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2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu

1301 messages,  Last post on Nov 24, 2009 at 8:22 AM

You are in the Chevrolet Malibu Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet, Chevrolet Malibu, Automotive News, Sedan


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#1263 of 1301
Re: 2009 1LT suspension clunky noise [kplacer] by sidewinderz
Aug 30, 2009 (6:38 am)
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Replying to: kplacer (Aug 30, 2009 5:05 am)

>Hopefully the light, airy greenhouses and low cowls of a decade or two ago will soon make a return. < I too miss those" airy greenhouses " big , wide windows on my previous GM car ( 1996 Pontiac Sunfire) Hopefully my next car (also a GM.... I HOPE ) will go back to the older style BTW-I have an '08 Malibu with no issues .. 10k on it .Purchased in May 2008
#1264 of 1301
Re: 2009 1LT suspension clunky noise [kplacer] by ohgeez
Aug 30, 2009 (8:39 am)
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Replying to: kplacer (Aug 30, 2009 5:05 am)

Sorry 1LS, according to build your own Malibu site only 2LT comes with std 17" bright aluminum alloy, 1LS & 1LT have the spoke fascia hub caps which i do like and hard to tell it's not alloy. I've tighten the plastic screws, the clattering noise is embarrassing and unbearable.
 
Going to ask the dealer to upgrade to Alloy, not looking for even swap but maybe pay the difference of cost and not pay full price. GM parts is offering them at $285.60 each from $403.39.
 
The noisy suspension sounds like it's attached to the frame without bushings, i understand every car makes this noise over rough washboard surface, but this car is just way to loud.
#1265 of 1301
Re: 2009 1LT suspension clunky noise [ohgeez] by ohc6sprint
Aug 30, 2009 (6:45 pm)
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Replying to: ohgeez (Aug 29, 2009 7:16 pm)

I had a similar noise develop in my 2008 Saturn Aura. It clunked on turns, driveway transitions and when I reversed direction. It was a worn pitman arm bushing. Car had 15,000 miles on it. Service tech told me that he has seen bad bushings in cars under 1000 miles. It took only an hour to replace part and totally eliminated the noise.
#1266 of 1301
No noses at all by vanman1
Aug 30, 2009 (6:55 pm)
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I have had my Malibu almost a year and it's as smooth and quiet as day 1.
 
If you are having a clunk, get it checked immediately.
#1267 of 1301
Re: 2009 1LT suspension clunky noise [ohgeez] by bohemia1
Aug 31, 2009 (6:41 am)
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Replying to: ohgeez (Aug 29, 2009 7:16 pm)

My 2008 2LT Malibu (Purchased May 08) developed a "clunky noise" from the front suspension at about 2,400 miles. Dealer replaced a sway bar and all good since. Now at almost 16,000 miles
#1268 of 1301
Re: 2008 Malibu Experience Update [bwia] by e_net_rider
Sep 08, 2009 (4:25 am)
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Replying to: bwia (Aug 29, 2009 5:54 am)

Attention Everyone!
The most common cause of warped rotors and drums (if you have them) is having a wheel removed from the auto as in rotating tires or brake inspections. Wheel nuts are to be tightened upon reinstall to specific torque values. Too often the mechanic uses an impact wrench that is not set or calibrated to that vehicle. He may be using one that will install truck wheels to 160 ft-lbs. They then try to guage the correct tightness by feel of the torqueing motion of the impact gun. There is no way to be accurate with that. Consequently you end up with a wide range of different torque values on the nuts. Over time that uneven pressure spreads to the face of the rotor and you develop that shimmy, pulsation, etc. For a few years there were attachments to use with those impact guns known as torque sticks. A few years ago, ASE, American Society of Engineers, said using a torque stick was no longer valid. These means the only way to correctly tighten your wheel nuts is with a calibrated torque wrench or with an impact gun that is calibrated for a specific torque value. The latter would mean that the mechanic would probably need to have at least a dozen of those guns laid out in a row to get the proper one for your vehicle. If the mechanic can not prove he used a torque wrench, it is a free brake job, and I would not settle for turning of rotors since most of the time it can only be done once. I would insist upon new ones, especially if yours were low mileage.
#1269 of 1301
Re: Bad ergonomics for me [bohemia1] by e_net_rider
Sep 08, 2009 (4:48 am)
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Replying to: bohemia1 (Apr 24, 2009 11:22 am)

As a new owner, I have to agree the ergo team did not do the best job, but have ran across this in other vehicles as well. The seat going back beyond the door pillar so far does not make much sense except for long legged drivers and they would probably find getting in and out difficult moving to a larger vehicle.
I think most of the problem would be eliminated if they used a true tilt steering wheel, one that tilts up completely out of the way like older models.
And on the tilt issue, I find it near impossible to find a position where the wheel does not block part of the speedometer and it is comfortable. I guess the test dummies don't have eyes.
Part of that might be eliminated if they put a decent sized steering wheel back in vehicles. I'm rather broad shouldered and would find it much more comfortable if it was at least 2"larger in diameter.
I'm hoping it lives up to mileage claims.
#1270 of 1301
Re: 2008 Malibu Experience Update [e_net_rider] by winz
Sep 08, 2009 (3:55 pm)
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Replying to: e_net_rider (Sep 08, 2009 4:25 am)

I had rotor problems ( low milage) and the GM dealer would not replace the rotors as I requested. They would only turn them, which solved the problem for a short time. Now I'll have to replace the rotors. This Malibu has other issues which they will not address. Beware of the characteristic. GM treats it's cutomers in a shabby BS way. Maybe that's why they have lost so much market share. I will not purchase another GM product.Way to go GM.
#1271 of 1301
Re: 2008 Malibu Experience Update [winz] by vanman1
Sep 13, 2009 (4:00 pm)
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Replying to: winz (Sep 08, 2009 3:55 pm)

Rotors are not a common issue with the Malibu period. I'm not saying that you are at fault but I also don't know of any car maker that replaces rotors unless it's a manufacturing default. My friend had the same issue in his Acura and they wouldn't put new rotors on either.
 
What other "issue will GM not address"?
#1272 of 1301
Re: 2008 Malibu Experience Update [vanman1] by e_net_rider
Sep 14, 2009 (2:01 am)
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Replying to: vanman1 (Sep 13, 2009 4:00 pm)

That is generally true. It should be the law that they have to provide a place for the customer to watch from. It would keep them more honest. If you can show that they who did the service of dropping wheels for whatever reason used an impact wrench and not a torque wrench, you've got them, not the manufacturer.
I was at a chain that also keeps a store when an irate customer got free rotors and drums because of impact wrench use. The manager then went and got an arm load of torque wrenches from the store shelves and handed them to mechanics, saying "Put this in your tool box." And that is where they stayed. The guy got them because they could not even show him one. So a picture will speak all that is needed.
I also got a set of rotors and drums. I had just done a brake job and had only 2000 miles on it. Well broke in. I went in for a tire rotation and in a few days the warpage started to show up. About two weeks passed and the whole car would shake when braked.
I have not seen the construction of the Malibu rotors. GM started using some two piece rotors in mid 90's. The top hat area was not cast into the rotor. Instead it was a stamped steel plate welded to the rotor. This seemed more forgiving to improperly torqued wheel nuts, but it was not perfect I can say from personal experience. When it came time to turn them because I was replacing pads, they were ruined. I am not sure if it was the shop and a bad lathe or bad mounting, or because of the design.

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