Chevrolet Malibu Complaints (2005)

1,301 consumer complaints on file.

#10322359March 26, 2010
STEERING
I HAVE A 2005 CHEVY MALIBU, PURCHASED IT IN JUN 2005 USED. JUMPING FORWARD, NOV 25, 2008, I WAS DRIVING HOME AND MY STEERING WHEEL "SNAPPED" AND "POPPED" AND WAS STILL GOING AROUND IN A CIRCLE, WHILE CAR WAS STILL GOING STRAIGHT. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED, AND COME TO FIND OUT, THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE FIXED. GOT THAT DONE. THEN, AUGUST 2008, ENGINE GOES OUT. MIND YOU, BOTH INSTANCES, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THAT MODEL CAR. GOT THE ENGINE FIXED. NOW, 3/26/2010, IM DRIVING AND THE POWER STEERING LOCKS UP! I HAVE CONTACTED CHEVROLET ABOUT THESE INCIDENTS, AND THEY WERE NO HELP. JUST TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP. WELL, TODAY, I FOUND OUT ON THE WEB THAT THERE HAD BEEN A SPECIAL RECALL ON MY MODEL CAR, BETWEEN A CERTAIN VIN NUMBER, AND THIS WAS AROUND THE TIME MY STEERING WENT OUT BEFORE. WHEN ASKING THE REP "ISABEL" HOW CAN THEY ISSUE RECALLS AND NOT MAIL THEM TO CONSUMERS, SHE TOLD ME THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO , IF THEY WERE SPECIAL NOTIFICATIONS. HOW WOULD THE CONSUMER KNOW THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE ISSUE IF WE ARE NOT NOTIFIED? SHE THEN PROCEEDS TO TELL ME ABOUT A NEW SPECIAL NOTIFICATION ON THIS SAME CAR ON THE FUEL CAPS! MY LIFE IS AT STAKE IN THIS CAR, AND GM IS AWARE OF THESE ISSUES, BUT NO HELP. I ALSO NOTICED ON THE WEB TODAY THAT THERE ARE MANY CUSTOMERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE POWER STEERING ISSUES ON THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE, MOST ARE THE SAME YEAR, AND GM IS NOT WILLING TO ASSIST! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321999March 24, 2010
TIRES
2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU, RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. *BF THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A MEDIAN WALL. OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT # 10-0677-90. *JB UPDATED 04/14/10 *BF
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321529March 23, 2010
STEERING
I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHERE I HAVE HAD A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. A MESSAGE WILL POP UP ON MY DIC SAYING "POWER STEERING" QUITE OFTEN BUT ONLY OCCASIONALLY I WILL HAVE NO STEERING AT ALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321679March 23, 2010
STEERING
WE LOSE POWER STEERING WITH NO WARNING ON OUR 2005 CHEVY MALIBU- ONCE/WEEK. WE BROUGHT IT INTO OUR LOCAL DEALER AND THEY TOLD US IT WAS NOT COVERED AND WOULD COST $1200 TO REPAIR. THE DEALER HOWEVER SHOWED US A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT SHOWED THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM ON MALIBUS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321360March 22, 2010
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATING THAT THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED MAKING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT HAS RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER BUT DUE TO THE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE THE RECALL WAS VOID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS SINCE THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR HIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321164March 20, 2010
STEERING
HAD TO HAVE THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT REPLACED ON MY 2005 MALIBU AT 9,923 MILES AND 23 MONTHS. LUCKILY THE 3 YEARS OR 36,000 COVERED THAT. HAD TO HAVE THAT SHAFT REPLACED 10,658 MILES, AND 34 MONTHS LATER. "OUT OF WARRANTY" HAD TO PAY EVEN THOUGHT THE PART WAS "YOUNGER" THAN THE WARRANTY WHEN IT WAS NEW. IT BEING PUT IN NEW AT 9,923 MILES WAS NOT A FACTOR. LOOKS LIKE NEW SHAFT - NO PUN INTENDED - EVERY 10,000 MILES AS LONG AS I OWN THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320825March 19, 2010
SEATS
AFTER TURNING A CORNER GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT. I FOUND THAT FRONT DRIVER MAIN SEAT FRAME WELD BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO SAG TO THE RIGHT. WITH ONLY TWO BRACKETS THAT HOLD UP THE POWER SEAT MOTORS, THAT IF THE OTHER ONE BREAKS THEN THE SEAT MAY FELL TO THE FLOOR AND CAUSE THE DRIVE TO JERK THE WHEEL. IT LOOKS LIKE A POOR WELD JOB FROM THE FACTORY. I HAVE NOT HAD THE PART REPLACE, THE BRACKET IS PART OF THE SEAT FRAME AND THE COST WOULD BE ABOUT $1000.00 USD TO FIX AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321075March 19, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE ON MY 2005 MALIBU MAXX. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10319993March 15, 2010
STEERING
MY 2005 MALIBU MAXX'S POWER STEERING HAS CONTINUED TO WORSEN LATELY. I HAS BEEN COMING AND GOING, AND AT TIMES IT HAS BEEN RATHER HARD TO STEER AT LOWER SPEEDS FOR MY WIFE. IT HAS ALSO RATTLED RIDICULOUSLY WHEN BRAKING. THIS IS NOT RELATED TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM, BUT IS IN THE STEERING SECTION OF THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10319109March 12, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I OWN A 2005 CHEVY MALIBU. AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES I BEGAN TO NOTICE A BURNING SMELL. IT SMELLED LIKE HOT, BURNING PLASTIC. WHILE TRYING TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL, I NOTICED MY DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRL) WERE MELTING AND CHARRED. THE HOUSING ALSO APPEARED TO HAVE SMOKE DAMAGE AND WAS VERY HAZY. IN THE TIME SINCE I NOTICED THE PROBLEM, VISIBILITY HAS GONE DONE SIGNIFICANTLY. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE ON-GOING RATHER THAN A ONE TIME OCCURRENCE. I WENT TO A CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY NO IDEA WHAT WOULD CAUSE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED SINCE, BECAUSE AFTER DOING INTERNET RESEARCH, IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH MANY '05 MALIBUS. I THEN CALLED THE GM HELP LINE WHERE THEY ASKED A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE I HAD IT REPAIRED. THEY THEN TOLD THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I DECIDED AFTER THAT ( AT ABOUT 120,000) I WOULD REPLACE THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, HOPING THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. ONE DAY AFTER INSTALLING THE NEW ASSEMBLY, THE SAME MELTING AND CHARRING BEGAN TO OCCUR. AT THIS POINT, I AM UNSURE AS TO WHAT TO DO NEXT. IT IS OBVIOUSLY MORE THAN JUST A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHT SINCE IT HAPPENED AFTER REPLACING THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY. IT ALSO SEEMS TO BE MORE THAN JUST AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH MY VEHICLE SINCE IT TOOK NO TIME TO FIND MANY MALIBUS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT GM NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE GREATER AND PROVIDE A DESIRABLE SOLUTION FOR ALL MALIBU OWNERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10318491March 10, 2010
STEERING
SINCE 2006 POWER STEERING GOES OUT AT DIFFERENT TIMES. CHEVROLET REPLACED POWER STEERING TWICE IN 2007 AND IT WORKED FOR A SHORT TIME. WE HAVE REPORTED IT AGAIN 2010 BECAUSE IT WENT OUT AT AN INTERSECTION, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, SHUT OFF ENGINE AND RESTARTED, POWER STEERING RESET. IT STILL GOES OUT MAYBE ONCE A WEEK. CHEVROLET IN MT. HOME, AR IS RESEARCHING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10318584March 10, 2010
STEERING
STEERING LOSS 2005 MALIBU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10318230March 9, 2010
STEERING
THE POWER STEERING ON MY CHEVY MALIBU 2005 HAS ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS STOPPED WORKING. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE "SERVICE POWER STEERING" LIGHT CAME ON. ON THE FIRST OCCASION, I WENT UNDER THE HOOD AND READ MY SERVICE MANUAL AND ULTIMATELY WENT ONLINE TO FIND OUT THAT MALIBU'S DON'T TAKE POWER STEERING FLUID AND INSTEAD HAVE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING. DURING BOTH INCIDENTS, I WAS UNABLE TO TURN. FORTUNATELY, DURING BOTH INCIDENTS I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SAFETY, TURN OFF MY CAR AND RESTART IT. THANKFULLY, I WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY OR TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. UPON RESTARTING THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING BEGAN WORKING AGAIN. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS IN OCTOBER 2009. THE SECOND WAS IN FEBRUARY 2010. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317340March 6, 2010
STEERING
MY 2005 CHEVY MALIBU SOMETIMES LOSES POWER STEERING. WHEN I WAS DRIVING, THE "POWER STEERING" MESSAGE SUDDENLY APPEARS WITH A SOUND AND I HAVE NO POWER STEERING IN MY CAR. IT WAS VERY HARD FOR ME TO MAKE TURNS BECAUSE THE WHEEL WAS STIFF. I TURNED OFF MY CAR, WAITED A MOMENT, AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON. IT WAS JUST A TEMPORARY FIX. IF I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGH WAY AND CANNOT CONTROL MY CAR, IT COULD BE DEADLY. I SEARCHED ONLINE, AND A LOT OF OWNERS ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317338March 6, 2010
STEERING
THE CAR MAKES NOISES EVERY TIME WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEED. IT IS DUE TO A DEFECT DESIGN OF INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. MOST 2005 MALIBU HAVE THIS PROBLEM. A LOT OF COMPLAINS CAN BE SEEN AT HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/CHEVROLET/MALIBU/2005/STEERING/POPPING_FROM_STEERING_WHEN_TURNING.SHTML. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317295March 6, 2010
STEERING
I HAVE POSTED ON THIS SITE 2 TIMES NOW WITH BOTH ABOUT THE "POWER STEERING" OR LACK THERE OF. I HAVE BEEN BATTLING THIS FOR 70,000 MILES! I CAN TELL YOU ALL THAT IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE TO THE POINT OF YOU WILL GO DAYS WITHOUT POWER STEERING. IT WILL GO OUT EVERYTIME YOU START THE CAR WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE IS ABOVE 60 DEGREES AND WORKS BEST WHEN IT IS BELOW FREEZING. IT WILL GO OUT WHEN YOUR JUST DRIVING DOWN THE STREET STRAIGHT AHEAD OR WHEN YOUR TURNING, IT BECOMES A CONSTANT WORRY WHILE DRIVING. TO SAY THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. THE REPORT I READ SAY THERE HAVE BEEN ONLY 14 ACCIDENTS AND 1 DEATH CAUSED BY THIS PROBLEM, I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT IT HAS TAKEN THEM THIS LONG TO ISSUE THE RECALL. AND IT'S ONLY THE COBALT? I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR THE PROBLEM ORIGINALLY IN 2008 AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO FIX IT. I COULD GO ON AND ON BUT WILL BITE MY TONGUE NOW. GM, YOU NEED TO OWN UP TO THIS AND TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE THAT PAY YOUR SALARIES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317057March 5, 2010
STEERING
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE GM DO CONCERNING 2005 MALIBU MAXX STEERING SYSTEM. POWER ASSIST PUMPS FAILING, STEERING SHAFTS, ETC. MINE STARTED THE CLUNKING NOISE AND GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND OF COURSE IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY, WHICH IS WHAT GM DESIRES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317171March 5, 2010
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE STEERING FAILS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. SHE WILL SEE THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED BEFORE THE FAILURES OCCURS. THE STEERING SHAKES AND IS HARD TO TURN. SHE TURNS THE VEHICLE OFF AND THE STEERING RESETS BACK TO NORMAL. SHE HAD A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND THEY STATED THE STEERING CONSOLE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACE. THE DEALER ESTIMATED COST FOR REPAIR WAS $800.00. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317210March 5, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A CARPORT. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT BOTH HEAD LAMPS EXHIBITED HEAT DAMAGE WITH A BLACK DISCOLORATION. THE EXTERIOR HEAD LAMP HOUSING COMPLETELY BURNED OUT WHICH RESULTED IN A HOLE. THE COLD WEATHER TEMPERATURES WERE NOT A FACTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BULBS IN THE HEAD LAMPS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10316773March 4, 2010
STEERING
THE 2005 CHEVY MALIBU HAS A WEAKNESS IN ITS STEERING COMPONENTS SIMILAR TO THE OTHER GM VEHICLES THAT ARE UNDER GM'S VOLUNTARY RECALL. THE TOP COMPLAINT ON THE MALIBU IF ONE REVIEWS VARIOUS WEBSITES IS THE STEERING BY A VERY WIDE MARGIN. I BOUGHT MY MALIBU NEW IN MAY OF 2005. ONE YEAR LATER THEY REPLACED A GEAR BECAUSE OF THE NOISE IT BADE TURNING AND LOOSENESS OF THE STEERING. 9 MONTHS LATER THE STEERING HAD A PROBLEM AGAIN AND AGAIN IN 2007. THAT TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE WHOLE STEERING ASSEMBLY. MY CAR IS AGAIN STARTING TO MAKE THE POPPING NOISE WHICH IS AN INDICATION THAT THE ISSUE IS RETURNING AGAIN. EVEN THOUGHT GM KEEPS REPLACING PARTS THE PROBLEM KEEPS RETURNING. STEERING SHOULD NOT NEED REPAIRING 4 TIMES IN LESS THEN 5 YEARS. THE DANGER IS AS REPORTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES IS THAT IT CAN FAIL COMPLETELY AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. MINE HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT WE SHOULD NOT WAIT UNTIL IT DOES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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