1998 Chevrolet Malibu Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: October 10, 2022 · Filed: June 4, 2023

Front seat belts come unbuckled while driving. My wife commuted to work in this car for about 12 months (37 miles one way) and mentioned that sometimes the seatbelt would come unbuckled. I suspected that she was not getting it latched in properly and did not think much of it as when I looked at the seatbelt it functioned properly. However our daughter started driving this car to and from school and also mentioned issues with the seatbelt occasionally coming unbuckled, unfortunately she was involved in a collision. When we learned that she did not have her seatbelt on it surprised us. When my aunt and uncle who owned the car visited in the hospital, my aunt mentioned that she also has had the seatbelt randomly come unbuckled multiple times in that car. I purchased seatbelts from cars of the same age and platform (1997-2004 GM N body) and have inspected them. I believe there is a design flaw that allows the seatbelt to latch in and feel secure when it is actually not locked in. In my pictures note the scratches on the release button. It is my feeling that normal debris (hair, lint, ect) may be causing the release button to partially stick down (1/8" or so). When the release button is stuck partially down the belt side can be inserted into the buckle and it will latch with a click sound, however the white plastic lock tab will not drop under the lock rod. In this latched but not locked situation the belt can be pulled on with a fair amount of force and still stay latched. When compared to other seat belt styles from other models of cars, I notice that the release button or cover have a smaller "slide surface area". Also on the other seat belt styles if the release button is stuck partially down the belt will not latch into the buckle.

Incident: October 10, 1997 · Filed: February 1, 2020

I WAS A AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURERS REP AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THESE RECALLS COMPLETED. I HAVE HAD MY 2 KEYS RETROFITTED WITH THE INSERTS BY MY LOCAL CHEV DEALER YEARS AGO AND TRIED 6 TIMES UNSUCCESSFULLY TO HAVE THIS RECALL SHOWN AS COMPLETED. I WAS ASSURED THAT THEY MADE A MISTAKE AND USED A VIN WITH 1 # WRONG AND THAT IT HAD BEEN CORRECTED. THIS IS MY LAST REQUEST. I GIVE UP. I AM NOT WILLING TO RETURN TO THE DEALER AGAIN. PLEASE SEE THAT THIS IS RESOLVED.

Incident: January 18, 2019 · Filed: January 23, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ENGAGED AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS HOME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

Incident: February 1, 2017 · Filed: February 7, 2017

TAKATA RECALL HAVE A CHEVROLET MALIBU 1998 THAT I JUST BOUGHT AND FOUND OUT IT HAD A RECALL THAT WAS NOT TAKEN CARE OF AND HOW WOULD I GO TO GET IT DONE

Incident: August 2, 2016 · Filed: January 13, 2017

IGNITION SWITCH NOT SHUTTING OFF AND AT TIMES NOT TURNING TO START CAR. SHIFT LEVER HAS TO BE WIGGLED TO ALLOW KEY TO TURN TO OFF POSITION. KEY CYLINDER SHUTTING OFF IN START POSITION.

Incident: January 12, 2017 · Filed: January 12, 2017

TAKATA RECALL - WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT NIGHT MY DAUGHTER (SOLE OCCUPANT) HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND WINDSHIELD SHATTERED. SHE LOOKED TO RIGHT AND SAW THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED. SHE HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING INCLUDING BUMPS OR POT-HOLE. NOT SURE IF IT'S A TAKATA BUT DEPLOYMENT COULD OF COST HER LIFE. *TR

Incident: January 28, 2016 · Filed: January 28, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE IGNITION KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AS THE ANTI THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START AFTER TEN MINUTES. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

Incident: January 4, 2016 · Filed: January 6, 2016

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY TO THE RIGHT I HEARD LOUD CLUNKING AND THEN FINALLY A POP AS I TURNED THE STEERING TO THE LEFT. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, WHILE DRIVING IN RESIDENTIAL AREA LEFT TURNS BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAKE, AND I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMED TO BE OFF CENTER. I DECIDED TO MAKE A 3-POINT TURN TO RETURN HOME, AND WHILE BACKING TO THE LEFT THERE SEEMED TO BE LITTLE ACTUAL MOVEMENT BEFORE I FELT AS IF THE FRONT END OF THE CAR RAISED A BIT FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER LOUT POP. RETURNING THE WHEELS RIGHT SAW LITTLE MOVEMENT AT FIRST BEFORE TURNING AS NORMAL. LEFT TURNS THE REST OF THE WAY HOME DIFFICULT, WHILE RIGHT TURNS ARE MADE WITH EASE. UPON INSPECTION WHEN GETTING TO MY GARAGE RACK AND PINION MOUNT ON PASSENGER SIDE THAT APPEARS TO BE WELDED HAD BROKEN. PERHAPS RUSTED? I LIVE IN CA, SO I DIDN'T EXPECT RUSTED PARTS TO BE AN ISSUE.I HAVE RESEARCHED OTHER MALIBUS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED INCREDIBLY SIMILAR BEHAVIOR, AND THERE IS EVEN A RECALL REGARDING THE RACK AND PINION IN MY MY MALIBU, HOWEVER MINE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. I FIND THIS TO BE ABSOLUTELY APPALLING THAT GM CAN RECEIVE SO MANY COMPLAINTS FOR THIS ISSUE, AND REQUEST FOR A FIX, AND SO BOLDLY TELL THESE CUSTOMERS THAT THEY WILL NOT SERVICE THEIR VEHICLES WHEN THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

Incident: October 5, 2015 · Filed: October 6, 2015

I PURCHASED NEW TIRES TODAY AND THE TECHNICIANS NOTICED THERE WAS EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE STEERING LINK VIA THE RACK AND PINION. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WELDS (WHICH ARE BOTH FACTORY AND MOST LIKELY ROBOTIC) HOLDING THE NUT THROUGH THE RACK AND PINION HAVE FAILED. THESE WELDS ARE NOT A CONSUMABLE OR AN OTHERWISE REPLACEABLE PART OF THE CAR AND UNACCEPTABLE FOR THEM TO FAIL. CURRENTLY IF THE NUT THAT WAS ORIGINALLY WELDED IN PLACE COMES OFF I WILL COMPLETELY LOSE STEERING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. AT EVEN SLOW SPEEDS THIS COULD BE FATAL TO THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS. THE CAR HAS BEEN OWNED BY ONE FAMILY FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE AND IMMACULATELY MAINTAINED. FOR CHEVROLET TO DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE SUCH A CRITICAL PIECE IN THIS FASHION IS APPALLING. I AM TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH CHEVROLET RECALLS DEPARTMENT AND SAFETY BUT NO ONE WILL RETURN MY CALLS. THE ONE PERSON THAT ANSWERED AT A DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WOULD ABSOLUTELY FIX IT IF AS A FAILED WELD SIGNALS A FABRICATION DEFECT. I GAVE THEM MY NUMBER SO THEY COULD CALL TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT BUT NO ONE HAS CALLED!

Incident: July 18, 2015 · Filed: July 20, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING AND SHATTERED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,751.