Problems · by component

1998 Chevrolet Malibu visibility problems

63 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu cite visibility, 6% of all 999 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
63
6% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the visibility

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN A DOWNPOUR AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE BROKE CAUSING THE WIPERS TO FLY ACROSS THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR. THEY STOPPED WORKING CAUSING HER TO HAVE TO GET OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT SEE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 18, 2011VisibilityODI 10396722
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON THE VEHICLE STOPPED WORKING DURING A RAIN STORM. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE LINKAGE ON THE MOTOR FOR BOTH WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE BROKEN. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO PURCHASE THE PART FROM THE DEALER AND IS CONCERNED THAT IT WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE AT A SALVAGE FACILITY. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 01V068000, VISIBILITY, WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER, LINKAGES WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES DUE TO A BUILDUP OF SNOW, ICE, AND CORROSION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 160,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2010VisibilityODI 10340910
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE PASSENGER-SIDE PIVOT HOUSING HAS CRACKED, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT OPERATE. HE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL # 01V068000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES). UPON CONTACT HE WAS ADVISED THAT HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL, SO HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 96000. UPDATED 1/14/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. UPDATED 01/15/10.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 14, 2009VisibilityODI 10295569
“THE WIFE STARTED THE CAR AND IT HAD SOME LIGHT FROST ON THE WINDSHIELD SHE LET THE CAR WARM UP FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHEN SHE CAME BACK OUT THE FROST HAD TURNED TO WATER SO SHE TURNED ON THE WIPERS AND THEY JUST WENT NUTS THE RIGHT WIPER WENT OVER TOP OF THE LEFT ONE SO SHE HAD TO GET OUT AND PHYSICALLY PUSH THEM DOWN SHE THEN CONTINUED WITH HER DAY WHEN I CAME HOME FROM WORK SHE TOLD ME ABOUT IT SO I WENT OUT TO SEE AND FOUND THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION ARMS WERE BROKEN AT ONE END ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE SO I THEN TOOK THEM OUT TO REPLACE THEM AND WHEN I LOOKED THEM UP ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL ON RECORD, SO I AM GOING TO CONTACT THE 1-800-222-1020 AND SEE JUST WHAT I CAN HAVE DONE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 23, 2008VisibilityODI 10249612
“DRIVING TO WORK IN HEAVY RAIN ON A BUSY STREET AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ON THE RIGHT COLLIDED WITH THE LEFT AND THEY JUST STOPPED WORKING CAUSING ME TO ALMOST CRASH INTO THE CAR INFRONT OF ME. HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE THERE WAS NO VISIBILITY AND HAD TO WAIT AN HOUR UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED. THE PIVOT HOUSING AS THE DEALER CALLED IT IS CRACKED AND THE WIPERS WILL NOT OPERATE BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2008VisibilityODI 10243624
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND THEY BEGAN TO CROSS OVER EACH OTHER. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER BLADE WAS VERY LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V068000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALER. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 113,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 18, 2008VisibilityODI 10234796

Showing 6 of 63 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Visibility: windshield wiper

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. IF A BUILDUP OF SNOW OR ICE RESTRICTS THE MOVEMENT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM, THE PIVOT HOUSING CAN CRACK AND THE WIPERS WILL NOT OPERATE.

VisibilityReported Mar 8, 2001NHTSA 01V068000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.