NHTSA Complaint #763221 — 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU

DEAR MS. RADLEY AND CHEVY, I AM QUITE SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF THE NUMEROUS CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM OF THE 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU, BUT JUST IN CASE I WILL EXPOUNDED ON THE ISSUE. MY WIFE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM YOUR DEALERSHIP ON 22 AUG 98. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE NOTED SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES GRINDING AND SQUEAKING. THE FOLLOWING ARE DATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR BRAKES PROBLEMS: 02/04/99 - 8K MILESMS. RADLEY, THAT MAKES A GRAND TOTAL OF TEN TIMES THE CAR HAS HAD NOTED BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH NO RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THERE IS A DEFINITE MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH THESE BRAKES THAT I EXPECT FIXED. I HAD EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THIS ISSUE WHEN THE BRAKES AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 20K MILES, APPARENTLY NO ONE CARED THEN AS NOW. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH CHEVROLET CONSUMER COMPLAINT DIVISION, JEFF MERRITT AND IKE CHRIS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AT LENGTH AND I MUST SAY THE TOTAL LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY GROWS MORE EVIDENT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD EVERYTHING FROM DRIVING HABITS TO LACK OF SERVICE. THIS PATRONIZATION IS INFURIATING. THE BOTTOM LINE IS CHEVROLET KNOWS FULL WELL THAT THEY PLACED A BRAKING SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR A CHEVY CAVALIER ON THE MALIBU. DO NOT TRY AND TELL ME THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR ROTORS TO WARP AND GO BAD EVERY 20K MILES; I DO NOT ACCEPT THAT ANSWER. WHEN I CALLED SEVERAL GARAGES AND ASK WHAT VEHICLE REQUIRES THE MOST BRAKES SERVICE AND REPLACEMENT ROTORS  THE ANSWER WAS MALIBU AND ALERO. I CALLED SEVEN DIFFERENT SHOPS IN THE AREA AND TWO OTHER CHEVY DEALERSHIPS AND RECEIVED THE SAME ANSWER AT EACH PLACE. YOU MAY WANT TO NOTE THE FOLLOWING COMPLAINTS FILES AT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION, CONSUMER COMPLAINTS DATABASE. AS OF WHEN I RESEARCHED THE DATABASE I DISCOVERED 865 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS 365 OF WHICH ARE BRAKE RELATED.*AK