2003 Chevrolet Malibu

VEHICLE SAFETY ISSUE: 2003 CHEVY MALIBU HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALER THREE (3) TIMES FOR BRAKE REPAIRS. FIRST COMPLAINT I WAS TOLD BRAKES NEEDED TO "WEAR IN", CAR ONE (1) WEEK OLD. SECOND COMPLAINT, SOFT AND PULSATING PEDAL WITH POOR STOPPING, ROTORS WERE "REFINISHED", VEHICLE MILEAGE 6,800. THIRD COMPLAINT, VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLE WHEN STOPPING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, DEALER ADVISED THAT ROTORS HAVE "EXCESSIVE RUN-OUT" AND INNER PADS ARE "LOW". COST TO REPAIR THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS ($350.00), VEHICLE MILEAGE 30,000. DEALER AND GENERAL MOTORS REFUSE TO ADMIT THE BRAKE WEAR IS CAUSED BY A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AND VEHICLE WAS RELEASED FROM THE DEALER AND IS NOW UNSAFE TO OPERATE DUE TO UNCONTROLLABLE STEERING WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED.

ON 5/24/05 I PURCHASED A 2003 CHEVY MALIBU FROM SUBURBAN CHEVY. FROM THE MOMENT I TEST DROVE IT THERE WERE ISSUES WITH BRAKE NOISE FROM THE CAR'S FRONT TIRES. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE PEDAL WAS VERY SOFT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ON MY FIRST VISIT I WAS INFORMED BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT IT WAS BRAKE RUST FROM SITTING IN THE LOT AND THAT IT WOULD BURN OFF IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. A WEEK LATER, I RETURNED WITH THE SAME NOISE AND A PULSATING STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THIS TIME ANOTHER TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THE ROTORS WERE INCORRECTLY MACHINED AND THAT THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE PARTIALLY METALLIC, I WOULD EXPERIENCE SOME NOISE. WHAT HE DIDN'T TELL ME WAS THAT I WOULD STILL EXPERIENCE THE SOFT PEDAL AND PULSATING STEERING AT SLOWER SPEEDS. TO DATE THE PROBLEM PERSISTS.

BRAKE PROBLEMS RESULTED IN MINOR ACCIDENT. 2 WEEKS FOLLOWING ACCIDENT BRAKE NOISE BEGAN. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT ONLY THE INSIDE BRAKE PADS ON EACH FRONT WHEEL HAD FAILED, INDICATING FAULTY BRAKE DESIGN. NUMEROUS SERVICE BULLETINS ARE NOTED FOR BRAKE RELATED ISSUES FOR THIS VEHICLE ARE POSTED ON THE NHTSA SITE. GM REFUSED TO ASSIST CLAIMING NORMAL WEAR.

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT SHE OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS . SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2003. JANUARY 2004 SHE NOTICED A QUIVERING PULSATING BRAKE PROBLEM. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY CLEANED THE BRAKES AND THEN THEY WERE FINE. MARCH 204 SHE TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR A REGULAR PENNSYLVANIA INSPECTION AND SHE HAD THEM CHECK THE BRAKES. THEY SAID THEY WERE EXCELLENT. MAY 12 2004 SHE HAD BRAKE FAILURE. THE BRAKE PADS, SHOES, AND ROTORS HAD ALL BURNT OFF THE VEHICLE. SO SHE HAD ALL OF THEM REPLACED. SHE TAKES HER VEHICLE IN EVERY FOUR TO FIVE WEEKS FOR AN OIL CHANGE. EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE SHE HAS BRAKES INSPECTED, SO IT IS ABOUT EVERY 10 WEEKS. THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH SHE WENT IN FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE CALIBRATION ON THE BRAKES LOOKED PERFECT. MAY 10TH 2005 BRAKE FAILURE AGAIN, THE BRAKE SHOES, PADS, AND THE ROTORS BURNT OFF AGAIN. THE CONTACT CALLED THREE DEALER IN THE PENNSYLAVNIA AREA AND ALL THE DEALERS STATED THAT CHEVROLET MALIBUS ARE KNOWN FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. SHE CALLED GM ON MAY 10TH, AND THEY WERE ONLY WORRIED ABOUT HOW MANY MILES ON THE VEHICLE SHE HAD, AND TOLD HER TO GET BRAKES SERVICED MORE OFTEN. IN A TOTAL OF SIX WEEKS VEHICLE HAS BURNT OUT THE BRAKE PADS, SHOES, AND ROTORS.*AK

FRONT BRAKE FAILURE. 4 REPAIRS OF MACHINING / REPLACING ROTORS. CAR HAS UNDER 15,000 MILES. BOUGHT IT NEW. CAR SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY ON HIGHWAYS WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. STEERING WHEEL LITERALLY BOUNCES 1.5 INCHS IN ALL DIRECTIONS. SERVICE DEALER KEEPS ON REPLACING AND MACHINEING THE ROTORS. SOMETHING IS CAUSING THEM TO WARP ... MY COMPLAINT IS HEARD BY DEAF EARS... HELP. *AK