1999 Chevrolet MALIBU problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
753 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
66,249 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 265 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor is the most frequently named component, appearing in 100 of 753 complaints (13.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 297 | 39.4% |
| Steering behavior | 59 | 7.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 44 | 5.8% |
| Engine operation | 31 | 4.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 16 | 2.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 12 | 1.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 100 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 99 |
| Electrical System | 73 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 64 |
| Tires | 44 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 39 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 32 |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | 32 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 100; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 99; Electrical System: 73; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc: 64; Tires: 44; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 39; Engine And Engine Cooling: 32; Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs: 32
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 24 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 58 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 66 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 41 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 54 |
| 150,000 and above | 22 |
Under 25,000: 24; 25,000 to 49,999: 58; 50,000 to 74,999: 66; 75,000 to 99,999: 41; 100,000 to 149,999: 54; 150,000 and above: 22
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (66). 488 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 140 |
| 2001 | 136 |
| 2002 | 96 |
| 2003 | 102 |
| 2004 | 74 |
| 2005 | 51 |
| 2006 | 15 |
| 2007 | 12 |
| 2008 | 20 |
| 2009 | 14 |
| 2010 | 21 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 29 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2000: 140; 2001: 136; 2002: 96; 2003: 102; 2004: 74; 2005: 51; 2006: 15; 2007: 12; 2008: 20; 2009: 14; 2010: 21; 2011: 9; 2012: 4; 2013: 3; 2014: 29; 2015: 13; 2016: 7; 2017: 2; 2018: 1; 2019: 2; 2021: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 297 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 59 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 44 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001332 · 2002-12-20 (December 20, 2002)
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AND BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE SHAKES VERY HARD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY STATED ROTORS NEEDED REPLACING. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001332 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001978 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)
CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE AND ABS LIGHT WOUL COME ON IMTERMITTENLY. IT WAS SAID TO BE A COMMUNICATION PROBLEM (SINCE NEW). THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN IN THE SHOP(DEALER) MANY TIMES. NOW THE BRAKES RELEASE AND COAST AT SLOW SPEED, AND ALMOST CAUSED TWO ACCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE REAR ENDED ANOTHER. THERE ARE ALSO COMPLAINTS WITH THE TIRES (INCOMPLETE INFO). SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001978 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005706 · 2003-02-11 (February 11, 2003)
AT 32,000 MILES LOUD GRATING NOISE FROM RIGHT BRAKE AREA AFTER BRAKING HARD OR BRAKING INTO RIGHT TURN. DEALERSHIP DETERMINED I NEEDED NEW BRAKES. REPLACED BRAKE PADS AND MACHINED ROTORS. THIS DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. 2ND DIAGNOSIS WAS AN INTERNAL LEAK IN POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THIS APPEARED TO HAVE FIXED PROBLEM. A FEW DAYS LATER I NOTICED A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN BRAKING. INFORMED DEALERSHIP BUT THE NOISE STOPPED DUE TO COLD WEATHER. THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK IF NOISE RESUMED. IT DID WHEN WEATHER GOT WARMER AND BRAKE PADS WERE ADJUSTED (35,00…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005706 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006366 · 2001-03-03 (March 3, 2001)
THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS KEEP GETTING WARPED AND GM DENIES THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS BUT A SEARCH OF THIS SITE AND SEVERAL OTHERS ON THE INTERNET PROVE OTHERWISE. THE BRAKES CAUSE THE FRONT END TO SHAKE THE STEERING WHEEL SO VIOLENTLY THAT STOPPING IN AN EMERGENCY WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE. THIS HAPPENS EVERYDAY, WINTER OR SUMMER, TO AND FROM WORK WHICH IS 20 MILES TOTAL WITH 15 MILES ON THE FREEWAY. I HAD THE BRAKES RE-DONE AT 36,000 MILES AND THEY STARTED SHAKING WITHIN ONE MONTH. THIS SHAKING CONTINUES MILDLY WHEN DRIVING AT 65 MILES PER HOUR WHICH A…
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006366 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004672 · 2003-02-12 (February 12, 2003)
THE HORN, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, BATTERY AND ENGINE FAILED. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004672 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021096 · 2003-06-05 (June 5, 2003)
TWO REPAIRS IN ONE WEEK, ALTERNATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED,DASH LIGHTS STARTED COMING ON & GUAGES GOING CRAZY! CAR WOULDN'T START AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 1 HR, THEN WHEN JUMP STARTED IT, DIED AGAIN IN FEW MINUTES, REPLACED ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, THEN NEXT DAY IGNITION FAILED, KEY WOULDN'T TURN IN IGNITION, HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC (THIS WAS THE THIRD (3RD) TIME THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP LIKE THIS AND THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN & THE CAR WOULD NOT START & ENTIRE IGNITION ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED, 2X EARLIER IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY...THIS TIME IT …
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021096 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10029039 · 2003-07-23 (July 23, 2003)
SEVERE PISTON SLAP. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED LIFTERS 3 TIMES, PISTONS AND ALL OTHER MOVING PARTS IN ENGINE ONCE. ENGINE STILL RUNS VERY HOT AND HAS SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER (I HAVE TO FLOOR IT TO MAINTAIN HIGHWAY SPEED WHILE GOING UPHILL, ETC.)*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10029039 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039531 · 2003-09-25 (September 25, 2003)
IT APPEARS THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE LINE HAS RUBBED THROUGH CAUSING A BRAKE FLUID LOSS AND LOSS OF POWER BRAKE FUNCTION
Owner-reported narrative. 100,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039531 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10013574 · 2003-03-27 (March 27, 2003)
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 …
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013574 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017239 · 2003-04-21 (April 21, 2003)
WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. *NLM THE SERVICE DEALER FOUND A LEAK IN THE RACK AND PINION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO LEAK AND HAD GIVEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE CONSUMER. (THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED) THE AC WAS FOUND INOPERATIVE DUE TO THE SUCTION AND DISCHARGE HOSE LEAKED, THE ENGINE RACED BUT DIDN'T MOVE DUE TO LOW TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND THE LEFT REAR TAIL LAMP SEAL HAD FALLEN APART. *SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 33,625 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017239 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001646 · 2002-12-30 (December 30, 2002)
CONSUEMR STATES AFTER FILLING UP THE VEHICLE THERE IS A STRONG GAS SMELL. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER STATED FUEL INJECTORS WERE LEAKING. DEALER REPLACED PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. TOOK BACK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND THE SMELL WENT AWAY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *TS
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001646 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10042231 · 2003-10-02 (October 2, 2003)
CONSUMER SAID WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE VEHICLE DIED. DRIVER WAS TWO LANES FROM THE SHOULDER. POLICE HAD TO STOP TRAFFIC WHILE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SHOULDER. MECHANIC REPLACED A # 48 FUSE FOR FUEL PUMP INJECTOR. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10042231 at NHTSA ↗