29 complaints reported

1997 Chevrolet Malibu Suspension

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
29
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Mar 2007

NOTICED A HOWLING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT WHEEL. NOISE GREW LOUDER AT HIGHER SPEEDS. DETERMINED IT TO BE THE WHEEL HUB/BEARING. THE HUB/BEARING WAS REPLACED. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED 4 TIMES ON THIS VEHICLE 3 ON LF AND 1 ON RF WHEEL.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2007
Nov 2004

CONTROL ARMS, R & R ARM, CONTROL LOWER-ONE SIDE . BOTH WENT OUT, BOTH NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2002
Sep 2004

CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THEY CHECKED THE TIRES, AND FOUND THAT THE TIRES WERE WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM OR CAUSE OF IT. *AK WHILE DRIVING 40 MILES PER HOUR THE VEHICLE PULLED MULTIPLE TIMES TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER PULLED TOWARDS THE SHOULDER AND THE VEHICLE ENDED UP IN A DITCH. *TC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2004
Sep 2003

THE VEHICLE SWERVED LEFT AND RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2003
Aug 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING, WHILE MAKING A TURN, CAN HEAR A LOUD CLICKING NOISE IN STEERING COLUMN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2002
Aug 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 1998
Aug 2002

RENEE BORSTAD, DIRECTOR/SUPERINTENDENT OF THE BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS WRITES ON BEHALF OF PARKER FLORES, " WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HOME, SERIOUS VIBRATIONS BEGAN NECESSITATING IT BE BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIRS. *JG

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2002
Mar 2002

CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A BAD SQUEAK NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR STABILIZER INSULATOR BUSHINGS.*JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 1999
Feb 2002

TWO FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE GONE OUT/BROKE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2002
Oct 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 215R60-15)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 1998
Jun 2001

DEALER REPLACED BOTH CONTROL ARM DUE TO RATTLING AND SQEAKING IN THE FRONT END AS A RESULT THE TIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED, AFTER 20000 MILES THE NOISE IS BACK. NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 1997
Nov 2000

WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW TO HIGH SPEED, CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE VIBRATING, DEALER DROPPED SURAME AND TIGHTENED RACK MOUNTS, LOWER CONTROL ARMS RATTLE AT LOW SPEED AND VEHICLE VIBRATES AT HIGH SPEED. ENGINE TORQUES BACK UNDER POWER, DEALER STATED THIS WAS BECAUSE OF FAULTY LOWER CONTROL ARMS. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2000
Jul 2000

FRONT SUSPENSION LOOSE AND BANGING WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. DEALER REPLACED LOWER CONTROL UNITS 8/16/99. STARTING TO EXPERIENCE SEVERE STEERING VIBRATION AT 60-70 MPH, AGAIN. THIS IS HOW THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM STARTED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 1998
Apr 2000

RATTLE, CLUNK COMING FROM LEFT FRONT END OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Apr 2000

FRONT END SQUEAK AND THUMP. DEALER REPORTS NO REPAIR/REMEDY AT THIS TIME. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 1997
Mar 2000

THE VEHICLE VIBRATES IN THE FRONT END WHEN APPLYING BRAKE AT SPEEDS OF 70 MPH. YH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2000
Dec 1999

CAR MADE A LOT OF FRONT END NOISE. DEALER STATES A LOT OF LOWER CONTROL ARMS ARE FAILING ON THE 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THIS PART SHOULD NOT GO BAD, AT LEAST NOT UNDER 100,000 MILES . GENERAL MOTORS KNOWS THIS COMPONENT IS A SAFETY DEFECT. I SPENT $1200.00 IN REPAIRS WITHIN A 2 WEEK PERIOD. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 1999
Dec 1999

SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS, HOWEVER DID NOT RECTIFY PROBLEMS. YH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Oct 1999

THE FRONT OF MY CAR VIBRATES STILL AFTER BEING IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES AT THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS, AT 21000 MILES HAD TO BUY NEW TIRES DUE TO THE FRONT OF CAR BEING DEFECTIVE, STEERING WENT OUT ALONG WITH SOME TYPE OF ARMS AND A GEAR BOX , WE BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER AND ITS DONE NOTHING BUT COST US MONEY ALONG WITH THE ORIGNAL PAYMENT ,THE DEALER SAYS HE DOSENT NO WHY HE CANT STOP THE VIBRATION I CANT AFFORD NEW TIRES EVERY 21000 MILES OR A NEW CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER I WANT MY MONEY BACK, AND THE DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT DO THAT, WOULD YOU LET YOUR CHILD DRIVE THIS CAR ?:(

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 1999
Aug 1999

REAR AXLES--OIL SEALS LEAKING INTO WHEEL BRAKE DRUMS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 1998
May 1999

WHEN VEHICLE STOPS AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN IT VIBRATES, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Jan 1999

FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT FAILED. YH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 1997
Nov 1998

CONTROL ARMS FAILED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 1998
Oct 1998

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED AND HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD, A VERY LOUD NOISE COMES FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. ON 6/9/98 THE CONTROL ARMS WERE WELDEDTO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE OWNER IS STILL EXPERIENCING A PROLBEM WITH THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 1997
Sep 1998

RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION FAILED. YH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1997 Chevrolet Malibu has 29 Suspension complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.