Engine Cooling System Problems of Chevrolet Malibu - part 1

The car is leaking cooling fluid and wont stay up and when u drive car it leaks keep drinking it to fast and gas drinks to much gas.

See all problems of the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

My car started leaking engine cooler, I had it checked, they said it was coming from the oveflow valve or hose, and that I may have put too much in there. And then one morning I got up and starte to drive, it cranked up fine and then I started hearing a noise, I didnt know where it was coming from , so I took it back home. One mechanic said it may be my intake manifold or a gaskets, I really dont know much about cars, but I know it will proably cost a lot of money that I dont have to fix the problem, I proably will try to trade it sometime in the near future, I spent a lot of money keeping my car running, if you can make some suggestions , it would ber greatly appreciated.

See all problems of the 1999 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Please briefly describe your complaint: I have a 2003 chevy Malibu that has been leaking coolant since the day I have bought it. I have taken it numerous manics and they have all told me the same thing that my intake manifold gaskets were leaking coolant and that this isn't the first time they have seen this problem. These mechanics told me that the gaskets for this car and the manifold itself were not engineered correctly and that's the reason it is leaking coolant. I was also told gm did however fix this problem by designing new gaskets which they are using to replace the old ones when these people bring there car in for this problem. Okay one problem right there where was the recall on that? that a health and safety hazard right there because or gms engineering. Im not sure if your aware of this but the smell and fumes from this leaking into the engine are disgusting. Also I have done online research about this problem all you need to type in is problems with chevy Malibu intake manifold gasket thousand and thousands of complaints whit people all over America have this same exact issue and its not that they pay the $900. 00 to get it fixed the first time then again about a year to a year in a half later they also pay this price again because the same thing has happened I am one angry american and I there are thousands of more I will not give up on my case for as well as my fell americas in this country who are experiencing this issue. Please help us!! this is not far this should be a recall on gm and I will do what ever it take to get to that point. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

The contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Malibu. While the contact was attempting to lift open the hood of the vehicle the engine coolant suddenly splashed on top of the engine and the pavement below the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact had the coolant tank replaced. Two weeks after the repair while traveling at 20 mph the contact noticed that coolant had begun leaking and that smoke was coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the intake manifold needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 155,000.

I own a 05 pre-owned chevy Malibu that was in prestine condition when buying. After having for about 6 months the fuel gauge started acting erratically and the check engine light stays on as a cause of this issue. I was told it will cost me $800 to fix the issue. Also the air conditioning unit has gone out due to a faulty part (told by a mechanic). I googled this issue and so many other purchasers of the same vehicle are having the same issues with the air conditioning and the fuel gauge. This is not right and gm has to know that these parts are faulty. I am a working mother of 3 who cannot afford to have this fixed and because of this I cannot renew by tags on my car due to the check engine light being on.

See all problems of the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

I have a 1997 chevy Malibu (54,000) miles that seized up in traffic due to antifreeze in the oil. I have recently learned that the antifreeze (dexa-cool) use by gm has a long history of causing premature engine failures by eating away the gaskets, water pumps and other associated engine cooling components. I?m not able to take advantage of the class action law suit since my problem happened long after the closing date. I feel a national recall should be initiated by NHTSA.

See all problems of the 1997 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Five years ago I replace head gaskets on a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. Recently, my vehicle will not hold antifreeze and the temperature gauge raises. I have was told by a mechanic that the head gaskets blown again. I have heard several people with the Malibu are having problems with this. Is there a recall or compensation to the owners for this obvious manufacturing defect.

See all problems of the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Low coolant light kept coming on. Had this checked during an oil change and oil was found in the coolant. Intake manifold gasket was replaced for the 2nd time. The intake manifold gasket was previously replaced 2 1/2 years ago. Starting in the spring/summer of 2008 started having problems with the turn signals only working part of the time. This was checked at a dealership and I was told that since the signals seemed to work fine for them and the problem couldn't be reproduced they weren't able to determine what was wrong to be able to fix it. The problem continues.

See all problems of the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

This car is an absolute lemon,it forces you to use dexcool antifreeze and this eats away the rubber in the lines,have spent thousands fixing head gaskets and redoing the whole cooling system to be able to use the old green antifreeze and after all of the problems(cant afford new car!) I have looked on line and I am not alone,thousands have had same problem,this needs to be recalled. It is common knowledge with chevy about the anti theft system,you have to put key in on pos. And wait ten mins for it to reset. I have lost a job b/c I was late for work too many times,have had ignition replaced twice,it has nothing to do w/ignition. I get stuck in the middle of nowhere car wont start and gotta freeze to death (in michigan!) waiting for it to reset. This is ridiculous. And chevy does nothing!.

After replenishing radiator fluid in my 2000 chevy Malibu with the approved fluid, havoline dex-cool radiator fluid, my car started to constantly leak anti-freeze and now I have a leak and my radiator "idiot" light is constantly on. The car was perfectly fine prior to the application of the dex-cool but days afterward my troubles began. There was never a problem before and as usual 4-6 weeks I would have to replenish 1/2 gallon of fluid. This is noted on every discussion board regarding this model between 1997-2003. It's too circumstatial that immediately after the application of the dex-cool that my troubles began then finding the settlement of gm regarding this matter and improper gaskets for their manifolds and water pumps (nylon/solicone based) that the courts found that the coolant does indeed corrode these gaskets. Now that my car is 8 yrs old, my ability to recoup any money on using the proper/recommended product as stated by gm is more than likely improbable.

See all problems of the 2000 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Gasket is causing antifreeze leak into engine and the car is overheating. Have use about a few bottles of antifreeze back to back. Its going to cost so much to repair. Im waiting for a recall from gm. The sooner the better.

The intake manifold gasket on my 2003 chevy Malibu had to be replaced since it was plastic. Has their been a recall on this part? if so, what forms need to be filled out to get proper refunding?.

My car over heated twice. The first time I realized that the antifreeze was very low and I filled it up and went to my meeting. After my meeting was over and began to drive the car, it over heated again. I had to refill the antifreeze 3 times before I got it to an auto shop (as I was driving). Once I got to the auto shope, I was told that the antifreeze was running in to the oil pan. Currently, I don't have a car because I was told by the mechanic that the engine was no good and they had seen several cars like mine (same year) with the same motor problem.

Automotive cooling system> vehicle began loosing coolant on driveway. Took vehicle to repair shop. Was informed that vehicles entire cooling system was corroded. And needed to be replaced. The cause was attributed to the use of the coolant dex-cool this was required by general motors to keep up warranty on the vehicle. Now I find that this was the wrong thing to use and I will be out $1800 in repair work. I believe g. M. Should be responsible for the largest part of this expense.

Heard a clunking noise when turning left or right. Bulletin said to lube steering so they did. Having same problem 4 months later, called another dealer, says there is a bulletin to replace drive shaft. Also had catalytic converter replaced when vibration started when first accelerating till about 20mph,then cooling drain plug melted from the heat of the converter and poured water onto passenger front floor they fixed that very disappointed in this car(but love the price and mileage).

See all problems of the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

The headlights get condensation behind them and I have seen several complaints on internet. Also the coolant tank needs to be refilled more than average.

I own a 200 chevy Malibu and have had to repair an intake manifold twice- once at 92,000 miles and again at 105,000 miles. Gm knows that their dex cool antifreeze eats through the gaskets but does nothing to fix it. I do not know why the gov. 't lets them get away with this. This is very expensive and not something that should have to be repaired within 100,000. 00 miles. The speeds on the fan did not work shortly after purchase and around 50,000. Miles the turn signal did not work . I did have the extended warranty and both were covered but these are not things that should break down. It was very dangerous to be sitting at a light and turning left and not being able to signal. I did eventually get a recall on this but it was way after it was fixed. Gm makes junk and the gov. 't should hold them responsible. I will never purchase another gm product.

The contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that there is engine coolant leaking into the engine. The failure could possibly start a fire. The dealer stated that they were willing to pay 25% of the cost for a new engine. The mechanic at the dealer stated that this was a common failure with her year, make, and model vehicle. General motors advised the contact to drive her vehicle to the dealer instead of having it towed, even though it could catch fire. The powertrain was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 74,000.

Antifreeze is going bad at low mileage (75,000 miles below life expectancy), becoming caustic, and causing intake manifold gaskets to dissolve causing a leak, also causing head gaskets to leak leading to major engine failure. This leads to an expensive repair at best and engine replacement at worst. The anti freeze is obviously a bad formulation and/or interacts with components to became caustic. This is a defect and repair should be covered by the manufacturer. It is all over the internet how prevalent this problem is. No notice to owners was ever sent to replace the antifreeze before it became caustic.

Car engine overheating not due to thermostat or water pump.

Small leak developed at rear of intake manifold. Caused overtemp and all coolant boiled out. @ $800. 00 to repair. I am reporting this because 2 separate repair shops informed me this is a known defect for this model, to the extent the defect is posted on all repair data bases. It is very common to sustain a crack in the engine block because of this defect.

Intake manifold is leaking coolant.

My car has an anti-freeze leak and I have to fill it once a week. I went to chevy and had a test down on it. The test showed that my low intake gaskets are bad. Chevy quoted me $900. 00 for fix.

(1) 2002 chevy Malibu. 3100 v6 engine. Gasket failure/factory default. (2) only 22,200 miles, and intake gasket has failed. (3) what needs to be done, is a gm factory recall to fix this issue.

I have a 2001 chevorlet Malibu which has close to 67000 miles, and now its showing signs of coolant leaking ,and coolant has to be topped up every 200 miles or so, and the coolant used was dex-cool, gm recommended. Also there is a problem with air conditioning (a/c) unit as it was not cooling at all, and when checked the freon. Gas leaked out ,and yet to find where the leaking is from. Mechanic mentioned the coolant problem was there in all Malibu models starting 1998. Please let us know if there was any recall for the above mentioned problems.

I have purchased two (2001) Chevrolet Malibu's that experienced the same problem. The intake manifold gasket is defective which causes antifreeze to leak. I experienced the problem with my first Malibu back in 2005. Based on documentation of consumer complaints that I submitted to the dealership, the repair was covered outside of the warranty and I only paid the warranty deductible. My second Malibu was purchased used from a non-gm dealership in the fall of 2005. I purchased the second car due to the first one being a total loss in an accident. I am now experiencing the same leaking gasket problem with the second car. I contacted gm directly to inquire about having the car fixed. The car has 103,341 miles on it. Regardless of the mileage, the mechanics that I have spoken to say this is a manufacturer's defect because the gasket(s) are cheap plastic. As of date, gm is not willing to cover the cost of the repair which costs $700+. The dealership that I use to service my vehicle will only offer a discount on parts and labor. The dealership is not at fault. It is gm's responsibility to correct this problem. I have 61 pages of consumer complaints referring to the same leaking gasket problem with the Malibu.

I have a 2001 chevy Malibu, with 51000 miles my coolant light kept coming on. I took it to the garage. The mechanic filled the coolant. Two months passed and the coolant light came on again. The mechanic filled the coolant and I made an appointment. It turned out, the coolant was leaking into the engine. I was informed my car had a faulty manifold gasket. It cost me $600. 00 to have my car repaired. I hope there is a recall soon. I here that many gm vehicles have this problem.

2002 chevy Malibu (85,000 miles) = approximately a year ago engine overheated and "need coolant" light came on. Owner refilled coolant. Several months later "coolant" light again came on and owner refilled coolant. No visible leak of coolant was noticed under vehicle. At next oil change owner asked technician to check coolant and technician noted that everything seemed fine, no discernible leak. July 2006 engine coolant light came on, owner refilled, this occurred again in late August and again in October. December 22, 2006, owner had oil change and asked technician about the problem. The technician suggested that Chevrolets regularly get air bubbles in the coolant system and often have problems with coolant because of it. He checked the coolant pressure, he said it was normal and suggested to do a flush and fill, the owner agreed. On Dec. 26, 2006, the coolant light came on again and the owner added additional coolant. On Dec. 29, 2006, owner took vehicle to a Chevrolet dealer service center. The technician determined the vehicle to have a damaged intake manifold gasket. The Chevrolet service center performed the service and replaced the intake manifold gasket on Dec. 30, 2006.

Coolant system overheating.

As stated by other complainants, I also have a problem with my cooling system. After losing my a/c now I'm faced with losing the whole engine. My car continuously runs hot the so called dexcool coolant keeps squirting over the engine and reading other complaints I'm facing either intake repairs or water pump and thermostat problems. This is ridiculous so many people having similar problems neither GMC or our so called would step in and put and end to this mess. I guest lobbyist are more important than the safety of America.

38k mile 2006 chevy Malibu v-6-car shakes/vibrates/shimmies. It also rattles and clunks underneath at all speeds, feels like the bottom is falling out. Dealer refuses to acknowledge a minimum of 7 complaints. Headlights lenses are loose and the lights shake all over the place. Dealer did finally acknowledge headlight issue after the 4th complaint and I was told it is a gm problem but they have no fix and there is nothing they can do. Now that the warranty is up, they are acknowledging all previous complaints (many more than just the couple I listed here) but at my expense when these issues s/h/b taken care of at the time of the original and numerous complaints.

My car was running hot and it smell like something was burning under the hood, so I took the car in to the shop to have fix and the worker told me it was a defective intake manifold gaskets. It would cost me close to $850 to fix. The part itself only cost $89, but the labor is what I was paying for. I cannot afford to keep fixing this car on a college student budget. After talking to other Malibu owners with the same problems I check to see if it is a recall problem, but it is not. This is not fair that the company know they sold defective cars and not plan on doing anything about it.

Car started leaking anti-freeze from intake manifold gasket on engine at 45000 miles. Was told that there was a technical service bulletin on this problem but that since there was no recall I would have to pay $900. 00 for this repair out of pocket. This could lead to a fire and overheating engine failure.

1. Vehicle is low mileage garage kept and well maintained. An odor was noticeable for a couple of days. Drove car a few miles and parked, when came out a half an hour later. 2. Started car, tried to turn on to driveway to leave and had no power steering. Smelled bad. 3. The keefers auto service related the ac compressor clutch had frozen up. They replaced this part and recharged the ac system etc. I believe the loss of power steering in the vehicle, especially with only 11000 miles, is very serious and could cause an accident. This repair was just completed today 4/3/6 so if you interested in the old parts or anything to do with the service please contact tom keefer at keefer's auto sales and service (717) 334 2923. He is very nice and reputable.

Chevrolet Malibu 1999. 84000 miles. In the last four years I had to replace the tail lights twice this is the entire unit which cost over $250 each I also had to replace the stop/brake light bulbs at least six times on each side. The socket that holds the bulbs keep melting and last December it melted to the point that I saw smoke coming out and when I opened the plastic socket was completely melted. As of now neither light is working. I checked in this site and NHTSA action number rq04005 indicates the following: gm in December 2004, gm will issue a special policy for my 1999-2000 alero, grand am and Malibu vehicles not covered under recall 03v327. The policy covers turn signal/hazard flasher failure for a period of 10 years or 150,000 miles (whichever occurs first) to provide a no cost replacement of the hazard switch. Gm will send letters to owners starting December 30, 2004. The actions taken by the manufacturer is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists. The agency reserves the right to take future action if warranted by the circumstances. I called gm as well as the local chevy dealer and they would not replace the light they claim the agreement was only for some of the 1999 chevy Malibu and my vehicle (VIN 1gnd52m0x61006388) is outside the range they are covering. I was told by a gm customer service to wait and see if they recall other cars. I am very disappointed of the advice as this is a safety issue. Also, the information and agreement posted on NHTSA (see above) does not indicate any exceptions. Can someone investigate this please? in addition to this problem, the coolant was leaking and I had to have the manifold removed and a new gasket put in twice. Replaced brake pads 5/6 times and rotors once.