1999 Chevrolet Malibu Engine

FAULTY COOLING SITUATION WITH 1999 CHEVY MALIBU. IT HAS BEEN GETTING WARM, TWO BARS ABOVE MIDDLE, ON THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET, SO HE REPLACED IT. TWO MONTHS LATER, WE WERE ON A TRIP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SOUTHERN UTAH DESERT REGION COMING HOME FROM LAKE POWELL WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO GET HOT AGAIN. WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IT DOWN BY TURNING OFF THE A/C AND RUNNING THE HEAT. HOWEVER, WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND CLOSE TO BREAKING DOWN. HAD IT JUST BEEN MY WIFE IN THE CAR, SHE WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN WHAT TO DO AND THE CAR WOULD HAVE OVER-HEATED. SHE DRIVES IT JUST TO WORK NOW, 4 MILES AWAY AND IT GETS HOT IN THE PROCESS. IT USES DEX-COOL COOLANT AND ALSO HAS THE GM 3.1 LITER V-6 ENGINE, BOTH HAVE INHERENT PROBLEMS. IT HAS COST US MORE MONEY THAN WE HAVE TO GET IT FIXED AND CANNOT SELL IT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I APPRECIATE ANY INSPECTION YOU CAN DO REGARDING THE GASKET AND THE DEX-COOL COOLANT. THANKS. *JB

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LEAK COOLANT. *AK

LEAKING COOLANT THROUGH MANIFOLD GASKET. I WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLET MALIBU CARS AFTER 30,000 MILES. I NOTICED ON YOUR COMPLAINT DATABASE THAT THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. IS THERE A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM? WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD FOR A RECALL? *NLM

I HAVE ALREADY SENT IN A COMPLAINT RE: MY '99 MALIBU'S ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT WAL-MART, THE COMPANY I WORK FOR, HAS HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS ON BETWEEN 30 AND 50 OF THEIR '98-'99 MALIBU'S, GRAND AM'S AND GRAND PRIX'S. I AM STILL TRYING TO GET GM TO PAY FOR THE NEW ENGINE I HAD TO GET BECAUSE THIS IS MY ONLY CAR. I PAID $2000.00 FOR A USED ENGINE TO BE INSTALLED AND WHO'S TO SAY THAT THE SAME THING WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN SINCE IT'S THE SAME TYPE 3.1 ENGINE.*JB

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE

1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. "CHECK" ENGINE LIGHT HAS REPEATEDLY COME ON SINCE MARCH 03. SCAN READS CODE P0420 CATALYST SYSTEM LOW EFFICIENCY. VEHICLE IS OUT OF EMISSION WARRANTY. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO CHEVROLET DEALER TWICE FOR TO DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM. OBDII DIAGNOSTIC CAN NOT FIND A DEFECTIVE COMPONENT OR CAUSE FOR CODE. THROUGH DEFAULT, DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS BAD CONVERTER. CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITH NON OEM BRAND SINCE PROBLEM FIRST DIAGNOSIS IN MARCH 03. OBDII CODE P0420 REAPPEARED AGAIN 2 WEEKS AFTER LAST CONVERTER WAS REPLACED. I AM BEGINNING TO DOUBT RELIABILITY OF OBDII SYSTEM. THE ORIGINAL AND 2 REPLACEMENT CONVERTERS CAN NOT ALL BE BAD. NO FAULTS FOR OTHER EMISSION COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY OBDII. *NLM

HEAD GASKETS ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 53000 MILES. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH GM, BUT THEY REFUSE TO OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM. SOME DEALERS GOODWILL THE REPAIR COSTS ($500-900), BUT OTHERS OFFER NOTHING MORE THAN AN APOLOGY. TWO RECENT TECH. SERVICE BULLETINS ADDRESS THIS VERY ISSUE. THIS DEFECT CAN LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE AND COULD PUT OTHER DRIVERS ARE RISK. GM NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

I HAD MY MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET REPLACED AND I KNOW THAT GMAC HAD A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED ON IT. I CONTACTED GMAC AND THEY ADVISED THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER MY CAR STARTED TO MAKE NOISE SO I TOOK IT BACK WHERE I GOT IT FIXED AT AND WAS ADVISED I NEED A NEW ENGINE. I CONTACTED GMAC AND THEY DIDN'T RESPOND UNTIL DECEMBER 24, 2002 AND TOLD ME THEY WOULDN'T PAY FOR THE ENGINE SINCE I DIDN'T GET MY CAR REPAIRED AT A GMAC DEALERSHIP. I TOLD THEM WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER THEY SAID I COULDN'T GET MY CAR IN UNTIL THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND I COULDN'T WAIT THAT LONG BECAUSE I NEEDED MY VEHICLE SO I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SHOP. HAD I BEEN TOLD WHEN I FIRST CALLED GMAC I WOULD HAVE TRIED TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER CHEVROLET SHOP. I AM PAYING FOR A CAR THAT I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. PLEASE ADVISE AS TO WHAT I CAN DO TO HAVE THIS MATTER RESOLVED.

MY "99 MALIBU DEVELOPED ENGINE COOLING PROBLEMS AND THE FANS WERE NOT WORKING. IT GOT TOO HOT AND TRASHED THE ENGINE. I DEALT WITH GM FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEY FINALLY TURNED ME DOWN FOR HELP BECAUSE I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID THE TRANSMISSION GASKET WAS LEAKING, SO THEY REPLACED THAT AND WHEN IT STILL LEAKED THEY SAID IT WAS THE SENSOR TO THE THERMOSTAT AND BY THAT TIME IT WAS TOO LATE. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC, THEY SAID IT WAS SHOT. I HAVE KNOWN OF QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH GM CARS. NOW, SINCE I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR FOR A MONTH, I AM GOING TO GET A USED MOTOR PUT IN IT. THIS IS THE ONLY CAR I HAVE.

ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE - WARPED LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE AND BOIL OVER. THIS IS APPARENTLY A FREQUENTLY OCCURRING PROBLEM WITH GENERAL MOTORS V-6 3100CC ENGINES. *NLM

I AM WRITING TO FIND OUT THE FREQUENCY OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE CHEVROLET MALIBU I HAVE A 1999 YEAR AND HAD PROBLEM WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT HAD TO BE REPAIRED FOR $700(ANTIFREEZE WOULD LEAK INTO ENGINE) I WAS TOLD BY SOURCES THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL INCLUDING GM MECHANICS THEMSELVES AND THAT IT SHOULD BE A RECALL. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED IN HOW TO PROCEED WITH GATHERING INFORMATION ON THIS AND WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT IT. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD IS LEAKING FUEL.*AK

COOLING SYSTEM BOILS OVER AND RESERVOIR REQUIRES FREQUENT FILLING. DEALER SAID IT WAS COMMON IN 3.1 ENGINES UNDER 75000 MILES. 450$ TO FIX THE INTAKE GASKET. *NLM

MY AUTO OVER HEATS. COOLANT LEAKS AROUND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS NEAR THE HEAT SENSOR. I HAVE TO ADD COOLANT AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. MY AUTO IS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU FOUR DOOR SEDAN,VIN #[XXX]. I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THIS PROBLEM FOR WHAT IT REALLY WAS UNTIL WARRANTY EXPIRED. HIGH GAS CONSUMPTION. ONLY 71,000 MILES. TOWN DRIVEN BY LADY. DEALER SAYS THIS COMMON PROBLEM WITH CAR. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. CONSUMER STATES THE HEAD GASKET CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

CAR HAD A KNOCKING IN THE MOTOR. TOOK TO DEALER TO GET FIXED, THEY HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THE LAST 2 TRIES. THEY FIRST SAID THAT IT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT TAKING CAR OF MOTOR. OIL CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE EVERY 3-4 MONTHS OR 3 THOUSAND MILES. THEY FIRST REPLACED THE LIFTERS, 2ND TIME IT WENT IN THEY REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN AND GEARS. NOW UP TO DATE THEY HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 2 WEEKS AND THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING WITH IT DO TO THE FACT THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE WARRANTY PLACE TO SAY THAT THEY CAN PUT A NEW MOTOR IN. THEY ARE NOW SAYING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO PUT A USED MOTOR IN THAT HAS 42000 MILES ON IT. TILL THIS DATE THEY WILL NOT TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THEY WILL ALSO NOT LET ME SEE THE MOTOR IT SELF SINCE THEY HAVE HAD IT FOR 2 WEEKS AND EVERY THING THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE MOTOR IS OUT OF THE CAR EXCEPT THE BLOCK. I PERSONALLY TAKE CARE OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT IN THE JOB THAT I DO WHICH HAS A $ AMOUNT AROUND 350,000 DALLORS AND I DO OIL CHANGES, AND ANY MINNOR FIXING PROBLEMS. IT BLOWS ME AWAY THAT THEY TELL ME THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM TO A VEHICLE THAT I BOUGHT FROM THEM. IT MAY SOUND LIKE A PISTON OR A RODE THAT HAS GONE BAD. DT

THERE IS A COOLANT SMELL IN VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE HESITATES. ALSO, HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT HER VEHICLE HAS CORROSION ON THE MOTOR DUE TO A WATER LEAK. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *MR

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE OVERHEAT, DEALER CHANGE WATER PUMP, STILL REOCCURING THE PROBLEM.

WHILE DRIVING OR AT A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AFTER ENGINE IS WARM, ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF NOTHING WORKS BUT THE RADIO. VEHICLE HAS TO BE PUT IN PARK TO RESTART. ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER THE FIRST FEW TIMES AFTER PROBLEM OCCURS. VEHICLE ALSO STALLED OUT WHEN UNDER 30 MPH. DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN. *TT

WHILE DRIVING THE COOLANT BOILS UP AND SHOOTS OUT THROUGH THE OVERFLOW RUBBER TUBE ONTO THE COOLANT CONTAINER. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CONSUMER CAN SMELL A STRONG ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE. THEN THE RED LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATES AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE RISES SLIGHTLY. CONSUMER HAS TO CONSTANTLY STOP AND ADD COOLANT. *TT

COOLING SYSTEM IS LEAKING, DEALER REPLACED SENSOR AND WATER PUMP, DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. NOW THERE IS LEAKING AROUND THE MANIFOLD. NLM

WATER PUMP WENT OUT WHILE THE CONUSMER WAS DRIVING AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE AND LEAK ANTI FREEZE.*AK