Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Chevrolet Malibu owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My granddaughter was 18 years old and had recently graduated high school. She was driving to work on a Tuesday morning, the weather was clear and the road was dry. As she rounded a small curve, her steering went out. The car's right front wheel went off the road, sending the car out of control. When my granddaughter tried to steer back onto the road, the car slid on the pavement, spun around, was thrown over a ditch, hit a tree and landed back on the road. The airbag did not deploy, and my granddaughter's small body (98 pounds) was thrown across the seat and into the floorboard on the passenger side. When police and ambulances arrived, there was nothing they could do. My granddaughter died at the scene from head trauma and internal injuries. Her identical twin sister lost half of her identity that day; the two of them were as one. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at a low speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The air bag, ABS, and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was 54,000.
Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 35 MPH, the vehicle was involved in a front impact crash, and the airbags did not deploy. Additionally, the contact was wearing a seat belt, and the buckle assembly fractured upon initial impact. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle sustained moderate damage to the front end. The police were on the scene, and a report was taken. The manufacturer was alerted.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet Malibu. While the vehicle was at a complete stop, the front passenger and driver side air bags deployed without warning and shattered the front passenger side of the windshield. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,751.
Takata recall - while driving home from work at night my daughter (sole occupant) heard a loud explosion and windshield shattered. She looked to right and saw that the passenger airbag had deployed. She had not hit anything including bumps or pot-hole. Not sure if it's a Takata but deployment could of cost her life.
I purchased the vehicle from bobb Chevy in 11/99, in April 2000 noticed a grinding noise when braking. Took car into a tuffy auto shop who indicated I needed complete brake job. They suggested warranty should cover vehicle repairs. So I took it to bobb at 7:30 am on 4/27/00, they completed brake job - rotors, calipers, fluid, pads and labor. This totalled $817.01, I paid $496.12, warranty paid the balance. On 5/17/00, coming home from work on a service road I tried to apply my brakes and found I did not have any - this was 3 wks after a total replacement. I had the option to go into an intersection, or hit a car stopped at the stop sign, but I chose to run off the road, hoping that would have stopped me. I hit a pine tree, both air bags popped out, windshield cracked, subsequently my insurance company - geico totalled the car. …
This vehicle had a crash with fatalities in 2006. General motors never issued a unintended ignition turnoff on this vehicle until aug2014. The crash began with an uncontrollable and unexpected spinout, there was no ability to steer, brake and air bags did not deploy. These are the exact conditions listed in the GM recall. GM will not accept a filing for this make and model vehicle and should be added to the GM ignition failure claim program. NHTSA didn't all the GM recall to Malibu's but I have notified them of the oversight. This should be corrected and compensation provided by GM. …
When applying brakes front end pulsates which produces a grinding noise. Dealer notified. The vehicle experienced vibration in the front end when braking. The vehicle has numerous brake rotor repairs. The calipers locked up and the piston seals leaked. The brake light was inoperative because the circuit lost it's contact. The horn was inoperative. The dealer replaced the air bag and repaired the horn power wire from the horn pad to the horn contact ring.
My wife had just pulled out of a driveway on to a highway when a truck pulled in front of her. She hit headon into the side of him. After he cleared the area she was able to drive across 4 lanes of road and into a parking lot across the street, as she entered the lot both air bagrs deployed very slowly never touching her. The speed control has been repaired several times and still continues to deacative while driving, some times many times in a row other trips not at all.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving 5 MPH, the contact's vehicle stalled and was struck on the driver side by another vehicle. Most of the air bags deployed; however, one air bag did not, which caused injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system) and manufacturer recall number: n140350. The failure mileage was unknown.
Airbag complaints in other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the air bags of the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu, 4% of the model year's 976 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Chevrolet Malibu airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet Malibu airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 18 crashes, 0 fires and 13 injuries and 2 deaths to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.