Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Chevrolet Malibu owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
When making a turn my steering wheel locked up and could not control my car I had towed to a mechanic that told me that the subframe to rack bracket was rusted out and that the subframe and the rack needed to be replaced and the repair cost will start at about $2000.
Subframe rusting away on the driver side front. Can't replace due to they discontinued making the part. Even if the part was found it would coast about $900.00 then the tirods would need replacing. In all after new tires and all it would coast $2000.00 to fix.
Intermittently when the brake pedal was applied, the brakes grabbed so hard that the entire vehicle vibrated severely. When this occurred, the vehicle failed to stop immediately. This resulted in extended stopping distance. The brake rotors warped. On one occasion this failure caused lost of control, in which the consumer almost crashed into an 18 wheeler, but was able to pull over to the medium. The dealership has acknowledged that there was a problem with the braking system, but was unable to correct the problem, and was now refusing to work on the vehicle. …
While parking I heard a noise in the front end and upon turning the wheel harder the power steering went out. I could barely turn the wheel. Later in the day put in more power steering fluid thinking that was the problem but had the same issue. I thought the power steering was going out as I was hearing a grinding type noise in the front end. The next day I could feel something under the driver floor board and louder noises when turning hard. Took it to my mechanic and was told sub-frame is rusted and needs replaced as well as the rack and pinion; this will start out as a $2000.00 repair and could go up to $4000.00 depending on what else they find when they work on it. This is a safety hazard and should be fixed by GM as they used shoddy materials building this vehicle. My mechanic said I shouldn't drive it as I May loose control of the vehicle. …
Vehicle first towed to shop on 04/04/00 for vehicle overheating. Top radiator hose split. Informed dealer of vibration in front end at 30 MPH and up, they said they could not duplicate. On 04/11/00 heard thumping noise from front and while pulling in driveway lost control of left front wheel. Towed to dealer and left side outer tie rod end replaced. Picked up from dealer on 04/12/00 and 2 miles away ABS light came on. Parked vehicle in driveway and next morning light was off. Left for work and got 6 miles away when check engine light came on and transmisson started slipping. Caled and notified Chevy and they said drive vehicle then have it towed in the next day. On 04/14/00 was driving down road at 40 MPH when I lost control of steering again and hit a tree. Repairs to steering/ABS light/check engine light/transmssion slipping not taken care of yet.
1) nothing abnormal 2) left front suspension spring broke, broken spring cut through side wall of tire, causing vehicle to literally drop onto frame, loosing complete control of the vehicle. Luckily, vehicle was only going about 20 MPH at the time the spring broke! I have worked in auto dealerships for 30 years, and although a broken spring isn't all that unusual, this is the third spring that has broken on this vehicle in the past year. I had to replace both passenger side springs last year. 3) I replaced all four springs on this vehicle, and found the epoxy coating (on the springs) in very poor condition. Unfortunately, I don't have the old springs. I have also read on Chevy Malibu message boards that this is not an uncommon occurrence.
The car will not turn left. It makes a metal on metal sound. My mechanic says the engine cradle is completely rusted out, and the rack and pinion steering needs replacing.he said the rust is caused by the hose from the air conditioning dripping on the engine. He said that he sees the engine cradles rusted out all the time on Chevy malibus. I have maintained this car and never knew about this rust until now. The car has very low miles for its age. The body of the car is perfect. I would like Chevy to repair this. It would be about $2000 or so to get the car repaired with a used engine cradle and a used rack and pinion. I see that other people have told you about the same problem.
Numerous problems: brakes made noise when applied, vehicle jerked when at a complete stop,the vehicle shut down on the consumer three times, it started loud and hard, bounced while being driven and a bolt fell off from under the passenger seat, however the dealer stated the bolt did not belong to the vehicle. Also the rear passenger window was inoperative, and the battery was weak.
I had the car for 3 1/2 years and it has given me so many problems with misfire sensors, clicking noise in the engine, noise while driving over a bump or hole, this is besides other problems like water pump, fuel pump, transmission, check engine light on the dashboard and much more.
Upon making a hard turn with the steering wheel, there was a rubbing noise. After inspection it was found that the engine cradle was completly rusted in two, causing the rack to drop and make contact. Vehicle was always maintained.
Suspension complaints in other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2000 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the suspension of the 2000 Chevrolet Malibu, 4% of the model year's 922 complaints. The component named most often is front (10 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Chevrolet Malibu suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2000 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 2000 Chevrolet Malibu suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to suspension 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.