8.1
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $940
- Average Mileage:
- 87,700 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 97 complaints
Most common solutions:
- gasket replacement (32 reports)
- not sure (25 reports)
- replace gasket (19 reports)
- have it repaired with an aftermarket gasket (14 reports)
- waiting for a recall! using "stop leak" until then (7 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Chevrolet dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
This was the first time the manifold gasket had to be replaced. It worked fine for about a year and then gradually started to leak again. It has now been sitting in our garage for 3 months with antifreeze in the oil. It needs another manifold gasket. How do I become involved in the class action lawsuit? Chevy needs to be held accountable.
- Lisa R., Burnsville, MN, US
WHAT GOT ME WAS THAT, I HAD ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 8 DAYS BEFORE THE ISSUES BEGAN....IT STARTED WITH THE CAR SLIGHTLY TRYING TO CRAWL AND GET HOT; THEN IT RAN HOT; STOP RUNNING AND REFUSED TO HOLD CRANK; SMOKING; RATTLING; LEAKING WATER; THOUGH IT WAS 'AS-IS' THE DEALER OFFERED TO TAKE IT TO GET IT FIXED, SO HE SAID....A LITTLE OVER A WEEK LATER HE BROUGHT IT BACK AND THE VERY NEXT DAY IT STARTED TO DRIP AND DRAIN ANTIFREEZE,,TOOK IT TO A AAA CARE CAR CENTER AND GOT A PRESSURE TEST AND HERE IS WHAT THEY SAID THE DIAGNOSIS IS......INTAKE GASKET WAS PATCHED WITH SILICON, THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING, THE HOSE CLAMPS WERE LEAKING, AND THAT MY ALTERNATOR BELT WAS CRACKED UP PRETTY BAD...THEN TIME FOR STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMELS BACK, HE SAID I AM LOOKING AT ABOUT $1200 IN REPAIRS!!!! WTF!!!!! IS THAT TRUE?????
- traceebelle, Rock Hill, SC, US
This is horrible had to have it replaced twice. Hope there is a class action to many problems with this thing going to trade it in.
- Amanda K., Delavan, WI, US
I am amazed at how many people have these problems. Who is going to start the class action suit?
- bpmmg, Bakersfield, CA, US
This is the second time in two years I have had the manifold gasket replaced! Seriously thinking of ditching this car and buying a foreign model! No other problems with the car other than this one. Major bucks to repair!! I agree about a class action. I am making sure to keep all my paperwork of repairs in case they are needed.
- Deborah D., Knoxville, TN, US
So I see I am not the only one with a POS Chevy!The only reason why I bought the car is that I thought I was getting a great deal!A two year (24,000 Mile) warranty on a 7 year old car sounded great at the time!I was sure mistaken!I bought the car at a local dealership, the guy was really nice!After a week of owning it, I needed new brake pads and rotors!I brought it back to the dealer and said a load of sh*t to him!He told me that he just got the brakes done and had the nerve to ask me if I ran it through puddles!WTF!I live in MN!I bought the car in March!Yeah there are puddles!And if that was the case I want my money back!So he decided to fix the brakes!Wow!I wanted to slap the sh*t out of him!So a another week went by and the check engine light came on!Damn right I brought it back to the dealer!he told me some sh*t like yeah it comes on and off.WHAT!Just because I am a woman does not mean that I am f*cking stupid!When that light comes on, it means somethings wrong!A-Duh! So he ran a diagnostic test on it!he tells me, well it says it your thermostat!He also stated that he went to Duluth and had the same problem!So why the f*ck do you sell the car if you know it needs to be replaced, what a f*cking jackass!
So I replace the thermostat and sure enough the problem keeps happening!I just found out today that I need to replace the IMG! What the f*ck Chevy! I never again will buy a GM product!They all suck!
So what can I do?What can we do?How do put a law suit together? I need some advice, I so pissed off!
I even called BBB on GM because of this issue!
What else do I need to do?
- amandaschroeder22, Farmington, MN, US
I bought my Chevy Malibu in 2001 and it had 37 miles on it when I drove it off the lot. In 2006 the service center told me that my manifold gasket was leaking. I asked them how much it would be to fix it and they told me $750. I asked him how bad it was and if it needed to be fixed soon. They told me that it was something that would let my coolant leak out over time and this would cause my engine coolant light to come on when it got low. He said it would not hurt anything as long as the coolant did not get too low. For the last two years I have waited till my coolant light comes on and dings at me, then I take it to the service center and have them add some more coolant. Each time it keeps getting to be a shorter time than the last. I figure eventually I will have to get it fixed. Heck I have had it for 7 years and racked up 160,000 miles so I don't think I am doing too bad.
- Sonya M., Bucyrus, MO, US
I bought a 2001 Chevy Malibu and have had to fix a number of items on the car, until my mechanic figures out the intake manifold is no good. Is there nothing we can do to make Chevy take responsibility for this? I had no idea so many people were having this problem until I came across this website. I feel like I've been duped!!
- Alice M., Lubbock, TX, US
After shelling out nearly $500 to replace an ignition cylinder with pass lock sensor that wouldn't allow our car to start, we were told that the intake manifold gasket was leaking and needs to be replaced as soon as possible.The estimate for this is nearly $800. When we bought this car, not three months ago, we thought we had done pretty well ($5000 for a 2001 car with 71000 miles on it). It was a replacement for a deceased Jeep Cherokee that was totaled, and was paid for with the insurance payout, hence no new car payment. It was purchased hastily, as we needed another car, and I did not research problems with the make as well as I should have. I'm now wondering how "well" we did buying this thing. I will be paying attention to any information of a class action suit regarding this. I will also check that my repair shop uses an aftermarket gasket, not one made by the lowest bidder! The car is used by my girlfriend, mine is a 2004 Impala. I live in Michigan, and have two current and former GM employees on my street. I hope they are not too offended when a Honda or Toyota shows up in my driveway. That day may be as close as my ability to swing a car payment again. GM should have owned up to something this common, and done right by their cars owners.
- David W., Byron, MI, US
This intake manifold/head gasket leak seems pretty common with the 3.1L V6 engines, all I can do is add my daughter's car to the list and look for economical solutions to repairing it myself. any advice or suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
- bigbassmike, Minooka, IL, US
We had the cooling system flushed and were told that the IMG was leaking. That explains why the coolant looked like crap! But I've been topping off the coolant for about three years and never did the dealership mention even a possible problem with the IMG. Bad enough Chevy won't claim the problem as their own, but to allow me to carry on after such an obvious symptom makes me mad. No wonder people don't trust dealerships!
- greyhound, Indianapolis, IN, US
I have a 2000 Chevy Malibu with the same coolant issue . I have not replaced anything yet, I am probably going to dump the car and buy a NON AMERICAN because Chevy makes POS products. I am most willing to Join a class action suit to have my car repaired or be reimbursed if I have to repair it before hand. I keep adding anti freeze atm, had it flushed a almost 8 months ago and it is having the temperature slowly rise over normal. I smell the antifreeze while driving sometimes or idling. Please contact me Barryclongjr @ hotmail.com to have my name added to class action !
- Barry L., Johnston, RI, US
The fact that this is an ongoing and consistent problem with this engine and GM refuses to issue a recall shows there unwillingness to consider the customer. It is no wonder that more import automobiles are being sold. Having to spend $1000 on a vehicle with less that 100,000 miles is not acceptable. I will not buy another GM Product regardless of the price with their current attitude toward customers and service.
- Bill S., Butler, PA, US
I was told it was something that happens a lot but GM will not stand good for it!!
- bm, Allentown, PA, US
I just bought this car not even a year ago because my old car needed head gasket repair. Last week I found myself putting the same work and same money into this 'better' car that I would have had to do with the old one. Now, after the whole sh'bang-----intake manifold gasket and seals, water pump and all the flushing, filling, etc. stuff done....(and $900!!) the car sounds worse than ever!! I don't think I have gained anything at all here except maybe a pain in the.....
- xenagabreal, St. CLoud, MN, US
I was super pissed about this apparently it happens all of the time. So why is there no recall. There is no way that I should of had to pay for this to be fixed. I went to the chevy mechanic after going to my own mechanic and he told me what was wrong, I just need to ask then if it was covered under warranty. Instead they inspected it found it to be the same problem charged me $60 and told me it wasn't covered under warranty. What a bunch of pricks!!
- Sara M., London, ON, Canada
Well apparently I'm not the only one with a leaking intake manifold on a Chevy. I just couldn't believe a car with 55,000 miles would need a new IMG. It's really a shame that Chevy is not owning up to the problem. There is a class action lawsuit for this problem in Canada, but I haven't been able to find anything for the US. Does anyone know anything about a lawsuit?
- David F., Bellingham, MA, US
I just found out today the cause of my car having no hear even though the temp gauge is near the red. A leaking intake gasket!!! I went to Strauss Auto because I had a radiator hose replaced in sep 07. I thought the problems could be linked. NO they said, not related. Also my check engine light would come on intermittently. I was told it would cost$700 to fix. I just said thank you and left. I came home and did a search on Google and here I am at this wonderful site wallowing with my fellow sufferers. I felt better some what, I guess misery does love company.
- Allensha R., Brooklyn, NY, US
This is crazy! It is becoming a routine thing with "Christine." I have had my intake replaced twice, my heater core replaced twice, the water pump, which is going out again, my theft system replaced twice, and it is now pushing gas fumes into the inside when I turn on any heat! The locks do what ever they want, like their possessed or something, and the ABS brakes are a joke!!! They basically stop when they feel like it! I own it out right, have put all my savings into fixing the dang thing in HOPES it would treat me better, "HA-HA", and now I am stuck with the piece of crap! I am a single mom with two kids, have health issue's and very limited income. There are times I wish my car would disappear!
- marym, Johnsburg, IL, US
Needs its second manifold gasket. Had it fixed 2 1/2 years ago for $800 it worked fine for about a year then started to leak slowly. 3 months ago we discovered antifreeze in the oil and it has been sitting in the garage since. We have been trying to save enough money to get it fixed.2 weeks before the antifreeze in the oil we had to replace the fuel pump setting us back $750. I want in on the class action lawsuit any info would be appreciated, Chevy needs to fix this!
- Lisa R., Burnsville, MN, US