NHTSA Complaint #10070143 — 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU

THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS ON THIS VEHICLE FLEX WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THIS HAS RESULTED IN UNEVEN AND PREMATURE WEAR OF THE BRAKE PADS. THE PADS WERE REPLACED TWICE, ONCE AT 17,000 MILES AND ONCE AT 30,000. THE ROTORS WERE REMACHINED AT 17,000 MILES, REPLACED AT 30,000 MILES AND RESURFACED AT 33,000. THE FLEXING OF THE CALIPER CAUSES MISALIGNMET OF THE GUIDE PINS, CAUSING THE CALIPER TO HANG UP. AS A RESULT ONLY THE INNER BRAKE PAD IS STOPPING THE CAR. THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO WEAR ON THE OUTER PAD. THE INNER PADS SHOW SIGNS OF OVERHEATING, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE ROTORS TO WARP (PULSATING), AND BRAKE FADE IN A PANIC STOP. THE CONSTANT FLEXING COULD ALSO COMPRIMISE THE INTGERITY OF THE ALUMINUM CALIPERS OVER TIME. GM CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL. I HAVE CHECKED THE NHTSB WEB SITE AND FOUND 28% OF THE COMPLAINTS FILED FOR THIS VEHICLE WERE BRAKE RELATED AND ALMOST ALL COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO THIS CONDITION.