NHTSA Complaint #10303335 — 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU

1) NOTHING ABNORMAL 2) LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING BROKE, BROKEN SPRING CUT THROUGH SIDE WALL OF TIRE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LITERALLY DROP ONTO FRAME, LOOSING COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY, VEHICLE WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 20 MPH AT THE TIME THE SPRING BROKE! I HAVE WORKED IN AUTO DEALERSHIPS FOR 30 YEARS, AND ALTHOUGH A BROKEN SPRING ISN'T ALL THAT UNUSUAL, THIS IS THE THIRD SPRING THAT HAS BROKEN ON THIS VEHICLE IN THE PAST YEAR. I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH PASSENGER SIDE SPRINGS LAST YEAR. 3) I REPLACED ALL FOUR SPRINGS ON THIS VEHICLE, AND FOUND THE EPOXY COATING (ON THE SPRINGS) IN VERY POOR CONDITION. UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T HAVE THE OLD SPRINGS. I HAVE ALSO READ ON CHEVY MALIBU MESSAGE BOARDS THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON OCCURRENCE. *TR