1997 Chevrolet Malibu Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP · data through 07/12/2026

46Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints

10.4%Of all 443 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip ranks on this vehicle

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP46 · 10.4%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM31 · 7%

STEERING:RACK AND PINION29 · 6.5%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC26 · 5.9%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR25 · 5.6%

Share of the 443 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Chevrolet Malibu overview page.

What owners report

“WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND THEY MADE A POPPING NOISE. ALSO FRONT END SHOOK LIKE IT WAS GOING TO COME OFF. THE PROBLEM WAS…”NHTSA complaint 846676 — filed 09/23/1999

“ABS BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON. CONSUMER HAD TO GET THE SENSOR REPLACED. ALSO, LEAVES ARE GETTING INTO THE ENGINE.”NHTSA complaint 844464 — filed 08/05/1999

“THE ABS LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.”NHTSA complaint 844184 — filed 08/03/1999

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Chevrolet Malibu have service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip problems?

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip is the most-reported problem area on the 1997 Chevrolet Malibu: 46 of 443 complaints on file (10.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Chevrolet Malibu have in total?

443 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 22 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, 14 reported injuries, and 2 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.