1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU Suspensionfront Problems

I HAVE A 1998 CHEVY MALIBU, AND THE SPRING STRUT SNAPPED IN HALF AND POPPED A HOLE IN MY TIRE, I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR GOING 45 MPH. LUCKILY THE CAR MOVED JUST IN TIME, I AM VERY SCARED FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN THIS CAR. IT JUST HAPPENED TONIGHT, SO I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT THE CAR, BUT IM BEGGING YOU TO PLEASE MAKE THIS ISSUE PUBLIC! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE, PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW BECAUSE IT CAN COST LIVES BY NOT SAYING ANYTHING. *TR

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON A SMOOTH DRY ROAD SUDDENLY THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE SPRING BROKE DAMAGING THE STRUT AND TIRE. THANKFULLY, THIS WAS AT A SLOW SPEED OR SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE TIRE, SPRING AND STRUT WERE REPLACED. *TR

THE FRONT LEFT, DRIVER SIDE, SPRING BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES PER HOUR ON A SMOOTH PAVED ROAD. THIS WAS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE SAME CAR. THE FIRST TIME WAS THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE. I WAS DRIVING SLOWER SO THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW FROM THE SHARP BROKEN SPRING END RUBBING ON IT. THE SPRING WAS REPLACED WITH NO OTHER DAMAGE. AFTER READING ABOUT MANY OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM I DECIDED TO SUMIT COMPLAINTS HOPING WE CAN PREVENT ANY INJURIES OR DEATHS. I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND WHY GM HAS NOT RECALLED THESE CARS AND HOW MANY ACCIDENTS GO UNREPORTED WITH THIS THE CAUSE. *TR

THE COIL SPRING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUT SNAPPED INTO CAUSING A LARGE GOUGE IN THE TIRE DEFLATING IT IMMEDIATELY. LUCKILY, I HAD PULLED OFF INTERSTATE I-77 AND WAS IN A LARGE LEVEL PARKING SPACE. MY WIFE GOT IN THE CAR TO PULL UP AND PICK ME UP. AS THE CAR WENT LESS THAN A FOOT FORWARD A LARGE BANG WAS HEARD AND JOURNEY BEGAN TO GET HELP. TO AVOID RANDOM DETAILS OF 88 DEGREE HEAT AND HARDSHIP EVENTS, THE RESULT WAS A NEW TIRE, A NEW SPARE TIRE (DONUT), AN OVERNIGHT STAY AND EXPENSES AND A REPAIR BILL. THE STRUT WAS REPLACED WITH A USED ONE DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE WERE STRANDED AWAY FROM HOME AND HAD NO TIME TO WAIT FOR A NEW ONE TO BE ORDERED. WHAT REALLY DREW MY ATTENTION TO THE POSSIBLE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM WAS THAT IN A SMALL REPAIR SHOP...

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND NO WARNING THE FRONT SUSPENSION COLLAPSED. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRINT BROKE. A BROKEN END GOUGED THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE, MAKING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.*AK

BUSHINGS ON BOTH LOWER FRONT CONTROL ARMS ON FRONT SUSPENSION WOR OUT AT 16K MILES, CAUSING THUMPING AND BANGING NOISE THAT GETS INCREASING WORST WITH MORE MILES PUT ON THE CAR--DEALER SAYS IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR. *AK

ANY SMALL BUMP OR ACCELERATION AT ABOUT 55MPH PRODUCES LOUD CLUNKING NOISES FROM FRONT. *AK

FIRESTONE SAID ALLIGNMENT PROBLEM. IT WAS ALLIGNED AT 23,139 MILES. FIRST NOTICED IRRAGULAR WEAR ON BOTH REAR TIRES ON 9/29/2000 WHEN ROTATING TIRES. THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO BEEN TOWED ABOUT 24,000 MILES. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2MWAAA168 TIRESIZE: P215/60R15)

THE STRUT AND SHOCKS DAMAGED, AND VEHICLE NOCKS AND WOBBLES CAUSE OF LOOSENESS IN FRONT RIGHT DRIVE SHAFT. *AK

FRONT END WAS DEFECTIVE. ALL OF PARTS HAD TO BE REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

BUSHINGS ON CONTROL ARMS DEFECTIVE AND BATTERY ACCID LEAKS

THE CAR WAS DELIVERED WITH A NOISY BRAKE PEDAL, IMPROPER STEERING WHEEL, ALIGNEMTN, AND VERY POOR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE NOISY PEDAL WITHOUT DISMANTLING THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM, WHICH I DECLINED. THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT WHEELS WERE ALIGNED, HOWEVER, THE REAR WHEELS WERE NOT ALIGNED. I ONY LEARNED OF THIS BECAUSE OF A TWITCHINESS WHEN DRIVING AND PREMATURE REAR TIRE FAILURE, EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES WERE ROTATED REGULARLY. THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN ALMOST CONSTANTLY WARPED, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FRONT CALIPER RETAINING PINS HAVE FLOWN COMPLETELY OUT WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT SEVENTY (70) MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, THE CAR WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY REPLACED THE PIN AND RE-TOURQED ALL OTHER PINS. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, ANOTHER PIN FLEW OUT, THIS TIME RESULTING IN AN UNDRIVABLE CAR, LEAVING MY WIFE AND INFANT...

WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY THE STERRING WHEEL SHAKES, LIKE IT IS GOING OUT OF CONTROL

FRONT SUSPENSION HAS EXCESSIVE NOISE. YH

HAD NOTHING BUT FRONT END PROBLEMS, SEEMS LIKE DEALER IS NOT BELEIVING, MAY THINK ITS THE OPERATOR. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ENTIRE FRONT END SHAKES EXCESSIVELY. ALSO, DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE TWICE, AND REPLACED ROTORS ONCE AND HAS TURNED THEM ONCE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

MALIBU SUSPENSION IS UNSAFE. FRONT CONTROL ARMS , REAR STRUTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, REAR TURN SIGNAL , REAR TIRES WORN BECAUSE OF STRUTS, HEADLAMPS FAILURES MAKE IT OBVIOUS CHEVY IS MARKETING UNSAFE MALIBU'S . CHEVY SHOULD BUY BACK THESE DEFECTIVE CARS ESPECIALLY MINE IT'S AN UNSAFE PIECE OF JUNK!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 215-60R15 )

THE FRONT END IS LOOSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAIL. *AK

THIS CAR HAS A DIRECTIONAL STABILITY PROBLEM ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WANDERS BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE DRIVING LANE AND YOU CONSTANTLY HAVE TO CORRECT THE STEERING WHEEL. IF YOU RELAX OR LOOK AWAY FOR A MOMENT, SUCH AS AT A HIGHWAY SIGN, YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE THE CAR WILL BE IN THE LANE. ON LONG TRIPS IT FATIGUES YOU TERRIBLY. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO REMEDY THE SITUATION WITH A NEW TIRE, NEW ALIGNMENT, TIRE ROTATION, TIRE PRESSURE, ETC., BUT NOTHING WORKS. I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM DRIVING THE CAR HOME AFTER PICKING IT UP NEW. THE DEALER HAD ME DRIVE ANOTHER MALIBU WITH APPROX THE SAME MILEAGE, AND IT DROVE THE SAME. THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER SERVICE MGR. SAYS HIS DRIVES THE SAME WAY. I HAVE CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY NOTED THE PROBLEM, BUT OFFERED NO SOLUTIONS. I RETIRED FROM THE AUTO COLLISION BUSINESS WHERE I SPECIALIZED IN HEAVY...

RADIO HAS BEEN REPLACED, STILL WILL NOT PICK UP LOCAL STATIONS, AND A THUMPING NOISE IS COMMING FROM MY CAR. IT'S MOST NOTICEABLE AT 35MPH AND UNDER. DEALER REPLACED PARTS OF SUSPENSION, DIIDN'T HELP, AND NOW THEY SAY THATS ALL THEY CAN DO. THEY HAVE NOT BOTHERED TO SEE WHERE THE SOUND IS COMING FROM. *AK

A FRAME IN PROCESS OF BEING REPLACED AGAIN JUNE 9, 1999 FOR THE SECOND TIME. MAJOR VIBRATIONS IN FRONT END OF CAR. BEZELS REPLACED. CUP HOLDER REPLACED. BUMPER PEELING - DEALER WILL NOT FIX. FRONT OF DASH PLASTIC HAD TO BE REPLACED-BROKE. CONSOLE LID COVER REPLACED. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAR TO ANY PERSON. EVEN THE GENERAL MOTORS TECHNICIANS STATE THIS IS THE WORST CAR FOR PROBLEMS. IT TOOK ALMOST SIX MONTHS TO GET THE A/C SWITCH REPLACED. IT KEPT TURNING ITSELF OFF AND COULD NOT GET BACK ON. FINALLY 06/05/99 IT QUIT ALL TOGETHER. THEY PUT IN A RELAY SWITCH. THIS CAR IS A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO REMEMBER THE OLD MALIBUS. *AK

I BOUGHT MY CHEVROLET MALIBU USED AND HAVE HAD IT ABOUT 2 MONTHS. DAYS AFTER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY RUNS OUT I HAVE MAJOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. REPLACED FRONT BRAKES, PADS, RIGHT ROTOR AND RIGHT CALIPER. EVERY MECHANIC I'VE SEEN IS AMAZED THAT A CAR A YEAR OLD NEEDS A NEW CALIPER. CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. ALSO HAD PROBLEM WITH FRONT END RATTLING NOISE LIKE THE FRONT END IS LOOSE OR SOMETHING; DEALER DID PUT NEW CONTROL ARMS ON, BUT NOISE STILL PERSISTS. *AK

BRAKES ARE WEARING OUT PREMATURLEY . PADS/CALIPERS AND THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 35,000 MILES.THERE WAS NO INDICTATION OF A PROBLEM, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. 2. THE VEHICLE SHAKES AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 20 MPH ,AND DEALER REPLACED CONTROL ARM, BUT DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK

CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP 11 TIMES, DEALER FOUND PROBLEMS 10 TIMES. CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP OVERNIGHT 16 DAYS SINCE 9-2-98. ON ONE VISIT, DEALER DROVE CAR 187 MILES AND HAD CAR 6 DAYS, ACTUALLY FIXING CAR, FINDING ANOTHER FRONT SUSPENSION PROBLEM, AND FIXING AGAIN.

FRONT END SUSPENSION ROUGH,CLUNK, FEELS LOOSE, BRAKES/ROTORS PREMATURELY WEARING OUT, AND INSTRUMENT PANEL VERY HOT WHEN HEATER OR A/C BEING USED. RADIO AM ALREADY MALFUNCTIONED ONCE. AM CONCERNED RE: BRAKES, FRONT END AND FIRE HAZARD OF THIS VEHICLE. *AK

CAR SOUNDS LIKE THE FRONT END IS ALL GOING TO FALL FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR!!!

DRIVER'S WINDOW SWITCH/EXHAUST SYSTEM/WINDSHIELD/HEADLIGHTS AND FRONT END MALFUNCTIONED.

FRONT END PROBLEMS AFTER 40MPH SPEED, VEHICLE JERKS AND FLOAT OVER ROUGH ROADS, HANDLES LIKE FRONT END IS LOOSE.