1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED USED CAR FROM BILL HEARD IN PLANT CITY BEFORE THEY CLOSED DOWN,FROM DAY 1 I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IGNITION NOT STARTING AND THE ANTI THEFT,I HAVE BEEN LEFT STRANDED SEVERAL TIME S CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM,I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THEM TWICE AND THEY KEPT TELLING ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG ALTHOUGH AT TIMES THERE IS THEN THEY TOLD ME IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN JUST LET THE CAR SET FOR 10MINS AND IT WILL BE OK, WELL IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE,THEN AFTER ALMOST FLIPPING THE CAR I FOUND OUT THAT THE FRONT ROTORS ARE TOTALLY SHOT AND WHEN I HAD TO HIT MY BRAKES ONE CAUGHT BEFORE THE OTHER CAUSING THE CAR TO GO INTO A SKID,THEN THE IGNITION AND THE ANTI THEFT ACT UP AGAIN AND THIS TIME THE HORN IS STUCK SO I HAD TO PULL...

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK, CAUSING ANTI FREEZE TO MIX WITH THE OIL, CAUSING FAILURE AND EXCESSIVE WEAR TO INTERNAL MOTOR PARTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING: RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING AND THE CONTACT PAID $195, PLUS $470 FOR LABOR. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V527000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION). THE CONTACT CALLED GM IN APRIL OF 2002 AND WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD BE REIMBURSED. WHEN HE INFORMED GM THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE SHOP, GM CHANGED THEIR MIND AND NEVER PROVIDED REIMBURSEMENT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,114. UPDATED 04/16/08 *BF THE DEALER REPAIRED THE CAM POSITION SENSOR AS WELL. UPDATED 04/16/08 *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ADD COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ADDED COOLANT TO THE RESEVOIR. A WEEK LATER MORE COOLANT WAS ADDED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING. REPAIRS WERE DECLINED AND THE LEAKING BECAME WORSE AS ANOTHER LEAK WAS NOTICED FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE THAT ALLOW COOLANT TO LEAK. WATER CAN MIX WITH OIL OR CAN GENERATE OVERHEAT OF THE ENGINE. *JB

1. VEHICLE LOSING COOLANT. 2. PROBLEM IS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. 3. INTAKE GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *JB

I DO NOT HAVE ANY ACCIDENTS OR INCIDENTS TO REPORT, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT ONE COULD OCCUR, IF NOT TO ME, TO SOMEBODY ELSE WHO MAY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. NO PROBLEM STATED OR COMPONENT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK I HAVE A 1998 CHEVY MALIBU, WITH A 3.1L V6 ENGINE. I HAVE BEEN RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH A LEAKING LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. MY MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE, IN THE 50K TO 80K MILE RANGE. I HAVE 89,500 MILES ON MY MALIBU. REPAIR COST IS $600-800. I DID SOME CHECKING AROUND, AND 2 OTHER MECHANICS I SPOKE TO ALSO SAID THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. I ALSO LOOKED ONLINE, AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF OTHERS OUT THERE WITH THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS AND PROBLEMS. GM CONTINUES TO DENY THERE IS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER I ALSO BECAME AWARE THAT...

COOLANT LEAKING FROM 3.1 LITER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED.

INTAKE GASKET LEAKING, NEEDS REPAIR.

WHEN MY CAR WAS BOUGHT FROM GOLD KEY AUTO IT HAD 88,000 MILES. THE DAY AFTER PURCHASE THE CAR WOULD NOT CRANK, HAD TO PURCHASE A BATTERY THAT WOULD HOLD ENOUGH POWER TO START CAR. THE BRAKE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CONTINOUS SINCE CAR HAS BEEN PURCHASED THEY WEAR OUT AND SQUEAL ONCE A YR. OR LESS, 1 YR. AFTER PUCHASE OF CAR IT HAS HAD A TOTAL CALIBER CHANGE RIGHT AND LEFT, THIS WAS A 235.00 CHARGE FROM WHEELS UNLIMITED IN WAYCROSS CAUSE OF REPAIR BRAKES LOCKED UP ON CAR. ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN CHANGED 3 TIMES 1ST YR., ONE FAILING AFTER ANOTHER. THIS PAST DEC., 1 RIGHT SIDE CALIBER CHANGE AND ANOTHER BRAKE CHANGE.CAR STARTED MAKING A RATTLE NOISE WERE TIMING CHAIN IS SO WE PROCEEDED WITH CHANGING THE TIMING CHAIN, REPLACED IN DEC. 2002.AT THE SAME TIME WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE RATTLED WAS STILL THERE, NOW MY CAR...

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON 3.1L V6, AND HEAD GASKET FAILED. SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE RESULTED FROM COOLANT ENTERING ENGINE, FREEZING TWO EXHAUST VALVES AND RENDERING THE CAR INOPERABLE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. COMPLETE DAMAGE ESIMATE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. CAN UPDATE LATER. CONTACT WITH GM CUSTOMER SERVICE INDICATES THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NOT TRUE! A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THEY KNOW IT WELL! THEY APPARENTLY REFUSE TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO MAKE RIGHT THIS MAJOR ENGINE DESIGN ERROR. THIS CAR FAILED IN A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE.

MY 1998 CHEVY MALIBU'S 3.1L ENGINE REQUIRED AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AT AROUND 30000 MILES. MY CAR HAS BEEN USING MORE FLUID LATELY AND I AM THINKING THAT THE GASKET WILL ONCE AGAIN REQUIRE REPLACING. SECONDLY, MY CAR RUSTED AROUND THE DOORS AND THE HOOD SEAMS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS BEEN FOUR MONTHS SINCE THE REPAIRS AND THE SEAMS LOOK WORSE THAN EVER.

AIR COMPRESSER AND WIRE HARNESS HAD TO BE REPLACED FAN DID NOT WORK ON SETTING 1 AND 2 NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN THE FIRST TIME WAS IN 2000. AIRCONDITIONING PROBLEM CAUSED THE FUSES THAT CONTROL GAS TANK, TEMP GAGE AND LIGHTS ON DASH BOARD TO GO OUT ALL FUSSES REPLACED

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASGET LEAKING AT 43,661 MILES. REPAIR COSTS ENCOUNTERED TOTALED $589.90. *AK

WATER IS LEAKING INTO ENGINE FROM THE HEAD GASKET. WATER PUMP STARTED SEEPING AFTER HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED. THE FRONT BRAKES WAS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES WITH FINALLY THE ONES MENTIONED ON THE BULLETIN. FIRST THE LEFT SIDE WHEEL BEARING/ SPEED SENSOR ASSEMBLY CHANGED THEN A COUPLE OF THOUSAND OF MILES LATER THE RIGHT SIDE. AIR CONDITION WAS GOING ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. *LA

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST ITS RACK AND PINION STEERING AND ALL POWER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE POWER WINDOW CONTROL PANEL ON THE DRIVER SIDE ARM REST POPPED OUT, THE VEHICLE PULLED SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT (DEALER COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM). THE DEALER FINALLY REPLACED THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS, BRAKE ROTORS, 2 SETS OF TIRES/ALMOST COMPLETELY BALD AT THE TIME ONLY 13K MILES. THE RIMS HAD TO BE FORCED OFF, THE FRONT ROTORS HAD BECOME RUSTED AT 20K MILES, THE IGNITION WIRE HARNESS HAD COME APART, THE POWER STEERING HOSES HAD COME LOOSE, LOST FLUID AND POWER STEERING WHILE IN MOTION, THE TRUNK LEAKED, THE ABS LIGHT HAD COME ON TWICE A WEEK, THE FRONT END SQUEAKED AND RATTLED, THE ANTENNA WIRE WAS LOOSE, THE RIGHT HEAD LAMP HAD PERMANENT MOISTURE WITH NO CRACK, THE A/C WOULD SHUT ON/OFF INTERMITTENTLY, THE ALTERNATOR FAILED AT 60K MILES...

REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, VALVE COVER GASKET, MOLDED COOLANT TUBE $572.00. LOCAL REPAIR SHOP STATED GM IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKETS BEING DEFECTIVE. WE MAINTAIN OUR CARS ON A REGULAR BASIS, IN ORDER TO AVOID HAVING LARGE EXPENDITURES FOR NEGLECT. THIS IS NOT A NEGLECT ISSUE ON THE CUSTOMER'S PART. BUT SOLELY ON THE PART OF GM. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL? *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****768314

THE ODOMETER READ INCORRECTLY. THE WATER PUMP AND BELT FAILED. THE WIPER REGULATOR FAILED. THE TENSIONER PULLEY FAILED. THE VEHICLES ROTORS WARPED AND THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. *NLM *NLM

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING COOLANT INTO OIL. 46000 MILES

CAR DEVELOPED A COOLANT LEAK FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I'VE SEARCHED AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. SOME SORT OF FAULT IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. GM INFORMED ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE THEY WILL NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. ALSO THE AC CYCLES OFF AND ON RANDOMLY, ANOTHER PROBLEM COMMON TO THESE VEHICLES

ON MY 1998 MAILBU (3100 ENGINE) WITH ONLY 50,000 MILES HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. NO ASSISTANCE FROM GM OR THE DEALER.

THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM: THE FRONT END/LOWER SUSPENSION ARMS NEED CHANGING, THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IS LEAKING CONSTANTLY AND HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE, AND THE REAR CRANKSHAFT SEAL IS LEAKING OIL. *SCC *NLM

TRANSMISION SLIPS, TEMP/ELEC. PROBLEMS, MAJOR VIBRATION WHEN APPLYING BRAKES-HI & LO SPEEDS

AFTER FILLING GAS TANK ENGINE DIED 7-8 TIMES.