Problems with 2000 Chevrolet Malibu ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Water pump failure, turning lights failure. *jb

Coolant loss causing vehicle to overheat. car towed to garage. had to remove and replace intatke manifold gasket, replace thermostat, and reverse flush cooling system. total cost $664.31 was advised to file complaint as garage has had an average of one repair like this a month on mailbus and impalas. *la

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

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

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

may 02 my vehicle was taken in for brakes and front end noise, the brakes were replaced and was told that the dealership did not have time to correct the front end problem (which they noted was covered by my warranty) and to reschedule for that problem. i did so in july 02 and at that time, they charged me for the work and tried to blame me for the problem so i paid $281.75 for this work which was previously noted that would be covered by my warranty. my battery has been replaced 3 times. the vehicle was overheating several times: in october 3, 2002, october 29, 2002, and in december 2002. i was forced to pay for at a cost of $280.52 for the dec. 2002 problem. in march 2003 the vehicle was taken in to the dealership again for front suspension noise, and it was determined that a right upper strut mount had callapsed. in may 2003 the vehicle has again overheated and they could not explain why the problem continues. the young man that i spoke with when i arrived indicated that they (the dealership) was unsure as to why the vehicle was overheating and to just drive it because his truck does it all the time on the highway and they had no explanation as to why the batteries that they were replacing kept cracking and leaking. when i expressed my concern regarding the problem and my safety concerns, he just blew me off as if i was just complaining. once again, it is now july 2003 and for the 4th time, my vehicle is overheating and overheating. in addition on serveral occasions i also indicated to the dealership, that there was a vibrating and shimbling when my brakes are applied and it makes it hard to controll the vehicle, not once would they address the issue with me nor have i been notified or any defects or recalls with the brake system for the 2000 chevy malibu. i am very concerned with my safety. in addition, my tires continuously loose air and the tread is separation from my left rear tire.*ak

I bought my car on 7/21/01, it has been in for repairs 10/3/01, 7/12/02,12/11/02, 6/23/03 and 6/24/03. the problem is electrical and the engine as well. chevrolet has run diagnostics many times but is not able to fix the problem for good. everytime i take my car in, i am told it's now something different that has broken. my car will break down and sometimes if i allow it to sit for 10 - 20 minutes it will start right back up. for as many times as my car has been repaired, it has broken down at least three times before i take it in. my dispute with chevy is my car is a lemon. they cannot determine what is wrong with it because diagnostics is unable to duplicate the problem. chevy informed me that does not mean there isn't a problem it just means the computer cannot detect it. i have filed with the bbb auto line but because my car has more than 24,000 miles they say i am out of luck. chevy is unwilling to do anything about the problems i am having with my car. my dispute is should a car break down at least 5-10 times a year?

A/c turns off or goes on and off (light flashes). dealer states cause as failed control head. brakes have been chronic pulsing that causes the car to shudder, esp. when applying brakes from speeds of 30+ mph. at various repair attempts rotors have been turned, replaced (at 22k miles), new hub assembly installed. six attempts were made to repair under warranty. just had new brakes and shim kit installed but don't trust that this will fix problem based on past experience.

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

My chevrolet 2000 malibu leaked a whole lot of dexcool coolent onto the ground...so far, it's cost $900 to fix that and a water pump. i'm not sure this is a safety issue, but it seems like it could be construed as one. the car has 5600 miles on it.*ak

While traveling on the highway and without prior warning the vehicle stalled. *ak

Engine overheating, also the turn signals are erratic, when they do not work i have to turn my emergency flashers on, then off, and the turn signals work then. as far as the overheating goes, i took it in for repair (over $350.00) they said they found water in the oil and replaced head gasket. it still is not fixed. this car has 45,000 miles.

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 car at this time, nor do i feel that it is my responsibility to fix it. the dealer or manufacturer should foot the bill since the car is so young and there is no way that i caused this problem. *ak

Front/rear suspension-squawking noise -gm well aware of this issue hazard lights - have gone out twice. fuel integrity - erratic fuel reading - shows 1/4 tank - when in reality there is no gas. i have ran out of gas approximately 7 times - several times late at night. no cruise control - gm would not repair. brakes pads/rotors - have replaced 3 times. my local dealer rotolo chevrolet and gm customer service would do nothing. it was expensive. premature tire wear - two sets of tires. cars runs hot - would never go on a trip - because it would get too near overheating. i was afraid of getting stranded in the middle of the desert. engine ticking noise - local dealer said this was normal. now, i find none of these things were normal and many, many more car owners have experienced the same type of problems. also, i had a battery that exploded while car was under warranty. it was my problem. dealership would not replace battery. i finally had enough and turned this automobile back to gmac. is it going to take people getting killed to make gm responsible for these issues with the 2000 malibu. all of these problems were reported to the dealer, but since nothing could be duplicated, even though gm was aware of these issues, they would do nothing. after the car was out of warranty, the dealership was more than willing to correct these issues. the problem i have is the deception.....gm is aware of these issues and have been for some time. someone needs to hold then accountable. *jb

Consumer states that while driving at any speed and no warning the vehicle would jerk and then the engine light would illuminate and stay on the remainder of the time vehicle was being operated. *nlm

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 beginning the process of trying to assess what the issue is, though i am sure it is the alternator. the battery was tested, and diagnosed as perfect, other than needing a full recharging (it was drained by another component). once i determine what is wrong, i intend to go to chevy, and harass them until they fix it. then, i am going to try and enter into arbitration, and hopefully get rid of the car altogether. if anyone has the "solution" to the stalling problem, please email me ! mjaramillo @ excite . com *jb

The paint on hood started chipping @ or about 30k dealer said not warranty problem. beginning apr 2002 car intermitantly has had a "surging" immediately after starting & putting in gear. at first just 1 or 2 times in 3 or 4 mos. now the last 8-9 weeks it has happened more & more frequently, then 2 weeks ago the cruise control became erratic in activation & now won't work at all.

the lower intake is leaking coolant, causing loss of coolant over a short period of time causing it to overheat. with the extended warranty it would not cover it unless the loss of coolant caused a head gasket to blow or another type of major damage. i work with 2 other people that have malibu's and they had the same problem.

I too, have many of the problems that other malibu owners have. my turn signals work intermittently, the brakes have been replaced 2x, in addition to rotors, etc. the battery blew up, but was replaced as was the ac turning off and on by itself. the one issue that is very concerning to me, is one familiar to you. my car cuts off at anytime while driving. it has done this to me on 2 separate occasions. nashville has 3 interstates running through it and i was on them both times this happened. it was very scary and dangerous. it is out of warranty and the shops that i have taken it to cannot replicate the problem. the mechanics at then shops told me that malibu's are by far some of the most troublesome cars on the road today. someone is going to be killed. you lose control and have no steering ability, what does it take to fix the problem. i can see from others that their problems are being ignored as well. when will gm acknowledge the problem. don't they watch the news and see what happened with the firestone recall, or the tobacco companies that kept secrets? it is time for someone to be responsible for their product. *nlm

The consumer experienced stalling at intermit times since she purchased the vehicle. the stalling would cause the consumer to be unable to control the steering of the vehicle. the consumer had taken the vehicle on 4 separate occasions to the dealer, and no problem was found. when the vehicle was taken to an alternate dealership, the key cylinder was replaced, but the problem still occurred. the vehicle stalled again and caused the consumer to lose control of the vehicle, and on this occasion, the consumer had struck a utility pole and totaled the vehicle. *scc

On going problem of car stalling after ran for an hour or more at highway speeds. this car was purchased new and has been in for the same problem many times. i see here that i am not alone both with my problem and gm's lack of addressing it. please all feel free to contact me at [email protected] if you have had better luck at solving this problem. mr

Consumer states while driving 55mph the engine died without warning.*jb

The car first developed a miss in the engine, then as i was driving down the highway at 55-65 miles per hour the car would suddenly lose power. this was very dangerous and nearly cause severly accidents. i would pull off the side of the road and wait for about five minutes and then the car would start again. i took it to one mechanic and he replaced the plugs, wires, and ignition coil. the next day the car broke down again. i took it to another mechanic theydid a decarbon treatment on engine. i got the car back and it broke down the next day. i took it to another mechanic he repaced a fuel filter. when i drove it home it broke down again. the next day i took it back to the same mechanic, at that point he drove the car for a few days until it broke down on him with the computer hook to it. he then replaced part no. 22683260 module 3.107 137 and part no. 22626099 ring 3.112 g31 check for recall of fuel tank fitting and did not replace. i left the parking lot of the service department and noticed that the check engine light was on. i turned around and took it back to the same mechanic he hook up the computer said he did not know why the light was on and put gas treatment in the tank and told me to drive it home and once i had run out this tank of gas unhook the battery and hook it back up again and the light should go off. ii did this and the light came right back on. at this point i have a car with 50,000 miles on it which i owe a lot of money on and can not take it out of the driveway for fear it will break down leave me stranded or get in an accident, or catch on fire. i have written a letter to gm three weeks ago with no response. in the past two months i have spent over 1,500 dollars in repairs and the mechanics are telling me now the next step is to tear down the engine and replace the pistons. what can a person do in this case where do i turn for help?????????

The vehicle overheated and then stalled, it was determined that a new engine and thermostat was needed. ts *jb

While driving 55mph vehicle cut completely off, causing loss of power steering.*ak the vehicle had been to the dealer several times for stalling problem. the dealer was not sure what the problem was but they replaced the crank sensor. *yh

I have encountered the following problems in the year since i purchased said vehicle: -signal &/or hazard lights work periodically -radio & lighter short out/blow fuses -a/c not working -a/c cuts on automatically w/ recirculation button -vent only works on level 3 or higher -water present in trunk -uneven tire wear -erratic gas gauge readings -coolant ran completely out w/out reason. *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

While driving vehicle will start to die out while driving. lights will start to dim, and vehicle will start to slow down. but, then it doesn't shut off, and consumer is able to keep driving. contacted dealer, and dealer is not willing to do anything.*ak

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

Consumer states that the vehicle will shut off while the consumer has been on the highway several times. and as soon as pulling over the vehicle will start back up again. contacted dealer

While driving at 70-75 mph and without any warning it shut off, causing consumer to lose power. contacted dealer. *ak

Intake gasket coolant leaking problems which results to overheating and engine failures.

We own a 2000 chevy malibu. the heat/air regulator does not work until it is moved to three, four or five. it does not work on one or two. my brother owns 97 malibu with the same problem and my sister has a 98 malibu with the same problem.*ak

Vehicle stalled while driving 60-70 mph, then again 3 days later. vehicle taken to dealer both times, could not find cause.

Bought my car new off show room floor and have had numerous problems since had it in for starting problems battery problems fuel problems window problems door lock problems engine noise engine oil leaks vibration problems brake problems dying problems popping noises in front end struts bottoming out rough ride and steering problems and so on too many to list all have had front end realigned stuts checked and repalced brakes checked and replaced wheel studs replaced fuel pump and float replaced pistons replaced battery replaced remote start system replaced alarm system replaced window regulator replaced front crank seal replaced alt checked and tested started checked still having fuel problems brake problems vibration ect had in this last week fo 6 days and when returned still having engine noise steering problems radio problems fuel problems and found impact mark on l/front of bumper one of dealers tech's hit something and now wanders to left left head light out of line and pushed back under fender hood out of line fenders bumpers driving lights and numerous other problems and damage possible that i am unable to detect at this time have contacted chevy and complained have talked with dealer and still no responsibility taken and statements of we might have bruised it it has been wrecked now i amd paying good money for junk and want refund of all costs to me and the car taken back engines should not need to be overhauled at 14000 miles the car is 2 yaers old and acts like its 20 need responese and info to help resolve problems trying to have returned under lemon law uniform conformity act and magnuson-moss act car has become instrument that is substantially impaired and whose opperation is frought with apprehension sincerly unhappy and hurt consumer is the highway safty devision interested and going to do anything for all of us who are having problems or are we out of luck ????????? response requested

Vehicle stalls at any speed/any time on a daily basis. dealer cannot find problem.*ak

The car has a ping in the motor and cooling system overheats.

Ac automatically turns itself off switch replaces. whining sound occurs during ac/heat fan operation fan motor replaced. ac/heat directional controls work intermittently problem continues. transmission slipping upon slow acceleration reported 3 times 1st & 2nd times couldn't duplicate problem 3rd time in shop 30 days replaced multiple components. engine misfiring diagnostics indicated 3,6,2,5 cylinders misfiring replaced all ignition coil packs problem continues. turn signal buzzes and clicks hazard switch replaced. air leak around passenger side door reported 2 times 1st time couldn't duplicate 2nd time door realigned. brakes cause excessive vibrations upon stopping rotors and pads replaced at 24000 miles reoccuring at 38000 miles.*ak

While driving, vehicle was hesitant after stopping, transmission would begin to shift every 4 seconds, dealer stated that a piece of metal from the front pump of the transmission had come off and sent pieces of metal circulating through the entire transmission, consumer was told that since the transmission was sealed that it was not anticipated that the metal pieces would affect the other systems of the vehicle, dealer made repairs and one mile down the road transmission began acting poorly again, consumer took back to dealer who stated that transmission was stuck in second gear, dealer replaced transmission. oxygen sensor failed. rotors warped and were causing vibration, dealer replaced pads and rotors. battery leaked acid into engine compartment. coolant cap was defective and replaced. *slc

I bought my 2000 malibu brand new in september 1999.... my engine was pinging and making all kinds of noise, even when warm.... brakes are very hazardous to public safety... i have been to the dealer numerious times for rotor and pad replacements and even gm's so called new thicker and improved rotors they installed on my car was just as bad as all the other ones ... i almost lost control of my car when i was traveling 65 miles per hour on our local highway when i was almost had a wreck due to complete failure of my brakes... my car vibrated so badly and did not slow down...at all!!....i thought i had 2 front tire blowouts... i pulled over on the expressway and my tires were fine it was my brakes...... i went straight to a local autozone and purchased new rotors and pads....gm needs to issue a recall asap before someone gets seriously injured or killed!......i have called gm and made a complaint and was told no recalls were made..... another issue im having is it takes 3 or 4 times to get my car started ... not sure why my car is having all of these problems but it is at a local gm dealership as i type this .......i hope they will be able to fix the noise from the engine and my cd player that goes in and out of power and sometimes wont release my cd's .... i have given up on gm brakes. *ak

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

Vehicle would jump when trying to stop. rotors were warped. consumer had to put on 5 sets of rotors since jan 2001. contacted dealer who wanted consumer to extend warranty.*ak the consumer stated that the front rotors are warped causing brake pulsation. the a/c does not flow out of the correct vents due to a/c control failure, the a/c control head also shorted out. the door was hard to open and close due to the lock being misaligned. engine makes a clunk noise. while driving the vehicle surges. left rear speaker shorted out. there is a clicking noise coming from the front when turning, consumer later stated that there was a chirping noise coming from the steering column. *yh

Hazard and signal lights malfunctions engine noise (constant squeaking or ticking) air conditioning malfunctions. *jb

Consumer states that tires experience abnormal tire wear and are noisy, firestone affinity. dealer replaced left front bearing and hub assembly. they also tightened front control arm. the tires have been rotated, however noise continues and tires continue to wear, possible suspension problem. *slc *nm

Replaced rotors and pads10/26/2000 and02/09/2001.replaced fuel tank sending unit 03/02/2001 replacing pistons in engine 03/05/2001

No summary

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

Engine kept knocking and the first dealer said they didn't have time to look at it , they put a new engine in but still having problems, the brakes have been replaced (rotors and pads) 2 times and still are not right, the car would not go from park to reverse on 2 occasions, i have had lights not working, door latches broken. *ak

Vehicle will stall at speeds of 50-65 mph, to dealer 5-6 times, cannot remedy problem. *ak

In both failures the service support was not in excisting,or very insulting,both problems have injury or death possibilitys,rotor warranty only 12.000 miles,but the problem is a defect which is in all models starting in 1998 till now.it is not acceptable,every 7000 miles new rotors or die?? engine losing power at high speed and grouded freeway,no power steering or brakes,no warning. dealer tells me there are no codes and it runs well,after dealer told wife to remove vehicle,18 miles later ,car is stuck again,chevrolet assistant service said perhaps wife can push the car to the right.must we tolerate this,and a sales person knows about the bullitins,and will say that there is no rotor problem,brand new vehicle,never miss work ,losing job ,home and wife because of no error codes.so much for empty promises.service manager dont care if you die or live ,dealer has his 22.000.00 and tells you to remove your junk.chevys image is clouded and not honest. *ak