1999 Chevrolet Malibu suspension problems

“THERE IS SEVERE CORROSION ON THE REAL SUSPENSION, THAT IF A POT HOLE WAS HIT, THE REAR AXLE WOULD SEPARATE FROM THE CAR AND WHICH WOULD CAUSE A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY OR FATALITY. *TR”

“FIRST INCIDENT. I HAVE A 1999 CHEVY MALIBU AND IN DECEMBER 2009 (I BELIEVE) THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE CAME OFF DUE TO LUGNUTS SNAPPING OFF. I HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE LUGNUTS THE SPRING ON THE SHOCK AND BEND THE WHEELWELL. UNFORTUNATELY THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THAT INCIDENT BUT THE CAR ONLY HAD ABOUT 77,000 MILES ON IT. SECOND INCIDENT. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SPRING WORE RIGHT IN HALF AND BROKE JUST BEFORE GETTING INTO THE CAR. I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE FRONT STRUT AND I DO STILL HAVE THE PARTS. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 80,000 MILES ON IT. *TR”

“THE SUBFRAME OF MY 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU SUFFERED CORROSION TO THE POINT WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL FAILURE OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE AREA ROUND ONE OF THE BOLTS HOLDING THE SUBFRAME BROKE OFF DUE TO CORROSION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT BE ABLE TO BE STEERED PROPERLY (COULD NOT TURN RIGHT MORE THAN 10-15%). IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, IT VERY WELL COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT (THE COMPONENT BROKE WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARALLEL PARK). RECENTLY HYUNDAI RECALLED A NUMBER OF VEHICLES DUE TO THE SAME DAMAGE FOR THOSE RESIDING IN THE SALT BELT (I HAPPEN TO OWN A HYUNDAI INVOLVED IN THE RECALL). BASED ON THE DAMAGE MY MALIBU SUFFERED, I BELIEVE THAT THE ISSUE OF SUBFRAME CORROSION FOR THOSE IN THE SALT BELT MAY GO BEYOND THE HYUNDAI RECALL. *TR”

“AFTER DRIVING TO WORK (25 MILES) I BACKED INTO THE PARKING SPACE IN THE MORNING. AT NOON, I STARTED THE CAR TO MOVE FORWARD AND HEARD A HEAVY RUBBING. THE FRONT LEFT STRUT SPRING HAD BROKEN AT THE ITS BOTTOM RING AND WAS RUBBING ON THE TIRE. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT TRAVELING 50 MPH TO WORK. CAR MILEAGE 140,000. 1999 MALIBU. *TR”

“FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SUSPENSION SPRING BROKE WITHOUT WARNING SEVERLY DAMAGING TIRE. HEARD A LOUD BANG SOUND AND THEN SAW A LOT OF SMOKE COMING FROM FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. BOTTOM OF FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SUSPENSION SPRING BROKE AND LODGED INTO TIRE WITHOUT WARNING. *TR”

“1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU SEDAN WITH ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. A SIMILAR PROBLEM TO THAT DESCRIBED IN YOUR NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE03031. WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED YARDS OF STARTING UP THE CAR AND LEAVING MY HOME, THERE WAS A AUDIBLE BANG AND THE PASSENGER SIDE MACPHERSON STRUT COIL SPRING SUDDENLY FRACTURED AND THE BROKEN SPRING END PENETRATED THE FRONT TIRE INSIDE SIDEWALL LEADING TO A BLOWOUT. I DID NOT TRAVEL OVER ANY KIND OF BUMP OR POTHOLE. FORTUNATELY I WAS TRAVELING AT A LOW SPEED AND THE LOSS OF CONTROL DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. IT WAS WINTER CONDITIONS (SALTED ROADS) WITH AN AIR TEMPERATURE OF AROUND 20 DEG.F. I FEEL THAT THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW STRUCTURAL FAILURE IN THE SUSPENSION THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I AM HAVING BOTH FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLIES AND A TIRE AND RIM REPLACED AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. *TR”