DIE ON ME. I HAD TO TRY TO GET OUT OF THE PASSING LANE, SO THAT I COULD PULL OFF OF THE ROAD. MY RADIO AND HEAT STILL WORKED, BUT CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. MY OIL AND BATTERY AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS WERE ON (I HAD NOT EVEN USED THE CRUISE CONTROL) AND MY CAR JUST WOULD NOT START. IT TOOK ME AN HOUR TO GET MY CAR TO START AGAIN, NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ANY DISTANCE FOR FEAR OF BEING STRANDED. *JB

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IN THE CONSUMER'S 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU WAS DEFECTIVE. *NM THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO SEE ABOUT GETTING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WOULD NOT BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE REPAIR SHOULD BE COVERED SINCE THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BECAUSE A BULLETIN WAS ISSUED OCT 24, 2003. *NM

3 WEEKS AGO MY 2002 CHEVY MALIBU STARTED TO RUN LIKE #@$% (HESITATION BETWEEN 0- 35 MPH AND GOING UP HILL, LOSS IN POWER, AND SLOW AT CATCHING UP TO FREEWAY SPEED). I HAVE REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, COILS, AND THE EGR VALVE AND THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. WELL, AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION ONLINE, I FOUND OTHER PEOPLE TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT TURNS OUT THAT IT'S WITH THEIR CAT CONVERTER. I CAN'T EVEN ORDER THE PART ONLINE BECAUSE OF STRICT EMISSION CONTROL IN CALIFORNIA, I NEED A MECHANIC TO DO IT,GET IT STRAIGHT FROM THE DEALER, OR HAVE AUTO ZONE DO A SPECIAL ORDER FOR ME (I FOUND A MECHANIC THAT WILL DO IT FOR $800). NEXT IS MY HEAD GASKET, WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. ON 4-8-06 I GOT AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS OIL IN MY COOLANT RESERVOIR TANK, WHICH MEANS I HAVE AN OIL LEAK. SO NOW I HAVE TO TAKE MY CAR IN AND HAVE THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED WHICH WON'T BE CHEAP EITHER. I LOOKED ONLINE FOR RECALLS AND I CAME UPON THIS WEBSITE WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV , I REALIZED THAT OTHER CONSUMERS ALSO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SO WITH SO MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WHY DOESN'T GM DO RECALLS. NOW I MAY NEED TO FORK OUT A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS IF NOT A THOUSAND OR MORE TO FIX (CORRECT) A FAULTY CAT CONVERTER AND HEAD GASKET. *NM

1. VEHICLE IS LOW MILEAGE GARAGE KEPT AND WELL MAINTAINED. AN ODOR WAS NOTICEABLE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. DROVE CAR A FEW MILES AND PARKED, WHEN CAME OUT A HALF AN HOUR LATER. 2. STARTED CAR, TRIED TO TURN ON TO DRIVEWAY TO LEAVE AND HAD NO POWER STEERING. SMELLED BAD. 3. THE KEEFERS AUTO SERVICE RELATED THE AC COMPRESSOR CLUTCH HAD FROZEN UP. THEY REPLACED THIS PART AND RECHARGED THE AC SYSTEM ETC. I BELIEVE THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING IN THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY WITH ONLY 11000 MILES, IS VERY SERIOUS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS REPAIR WAS JUST COMPLETED TODAY 4/3/6 SO IF YOU INTERESTED IN THE OLD PARTS OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SERVICE PLEASE CONTACT TOM KEEFER AT KEEFER'S AUTO SALES AND SERVICE (717) 334 2923. HE IS VERY NICE AND REPUTABLE. *NM

FIRST NOTICED PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LANE CHANGE VEHICLE DID NOT SPEED AS USUAL AND HAD TO RETURN TO LANE TO AVOID ACCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE FROM A COMPLETE STOP, VEHICLE STRUGGLED FROM 0 TO 25 MPH. WHEN GOING UP BRIDGE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FASTER THAN 20 MPH. VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE MUCH POWER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MECHANIC AND REPLACED SENSORS BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF PROBLEM MECHANIC REALIZED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE. I ENTERED THE WEBSITE TO FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM (RECOMMENDATION FROM MECHANIC).*JB