Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Chevrolet Malibu owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Vehicle was unable to pass inspection due to tire (tread) separation on all 4 Bridgestone potenza 's inspector pointed out that all 4 tires were cracked throughout the entire circumference on all 4 tires and dangerous/hazardous to drive on. Had to purchase new tires in order to pass inspection... Have taken photos of all the tires... Tires were purchased in oct, 2010 and replaced in nov, 2015 -- tire had a total of 24,183 miles on it... And still has plenty of tread left.
On June 18, 2010 I had an accident that I believe was caused by a tire failure. No other vehicles were involved in this accident and there were no injuries. The vehicle was declared a total loss by my insurance company. On June 18, 2010 at approximately 6:00 pm I was driving on the pennsylvania turnpike. My vehicle was headed west somewhere between the donegal exit and the new stanton exit of the turnpike. The weather conditions were what I consider ideal driving conditions. I was in the right lane of the two lane roadway and as I was approaching a moderate curve in the roadway my vehicle pulled severely to the left, I attempted to control the vehicle by using the steering wheel and moderate pressure on the brakes. …
On 3/1100 at about 6:35 pm, I was coming from dallas to houston.just before wyllis my car went totally out of control after my right front tire went to pieces. According to witnesses,my car was all over both highways,almost been killed by two 18 wheelers and altimately crashing on a guard on the south direction.I lost conscience and when I came to I saw alot of people over me and then taken to the first emergency.after that I was sent to another hospital emergency & after 3 days in the intensive care I was in a room where I stayed about 9 days.I sustained a fractured neck,open scal,broken right-shoulder,knee and a very bruised & swollen left wrist but not broken.given the facts (which can all be substantiated by my dealer's records) the maintenance of my car and tires were up to the minute.we were told nothing was left from the tire and the pictures taken show the bear well of the tire …
On 6 August 2010, I purchased 3 tires from ray's tire & service in st. Augustine, fl 32084, having a Goodyear logo touted on their invoice and a huge Goodyear sign on their buildings, therefore, one would assume that tires being bought and installed are Goodyear... Well that's no so... While driving to cleveland, ohio suburb last Monday (20 sept 10), my left front tire separated on I-75 running at approx 74 MPH heading north in london, ky. Had it been a woman driver with lesser driving skills, lord only knows the horrors. Upon returning to town and visiting ray's tire for a rebate, I was told it was not responsible and that tire installed was a kumo tire... Not a Goodyear... Thus, I ask those of your overseeing highway safety, is this acceptable as a "truth-in-advertising" issue? …
The consumer smelled fuel while driving. She then observed fuel dripping onto the ground while parked, the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. It was determined that the fuel line was leaking at the fuel filter connector due to corrosion. The consumer feels the manufacturer should be 100% responsible for replacing the fuel line. The consumer has had other components fail on the vehicle. All four tires were replaced due to center tread wear. The front brake pads were replaced at 20000 miles and again at 41313. The driver's side sunvisor broke. Both front wheel hub assemblies were replaced due to bearing failure at 41313 miles. Both front brake rotors were replaced at 41313 miles.
Air conditioning control problems dealer insisted nothing wrong never repaired tires; worn out at 16000 dealer insisted that that was normal fought to get them to replace only 2 tires engine: intake manifold gasket went out never experienced the problem in all the cars I ever owned 978.00 later. Engine 3 months later presently engine has serious internal engine rattle, lose of power don't know what is wrong yet there was no indication of problem oil was clean no temp problem just blew last week towed to the house brakes; had to change both front calipers could not re use them needed new ones when doing brake job would never buy a Chevy product ever again!!!!
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.
Rotor replacement x 3. Suspension - front replaced. Calipers x3. Tire wear and leaks - replaced annually. Radio - bad wiring. A/C in dash wiring replaced twice. Rear light assembly replaced twice. Leaking in rear light assembly and trunk. Coolant leak - 8/06 at 74000 miles. Mechanic believes it is the water pump. A/C sensor replaced.
While driving on the highway, the right front tire blew out and had come apart. Also, the left tire blew out and separated upon pulling into a repair shop to fill the tire with air because air was seeping out. The cause of the both tire blowouts was not determined.
The cruise control was set for 70mph when the front driver's side tire suddenly blewout, causing the cruise control to become stuck. Brakes were of no help in the situation, they malfunctioned, causing vehicle to flip over. Dealer has been contacted.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA has 81 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 1999 Chevrolet Malibu, 10% of the model year's 789 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (30 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Chevrolet Malibu wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 1999 Chevrolet Malibu, though it has 1 recall 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 1999 Chevrolet Malibu wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 36% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 7 injuries to wheels & tires 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.