First, I must say that I really like this car, always have. I have only owned American cars and finally convinced my wife we should buy her the Malibu. She had only owned Japanese. Now this problem is a real pain. I have been going around to repair shops and when I describe the problem and the car every mechanic knows exactly what I am talking about. They have seen it done it. (piss me off) GM will send out a recall on the lights for this model but will not offer to fix the intake manifold gasket. I've learned this problem is also on the 3.4L. Wonder why GM is in trouble.

I bought this car in early 2004. Honestly, after reading all of the other complaints about these types of cars, I really cannot complain too much about mine. I bought this car with almost 40,000 miles on it and this is the first thing that has ever went wrong with it. I have never even had to tune it up! Shocking, I know, but true. It has been the best running car I have ever owned.

Last week, my low coolant light came on, on my way home from work. Come to find out, my thermostat was sticking, and it needed to be replaced. After my mechanic looked at it, he realized my intake gasket was leaking. He replaced both for 725 bucks. This week, the same thing happened to me on the way home from work. When I got home, I called the garage and he said to bring it back in and let him look at it. UGH!!!! now, my gasket around my timing belt is leaking antifreeze !! Another 450 dollars to replace it. I have made up my mind, that if it happens again, I am getting rid of it.

One thing he did say. Only use GREEN antifreeze in your vehicles. Any other color will eat your gaskets up. I just wonder if GM used a different or cheaper grade of antifreeze in their Malibu's?? Maybe that could be the problem. He said I had a yellow color in it, and I had never done anything to it since I had bought it in 2004. Just a thought.

After browsing this forum as well as looking at some "quality" aftermarket gaskets, I can only conclude that GM has yet again F&*^ the consumer. This is a known flaw(Why in God's name would you impregnate an intake manifold gasket with plastic? )The engineer that came up with this as well as the mgmt that approved it should be drawn and quartered. I found an honest mechanic that diagnosed it quickly and he wants $700(which seems commensurate with the other prices I've seen in this forum) My concern is if most mechanics are using aftermarket gaskets or the piece of sh^& GM gaskets. Even their new and improved gasket is impregnated with plastic. I'm going to ask my mechanic as this is the likely reason why theses continue to fail. Please feel free to contact me if you want to add me to a class action suit. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM!!!!!!!!!

I bought this car used in 2004..3 days after the 90 day lemon law I was told my LIG was bad and had to be replaced..told me it would be 800.00..I then told the dealership where I purchased it frrom to shove the car and the payments where the sun doesnt shine..they then agreed to pay for it..for the past few yrs I have smelled antifreeze and thought that maybe it was just from where it had leaked before..in the mean time I swear my car is possessed..the locks go off and on..the horn beeps when I start or stop my car..now I have all this white smoke coming out of the exhaust and my car sputters..I drove it home with my foot on the break and gas..my engine light was on but my temperture gauge was in the middle..it didnt go into the red..

Im keeping my fingers crossed that it wont cost alot as I just lost my job,have no money,single Mom..cant find a job if I dont have a car..and I cant buy a car being on unemployment..if I ever get a chance to buy a car it will never be a GM..guess Im going to have to bus it for a long time...GM SUCKS..they should reimburse everyone who has had the same problems..any news on a recall?

I like so many other was suckered into buying the Leaky Intake Manifold option when I got my 2001 Malibu. The repair would have only been $800 (ya, only!) but the intake manifold was warped and it cracked when the mechanic tried to replace it. Another $550 dollars later and I thought I was back on the road. Which I was for just one month. The leaking manifold had already done deeper damage and the main bearing let go on the interstate. Now I am looking at $3400.00 to replace it. This is more repair than I have put in my previous 8 cars combined. I tried to buy American but I can't afford it. Back to Mitsubishi built cars for me

I cant believe that GM would let these problems continue like this. I told my wife that i was going to by a chevy truck this year but F*CK that i am sticking with dodge. car had no problems until 130000 miles then it started to overheat slightly. No big worries right, what a dumbass i am i refuse to pay 800 dollars of my taxed money to fix a f*ucking defect that Gm is responsible for. And as for GM Kiss my Dodge Rams ass 780K factory engine, transmission. Just 4 batteries(i am a firefighter have a lot of emergency lights) and 3 sets of plugs. I refuse to buy one more GM product this is such F*UCKING BULLSH*T.

I got this car in early 2003 with about 30,000 miles on it, and unlike many other people I never had a single issue other than a hazard switch that was replaced on a recall. Now, it's 2009 and only almost 79,000 miles on it and the 5yr extended warranty is expired and coolant is leaking from the intake gasket. Also, the coolant reservoir is caked with oil inside. Now I'm told that had I gotten this repaired before May of 2008, I may have qualified for a reimbursement. It's going to cost me $800.00 for a manufacturing defect.

In May of 08 I started having problems with my car after having it for 2yrs. They drained the anti freeze first.Then it starting overheating.The replaced water pump.Same problem.I decided to have the engine replaced after breaking down 6x. that was June $2100. Guess what, 3 mths later same exact problems again.I had the intke manifold gasket replaced at the cost of $700.00 Sept. So now I start to overheat again. I go to a different mechanic in Dec. because I think I'm being taken advantage of. I was so wrong. The intake manifold gasket needs to be repaired. F** this car and Chevy too. I spent so much money on anti freeze tow trucks and engine checks. I could have got another car Kim J. Philly