NHTSA Complaint #752291 — 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU

THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO MY ENGINE. I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED, AFTER BEING WITHOUT MY CAR FOR 4 DAYS, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS JUST A GASKET LEAKING. THEY THEN "AS GOOD CITIZENS" REPAIRED MY CAR UNDER WARRENTY AND CHARGED ME $73.95 FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND FUEL FILTER BECAUSE THESE THINGS HAD TO BE DONE WHILE THEY WERE INVESTIGATING THE LEAK. I HAD JUST RECENTLY HAD MY OIL CHANGED. WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF HAVING MY CAR I NOTICED SERVERAL PROBLEMS THAT I REPORTED TO THE DEALER AND WAS WAVED OFF SEVERAL TIMES. I EVEN RODE WITH A SERVICE MANAGER WHO EXPLAINED THAT THE TICKING IN THE ENGINE, THE WHINNING MY WINDOW MADE WHEN ROLLING IT UP OR DOWN, THE SQUEEKING IN THE FRONT AND BACK OF CAR WERE ALL NORMAL BECAUSE MY CAR WAS SETTLING LIKE A HOUSE DOES. THESE NOISES AND SQUEEKS ARE NORMAL!!! SHORTLY THERE AFTER, MY WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED, MY WINDOW FAILED TO ROLL UP WHILE ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN IT BEGAN POURING RAIN. THE TICKING NOISE WAS EXPLAINED THREE YEARS LATER, SINCE THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO MY ENGINE. I HAVE REPLACED BREAK PADS, AND MY ROTARS AND AM ON MY WAY TO REPLACING BOTH AGAIN AT 36,000 MILES. THE TICKING NOISE IN MY CAR IS STILL PRESENT AND NOW THE AIR CONDITIONER GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. I REPLACED THE LAMPS IN MY BREAK LIGHTS TWICE BEFORE ANOTHER MALIBU OWNER TOLD ME IT WAS A PROBLEM IN THE CIRCUIT BOARD. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE AND CAN'T WAIT UNTIL I CAN AFFORD TO GET RID OF IT. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHEVY UNLESS THE CHOOSE TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION. AFTER READING THE OTHER COMPLIANTS I NOW SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO EVER REPORT THE LEAKING OF THE COOLANT AND AM FRUSTRATED SINCE I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE!!!*AK