Chevrolet Malibu Complaints (2011)

978 consumer complaints on file.

#10979587April 20, 2017
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
WHILE TRAVELING AT A SLOW SPEED (BETW 10-20 MPH) ON 3/20/17, THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE, THE SERVICE ESC MESSAGE LIGHT TURNS ON, AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT TURNS ON (WITH MESSAGE THAT CAR WILL POWER DOWN). SO, IF I PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE CAR OFF (BEFORE IT SHUTS DOWN ON IT'S OWN), WAIT 2 MINUTES FOR THE COMPUTER TO RESET, THEN GET RPM UP QUICK (SO THE SPEED IS QUICKLY ABOVE THE 20 MPH), THEN IT IS WOULDN'T DO IT AND I COULD GET IT TO THE MECHANIC. WHEN THE MECHANIC WENT TO CHECK IT, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD, SO NO LUCK WITH COMPUTER SCAN. HE PUT IN NEW BATTERY. SO I DROVE IT AND IT DID IT AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND HE CHECKED IT AND HE REPLACED THE GAS PEDAL (COMPUTER CODE INDICATED A BAD SENSOR). HOWEVER, IT DID NOT TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE. BRAND NEW BATTERY AND STILL DRAINING BATTERY (OVERNIGHT). MECHANIC THINKS A RELAY MAY BE STAYING OPEN SOMEWHERE HOWEVER ISN'T SURE. CURRENTLY NOT DRIVABLE DUE TO THE SHAKING AND THAT SERVICE ESC AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGES COME ON WITH STATEMENT THAT VEHICLE WILL POWER DOWN (WHILE DRIVING). FIRST OCCURRED ON 3/20/2017 AND IS STILL OCCURRING 4/20/2017 (MECHANIC HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIX)! BEEN DEALING WITH A SLOW BATTERY DRAIN SINCE PURCHASED CAR IN JULY 2016. IF DIDN'T DRIVE CAR FOR 5 DAYS, BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD (4TH DAY WAS STILL OK). THEN IN MARCH 2017, OTHER ISSUE STARTED AND THE BATTERY DRAIN BECAME MUCH WORSE. NOW BRAND NEW BATTERY AND WILL DRAIN COMPLETELY DEAD OVERNIGHT. HUGE ELECTRICAL ISSUE. CAR HAS 85,000 MILES ON IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10979389April 19, 2017
STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
HEATING/AIR DOESN'T WANT TO BLOW UNLESS A WINDOW OR SUNROOF IS OPEN AND CAR IS IN MOTION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10978927April 17, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE DASHBOARD SEAT BELT LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF. THE RADIO AT TIMES GOES SILENT. THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OFF AND HAVING TO REPLACE. THE ECM OR ECU HAS WENT OUT. AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ONE. ON THIS WHILE THE CAR IS ON, DRIVING AND STATIONARY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10970606April 4, 2017
POWER TRAIN
ACCORDING TO DEALER, A PRODUCT FAILURE OCCURRED. A PLATE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION BROKE AND DAMAGED 3RD, 4TH AND REAR GEARS. CAR IS ONLY 6 YEARS AND 78,000 MIKES WITH A YRANSMISSION FLUSH AT 60,000. DEALER STATES IT COULDNT BE A BAD FLUSH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10970615April 4, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SPEED SLOW DOWN ON A 55 MPH HIGHWAY TO 10 MPH AND WOULDNT GET NO SPEED AND IT THROTTLE AND SHAKE UNTIL I CAME TO A STOP THE MOST SCARY THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO ME I WENT FROM A FORD TO CHEVY THE MOST STUPID IDEA I COULD'VE EVER DONE AND EVER LIGHT ON DASH BOARD IS ON AND BLINKING TO BRAKE LIGHT,TRACTION LIGHT,ETC LIGHT, RADIO AND CLOCK LIGHTS THE SPEED DOOR AND WINDOW LIGHTS ITS TO MUCH TO DEAL WITH IM AFRAID THAT THIS CAR IS GONNA TAKE MY LIFE FROM ME BUT NOONE CAN FIND NO PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR I'VE GOT AN OIL CHANGE TO SPARK PLUGS AND SO MUCH MORE DONE ON THIS CAR AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED THIS THE FOURTH TIME THIS CAR HAS PUT ME DOWN IN THE SIX MTHS OF ME HAVING THIS CAR SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP I LOVE THE CAR BUT ITS NOT A SAFE CAR TO HAVE AND I CAN EVEN EXCHANGE IT OUT FOR ANOTHER ONE AT LEAST THATS WHAT THE PEOPLE AT THE CAR LOT SAYS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10969798March 31, 2017
SEATS
DRIVER SEAT FRAME BREAKING - NO NOTICE THE DRIVER SEAT RIGHT SIDE SAGS AND IS LOOSE MOVES AROUND. NORMAL GETTING IN AND OUT OF CAR. HAD DEALER LOOK AT IT AND SAID FRAME BROKEN. SEAT NEED TO BE REPLACED 1100.00 VERIFIED SEAT FRAME BROKEN WITH CHEVROLET DEALER IN GA HAZARD DRIVING WHEN DRIVER SEAT FRAME BREAKS WITHOUT NOTICE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10969473March 30, 2017
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE ENGINE STARTS TO SPUTTER , CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OTHER DASH LIGHTS COME ON AND VEHICLE QUITS RUNNING . HAD IT IN CHEVROLET GARAGE AND NO CODE SHOWED UP THEY REPLACED A SENSOR TOLD ME IT WAS FIXED . PROBLEM RETURNED , THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND STILL EXISTS. VERY DANGEROUS. NEVER KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO STALL OUT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10969585March 30, 2017
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE INCIDENT HAPPENED TWICE THUS FAR. ONCE WHILE WAITING AT A LIGHT AND ANOTHER TIME WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT, AS WELL AS THE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS FLASHED ON. THE CAR BEGAN TO REV ERRATICALLY AND ACTUALLY CAUSED THE CAR TO MOVE FORWARD. SOME MESSAGES BEGAN TO COME UP ON THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY AND THE MESSAGE THAT REMAINED WAS ENGINE POWER REDUCED. TRYING TO TAKE OFF FROM THE LIGHT TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OVER THE CAR WAS JERKING AND I COULD BARELY ACCELERATE. WHILE DRIVING THIS SLOWDOWN AND JERKING HAPPENED SUDDENLY AND ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR. AFTER PULLING OVER AND SHUTTING OFF THE CAR THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARS FOR WHILE BEFORE HAPPENING AGAIN. ONCE PARKED, OPENING THE HOOD SHOWED A VIOLENTLY SHAKING ENGINE. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE WITH MALIBU AROUND THAT TIME AND THE MILEAGE I HAVE ON THE CAR (66500). THE CULPRIT APPEARS TO BE A FAULTY THROTTLE BODY, FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHER DRIVERS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10968881March 28, 2017
SEATS
FOR SOMETIME NOW IN THE PAST FEW YEARS WHEN I GET INTO THE DRIVER SEAT IT FEELS LIKE THE SEAT IS SHIFTING TO THE RIGHT. THE ISSUE WAS FELT BUT HAS GOTTEN WORSE AS TIME WENT ON. I DO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT AND I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM AS I AFTER 1-2 YEARS WENT TO THE BACK SEAT TO THE REAR OF THE SEAT AND PUT MY HANDS UNDER THE LOWER RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SEAT AND LIFTED. THE SEAT MOVED! I THEN CALLED CHEVROLET TO SEE IF THEY HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT OR THE FRAME AND I WAS TOLD NO. I THEN TALKED WITH MCDERMOTT AND I WAS TOLD THE SEAT WOULD COST ME CLOSE TO $1,000 DOLLARS. I THEN CONTACTED CNA NATIONAL WARRANTY CORPORATION AND I HAVE BUMPER TO BUMPER COVERAGE THROUGH THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. CNA IS REFUSING TO COVER THE SEAT FRAME BUT WOULD COVER THE SEAT TRACK. I CALLED CHEVROLET AGAIN ON 03/27/2017 AND THEY TOLD ME BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULDN'T COVER THE SEAT? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I HAVE DEALT WITH A DRIVER SEAT BREAKING ON A CHEVROLET PRODUCT. I WEIGH 200LBS AND THE SEAT FRAME SHOULDN'T HAVE BROKEN. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THIS SEAT IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AND MOVEMENT FROM A HUMAN BODY WITH A SEAT BELT? I HAVE A CASE NUMBER FROM CHEVROLET: 2844719955. I'M WORKING ON GETTING A CASE NUMBER FROM CNA TODAY. I HAVE ALSO READ ABOUT THE 2006, 2010, 2011 AND 2012 MALIBU ISSUES WITH CAR SEATS. I NEED THE SEAT REPLACED AND IT HAS DONE SOME DAMAGE TO THE CENTER CONSOLE FROM THE MOVEMENT FROM THE SEAT. THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT CHEVROLET AND CNA IS REFUSING TO FIX.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10968738March 27, 2017
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,260.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10967751March 22, 2017
POWER TRAIN
A KNOWN CHEVROLET ISSUE ON THEIR 2.4 L ENGINE CAUSED FAILURE IN MY AUTOMOBILE WHILE TRAVELLING 70 MPH ON I94 IN MINNESOTA. IF THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP WE MAY HAVE DIED. THIS ISSUE IS KNOWN TO GM AND HAS BEEN ADDRESSED IN OTHER VEHICLES BUT THE MALIBU THEY LEFT OUT. GM WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THIS. THE TIMING CHAIN, OR CHAIN TENSIONER, OR CHAIN GUIDES FAILED CAUSING THE CHAIN TO BREAK AND LOSE POWER WHILE TRAVELLING DOWN THE ROAD. EVERY GM MECHANIC I HAVE TALKED TO AFTER THIS HAPPENED HAS SAID THAT THESE VEHICLES REQUIRE AN OIL CHANGE EVERY 3000 MILES BUT GM STATES DIFFERENTLY. THEY SAY IF YOU FOLLOW GM STANDARDS THIS WILL HAPPEN ALMOST EVERY TIME. VEHICLE HAD UNDER 100,000 MILES ON ON WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND COULD HAVE CAUSED MASS CASUALTY. AGAIN THIS ISSUE IS KNOWN ON GM VEHICLES AND THEY REFUSE TO ADDRESS IT UNTIL MORE PEOPLE WITH A MALIBU COME FORWARD. THIS NEED TO BE RESOLVED AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE TRAVELLING DOWN THE ROADS IN MN. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10967188March 20, 2017
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
REACTOR GEAR BROKE, BLOWING INTO ALL PARTS OF THE TRANSMISSION. BROKE WITH NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, WASN'T ABLE TO SPEED UP OR MOVE OUT OF FIRST GEAR. ALSO WAS NOT ABLE TO REVERSE. RESULTED IN A NEED FOR A TOTAL NEW TRANSMISSION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10958374March 3, 2017
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CHECK LIGHT WITH EVAPORATIVE LEAK AT LESS THAN 5 YEARS AND APPROX 97800 MILES. DEALER REPLACED HEAVILY CORRODED FUEL PUMP MODULE, AND A WEEK LATER THE FUEL TANK ITSELF, ALSO DUE TO HEAVY CORROSION. DEALER PROVIDED DISCOUNTS AND FREE LOANER, I HAVE NO COMPLAINT WITH DEALER. MY COMPLAINT IS WITH CHEVROLET FOR NOT PROPERLY DESIGNING THESE PARTS WHICH WERE HEAVILY CORRODED IN LESS THAN 5 YEARS. I AM OUT A SUBSTANTIAL SUM, ABOUT $1600, AND HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INSTANCE. A FUEL OR VAPOR LEAK IS CERTAINLY DANGEROUS AND I ASSUME IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL EMISSIONS REGS. I HAVE CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY WILL NOT EVEN RESPOND TO EMAIL. I WAS HOPING FOR SOME COMPENSATION AS I AM A LONGTIME/MULTI CHEVY OWNER. WHILE NOT AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY ISSUE, IT SEEMS A FUEL LEAK IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND I WANTED TO LOG A COMPLAINT SO NHTSA CAN DETERMINE IF A MANUFACTURING/DESIGN DEFECT EXISTS. I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE THE ONLY MALIBU WITH THIS PROBLEM. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10957979March 2, 2017
POWER TRAIN, SEATS
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HAS BROKEN. IT IS THE RIGHT SIDE AND IT IS SITTING LOWER THAN THE LEFT SIDE. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN IN ANY VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED. THE OTHER ISSUE IS INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE SHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION. IT IS VERY WORRISOME. WHEN YOU ARE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN/LIGHT OR ANYTHING AND YOU GO TO TAKE OFF IT FEELS LIKE CAR SHUTS DOWN BRIEFLY AND THEN IT KICKS IN. THE PROBLEM CAN NEVER SEEM TO BE REPLICATED AT A DEALERSHIP IMAGINE THAT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10957980March 2, 2017
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE HEADLIGHT BULBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES AND CONTINUE TO BLOW OUT INTERMITTENTLY WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF REPLACEMENT. THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH THE FACTORY INSTALLED HIGH BEAM LAMPS ONLY THE LOW BEAM LAMPS ARE BLOWING OUT AFTER REPLACEMENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10957669February 28, 2017
SEATS
I DID HAVE A RECALL ON THE FRONT SEAT BELTS, NOT SURE IF THE SEATS WERE REMOVED. SINCE THEN THE DRIVERS SEAT FELT AS IF IT WAS CLOSER TO THE CENTER CONSOLE AND LEANING MORE TO THE RIGHT NOT TO MENTION A TOOL (BATTERY POWERED ANGLE DRIVER) WAS FOUND IN THE BACK LEFT SEAT LATER AND RETURNED TO MCDERMOTT. MY SEAT IS LEANING MORE AND MORE AS TIME PASSES AND I WENT TO THE REAR SEAT TO LOOK AT THE DRIVERS SEAT AND THE RIGHT SIDE MOUNTED TO THE FLOOR RAIL IS LIFTING UP? I THE SPOKE WITH CHEVROLET DIRECT ONLINE AND WAS TOLD IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. CAN YOU IMAGINE IF I WAS TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND ME THE SEAT WITH MY SEAT BELT ON WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND MY SEAT IS ALSO DAMAGED FROM THE MOVEMENT, LEATHER SEAT. THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10955645February 20, 2017
ENGINE
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE IN THE 4 CYL. ECHO TECH ENGINE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD US THEY HAVE MANY VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME ENGINE COME IN BUT THE MALIBU HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SAME ENGINE AS THE TRAVERSE RECALLS. NOT REPLACING THE TIMING CHAIN AND PULLEYS WILL RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10955549February 19, 2017
ENGINE
VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING REDUCED POWER TO JUST IDLE WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND SEVERAL ERROR MESSAGES WERE DISPLAYED INCLUDING "REDUCED POWER." I DROVE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AT ONLY 2 MPH AND THEN PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I SHUT THE CAR OFF FOUR (4) TIMES AND THEN THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY. I DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED PROBLEM TO AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AT THE TPS CONNECTOR FOR THE ECM. TSB # PIP5019 (DOC ID#2834731) IDENTIFIES REPAIR PROCEDURE TO REPLACE PINS/CONTACTS FOR THE TPS CONNECTOR. EVIDENCE IDENTIFIES A LATENT MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY REDUCE ENGINE POWER PLACING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS AT GREAT RISK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10954531February 14, 2017
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10949475February 3, 2017
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND IS STAYING ON.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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