NHTSA Complaint #10607548 — 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU

VEHICLE FRONT END SHAKES/WOBBLES SEVERELY WHEN UNDER HARD BRAKING SITUATIONS DOWN HILL. LOUD LOW RUMBLE NOISE AND PEDAL VIBRATIONS ARE EVIDENT. SHAKING AND WOBBLING IS PRESENT THROUGH VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL REQUIRING MORE STRENGTH AND DIRECTIONAL CORRECTIONS TO STEER AND GUIDE THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. DOWN HILL BRAKING COULD BE SEVERELY IMPEDED IN NORMAL DRIVING OR WHILE TOWING A TRAILER. PANIC STOPS AND LIGHT BRAKING SITUATIONS ON LEVEL GROUND ARE NORMAL STRAIGHT AND TRUE. BRAKE FLUID LEVEL CHECK OKAY AND IS CLEAN. ABS SYSTEM OPERATING NORMALLY. PARKING BRAKE OPERATING NORMALLY. VEHICLE BRAKE SYSTEM AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS CHECK OKAY. VEHICLE HAS 4 NEW TIRES MOUNTED AND BALANCED ON ORIGINAL FACTORY RIMS. TIRES ARE SIZED AND INFLATED TO VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS. COLD TIRE PRESSURE 29 PSI IN FRONT AND 26 PSI IN REAR. FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT ROTOR SURFACES ARE SMOOTH AND WITHIN NORMAL SPECIFICATIONS. VEHICLE DIAGNOSED AS HAVING WARPED FRONT ROTORS. FRONT ROTORS APPEAR TO WARP PREMATURELY UNDER NORMAL LOAD. VEHICLE HAS HAD FRONT ROTORS REPAIRED AND OR REPLACED 3 TIMES. HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT FRONT ROTORS ARE NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE SIZE AND CAPACITY OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLES WITH THE SIX CYLINDER ENGINE OPTION DISPLACE MORE WEIGHT UPON THE FRONT AXLE CREATING EXCESSIVE HEAT AND WEAR ON UNDERSIZED DISC BRAKES. VEHICLE PRESENTED WITH 69,000 ORIGINAL MILES. *TR