1998 Chevrolet Malibu Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE REPLACED MY LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD SEAL. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS THAT CHEVY WILL NOT FIX A KNOWN DEFECT. *TR

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU IS LEAKING FOR A SECOND TIME. THE FIRST OCCURRED AT 36,000 MILES. THE SECOND TIME IS NOW AT 120,000 MILES. THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES OF THIS GASKET LEAKING BUT NO RECALL BY GM TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *TR

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK, CAUSING ANTI FREEZE TO MIX WITH THE OIL, CAUSING FAILURE AND EXCESSIVE WEAR TO INTERNAL MOTOR PARTS. *TR

MY CAR HAD TO HAVE THE THERMOSTAT, PLENINUM GASKET, INTAKE GASKET, EGR GASKET, VALVE COVER GASKETS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE DEX-COOL ANTIFREEZE THAT IS USED IN THESE CARS WARPS THE GASKETS AND SEALS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY CAR. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO BE REPLACING THESE GASKETS TWICE. I WOULD LIKE GM TO REIMBURSE ME SOME OF MY FINANCES THAT HAVE COST TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THIS TIME IT COST ME $222.00 FOR A RENTAL CAR AND $976.00 FOR REPAIRS. *JB

I BOUGHT MY 1998 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 51,133 MILES ON IT. IT STARTED TO LEAK ANTI FREEZE SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR (73,753 MILES). IT ENDED UP BEING A REPLACEMENT OF THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR, REPLACE WATER PUMP, REPLACE RT.C.V SHAFT AND REPLACE SEAL SLEEVE. THE EGR GASKET WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE TOTAL COST OF THIS REPAIR WAS 874.52 LABOR AND PARTS INCLUDED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ADD COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ADDED COOLANT TO THE RESEVOIR. A WEEK LATER MORE COOLANT WAS ADDED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING. REPAIRS WERE DECLINED AND THE LEAKING BECAME WORSE AS ANOTHER LEAK WAS NOTICED FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE THAT ALLOW COOLANT TO LEAK. WATER CAN MIX WITH OIL OR CAN GENERATE OVERHEAT OF THE ENGINE. *JB

THE ENGINE LEAKED COOLANT AND OIL FROM THE BLOCK, WHICH IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. MY CAR THEN OVERHEATED ON THE ROAD WHICH LED TO MY COOLANT BURSTING OUT OF THE OVERFILL TANK. THE ENGINE THEN STARTED TO STEAM, AND ALL THE COOLANT LAID THERE ON THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD BY 3 DIFFERENT SHOPS THAT IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH COST ME $1000 IN PARTS AND LABOR.

IN MARCH OF '05 TOOK CAR IN FOR SEVICE ENGINE WAS TICKING WHILE IDLE AT ONE POINT ONCE CAR WAS WARMED UP THE TICKING STOPED BUT NOW THE TICKING IS STILL HEARD WHILE DRIVING AND AT ACCELEARTION. TOOK CAR IN THE BOB MCGUIRE CHEVROLET IN BORDENTOWN, NJ WAS TOLD THAT I HAD A HEAD GASKET LEAK THAT HAD ALREADY MIXED WITH THE ENGINE OIL. HAD EVERYTHING FIXED AND THEY EVEN PUT IN HEAVY DUTY LIFTER CLEANER TO CLEAN THE LIFTERS ACCORDING TO MECANIC THAT WAS WERE THE TICK WAS COMING FROM BUT WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR THE ENGINE WAS STILL TICKING WHEN IDLE AND THE NOISE HAD GOTTEN WORSE. WHEN I ASKED WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO FIX THE TICKING I WAS TOLD THAT THE WHOLE JOB THAT WAS JUST PERFORMED ON THE CAR HAD TO BE PERFORMED AGAIN IN ORDER TO FIX THE LIFTERS THAT IS CAUSING THE TICKING.

1. VEHICLE LOSING COOLANT. 2. PROBLEM IS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. 3. INTAKE GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *JB

THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON ONE MINUTE THE NEXT MINUTE THE CAR CUT OFF. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO CURTIS CHEVROLET IN WASHINGTON, DC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO THE OIL REGULATOR AND FILTER EXPLODED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 57500 ORIGINAL MILES, SERVICED MAINLY BY CURTIS CHEVROLET...OIL RECENTLY CHANGED BY CURTIS YET I WAS TOLD THAT TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WOULD BE $6,000. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERED TOTALED. *JB

1. I CHECKED THE COOLANT LEVEL IN THE RESERVOIR AND NOTICED COOLANT WAS NEEDED. I PUT WATER INTO THE RESERVOIR (CAR WAS ON) AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE FINE. I DROVE THE CAR ABOUT 10 MILES. I STOPPED TO PUT GAS IN AND NOTICED WATER/COOLANT COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. I REPLACED THE WATER AND DROVE TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT MY INTAKE GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HE SHOWED ME THE LEAKAGE COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE. HE ALSO STATED, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF CAR. SIMILAR COMMENTS HAD BEEN MADE TO ME IN THE PAST IN REGARDS TO THE INTAKE GASKET; MECHANICS, AUTO PART SALES MEN AND THE DEALER WHERE I GET MY CAR SERVICED HAD ALL BEEN CONCERNED IN THE PAST FOR THIS AREA OF MY CAR, BUT UNTIL NOW EVERYTHING HAD BEEN FINE; 2. FAILURE OF THE INTAKE GASKET PREVENTED THE ENGINE COOLANT FROM MAINTAINING THE PROPER COOLANT LEVEL, THE CONSEQUENCE WAS THAT I NEEDED TO TAKE TIME OUT OF MY DAY TO INQUIRE ABOUT THIS MATTER AND SEEK ADVICE IN PREVENTING FURTHER DAMAGE; 3. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON TUESDAY (9/6/05). I WILL NOT HAVE MY CAR FOR A FULL DAY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND THE ESTIMATE TO FIX THE CAR WAS 550.00 TO 600.00 DOLLARS. *JB

1998 CHEVY MALIBU: FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET RESULTING IN COOLANT LEAK, GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 100,000 MILES (MAY BE RELATED TO MANDATED USAGE OF DEXCOOL ANTIFREEZE IN VEHICLE PER MANUFACTURER). *NM

ENGINE LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED(70MPH) DUE TO FAILED INTAKE GASKET ON 1998 MALIBU 3.1 . ONE FLICKER OF OIL LIGHT (OIL HAD JUST BEEN CHANGED THAT MORNING BY MYSELF (EXPERIENCED AUTO TECHNICIAN) .ENGINE HAD 52,000 MILES, WAS 600 MILES FROM HOME(APPR), COST $750 TO TOW HOME, UPON DISASEMBLY FOUND FAILED INTAKE GASKET, PURCHASED USED ENGINE,$600, $800 TO HAVE INSTALLED. GM CONTACTED IN EVERY FORUM AVAIL. REFUSED TO HELP IN ANY WAY. INSTALLED NEW GASKET ON USED ENGINE BEFORE INSTALLING, GM PARTS, NOW 37,000 MILES LATER HAVE INTAKE GASKET LEAK AGAIN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

COOLANT LEAK .. AGAIN IN MY 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU! I HAD MY INTAKE GASKET REPLACED APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO DUE TO CAR OVER HEATING AND A COOLANT LEAK. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERED IT AT THAT TIME BUT NOT WITHOUT A STRUGGLE. I HAVE SINCE BEEN TOLD IN THE PAST MONTH THAT THIS SAME REPAIR NEEDS TO BE DONE AGAIN AND THAT I'M LOOKING AT ANYWHERE FROM $600.00 - $1000.00 FOR THE REPAIR AND THIS WILL COME OUT OF MY POCKET. FROM THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS THAT I'VE READ ON THE INTERNET AND THE SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM, GM OBVIOUSLY KNOWS THAT THIS IS IN ISSUE. WHY AREN'T THEY FORCED TO PUT OUT A RECALL? THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TECHNICIAN SERVICED VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *NM

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FLUID LEAKED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *AK THE VEHICLE LEAKED ANTIFREEZE. IT WAS TO THE POINT WHERE THE CONSUMER WAS PLACING ANTIFREEZE IN THE VEHICLE EVERYDAY THEN IT EVENTUALLY DIDN'T HOLD ANYMORE. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE ENGINE WITH THE MANIFOLD. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED TEMPORARILY AND THAT IN ANOTHER 50K MILES THE SAME PROBLEM WOULD INCUR. *SC *JB

ON 3 OCCASIONS IN ALMOST 70000 MILES I HAVE HAD TO GET THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED ON MY CAR. THE FIRST TIME WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY.THE OTHER TWO WERE NOT. ALL 3 RESULTED IN LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE. THE FIRST TIME WAS INTERNAL. ALL THREE TIMES WERE REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIPS. *AK

RADIATOR FLUID LEEKS BECAUSE OF BAD MANIFOLD GASKET. *AK

1998 CEVROLET MALIBU WITH 3.1 V6 ENGINE.CAR HAD SPORADIC STALLING.FINALLY TRACED TO A LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WHICH WAS ALLOWING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE.THE COOLANT LEAKING ALSO CAUSED THE O2 SENSOR TO BE COATED AND NEED REPLACING.VEHICLE HAS APPROX MILEAGE IN THE 74K RANGE.

I DO NOT HAVE ANY ACCIDENTS OR INCIDENTS TO REPORT, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT ONE COULD OCCUR, IF NOT TO ME, TO SOMEBODY ELSE WHO MAY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. NO PROBLEM STATED OR COMPONENT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK I HAVE A 1998 CHEVY MALIBU, WITH A 3.1L V6 ENGINE. I HAVE BEEN RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH A LEAKING LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. MY MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE, IN THE 50K TO 80K MILE RANGE. I HAVE 89,500 MILES ON MY MALIBU. REPAIR COST IS $600-800. I DID SOME CHECKING AROUND, AND 2 OTHER MECHANICS I SPOKE TO ALSO SAID THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. I ALSO LOOKED ONLINE, AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF OTHERS OUT THERE WITH THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS AND PROBLEMS. GM CONTINUES TO DENY THERE IS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER I ALSO BECAME AWARE THAT GM CANADA IS PROVIDING 50/50 DEALS FOR THE CORRECTION OF THIS VERY PROBLEM. CAN'T GM HERE IN THE U.S. ADMIT THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE PLASTIC GASKETS THEY USED, AND OFFER A RECALL? THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM IS TOO COMMON FOR IT TO BE NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR...ESPECIALLY WHEN GM CANADA IS OFFERING TO FIX IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.

WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. SOON AFTER VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. *AK *NM

ANTI-FREEZE (DEX-COOL) LEAKED OUT, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO RELPACE MY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. *AK