NHTSA Complaint #10178381 — 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU

FIRST INCIDENT OF LEAKING HAPPENED AFTER DEALERSHIP WORKED ON CAR. ARRIVED HOME COOLANT POURED OUT ON GROUND TOWED BACK. DEALERSHIP SAID RESERVOIR CAP SEAL. 10/2006 OR 11/2006, PICKING UP AT SCHOOL AND SMELLED NOT ENGINE. PARKED SAW COOLANT ON GROUND. NO ENGINE LIGHT ON BUT NEEDLE WAS PAST MIDDLE. FAMILY BROUGHT COOLANT FILLED IT UP AND WENT 5 BLOCKS TO DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. YESTERDAY, 1/9/2007 CAR OVERHEATED IN THE SCHOOL LINE. ADDED COOLANT. I BROUGHT IT TO A NON DEALERSHIP RADIATOR SHOP OWNER THINKS INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING. CAR AT DEALERSHIP. I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REAL PROBLEM IS BUT BECAUSE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED FEEL DEALERSHIP WILL TELL ME IT IS A NEW PROBLEM FROM THE FIRST EVENT SO I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE. AT LEAST TWO ROTORS REPLACED ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S WHEEL & 5 SETS OF PADS. REPORTED TO GM THEY CLAIM IT IS THE WAY I DRIVE! A NON DEALERSHIP TIRE COMPANY HAD THE PADS REPLACED WITH A GOOD BRAND. 1 1/2 YEARS SINCE I HAD TO HAVE PADS. PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS. CAR IS RUNNING AND THE DRIVER GETS OUT LEAVING CAR ON AND THEN THE PASSENGER TURNS OFF THE CAR AND GETS OUT, LOCKS CAR, THE RADIO STAYS ON. I WENT INSIDE THE STORE AND CAME OUT AND THE RADIO WAS STILL PLAYING. WHEN YOU UNLOCK THE CAR BUT ENTER ONLY THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR AND THEN CLOSE IT AND WALK AWAY, THE CAR LOCKS ITSELF. HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I HAD NOT PLACED THE KEYS ON THE SEAT OF THE CAR AND SHUT THE DOOR OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT. I REPORTED THIS BUT NO ONE SEEMED TO CARE. RADIO WAS REPLACED FOR LEFT BUTTON PAINT (NOT SURE IF IT IS PAINT OR COVER ON BUTTON) RUBS OFF. IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. FUEL PUMP REPLACED.. I TRANSPORT GRANDCHILDREN AND I NEED A SAFE CAR. *JB