I'm not sure about the details of this problem, but there was leakage of antifreeze that was somehow tied into the oil pan and also related to the intake manifold gaskets. The problem went on for a while and did not prohibit me from driving the car, but the antifreeze kept leaking, pooling in the engine and somehow mixing with the oil. The result was I had to get a new intake gasket and replace the o-ring, which required the engine be taken apart. A couple of days after having it repaired, I threw a cylinder head. Not sure if it was related to the problem, a new problem or my mechanic didn't get the engine put back together right. The bad news is I'm losing antifreeze again at 125,000 miles.
I really think GM should be shut down because they can't make a decent car. They should have a recall on all their poorly made products. I've heard that GM has had this problem for quite some time but I had already bought this sorry American made product. That's exactly why Honda and Toyota is kicking GM's behind because they make better cars all around.
I went in to get my tires balanced and found out from Midas that my intake gasket was leaking coolant which took my $80 to a repair of $1300. What a hassle. And from what I know this is not an isolated incident, this is the leading common problem. GM is making me upset. They really need to recall this.
This is ridiculous! In Janurary my car was overheating and leaking coolant. I took it to a mechanic and they said it was the intake manifold and it would cost $800! Being a broke college student I was lucky that the mechanic let me pay them monthly instead of all at once. Now, the same problem is happening again and I bet I'll need another intake manifold. Stupid Chevy needs to make better cars and stand behind their product!
had it fixed by mechanic who owns his own shop and also teaches at local college. he said gm used a plastic sealer ring instead of asbestos and they just melt over time causing intake manifold to leak at 46,000 miles this shouldn't happen.
- Janice H.,
Houston, TX, US
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Bought this car with in late 2005 used with only 34000. Ran Perfect but had slight hesitation at 2500 rpm but cleared right up after. I figured it needed fuel system cleaned. Boy was I wrong. 20,000 miles later and couple gallons of disappearing antifreeze finally figured out the culprit. It turns out the coolant leak which I paid a mechanic to check was internal and not external as I imagined it would be. They speculated it needed coolant flush and it was probably boiling it out. Got screwed on that one too. Finally after closer evaluation I noticed oil leaking from gaskets. Well with any good oil leak you need to keep an eye on the oil. Well the oil level increased instead of decreasing. The darn car was drinking anti-freeze barely faster that it was leaking oil. Therefore I never noticed until it escalated to beyond my control. Personally I think the car Runs great but what dang good is a running car if its going to eat your budget every year with bs repairs that the manufacturer should fix! Now I'm out 65 radiator flush.45 dollar synthetic oil change, and 100 in gaskets(needed valve cvr gaskets also), more Synthetic oil, more coolant. twelve pack of icehouse for my mechanic friend to help me tear it down and time without a car. We are suppose to do it today if weather permits but think I'm gonna review Engine Ice commonly used in motorcycle as a coolant substitute (they have aluminum heads also) to the gasket eating dex-cool or maybe even honda aluminum head coolant.
About one week before I took my 2000 Malibu to get serviced, I noticed that my car was leaking anti-freeze so bad you can smell it burning when the car was running. I was putting anti-freeze in it about three times a week. The car temperature got up to 220 degrees at one point. I also noticed that the car made a loud rattling sound when I was first starting it up. I took it to a small repair shop that mostly specialized in oil changes, simple radiator repairs, tune-ups, and state inspections. For $127.55, they only managed to put Rislome in the engine, change the oil, flush and refill the anti-freeze. When I was driving the car home from the repair shop, my car would not accelerate over 35mph, the RPMs were over the number 5 on the gauge, and the check engine light came on. I again smelled the anti-freeze on the hot engine through the air vents, and my car temperature was up to 220 degrees again in less than five minutes. The car was also rattling again when I started it up. I took it back to the repair shop where the mechanic told me to take the car to a GM mechanic, at the dealership, IMMEDIATELY because there was nothing else he could do to fix the problems. The car needed to be hooked up to a computer to determine the cause of the check engine light going on (that alone costs about $100.00). After hooking the car to the computer, the service manager told me there were THREE FAILURES that caused the check engine light to come on: (1) Intake Manifold Gasket Leaking-causing the car to overheat and the anti-freeze to get into the oil and the transmission (2) Torque Converter Clutch Failure-caused by the engine frequently overheating and the anti-freeze leaking on the engine (3) Solenoid Contact Relay Failure Shift 1-2, Shift 2-3 – Also caused by the anti-freeze leaking and the engine overheating. Failures (2) and (3) also caused my car not to be able to accelerate over 35mph. The loud rattling sound was caused the Hydraulic Lifters getting stuck and trying to move in the engine that was gunked up with water and anti-freeze contaminated oil. I dropped my car off at the GM dealership on February 8, 2007 and picked it up one week later on February 15, 2007. The total costs of the repairs were $1500.00 for two repair shops. This ordeal has cost me money, time, and almost my job. I had to inconvenience many people due to not having a car for one week. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL OR A LEMON LAW ON THE CHEVROLET MALIBU!!! I AM SURPRISED THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAS NOT BEEN FILED AGAINST GM FOR SELLING SUCH A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT!!! I HOPE THAT NO ONE HAS HAD AN ACCIDENT, INJURY, OR EVEN DEATH RESULT FROM THIS DANGEROUSLY DEFECTIVE CAR!!! I WILL NEVER AGAIN PURCHASE A GM VEHICLE!!!!
Since I bought this piece of crap back in 2000 I have been having several problems with this Chevy Malibu, problems with the piston, tires, the intake gasket and much more is a long list. If general motors knows about this big defect by design how come they cannot be a little honest to those hardworking people like me and recall this major factory defect!!. I do not know what was I thinking about when I bought this chevy piece of crap..!! The failure with the intake gasket is going to cost me more than 1K dollars not only that, but probably it will brake again!. Is like we have no choice, the funny part is that the part cost nothing but the labor is overcharge by many mechanics and that is why is so expensive to do this job!. If we do not fix it, then we have no car because the motor will brake too and that is the end of our investment on a piece of Sh... Definitely I WILL NEVER BUY A AMERICAN CRAP AGAIN, UNITED SLAVES OF AMERICA, we are slaves of our country and the US companies take advantage of their citizens ripping us off with defective vehicles, not fair!!! WHAT CAN WE DO AS CONSUMERS.. HELP? ANYONE...
this is bull**, among the intake manifolds leaking, i have had fuel pump replaced, the engine knocks, and several other defects, including faulty turn signals (there was a recall on the turn signals)
It is what it is... a pain and a big shock to my wallet! Had only driven it for 15 months before it happened. After I replaced the water pump, the mechanic told be to start and save my pennies because the next to go is the intake gasket and sure enough, a year later it happened. Needs to be a definite recall!
This car is a piece of #!*!!!! Bought it brand new in 2000. within a couple of months all 4 valves had to be replaced - essentially a new engine. GM would not take the car back. Had electrical problems - like the car was possessed! the blinkers would go off by themselves, the doors would lock and unlock and the theft system would engage, at anytime, resulting in NOT being allowed to start the car for 15 minutes!! new thermostat last year.... AND NOW... the intake manifold is leaking and so is the water pump. replacement cost??? $1275.00. whoa!!! I have been very good to this car and it has not returned in kind - GM doesnt give a crap about it either!
No more Chevy's for me. Had the intake manifold gasket changed on my 2000 Malibu at 98000 kms. and now again at 134000 kms. Mechanic said that the 3.1 and 3.4 litre engines are really bad for this problem. I agree. I know of an Impala with a 3.4 litre where coolant leak was apparent with relatively low mileage. No wonder GM is losing business.
I just took the car in to get radiator flushed/ filled and got a call saying it needed new gaskets and would be around $850 to fix. I am not at all happy with this car. I have had almost every problem listed on this site for the car, and almost everything seems like poor quality and defects that Chevy should be taking care of. If they want to sell more cars they should be making better quality cars.
Took my Malibu in for oil change and inspection, was told I have a leaking manifold. Heard of the problem first when my daughter had to have her Malibu repaired just recently for the same issue... cost her $500. Was rather surprised when I found I had the same problem, then did research online and found multiple sites and many consumers that have been ripped off by GM's incompetence and blatant lies.
I actually own a 2000 and 2001 Malibu and both of these cars now have leaking intake manifold gaskets... GM produced a defective design and are doing absolutely nothing about it sticking it to the consumer. We have had a long list of electrical, brake, and engine issue's with both the 2000 and 2001 models.
Intake manifold gaskets needed to be replaced, wouldn't start as a result of leaking coolant on the battery cables which needed to be replaced. Also leaking on transmission solenoids, which seemed to be causing issues with the transmission as well. PIECE OF CRAP! Will never buy a chevy again..... bought a 2005 F-150 and love it. Was originally going to buy a Silverado, but these issues with the Malibu made me switch to Ford.
2000 Chevy Malibu: Intake Manifold Gasket failure. Water Pump Failure. Multiple hose failure. Coolant Tank Cap replacement. Including personal time, labor, parts over $ 1,200.00 cost. Now using regular coolant.
I had no idea this engine had the problems it has until I checked it on google. I guess GM just chooses to close their eyes when you leave the lot with a common defect. Shame on them. No wonder the company continues to drop market share. Thats it for me. Never again will I have a GM.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I'm not sure about the details of this problem, but there was leakage of antifreeze that was somehow tied into the oil pan and also related to the intake manifold gaskets. The problem went on for a while and did not prohibit me from driving the car, but the antifreeze kept leaking, pooling in the engine and somehow mixing with the oil. The result was I had to get a new intake gasket and replace the o-ring, which required the engine be taken apart. A couple of days after having it repaired, I threw a cylinder head. Not sure if it was related to the problem, a new problem or my mechanic didn't get the engine put back together right. The bad news is I'm losing antifreeze again at 125,000 miles.
- Chris A., Apex, NC, US