2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUTS OFF. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 135,000.

I BOUGHT THE CAR AT THE END OF 2000 AND HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS AT AROUND THE SAME TIME (THANKSGIVING) IN 2001. MY FUEL PUMP WENT OUT IN 2002 AND MY MECHANIC JUST TOLD ME THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS ARE LEAKING AGAIN. HE SUGGEST TO REPLACE THEM SOON. IT COST $900 TO GET IT FIXED THE FIRST TIME WHICH WAS NOT UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN. I JUST PAID THE CAR OFF AND HAVE TO FORK OUT ANOTHER $700-900 TO GET IT FIXED AGAIN. IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE TO GM THAT THERE IS A HISTORY OF GASKETS PROBLEMS IN SEVERAL CHEVY MODELS ESPECIALLY THE MALIBU, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AND NO COMPENSATION HAS BEEN AWARDED TO ALL THOSE HARD WORKING PEOPLE WHO TRUST THE CHEVY NAME. IF NOTHING IS DONE I WILL NEVER BUY CHEVY AGAIN. PONTIAC HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH SOME OF ITS...

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED THREE TIMES UNDER AND OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. HAZARD SWITCH MALFUNCTIONING - ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT TURNING SIGNAL/WIPER WASHER SWITCH MALFUNCTIONING PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR UNTIL CALIPERS REPLACED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT VARIOUS EMISSIONS AND FUEL VAPOR LEAKS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AN ODOR WAS DETECTED AND THERE WAS FLUID LEAKING ON THE GROUND FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHEN THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BY RAISING THE HOOD, THERE WAS FLUID ON THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 03/28/06. *JB

THE INCIDENT IS THE FAILURE OF THE WATER PUMP, A SLAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, AT ONE POINT THE LEAKAGE OF COOLANT, AND ALSO THE OXYGEN SENSOR. ALL OF WHICH WERE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TO BE FIXED BY THEIR MECHANIC EXCEPT THE OXYGEN SENSOR. HOWEVER, THE CAR STILL HAD A PROBLEM WITH IDLING AS THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE MECHANIC. MY HUSBAND HAD TO JUMP OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES, ON HIS WAY TO WORK AND THE CAR WAS STOPPED BY A POLE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE FIXED HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THE FIRST TIME THAT IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THE PROBLEM WERE JUST MASKED ONLY FOR US TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO THEM FOR THEM TO GET MORE MONEY OUT OF US. *NM

CAR HAS HAD A LEAK FOR A MONTH AND WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT TO A CAR MECHANIC I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD AN INTAKE GASKET LEAK AND THAT IT WAS VERY COMMON AMONG CHEVROLETS. THE PROBLEM I WAS TOLD WAS THAT THE MANUFACTURE HAD DESIGNED A POOR GASKET AND THAT ONCE THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED THAT THEY CAME OUT WITH A MORE DURABLE GASKET. THIS REPAIR WAS QUOTED AT $700. WHY IS IT THAT IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT THE MAKERS RECOGNIZE THIS WAS A PROBLEM WHY IT IS THAT THE CONSUMER NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO FIX A FAULTY OR DEFECTED ITEM? *NM

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IS DEFECTIVE ON ALL 3.1 L GM ENGINES LIKE THE ONE IN MY 2000 MALIBU. GM DEALERS KNOW THAT IT ALWAYS LEAKS AROUND 70 K MILES, AND JUST KEEP TRYING TO REPLACE IT. EVERY MECHANIC IN THE COUNTRY SEEMS TO KNOW THIS FACT, AND MAKE ABOUT A THOUSAND FOR IT FROM EACH OWNER.

ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, FAN DOES NOT OPERATE ON SPEEDS 1 & 2, BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS NEED REPLACED EVERY YEAR, HAZARD/TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY, AND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET BEGAN LEAKING AROUND 70,000 MILES. THE COOLANT IS LISTED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL AS NOT NEEDING SERVICE FOR 150,000 MILES BUT IT TURNED VERY ACIDIC IN LESS THAN HALF THAT TIME AND ATE THE GASKET CAUSING THE NEED FOR COSTLY REPAIRS OR ELSE RISK PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. TURN SIGNAL ISSUE RECALLED BUT THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE'S VIN. VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO SIGNAL INTENTION TO TURN OR SWITCH LANES AND WAS UNSAFE ON HIGHWAYS. HAVE YET TO EXPERIENCE COMMON FUEL PUMP FAILURE THAT COULD CAUSE STALLING IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. NOT RECALLED IS THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM OF THE LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET BECAUSE IT IS NOT DEEMED A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS CAN BECOME SAFETY...

I AM THE OWNER OF A CHEVROLET MALIBU. THIS CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF WHEN DRIVING SPEEDS OF 55 OR MORE. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASED THIS CAR. FIRST, IT WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. SECOND, IT WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM. THIRD, THE CAR QUIT ON ME AND MY DAUGHTER WHEN WE WERE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESS WAY GOING 60 MILES PER HOUR. WE COULD HAVE KILLED OURSELVES AND SOMEONE ELSE. *JB

OIL LEAKED INTO COOLANT SYSTEM OF OUR 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND FLUSHING OUT OF THE ENGINE. THIS ENGINE ONLY HAD 40,900 MILES ON IT. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR GM ENGINE (3.1 LITER).

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A "TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE." *PH THE CONSUMER LEFT FRONT CALIPER BOLT IS STRIPPED CAUSING A VIBRATING/ GRINDING NOISE THAT RADIATES FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AND THE CONSUMER IS TRYING TO OBTAIN AN OVER ALL INSPECTION OF THE MECHANICAL DEFECTS OF THE VEHICLE SO GM CAN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAULTY AUTOMOBILE. *CB

WHILE DRIVING AT 80 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, BUT DEALER COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU (36,000 MILES) RECENTLY STALLED 4 TIMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY. ON FRIDAY 10/7 I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY TURNED OFF. I COASTED TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER. IN ABOUT 5 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO CUT THE CAR BACK ON. AT WHICH TIME IT RESUMED DRIVING NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 10 MILES. THEN IT STALLED AGAIN. I TOWED THE CAR INTO TOWN AND DROVE IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. (YES, THE CAR DROVE NORMALLY AROUND TOWN). THE REPAIR SHOP TESTED IT AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP I DROVE ABOUT 40 MILES (AGAIN AT GREATER THAN 75 MPH) AND THE CAR STALLED AGAIN. IT STARTED BACK UP IN 2-3 MINUTES. THEN 30 MILES LATER STALLED AGAIN. THIS TIME ON A PART OF THE HIGHWAY WHERE THERE WAS NO...

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY STALL WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT VEHICLE LOOSES POWER. WHEN THIS OCCURS CONSUMER HAS TO COAST VEHICLE TO A STOP.*AK

2000 MALIBU HAS DIED 7 TIMES WHILE DRIVING DEALER HAS REPLACED FUEL FILTER AND PUMP,RADAR CAP ,IGNITION MODULAR, IGNITION SWITCH,MAIN COMPUTER AND IT STILL DYING. I HAVE JUST LOOK AT ALL THE COMPLAINT THAT PEOPLE HAVE AND CHEVROLET TELLS ME THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THEM.I WILL NEVER BUY OTHER ONE. *LA

I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW (HAD 4 MILES ON IT) IN AUGUST OF 2000. WITHIN A MONTH, THE A/C MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. WITHIN 6 MONTHS THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE, AND FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL WHENEVER AT A STOP. DURING THIS SAME PERIOD OF TIME, THE BRAKES BEGAN PULSATING, AND I REPLACED THEM ON MY OWN. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ISSUE WITH THEM SINCE. THEN THIS YEAR, 2003, IT COMPLETELY DIED ON ME WHILE DOING 70 IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY IN SAN DIEGO. MY WHOLE FAMILY WAS IN THE CAR, AND WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I COULDN'T EVEN TURN ON THE FLASHERS TO LET OTHER DRIVERS KNOW WE WERE IN TROUBLE. OBVIOUSLY, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT, AND WE HAD TO CROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC, SOLELY PROPELLED BY OUR EXISTING MOMENTUM, WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO STEER. I AM...

FUEL GAUGE WILL NOT REGISTER A HALF TANK OR LESS. VEHICLE HAS TO HAVE A FULL FUEL TANK. ALSO, WITHOUT WARNING OR CAUSE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN, AND WILL NOT RESTART. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC WAS BAFFLED BECAUSE HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER SWITCH TURNS ON AND OFF. VIBRATION IN FRONT END WHEN BRAKING. TURN SIGNALS WORK INTERMITENTLY. TICKING NOISE IN ENGINE UNTIL WARM. WINDOWS FOG EXCESSIVELY. SHAME ON CHEVROLET. *AK

MY CAR IS ONLY 3 1/2 YRS. OLD, BUT, I'M HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT THAT I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING. LAST SUMMER, I HAD TO HAVE MY BATTERY AND SURROUNDING WIRES & HOSES REPLACED DUE TO A CORRODED CABLE WHICH HAD LEAKED ACID EVERYWHERE--LUCKILY UNDER WARRANTY. NOW, MY INTAKE VALVE GASKET IS RUINED, SO ANTIFREEZE LEAKS OUT CONSTANTLY AND THE CAR IS PERPETUALLY ON THE VERGE OF RUNNING HOT. I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY ADD ANTIFREEZE AND WATER TO KEEP IT FROM OVERHEATING, ALTHOUGH, IT STILL SMELLS OVERHEATED ALL THE TIME. IT WILL COST ME BETWEEN $900-$1100 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THE PART ONLY COSTS $150 DUE TO THE LABOR INVOLVED IN REMOVING THE TOP OF THE ENGINE TO GET TO THE GASKET. SINCE THE WARRANTY HAS ALREADY RUN OUT, I'LL HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL MYSELF. I DON'T APPRECIATE THIS BECAUSE I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS...

I BOUGHT THIS CHEVROLET MALIBU LS IN 2000 AND ALREADY I HAVE THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: ALTERNATOR IS OUT, AIR COMPRESSER OUT, BLOWER MOTOR IS OUT, BATTERY IS OUT THEY ARE STILL CHECKING ON THE OIL LEAKAGE. *NLM

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED. *AK

HAZARD AND SIGNAL LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONS ENGINE NOISE (CONSTANT SQUEAKING OR TICKING) AIR CONDITIONING MALFUNCTIONS. *JB

BOTH ENGINE MOUNTS BROKE WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND MADE THE REPAIRS. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THERE IS A RATTLING NOISE IN ENGINE DUE THE PISTONS BEING TOO SMALL. ALSO, IT IS CAUSING GAS TO RUN OUT QUICKER. DEALER HAS FIXED PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER BELEIVES THIS PROBLEM IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, CONSUMER STATES THIS MOTOR WAS USED IN THE CEHVROLET LUMINA ALSO, SAME FACTORY PITONS WERE PUT BACK IN ENGINE WHEN OVERHAULED. *JB

AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR AN OIL CHANGE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD KNOCKING AND TICKING NOISE UNTIL VEHICLE WARMED UP. MANUFACTURER HAS RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM ,AND SAID THAT IT WAS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION, BUT IT WAS NORMAL. DEFECT WAS IN THE PISTONS.*AK

REPLACED ROTORS AND PADS10/26/2000 AND02/09/2001.REPLACED FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT 03/02/2001 REPLACING PISTONS IN ENGINE 03/05/2001

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE CARBON BUILD UP ON THE PISTON RINGS, CAUSING ENGINE KNOCKING AND ERRATIC OPERATION. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK

GM PLACED SMALLER PISTONS IN THE MOTOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MAKE A TAPPING NOISE ON COLD STARTS. NLM

VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING WHILE DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 TIMES. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM OF STALLING. HAD REPLACED THE FUEL MODULATOR & THE FUEL PUMP 3 TIMES. BUT, STALLING PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

VECHICLE MADE A RATTLING NOISE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER & FOUND THE PISTONS HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALER SAID THAT THE NOISE WAS COMMON. *AK

TURNING SIGNALS AND FLASHERS HAVE BEEN FIXED. THEY WANT ME TO BRING THE CAR IN ON MONDAY SO THEY CAN REPLACE THE PISTONS. I THINK THEY SHOULD GIVE ME ANOTHER CAR. *AK