2003 Chevrolet Malibu

BRAKES STARTED TO MAKE A RUBBING NOISE WHICH PROGRESSED TO A SQUEAKING NOISE. ALSO, BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR TO STOP THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS REPLACED BRAKE PADS/FRONT ROTORS/ BRAKE BOOSTER/CALIPERS, AND BRAKE LINES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK THE FRONT DRIVER WINDOW FAILED TO ROLL UP, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE A/C CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE AND COOLING PROPERLY, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. *JB *NLM

THE BREAKS ON MY 2003 MALIBU SEDAN SEEM TO NOT BE AS RESPONSIVE AS OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED. YOU HAVE TO PRESS THE BREAKS HARDER THAN NORMAL TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE MALIBU'S AND AS I DO MORE RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BREAKS MANY TIMES WITH SIMILAR RESULTS. *LA

CHEVROLET 2003 MALIBU - THE CAR WAS LEASED IN MARCH 2003. THE BRAKES WERE FAILING AND THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY COULD NOT DETECT ANY PROBLEMS SINCE NO LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE CAR. THE PROBLEM OCCURRENCE IS UNPREDICTABLE. BRAKES BECOME VERY HARD AND CAR DOESN'T STOP, STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES, CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE, CONSUMES A LOT OF GAS. PROBLEM DETECTED WAS BRAKE PEDAL REMAINED DOWN EVEN WHEN IT WASN'T BEING USED. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES BEFORE THE DEFECT WAS DETECTED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER. THE CAR WAS REPORTEDLY REPAIRED (READJUSTED SWITCH FOR PROPER RELEASE OF BRAKE, REPLACED FT PADS AND ROTORS DUE TO EXCESS HEAT ON FT BRAKES), BUT AFTER A WEEK, THE PROBLEM REPRESENTED ITSELF. THE CAR IS NOW (8/21/03) AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR (4TH TIME IT GOES IN). THE MANUFACTURER CUSTOMER SERVICE IS GIVING ME A DIFFICULT TIME ADMITTING THAT THE CAR HAS A SERIOUS DEFECT. THEY ARE TRYING TO CONVINCE ME THAT THE SYMPTOMS THE CAR PRESENTS MAY NOT SIGNIFY THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE SAME. I TOTALLY DISAGREE BECAUSE, IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM. MY HUSBAND AND I WERE ALMOST KILLED ON THE NJ TURNPIKE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ASKED THEM TO TAKE BACK THE CAR BUT I HAVE HAD LITTLE SUCCESS. I AM HOPING THAT THIS COMPLAINT WILL SPARK AN INVESTIGATION. THE DEALER MENTIONED THAT THIS EXACT PROBLEM WAS FOUND ON THE AVALANCHE MODELS.*AK

THE DESIGN OF THE AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL FOR THE HEADLAMPS SUBJUGATES THE RESPONSIBILITY STATE LAW PLACES ON THE VEHICLE OPERATOR. THE OPERATOR CERTANTLY CAN _CHOOSE_ TO ALLOW A AUTOMATIC SYSTEM TO OPERATE THE LIGHTS IF THEY WANT TO, HOWEVER SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO USE IT IF THE OPERATOR IS NOT COMFORABLE WITH THE WAY THE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM OPERATES. ADDITIONALLY, THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTING SYSTEMS CAN ONLY DETERMINE WHEN AMBIENT LIGHTING CONDITIONS _MAY_ REQUIRE LIGHTING BUT _CANNOT_ DETERMINE OTHER SPECIFIC WEATHER-RELATED CONDITIONS WHEN THE LAWS OF MY STATE ALSO MANDATE VEHICLE LIGHTING BE USED. MOST NOTABLY, THE AUTO SYSTEM DOES NOT ALWAYS "KNOW" WHEN IT'S FOGGY, RAINING OR SNOWING DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, APPLYING LIGHTING SOMETIMES IN THOSE CASES, BUT NOW ALWAYS. OR BEGINNING WITH THE LIGHTS ON, THEN THEY GO OFF, THEN ON AGAIN, THEN OFF AGAIN DURING A TRIP WHEN THE LIGHTS SHOULD REMAIN ON CONTINOUSLY. THIS OFTEN OCCURS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TO THE OPERATOR THAT THESE CHANGES IN STATUS OF THE LIGHTS ARE OCCURING. IN FACT, WITH DRLS LIT IN THE FRONT, THE NORMAL VISUAL QUEUE THAT THE LIGHTS ARE OUT THAT ONE WOULD EXPECT IS ABSENT (THE DRLS LOOK LIKE HEADLIGHTS) AND IT'S TOO BRIGHT OUT TO TELL IF THE DASH LIGHTS ARE ON OR NOT. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. GM SHOULD RETROFIT THE MALIBU'S WITH TOTAL OVERRIDE OF THE AUTO SYSTEM (COMPLETE DISABLE OF THE AUTO LIGHTS AND DRLS) FOR THOSE OWNERS THAT REQUEST IT.