1999 Chevrolet Malibu Engine

MY CAR STARTED LEAKING ENGINE COOLER, I HAD IT CHECKED, THEY SAID IT WAS COMING FROM THE OVERFLOW VALVE OR HOSE, AND THAT I MAY HAVE PUT TOO MUCH IN THERE. AND THEN ONE MORNING I GOT UP AND STARTED TO DRIVE, IT CRANKED UP FINE AND THEN I STARTED HEARING A NOISE, I DIDN'T 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 DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT CARS, BUT I KNOW IT WILL PROBABLY COST A LOT OF MONEY THAT I DON'T HAVE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I PROBABLY 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 BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR

THE MOTOR KEEP GOING OUT. *TR

TL*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.

GASKET ON INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKING AGAIN REPLACED IN 2001 WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IN 2008. *TR

I HAVE A CHEVY/MALIBU. I HAVE BEEN REPLACING THE GASKET, IT SEEMS, EVERY TWO YEARS. I HAVE JUST LEARNED ABOUT THE RECALL. I AM APPLYING FOR REIMBURSEMENTS FOR PARTS AND REPAIRS. *TR

MY 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU WILL SUDDENLY STALL IN HOT WEATHER ON A HIGHWAY. *JB

1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU UPPER AND LOWER MANIFOLD GASKETS REPLACED. CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR THIS PROBLEM. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO GET REIMBURSED. *KB THE DEX-COOL COOLANT CORRODES ALL PARTS OF THE ENGINE IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH INCLUDING THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE ENGINE COOLANT INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED, ALLOWING THE COOLANT TO FLOW INTO THE ENGINE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 54,300. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE RAN HOT. IN MARCH 2006, THE SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT LOCATE ANY PROBLEM. IN OCT 2006, THE VEHICLE RAN HOT AGAIN CAUSING SMOKE TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. WHEN PULLED OVER, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE NEEDED ANTIFREEZE. THE CONTACT FILLED THE ANTIFREEZE AND TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AGAIN. WITHIN ONE MILE SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE AND THE ANTIFREEZE WAS EMPTY AGAIN.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE AND REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THREE YEARS LATER, THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SAME COMPONENT.

COOLANT SYSTEM OVERHEATING. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HE CHECKED THE COOLANT AND IT WAS LOW DUE TO A LEAK FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. REPAIRS WILL BE MADE AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE.*AK UPDATED 01/11/06. *JB

COOLANT LEAKING. HAVE REFILLED SEVERAL TIMES. TOOK TO CAR X, TOLD ME INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IS LEAKING, HAS NOT FAILED BUT ALL ENGINES OF THIS TYPE FAIL AT SOME POINT. IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. CHECKING INTERNET, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CASE. HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET BECAUSE OF TIME INVOLVED AND MONEY ($600). WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PART RECALLED.*AK

I HAVE HAD DEX COOL ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING FROM INTAKE GASKET MANIFOLD, CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE. I HAVE HEARD THAT THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY THE DEX-COOL ATTACKING THE GASKET AND DETERIORATING IT.*AK

ANTI-FREEZE IS LEAKING FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE. I HAVE HEARD THAT THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY DEX-COOL ANTI-FREZE. THIS NEW TYPE OF ANTI-FREEZE ATTACKS THE GASKET MATERIAL. THE CAUSE COULD ALSO BE INFERIOR GASKET MATERIAL SPECIFIED BY GM.*AK

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING FLUID, WHICH COULD CAUSE IT TO OVERHEAT. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES ON THIS CAR. WE ARE STILL HAVING ENGINE COOLING PROBLEMS. IT IS IN THE SHOP AS WE SPEAK. NOW THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE HEAD GASKETS DUE TO COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE OVERFLOW. THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS I HAVE FOUND IN REGARDS TO THIS MODEL. WHY ISN'T ANYONE CONTACTING THE CHEVY TO GET THIS DESIGN FLAW CORRECTED AND COMPENSATION FOR THE AFFECTED CONSUMERS WHO WERE UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BUY THIS PARTICULAR MODEL? *JB

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET PROBLEM. IT WAS LEAKING. OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS COMMON FOR THIS TO BREAK AFTER 60,000 MILES. *AK WHEN THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THE MECHANIC TOLD HIM THE INTAKE GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE. THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. *TC

AT ONLY 43000 MILES THE VEHICLE'S INTAKE GASKET FAILED. *NM WHEN THE GASKET FAILED IT LET COOLANT INTO THE OIL. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *NM

I FIRST NOTICED THE LOW ANTIFREEZE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THE CAR WAS SITTING FOR OVER 6 HOURS. AFTER STOPPING TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG, THE LIGHT WENT OFF. AFTER GETTING HOME, I LOOKED AT THE ENGINE AND NOTICED A COLLECTION OF ANTIFREEZE POOLING ON THE ENGINE, AND MUCH SLUDGE COLLECTED ON THE ENGINE. I REFILLED THE ANTIFREEZE RESERVOIR AND TOOK THE CAR INTO BOB MONTGOMERY CHEVROLET, LOUISVILE, KENTUCKY. THEY INDICATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDS REPLACEMENT, WHICH IS WHAT I FIGURED AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE. APPARENTLY, THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BEFORE BY OVER 1100 CAR OWNERS, AND IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. MOREOVER, SOME RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE DESIGN HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED, AND THEREFORE CAN BE EXPECTED TO REOCCUR. MY PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED DURING THE FIRST WEEK I OWNED THE CAR, FALL OF 2000. THIS INCIDENT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY BY UEBELOR CHEVROLET, JASPER, INDIANA, AND HAS NOT RECURRED UNTIL NOW. THIS COMPLAINT SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE LARGE GROUP THAT CAME BEFORE IT. *JB

CHRONIC COOLANT LEAK DUE TO FAULTY INTAKE GASKET.*AK

WATER LIGHT COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY - TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR REPAIR. AFTER WARRENTY,CAR REGULARLY OVERHEATS AND THE LIGHT CAME ON AND BOOK SAID 'COOLANT' PROBLEM. I HAD RADIATOR FLUSHED AND FILLED WITH ANTIFREEZE. CAR NOW CONTINUES TO OVERHEAT. MECHANICS (3 SO FAR) SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLETS. COST WOULD BE $800 - $1,000 TO REPAIR LEAKAGE AROUND LOWER INTAKE GASKET. I BELIEVE IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLETS AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN YEARLY, CHEVROLET SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS.

I HAVE CONTACTED GMC CHEVROLET DIVISION VIA THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE SEVERAL PAGES OF DOCUMENTATION THAT SUPPORTS THE VEHICLE I DRIVE(1999 MALIBU) IS ONE THAT CHEVY SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO ATTRIBUTE TO THE "MADE IN AMERICA" CAQMPAIGN. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ON SEVEN OCCASIONS THE REAR STOP/TAIL LIGHTS. THE BULBS BURST, THEY SIMPLY STOP AND AS OF 08/14/04 I HAVE REPLACED YET ANOTHER SET OF BULBS EXCEPT THIS TIME THE LIGHTS FAILED TO WORK AT ALL. THE WORKER AT NAPA AUTO STORE IN RIVERDALE GEORGIA EVEN CHECKED THE FUSES AND FOUND NO FUSE BLOWN; HE EVEN SHOWED ME THE FUSES AS HE PULLED THEM. ADDITONALLY I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND THE HEAG GASKET;THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND THERE IS A TECHNOLOGY BULLETIN FROM GM THAT SUPPORTS THE INTAKE MAINIFOLD GASKET WAS/IIS FAULTY BECAUSE OF THE MATERIAL IT IS MADE FROM ON THIS VEHICLE ON SEVERAL GM MID-SIZE VEHICLES. THE DEXCOOL PRODUCT TURNS TO SLUDGE AND THEREBY CREATES A LEAK. I READ IN THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION THAT YOUR AGENCY'S INTERVENTION HAS PROMPTED GM TO RECALL THE CHEVROLET MALIBUS FROM 200-202 (?) TO CORRECT THE REAR LIGHT PROBLEM AND THE ARTICLE STATED CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN TO EXTENDING THE RECALL TO THE 1999 MODEL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM( REAR LIGHT). I REALLY NEED TO FIND OUT THE STATUS OF THIS ATTEMPT BECASUE I CURRENTLY AM UNABLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT BECAUSE I WILL BE TICKETED.*AK

ENGINE COOLING LIGHT WENT ON, AND VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE AND LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE, CAUSING WHITE SMOKE TO APPEAR FROM THE EXHAUST.*AK

PLASTIC LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY @ 28,000 MILES, AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE AGAIN @ 78,000 MILES FOR A COST OF $800.00. *JB