Chevrolet Malibu Complaints (2005)

1,301 consumer complaints on file.

#10357354September 24, 2010
STEERING
1. I WAS PASSING A CAR UP HILL ON A CURVE IN THE ROAD. WHEN I ACCELERATE HARD I LOSS MY POWER STEERING. I HAD TO APPLIED MORE PRESSURE ON THE WHEEL TO GET AROUND THE CAR I WAS PASSING BUT HALF WAY AROUND THE CAR THE POWER STEERING KICKED BACK IN BUT BECAUSE OF THE EXTRA PRESSURE I WAS APPLYING ON THE STEERING WHEEL I OVER STEERED AND ALMOST HIT THE GUARD RAIL. THIS WAS ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY IN THE NEW YORK CITY AREA AND EVERYONE WAS TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED. 2. I EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL INPUT SIGNALS WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY. 3. GM SENT A LETTER TOO MY HOME STATING THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL ONLY FIX IT IF THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. MY CAR IS OVER THAT LIMIT. GM SAYS IT IS NOT A RECALL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE POWER STEERING CUTS OUT AT HIGH SPEEDS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10357005September 22, 2010
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEN HITTING A ROUGH SPOT OR BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE TIE RODS BUT THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. A NEW STEERING UNIT WAS INSTALLED AND THIS SEEMED TO RESOLVE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 12/22/10 *BF THE OUTER TIE ROD WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 12/30/10*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10357034September 22, 2010
STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE IN THE STEERING FOR A WHILE. ON JULY 24, 2010 WHILE REVERSING INTO A PARKING SPACE, AND THEN MOVING FORWARD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN A STRAIGHT LINE THE POWER STEERING FAILED. SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A CURVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE GARAGE, DIAGNOSTIC TESTING LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE STEERING SHAFT AND GEAR BOX. THE STEERING SHAFT AND GEAR BOX WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR, BECAUSE THE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED WERE NOT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,849 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,300.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356771September 21, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TURN SIGNAL ON MY 2005 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX. JUST LIKE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINT ON THIS SITE I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BULBS MONTHLY IF NOT WEEKLY. I HAVE DISCOLERATION ON THE RIGHT FRONT LIGHT HOUSING FROM HEAT AND SOMETIMES SMELL THE SMELL OF SOMETHING ELECTRIC BURNING ALWAYS COMING FROM THE RECENTLY BURNED OUT BULB. DEALER WILL DO NOTHING BECAUSE CAR IS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356536September 20, 2010
STEERING
I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 40MPH AND A WARNING "POWER STEERING "SHOWED UP ON THE DRIVERS INFORMATION CENTER. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER. I PULLED OVER SHUT OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 OTHER TIMES UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356246September 18, 2010
STEERING
SAFETY ISSUE WITH 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. BECAUSE OF A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH STEERING AND SUSPENSION, I HAVE HAD FOUR CERTIFIED MECHANICS INSPECT THE CAR. THREE FOUND THAT THE STEERING RACK IS DEFECTIVE; ONE FOUND THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT IS DEFECTIVE. NEITHER SHOULD BE DEFECTIVE ON A CAR WITH 57K MILES. THE ONLY WAY THAT THE STEERING RACK COULD BE DEFECTIVE IS IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAT TREATMENT DURING MANUFACTURE; THIS WOULD IMPLY THAT THE ENTIRE BATCH IS DEFECTIVE. SIMILARLY, THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT IS A THICK PIECE OF SHEET METAL THAT SHOULD NOT BE DEFECTIVE WITH LOW MILEAGE. THE PROBLEM(S) HAS BEEN REPORTED TO GENERAL MOTORS, WHO HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO REPEATED CONTACTS. BECAUSE THE MECHANICS DO NOT AGREE, I WILL HAVE THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACED TO SEE IF THAT SOLVES THE PROBLEM. IF NOT, THEN I WILL REPLACE THE STEERING RACK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355552September 14, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FRONT RIGHT DRL BULB KEEPS GOING OUT.. WHEN REPLACED I NOTICED THE SOCKET APPEARS TO BE BAD AND THE AMBER CASING IS MELTED. THE LIGHT HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355605September 14, 2010
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN WHEN THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME INCREASINGLY HARD. THE CONTACT WAS BARELY ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO AVOID A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OVER 100,000 MILES, THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353453September 2, 2010
STEERING
STEERING ISSUES WITH THE CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT, BRAND NEW. TOOK IT TO A GARAGE TWICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THESE PARTICULAR CARS WERE HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING. TODAY MY POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILED AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. I SEE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE ON THE INTERNET BUT STILL NOT RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353424September 1, 2010
STEERING
I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CHEVY ABOUT ELECTRIC POWER STEERING LOSS ON CHEVY MALIBU. THE LETTER SAID THAT NOT TO TAKE TO DEALER UNLESS YOU ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. I WASN'T UNTIL YESTERDAY. WHILE TAKING MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, THERE WAS LOSS OF STEERING, IT LOCKED DOWN, AND POWER STEERING WAS DISPLAYED IN THE INFORMATION CENTER. I CALL CHEVY AND NOW THEY SAY IT DON'T APPLY TO ME BECAUSE MY CAR IS OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AS AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ONLINE THERE ARE MANY REPORTED CASES OF LOSS OF STEERING BUT CHEVY WILL NOT FIX BECAUSE OF BEING OVER MILEAGE. I THOUGHT WITH IT POSSIBLY ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE RIDING IN THE CAR THAT IT WOULD BE FIXED REGARDLESS. THE STEERING LOCKS DOWN AND THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE CONTROLLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353087August 31, 2010
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE POWER STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM CHEVROLET IN AUGUST 2010 THAT SPECIFIED IF THE VEHICLE WAS OVER 100,000 MILES THE STEERING FAILURE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT EXPLAINED TO GENERAL MOTORS THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BEFORE THE 100,000 MILES, BUT HE COULD NOT HAVE THE REPAIR DONE; THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE SHOULD REPAIRED BY GENERAL MOTORS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 115,000. UPDATED 12/15/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER SENT IN A RECALL NOTICE ALONG WITH HIS COMPLAINT REGARDING THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. UPDATED 12/27/10
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353093August 31, 2010
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHEN THE WHEEL TURNED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THAT SHE WAS TURNING IN. THE POWER STEERING ALARM ALSO FAILED AND THE WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER. SPEED DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A FACTOR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING HARNESS AND COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10352567August 29, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FRONT TURN SIGNALS AND HEADLIGHTS BURN OUR REGULARLY HAVE REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 18 TO DATE. THE AMBER LENS ARE MELTED. GM STATES ESTIMATED $700 TO REPAIR. PLEASE NOTE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS POST ON SEVERAL WEB SITES. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO ISOLATED INCIDENT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I NOTICED MAY BE ON OTHER RECALL FOR SAME ISSUE, DIFFERENT MODEL YEAR?? TIRED OF REPLACING BULBS MAY BE A SOCKET FAILURE AND CIRCUIT BOARD FAILURE. GM REPORTEDLY HAS ISSUED TECH. BULLETIN BUT, HAVE NOT RECEIVED NOTICE OF ITS PUBLICATION. AGAIN OTHER OWNERS HAVING SAME ISSUE REPORTEDLY. REPORTEDLY, GM IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THIS ISSUE STARTED JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. ON MY WAY TO THE STORE TO BUY MORE BULBS. TIRED OF BUYING BULBS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10352287August 27, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS WITH 3.5 V6 ENGINE. FUEL GAUGE READS EMPTY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AFTER EVERY REFILL OF FUEL TANK. PROBLEM HAS BEEN CONTINUAL SINCE 7/12/ 2010. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10351736August 25, 2010
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY STIFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HER RESIDENCE AT LESS THAN 40 MPH. THE DEALER ADVISED HER THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN SIX MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE RELATED TO THE RACK AND PINION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE RECEIVED AN UNKNOWN RECALL FOR THE RACK AND PINION AND WHEN TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE RECALL WOULD NOT BE HONORED DUE TO THE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 230,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10351304August 23, 2010
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH MY 05 MALIBU MAXX.THE POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING OUT-CHEVY IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE ENGINE HAS TROUBLE STARTING. THE REAR WIPER GOES BY ITSELF WITHOUT ANYONE TOUCHING THE CONTROL-MOST RECENT EVENT, HAPPENS EVERY FEW DAYS 1 OR 2 TIMES. I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE STARTING FROM THE BEGINNING OF OWNERSHIP. THE POWER STEERING ISSUE HAS BEEN OVER THE PAST MONTH. SOMETIMES THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON FIRST, USUALLY NOT. I HAVE NOT PAID TO HAVE ANY WORK DONE, BUT HAVE CONTACTED CHEVY'S CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD, THAT THEY WOULD MAKE A RECORD OF IT. RESTARTING THE CAR USUALLY FIXES THE POWER STEERING TEMPORARILY. I HAVE TO CHANGE THE BRAKES ONCE A MONTH, SO THEY DON'T DESTROY MY ROTORS. POWER STEERING SEEMS TO GO OUT MORE OFTEN WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350640August 19, 2010
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH, THE POWER STEERING ON OUR CAR STOPPED WORKING MAKING STEERING VERY DIFFICULT. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND HE HAD TROUBLE STEERING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT, AND THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. WITHIN A 2 MILE SPAN, THIS OCCURRED TWICE. I ASKED MY KIDS AND HUSBAND HOW OFTEN THIS HAPPENS, AND IT'S EVERY TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN. IF MY HUSBAND HAD TROUBLE STEERING WHEN THE POWER STEERING STOPS, IT MUST BE EVEN WORSE FOR MY 2 GIRLS. IF THIS OCCURS ON THE HIGHWAY, THERE COULD EASILY BE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I LOOKED ONLINE AND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR IT BUT IT NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. I READ THAT MAZDA3 AND MAZDA 5 CARS ARE BEING RECALLED FOR POWER STEERING FAILURE. WHY HAVEN'T CHEVY MALIBUS BEEN RECALLED? PLEASE HELP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350645August 19, 2010
STEERING
I HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU AND THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON MY CAR EXACTLY ONE WEEK AFTER CHEVROLET SENT ME A LETTER INFORMING ME OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THEY ARE REFUSING TO COVER THIS REPAIR BECAUSE MY CAR HAS 130,000 MILES, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE ALL HIGHWAY MILES BECAUSE I WORK AN HOUR AWAY FROM MY HOME AND MY CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. I AM A LOYAL GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I WORK FOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY, AND THIS IS MY THIRD BRAND NEW GENERAL MOTORS CAR THAT I HAVE PURCHASED, MY HUSBAND HAS AS WELL PURCHASED AT LEAST 10-15 BRAND NEW CARS THROUGH GENERAL MOTORS. I AM A VERY UNHAPPY CUSTOMER AND I WILL NO LONGER BE PURCHASING ANY CARS FROM YOUR COMPANY IN THE FUTURE IF THIS IS HOW LOYAL CUSTOMERS ARE TREATED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350680August 19, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
SINCE THE NEW PURCHASE OF MY 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU, THE TURN-SIGNAL AND BRAKE-LIGHT BULBS HAVE FAILED 30+ TIMES. MOST FAILURES HAVE BEEN AT THE BASE OF BULB WHERE WIRES CONTACT BULB SOCKET CONDUCTORS. WHEN THE DEALER WAS ASKED TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND HAD NO SERVICE BULLETIN PERTAINING TO THIS PROBLEM! I HAVE BEEN STOPPED BY POLICE MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAVE HAD NEAR-MISS INCIDENTS DUE TO OTHER DRIVERS NOT SEEING MY TURN SIGNAL OR BRAKE LIGHT. UPON APPROACHING MY VEHICLE AFTER USING REMOTE UNLOCK, THERE WERE FLAMES VISIBLE IN THE HEADLAMP HOUSING AT THE AMBER LENS AREA. TWO YEARS AGO I FOUND AN OBSCURE GM SERVICE NOTICE PERTAINING TO REPLACING THE TURN SIGNAL BULB SOCKET. I PURCHACED THE SPECIFIED PARTS AND REPLACED THEM AS INSTRUCTED IN THIS BULLETIN. ( I AM A CERTIFIED MASTER MECHANIC) I CURRENTLY CARRY THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND BULBS TO REPLACE THESE BULBS AS IT IS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE, BUT MY WIFE IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350230August 18, 2010
STEERING
THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR MORE THAN 6 MONTHS NOW, POSSIBLY A YEAR. HARD TO DETERMINE AS IT WAS VERY INCONSISTENT AT FIRST. OCCURS MORE OFTEN NOW. WHEN ACCELERATING, GENERALLY OVER 3000 RPM'S (THINK PASSING ON FREEWAY OR LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC) THE STEERING WILL FREEZE FOR A FEW SECONDS. THERE IS ALSO A TRIPLE BELL SOUND AND THE MESSAGE CENTER WILL DISPLAY "POWER STEERING". IN 12/2007 I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM SAYING THEY WILL FIX THE PROBLEM WITH THE "POWER STEERING ASSIST" IF WITHIN 7 YEARS OR 70,000 MILES. I DID NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM PLUS I WAS OVER MILES STATED. THIS WEEK I RECEIVED A SIMILAR LETTER SAYING THE SAME, THAT THEY WOULD FIX THE STEERING IF UNDER 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES. AGAIN I AM OVER MILES(BY 7000 MILES). I CALLED TO CONFIRM AND WAS TOLD THAT THEIR POLICY WAS VERY STRICT AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HELP ME. OBVIOUSLY THEY KNOW OF THE ISSUE AND ARE JUST TRYING TO PAY AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE IN REPAIR/REPLACEMENT COSTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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