1998 Chevrolet Malibu Lights Problems

TAIL LIGHTS ON ALMOST ALL CHEV. MALIBU'S ARE BAD MOSTLY ON THE RIGHT SIDES IF YOU GOING DOWN THE ROAD LOOK FOR YOURSELF ALMOST ALWAYS THEY HAVE AT LEAST ONE BURNED OUT LIGHT. I OWN TWO MY KIDS DRIVE AND ALMOST EVERY TIME THEY WASH THEM OR IT STORMS I HAVE TOO REPLACE BULBS THE TAIL LIGHT FILLS WITH WATER. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME THE BRAKES LIGHT FAIL. THE LIGHTS OVER HEAT AND SMOKE THEN EXPLODE CAUSING THEM TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED NOR HAS THE MANUFACTURER BEEN ALERTED. *AK

REPEATEDLY HAVE TO REPLACE TAIL LIGHT BULBS BECAUSE TAIL LIGHTS FILL WITH WATER EVERY STORM OR WHEN WASHED UNTIL THEY FINALLY BURN OUT. MECHANIC SAYS HE SEES THIS PROBLEM OVER AND OVER WITH MALIBU'S. ANY RECALLS ON THIS PROBLEM?*JB

DRIVING THE CAR TO WORK ON A REGULAR BASIS AND IT SEEMS EVERY TWO MONTHS THE TAIL LIGHT BULBS NEED REPLACING. I KEEP REPLACING THEM BUT IT IS NOT WORKING. IT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE ONE MINUTE THEY WORK. DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD AND IT IS NOT WORKING. IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS? THERE SHOULD BE. *JB

WHILE BRAKING TAIL LIGHTS FAILED. DEALERSHIPS REPAIRED THE PROBLEM EIGHT TIMES, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES TAIL LIGHTS ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WOULD NOT COME ON. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT A ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD NOT BEEN FOUND INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. **AK

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES TAIL LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED. TAIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD NOT BE FOUND INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

MY TURN SIGNAL WORKS SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT. I NOTICE ESPECIALLY IN COLD TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE IT DOES NOT WORK FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL THE CAR WARMS UP. I TRY AND TRY TO USE THE TURN SIGNAL TO ALERT OTHER DRIVERS, BUT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. IT JUST WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO, I CANNOT PREDICT IF IT WILL WORK OR NOT. THE BULBS ARE NOT BLOWN, IT IS THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER SWITCH WHEN TRYING TO USE IT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT GET A RESPONSE, THEREFORE I CAN'T ALERT OTHER DRIVERS AND CYCLIST THAT I WANT TO TURN. *JB

PLASTIC BASE OF SYLVANIA 3057 DUAL FILAMENT TAIL LAMPS MELT CAUSING STOP LIGHTS TO FAIL.

THE REAR LAMP ASSEMBLY ON BOTH SIDES OF VEHICLE MELTED THE LIGHTS. *JB

THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE.*JB

MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE CONTINUEING TO NOT WORK. I HAVE REPLACED BULBS ETC. THE ISSUE IS THE BULB SOCKETS ARE OVER HEATING AND THE RIGHT SIDE BRAKE LIGHT SOCKET IS BEGINNING TO MELT DUE TO EXCESS HEAT.

IN JULY OF 2002 MY RIGHT TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT. WHEN I TOOK APART THE LIGHTING SECTION I SMELT BURNING . I WENT TO THE AUTO ZONE TO BUY A REPLACEMENT BUT COULDN'T REMOVE THE BULB. I THAN TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY GARAGE TO BE FIXED. THEY SAID THAT THE BULB WAS WRONG IN THE BOARD. NOW (11-18-02) MY TAIL LIGHT IS OUT AGAIN AND WHEN I CHECKED THE OTHER BULBS WERE ALSO APPEARING TO BE MELTED IN THE BOARD ALSO. I TOOK IT BACK TO MY CHEVY GARAGE TO BE FIXED. THEY REPLACED THE BOARD ON THE RIGHT AND THE BULBS. UPON CHECKING THE LEFT SIDE REAR LIGHTS WERE OUT NOW. THEY REPLACED THE LEFT SIDE TAIL LIGHTS BOARD AND BULBS TOO. THEY ARE WORKING NOW BUT NEXT? THIS IS TOO FAMILIAR OF A COINCEDENCE TO BE HAPPENING I THINK THIS IS A MALFUNCTION IN THE CAR ITSELF. IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN I'LL BE BACK TO COMPLAIN AND TRY TO FIND OUT WHY THIS IS HAPPENING TO MORE THAN JUST MY MALIBU! DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE DO NOT WORK PROPERLY THE CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE BULB SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. CONTACTED DEALER.*JB

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED RIGHT SIDE BRAKE LIGHT DIDN'T WORK. HAD FUSE AND BULB CHECKED, NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM.*AK

ALL 4 BACK BRAKE LIGHT BULBS BURNED OUT AND APPEARED TO BE SOMEWHAT MELTED ON THE CONNECTION PART OF THE BULB. REPLACED, 4 WEEKS LATER DRIVERS SIDE BULB BURNT OUT AGAIN. FUSES ARE BLOWING IF I HAVE THE PASSENGER SIDE BULB PANEL CONNECTED.

RIGHT TAILIGHT COLLECTS WATER EVERYTIME IT RAINS IN RELSULT THE LIGHTS GO OUT, IN RESULT THE PANEL FOR THE LIGHT HAS RUSTED AND CANNOT BE USED, THIS IS THE 2ND PANEL I HAVE PURCHASED BECUASE OF WATER LEAKING INTO TAILLIGHT. I HAVE SEEN 3 OTHER MAILIBU'S WITH THE SAME SITUATION. I WANT CHEVROLET TO FIX THIS PROBLEM I HAVE TO KEEP PAYING TO PURCHASE A NEW PANEL BECAUSE OF THE RUST, MY VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THIS DEFECT, I FEEL IT IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT.*AK

RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT IS INOPERATIVE, ELECTRICAL WIRES ARE CORRODED AND WATER IS LEAKING INTO BRAKE LIGHT COVER. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTATCED. *AK *SLC

INSIDE HEADLIGHTS FOG UP REALLY BADLY, AND IT IS HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT. THEY HARDLY PUT OUT ANY LIGHT. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER, THEY STATED IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATES IN THE FALL OF 1998 AS THE WEATHER COOLED, THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO FOG UP ON THE INSIDE OF THE LENS, IN THE SPRING OF 2000, THE RIGHT SIDE WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING AGAIN AND IF REPAIRED IT WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *SLC

SHORLTY AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WE HAD THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY REPLACED BECAUSE OF CONDENSATION BUILDING UP. THEN A COUPLE MONTHS LATER SOMONE TOLD ME THAT MY STOP LIGHTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WERE OUT, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BULBS BUT IT WASN'T , IT WAS BECAUSE OF WATER BUILDING UP INSIDE. I CONTACTED SEVERAL ORGINIZATIONS TO SEE IF THIS WAS POSSIBLY RECALLED, IT WASN'T. SINCE THEY WANT $250 FOR THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY I'VE BEEN WAITING TO SEE IF THEY WOULD RECALL THEM CONSIDERING THAT JUST IN THE CENTRAL MASS AREA I HAVE SEEN 2 - 3 DOZEN MALIBU'S WITH THAT STOP LIGHT NOT WORKING. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET IT WORKING BY TAKING IT APART DRYING IT OUT AND CLEANING THE ELECTRODES WITH A WIRE BRUSH BUT WITHIN A WEEK OF ANY RAIN IT BLOWS OUT AGAIN. I EVEN WENT AS FAR AS TWO WEEKS AGO RESEALING THE SEAL AROUND THE HOUSING AND WHEN WE GOT RAIN THAT DAY WENT OUT AND CHECKED IT AND THERE WAS ABOUT A PINT OF WATER INSIDE.I PULLED THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY OUT STILL TOGETHER, TIPPED IT EVERY WAY POSSIBLE AND COULD NOT GET THE WATER TO LEAK OUT FROM ANYWHERE. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS THE STOP LIGHTS. THE OTHER LIGHTS STILL WORK(THE BACKUP, DIRECTIONAL , AND EVEN THE 2 MARKER LIGHTS ON THE SAME BULB AS THE STOP) ITS JUST THE STOP LIGHTS. NOW I'VE NOTICED A LITTLE CONDENSATION IN THE LEFT SIDE ASSEMBLY. I HOPE SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU JASON JEROME. *AK

DUE TO BAD CONNECTION THE RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT BURNED OUT. *YH

I HAVE OWNED MY CHEVY MALIBU FOR 2 YEARS NOW AND SINCE I'VE HAD IT I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT THREE TIMES. AFTER I TOOK THE BULB OUT THE THIRD TIME I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE UNIT IS MELTED. I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE TO PUT ANOTHER BULB IN FOR THE FEAR OF A FIRE. I KNOW QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT OWN MALIBU'S AND I KNOW OF 2 OTHERS WITH THE SAME YEAR THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. I DO THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED FOR A POSSIBLE DEFECT. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING WITH ONE OF MY BRAKE LIGHTS OUT, BUT I FEEL I HAVE NO CHOICE.*AK

REAR BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO FAIL. BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE FAILED APPROXIMATLEY 5 TIMES WITHIN PAST YEAR. DEALERSHIP CHANGED BULBS, BUT HAD FAILED TO CORRECT REPEATED FAILURE OF BRAKE LIGHTS, EITHER RIGHT/LEFT OR BOTH LIGHTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

BRAKE LIGHTS LIGHT BULBS POWER MELT PLASTIC OF COVER, CAUSING NO VISION FOR OTHER DRIVERS ON BRAKE LIGHTS. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

PASSENGER STOP LIGHT GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY, CONSUMER BELIEVES IT TO BE STOP LAMP ASSEMBLY OVERHEATING. *AK

BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT SEVERAL TIMES. *SLC

BRAKE LIGHT BURNED OUT, CAUSING PLASTIC TO MELT OVER CONNECTION WIRES. *SLC

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BRAKE LIGHTS BECOMES INOPERABLE DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE PANEL AND THE WIRING ASSEMBLY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WATER IS LEAKING INTO HEADLIGHTS, CAUSING MOISTURE AND CONDENSATION, AND RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AND WOULD FLASH ON AND OFF. I COULD NOT GET THEM TO COME BACK ON. I HAD TO PULL OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER AND WAIT UNTIL THEY WOULD COME BACK ON. IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY TRAFFIC AROUND ME AT THE TIME THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

STOP LIGHT KEPT BURNING OUT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHAT COULD BE CAUSING IT. *AK

OTHER DRIVER TOLD US OF INOPERATIVE R/R BRAKE LIGHT. (2 BULB SIDE BY SIDE SET-UP) MY DISASSEMBLY OF UNIT AND INSPECTION OF BULBS SHOWED BULBS WITH INTACT FILIMENTS, BUT SIGNS OF HEAT DAMAGE AT BULB TO RECEPTACLE CONNECTION. TAIL LIGHT PORTION OF SYSTEM, O.K.. THE FAILURE OF BOTH BRAKE LIGHTS, I ASSUME AT THE SAME TIME, SHOULD BE OF CONCERN. THANK YOU. RAY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE AND PARKING LIGHTS MANY TIMES IN LESS THEN TWO YEARS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. ALSO, THE MOLDED PLASTIC AROUND THE LIGHT SOCKETS HAS MELTED AND WATER IS GETTING INTO THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY.

MY HUSBAND NOTICED THAT ONE OF MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING,L/H SIDE. HE REMOVED THE TAIL LIGHT ASSY AND PULLED OUT THE BULB. THE BULB HAD MELTED AT THE PLASTIC PORTION OF THE BULB, CAUSING IT TO FAIL. MY HUSBAND SAVED THE BULB SO I COULD SHOW THE DEALER WHAT WAS OCCURRING. HAWAII MOTORS SAID THEY FIXED IT. I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND I'M AFFRAID THIS MIGHT BE HAPPENING TO ALL MALIBUS. I'M AFFRAID MY VEHICLE IS GOING TO GO UP IN FLAMES. MY HUSBAND JUST FOUND THAT TO MORE BULBS HAD BURNED TODAY L/H AND R/H SIDE. I'M GOING TO TALK TO HAWAII MOTORS TOMORROW ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGESTIONS FOR ME PLEASE ADVISE. SINCERELY, MARIE MALAVENDA. *AK

DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE LUGS: NUTS,THE ONLY WAY TO REMOVE THE LUGS:NUTS IS BY BREAKING THEM OFF WITH A HAMMER CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER STATED NORMAL REMOVAL STANDARD. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE MOUNTED STOP LAMP ASSEMBLY WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, PE99071. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE PLASTIC ASSEMBLY ON THE BRAKE STOP LIGHTS ARE MELTING ON THE BULB, HAS BEEN REPLACED SETS OF BRAKE STOP LIGHTS. NLM

2 OF 4 BRAKE LAMPS FAILED. I REMOVED THE LAMPS FROM THE SOCKETS AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FILAMENTS WERE INTACT. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE FAILED LAMPS I NOTICED THE LAMP BASE HAD MELTED AT ONE OF FOUR WIRES EXTENDING DOWN THE PLASTIC LAMP BASE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND AN UNNECESSARY COMPONENT REPLACEMENT FOR THE UNTRAINED EYE. I SCRAPED THE MELTED PLASTIC AND SLIGHTLY REPOSITIONED THE WIRE ON THE LAMP BASE AND ALL IS WELL. SEEMS TO ME AN OVERCURRENT SITUATION OCCURRED. SUGGEST A LAMP BASE WITH A HIGHER OPERATING TEMPERATURE RANGE SUCH AS CERAMIC COMPOUND BE SPECIFIED. NO OTHER BURNING OR MELTING OF WIRES WAS INDICATED. THANK YOU. DAN BRUCKART.

WATER CONDENSATION IS FOGGING UP THE INSIDE OF HEADLIGHTS, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *AK

I FIRST CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND BULBS TO SEE WHY THE TURN SIGNALS WERE NOT COMING ON - THEN I FOUND THAT THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS WERE NOT WORKING AS WELL - TOOK VEHICLE IN TO DEALER AND MIRACULOUSLY THE TURN SIGNALS CAME BACK ON - I EXPLAINED THIS HAD HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE SUNDAY AND I DRIVE 4 HOURS EACH DAY TOTAL TO AND FROM WORK AND CANNOT BE ON THE FREEWAYS WITHOUT TURN SIGNALS (I DRIVE TO DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES AND LIVE IN ORANGE COUNTY) - THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT LOCATE ANY SHORTS OR PROBLEMS UNLESS THE SIGNALS WERE COMPLETELY NON-FUNCTIONING...THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR HIGHWAY DRIVING AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THE DEALER HAS A RIGHT TO TELL ME TO CONTINUE DRIVING OVER 100 MILES A DAY IN EXTREMELY HEAVY TRAFFIC WITHOUT TURN SIGNALS AND/OR ER FLASHERS. *AK

INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF TAIL LIGHTS / BRAKE LIGHTT. APPOINMENT BEING MADE FOR DEALER'S INSPECTION. *AK

3 TIMES PASS SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHT OUT AND NOTICED NUMEROUS OTHER VEHICLES OF SAME MAKE AND MODEL WITH SAME BULB OUT. MANUFACTURE HAS NO BULLITENS ON THIS REPAIR BUT APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING TO MORE FOLKS THAN JUST ME AS I NOTICED IN TRAFFIC A LOT OF THEM WITH THIS VERY SAME BRAKE LIGHT OUT ON SAME MAKE AND MODEL. 3 TIMES HAVE REPLACED BULB AND ITS OUT AGAIN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO WATER GETTING THERE , NO LOOSE CONNECTIONS ETC.

HEADLIGHTS LEAK RESULTING IN FOGGING UP AND POOR VISIBILITY, NOT ABLE TO REMEDY.

FOGGING OF HEADLIGHTS ON MINE AND MOST OF CHEVY MALIBU CARS. GM KNOWS OF PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. IT HAS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO LOSS OF LIGHT OUTPUT AND PREMATURE LAMP BURNOUT.

TURN SIGNAL FAILED.

ANTI LOCK BRAKE LIGHT AND THEFT LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF LIGHTING PROBLEMS. MJS

LIGHT PANEL WENT OUT. YH

ANTI THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON CONTINUALLY ON DRIVEING. YH

ALL FOUR BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED, WIRES MELTED INTERRUPTING THE LAMP SOCKET CONNECTION. YH

MOISTURE BUILDUP BEHIND LENS CAUSES DECREASED ILLUMINATION OF LAMPS.

MOISTURE DEVELOPED BEHIND THE HEADLIGHT LENS, CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO BECOME FOGGED UP AND DIM. *AK.ET