10th May 2004, 22:27
Same car. One day the Check Engine light comes on. I get a diagnosis which says "Misfire in Cylinder 4". I park the car for about a week while I look for an honest mechanic. I go to check on the car after a few days, start it up, no check engine light, no misfire, and I drive the car for 6 months without any episodes.
Two days ago, the Check Engine light comes back on. Another misfire. I have had the entire plug, wire, coil system replaced, all of the sensors as well as the fuel rack and injectors. The car still won't start smoothly, accelerates poorly, and "decides" when it wants to misfire without any rhyme or reason.
Overall, the Malibu is a terrible vehicle, probably the worst car I could ever have purchased. I drove an '83 Celebrity with hundreds of thousands of miles on it for 6 years prior to buying this Malibu, and the 83' was 100% more dependable than this car. I guess they left reliability in the 80's with the Celebrity! The Malibu is nothing more than a shiny shell of mass produced frustration.
Many Thank you's to GM for standardizing unreliability and flooding the market with your inferior product. I'll never purchase GM again.
19th May 2004, 15:51
WOW! I wish I would have read all of this before I bought my Malibu. I have just purchased a 98 Malibu. In just the second week, the ABS light has come on as well as the battery light. After reading all these postings, I'm worried what the future holds. Now I know why the lady was selling her car! I'm' going straight to Chevy's website to email them. They probably won't do anything, but at the very least, they need to know they have unhappy customers.
30th Aug 2004, 21:40
I am a single mom and live on a very limited income. I cannot afford to buy a brand new car that is why I purchased this used 98 Malibu. I am sick over the problems that have been happening with this piece of junk. The problems started the day I drove it off the lot. In a year and a half, I have had to have $1,600.00 worth of work done just on the brake system. The theft light comes on and leaves me stranded and my coolant leaks. It is unreal that the lemon laws do not protect individuals such as myself and others who cannot afford to purchase new vehicles. I have complained so many times to the service department where I bought the car that they are sick of hearing from me. They are trying to say that it is my fault that the brakes keep wearing out. I am going to print off all these comments and take it down there to show them that I am not the *idiot behind the wheel* that is causing these problems. Patty in KY.
18th Feb 2005, 10:48
I guess I am just one more person added to the list of THE FRUSTRATED 98 MALIBU OWNERS. You would think that someone from Chevrolet would care about its customers, being that we keep them in business. Not only have I had the check engine light come on, but the Brake/ABS light, Low coolant light, the anti-theft light and the AC light flickers as well. I also had to buy the windshield wiper kit (you know the piece that actually makes the windshield wipers work), but that was only because my car was not included the recall, only those cars that were "built up North". TALKING ABOUT A HAPPY CAMPER. Guess what ladies and gentleman, I fixed most of my problems though: A NEW MOTOR. I was upset! Oh, let me apologize because I don't want to sound as if I am angry, being that I am also a single parent that love to give out money every month for my 98 Malibu. Talking about saving money, I have spent enough money on this one car to purchase a brand new Foreign Car.
Well let me say that the only problem that I have to deal with now is my Brake/ABS light still on, even though I've had a new rotor put on and front and back brake pads put on. Oh and did I forget to mention that I am having to replace my front pads every three months. I AM FRUSTRATED WITH CHEVROLET!
Please let me know if there is a class action suit in process because I would like to join in. Thank Chevrolet what would we do without you, POSSIBLY SAVE MONEY! Sincerely in Ky.
17th Jan 2007, 18:14
And the moral of the story is: buy Toyota, Honda, Nissan, or Mazda instead of GM or Ford.
14th Dec 2007, 23:22
I had the same problem with the glove box. Dealer put in new latch and it happened again. I eventually removed the light bulb, and just drove with the glove box door open. I also found that plastic trim just fell off and was not re-attachable, unless you used crazy glue.
I've also had every other problem that people mention and then some. Actually, the motor just blew the other day, (and this car was well maintained).I had it towed to the scrap yard, They gave me $100.00 for it. Good riddance. I'm Going to buy a Honda.
Oh ya, It only had 120,000 kilometers. I paid $12,000 for this piece of junk it lasted me almost 5 years, but cost me about $5000.00 in repairs. My last car was a used 84 Honda Accord. I paid $2400 for it. It lasted 5 years and It had no problems at all. Just brakes and tires. It was rear ended and written off. 5 years with no problems!!!
Good luck...
28th Dec 2007, 09:53
Air bag blew up in my face for no reason. I took it to 2 dealerships one went so far as call in my insurance company of course thy say "We are not responsible for this, If you had a flat tire is that the covered? Both dealerships don't have a clue as to why the bags deployed. So there is a class action suit, but I drive it.
17th Jul 2008, 11:45
I have a 98 Chevy Malibu: ABS light on, bad brakes, bad injectors and now the ignition coil needs to be replaced every two months or the car won't star anymore, I am planing to buy another Mazda like my wife. Mazda means no problem and low cost maintenance...
13th Aug 2008, 16:17
"GOTCHA" should be the name of the 98 Malibu. I have had this car only 6 months, it was well maintained and had all the service records. So far I have had a brake job, tune-up, fuel filter, oh yeah it's at the repair shop now, and they tell me the cam shaft is in 2 pieces (this came with "NO Warning". Bummer!!! I have also had the same problems with the ABS light coming on. My glove box,-get this, I cannot open with OR without the key. I was about to think the car was haunted, I'll be driving down the road and here comes the theft light on. Go figure. Chevys have always been my kind of car, but the Malibu STINKS.
4th May 2004, 14:31
Same trouble, Same car, same conditions. AC comes on and off. Glove box light won't go off. Brake trouble like mad. Where's the stinking recall!! Mine was a 1997.