Brake Disc Pads problems of the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu

Consumer stated while applying the brakes pedal went to the floor. A loud grinding noise was heard coming from the front. Consumer took vehicle to dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the brake pads and rotors needed to be replaced.

Vehicle would vibrate when applied the brakes. Dealer was notified replaced five times pads/ rotors turned three times and replaced one. But problem still recurring. Please send copy. And further information.

Excessive brake repair:front and rear since vehicle was purchased on 9/12/01 to 3/31/brakes serviced on 12/14/01-machine front rotors and rear drums, 3/14/02-replace front brake pads and rotors machine rear drums, 8/12/02 r&r rear drums & machine r&r rear brake shoes & lube backing plate, 3/31/03 front brakes needed clean and adjust rear brakes. Mileage was respectively: 5836, 12450, 21975, 33533. All brake work done by dealer. Independent brake inspection on 4/3/03 shows front brakes needed and 20/1000ths left on rear drums. This will be the third set of brakes put on this vehicle before the manufacturer's warranty expires. Also rear drums are within 20/1000ths of drum spec discard prior to manufacturer's warranty expiration.

Brake pads wear out prematurely.

Brakes pads had to be replaced and rotors turned at 25k miles. Premature wear but dealer would not replace under warranty. Now at 46k miles car is again in need of brake pads.

In 2001 we purchased a new Chevrolet Malibu. After just 17,000 miles we were informed it would not pass a safety inspection because the brakes had worn out. Gm replaced the brakes for us. 13,000 miles later the same thing happened. After much complaining and letter writing, gm replaced the brakes again. I inspected the brakes in both instances and noticed that only the inner brake pad was worn, the outer pad looked brand new. The caliper is cast aluminum and it bends when the brakes are applied much like a cheap "c" clamp that you might find in a dollar store. There are two major concerns I have about this condition. First and foremost is the safety of this system. With the constant flexing I am concerned that the caliper may fracture at some point down the road. In addition to the flexing, I believe the inner pad is overheating, since it is doing all of the work, and this could cause brake fade. The caliper also appears to bind on the guide pins when the brakes are applied. When the casting bends, it causes a misalignment of the guide pins and consequently the caliper then binds. The second issue I have is with the life of the brakes. Gm says the brakes should only last between 8,000 and 12,000 miles. If the caliper didn't flex as much and the pads were wearing evenly the life expectancy of the brakes would go up significantly. In either case gm blew it with their choice of these calipers on this vehicle. At the very worst, they are putting people at risk. I wonder how many accidents involving these vehicles could be attributed to the brakes, and are people even looking at the brakes as a cause? at best, gm is shafting their customers. People are paying needlessly for service work they don't need. There is the potential for serious injury resulting from this. It also speaks to gm's integrity and ethics, allowing an inferior brake system to be used on its vehicles.

Dangerous brake rotor warpage every 16,000 miles like clock work. Causes weak brakes and extreme ware to front end moving parts. New top of the line rotors and pads will not cure problem. It is an engineering screw up. This is an ongoing engineering problem and why gm is going broke.

Left and right hub bearing needed to be replaced. Steering wheel vibrates when braking due to front rotors having excessive runout and pads worn out evenly. Also, consumer heard noise coming from hub bearing, dealer replaced bearing.

Front and rear brakes wore out prematurely at 12,000 miles. Daler has replaced them three times.

The brakes pads were replaced 4 times, however they continued to experienced uneven wear. On four occasions the brake rotors were machined, and on two occasions they were cleaned, lubed, and caliper slid. Scc.

The vehicle experienced problems with the brake pads and rotors. With less than 16000 miles the consumer has replaced the pads and rotors three times. The manufacture and dealer were contacted and changed the pads and rotors one time for free but the other two times the consumer had to pay.