2002 Chevrolet Malibu Suspension Problems

WHEN DRIVING FASTER THAN 40 MILES AN HOUR THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES LIKE THE WHEELS ARE OUT OF ALIGNMENT OR THE TIRES HAVE A BROKEN BELT. THE FASTER YOU DRIVE, THE MORE PRONOUNCED THE VIBRATION BECOMES. I GOT NEW TIRES, NOT SAME AS OEM, AND IT'S BETTER, BUT STILL VERY NOTICEABLE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. *TR

I HAVE HAD MY 2002 CHEVY MALIBU SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN 2002. AFTER RUNNING FINE FOR A FEW YEARS, IT BEGAN TO DEVELOP RECURRING PROBLEMS. THE WHEEL BEARINGS (BOTH FRONT) HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE, ALONG WITH THE CALIPERS. *TR

WHEN THE WEATHER IS WET OR SNOWY, AND THERE IS POSSIBLE SLICK SPOTS ON THE ROAD, THE ABS IS ENGAGED EVEN WHEN YOU ARE PULLING UP SLOWLY TO THE STOP SIGN, OR SLOWING DOWN TO ARRIVE HOME, OR EVEN COMING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY... WHAT HAPPENS, IS WHEN DOING THOSE THINGS IN WEATHER AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, IF YOU ATTEMPT TO PUT THE BREAKS ON IT MAKES AN AWFUL GRINDING SOUND AND PUSHED BACK ON YOU SO YOU CANT BREAK... THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES JUST BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY... I PULLED UP TO A STOP SIGN BEHIND SOMEONE THIS IS RIGHT ON MY RESIDENTIAL STREET SO I WAS NOT SPEEDING AT ALL, IT WAS A RAINY DAY BUT THE RAIN WAS LIGHT, I HAVE BRAND NEW TIRES ON MY CAR TOO. AS I PULLED UP BEHIND MY NEIGHBORS CAR TO THE STOP SIGN, I WAS BARELY PUSHING DOWN MY BREAK PEDDLE WHEN IT PUSHED BACK AT ME AND MADE T HIS DEEP SOUND I COULDN'T STOP AND I ALMOST HIT MY NEIGHBOR. I WENT TO MY LONG TIME MECHANIC AND HE TOOK IT FOR A DRIVE ON A CLEAR DAY.... HE TOOK IT ON SOME GRAVEL AND STOPPED HARD WELL THE BREAKS DID THE SAME THING. HE SAID IT WAS THE ABS EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T LOOK AT THEM. I THINK IT IS THE WHEEL BEARINGS. I HAVE HAD MANY OTHER VEHICLES IN MY LIFE AND NON OF THEM DID THAT TO ME ON WET OR SNOWY DAYS! I KNOW IT ISN'T NORMAL AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE 2 YOUNG CHILDREN AND IF THE ABS ARE GOING TO BE THAT STINGY THEN MY CHANCES OF CRASHING WILL BE 99% HIGHER! *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT 5 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SHOCK ABSORBER DETACHED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP COMPLETELY. THE DETACHMENT ALSO BROKE THE TIE ROD AND THE STRUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE DETACHMENT WAS DUE TO HITTING A POTHOLE IN THE PARKING LOT. THE CONTACT DID NOT OBSERVE ANY POTHOLES IN THE VICINITY. UPDATED 7/18/2006 - *NM

I PURCHASED MY 2002 MALIBU NEW AND HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED FOUR TIMES AND AM ON MY THIRD SET OF ROTORS. AT 54000 MILES THE WHEEL BEARING AND CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER THE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WINDOW CAN'T BE DOWN BECAUSE LAST TIME WE HAD A ROUGH TIME GETTING IT TO GO BACK UP.*JB

2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU 6 CYLINDER. FRONT STRUTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT (AT MY COST). CAR MILEAGE WAS APPX 23K. MY NEIGHBOR HAS A 2004 MALIBU WITH 18K. FRONT STRUTS WERE DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED BY DEALER. MY MECHANIC EXPRESSED SURPRISED THAT STRUTS SHOULD "GO BAD" ON CARS WITH SUCH RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE. *NM

DT: IN AUGUST 2004 CONSUMER HAD RIGHT AND LEFT WHEEL BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLIES REPLACED. NOW THE ABS ACTIVATES AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. NOW CONSUMER IS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND THEY SAID THE PART THEY PUT IN LAST AUGUST WAS UNDER A 12 MONTH OR 12000 MILE WARRANTY AND CONSUMER HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. *TT

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD, BUT THE BUSHINGS ON THE FRONT STRUTS OF THE 2002 CHEVY MALIBU RATTLE AND SQUEAK STARTING AROUND 30K MILES AND GET PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. ALSO THE AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL UNIT TENDS TO GO BAD. BOTH ARE RATHER COSTLY TO FIX PROBLEMS DIDN'T SURFACE TILL AFTER THE 3/36 WARRANTY WAS UP. *JB

THE LOWER CONTROL ARM PRODUCES A POPPING SOUND WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION. A RECALL WAS ISSUED, HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

THE LOWER CONTROL ARM MADE A NOISE WHILE DRIVING, WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE. *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT STEER ITSELF STRAIGHT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. NLM DEALER WAS UNABLE AND UNWILLING TO FIX, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WILL BE TRADED SOON. TT *SLC