This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
In Feb 2009 I was pulling into a parking space and my car accelerated but I was able to stop before hitting the car next to me. The same thing happened a few days later. Then again, on February 17, 2009, pulling into a parking space the car accelerated and I could not get the car to stop. I jumped a curb and went into a grassy area and finally got the car stopped. I had it towed to the dealer. The mechanics could not find anything wrong. They told me it was probably the floor mat under the accelerator pedal. However, on July 7, 2010, pulling into a parking space the car accelerated and I jumped a curb. After jumping the curb, I narrowly missed an electrical box and utility pole. I had the car towed to the dealer again. I was told it was a worn cable which they told me needed to be replaced. I am concerned that this will not fix the problem since other Malibu owners have experienced the same problem yet there is no recall for our particular model number regarding the vehicle speed control accelerator pedal. I called the Chevrolet consumer number, but was told that until there are enough complaints to warrant a recall for my model "they" are not responsible for any repairs.
Accelerator does not respond when you remove your foot from the gas pedal. This situation occurs after the car has been setting in the sun. It has happened three times during the past week. The car was repaired for this condition in 2005 as part of the recall program. It evidently didn't fix the problem.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. She stated she depressed the brakes and when she removed her foot from the pedal, the vehicle began to abnormally accelerate. She put the vehicle into neutral and depressed the accelerator. The vehicle stopped revving and she used extreme force to depress the brakes until the vehicle began to decrease in speed. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. There were no repairs made to the vehicle. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 71,739.
My 2003 Chevy Malibu began idling very high while driving, causing it to be difficult to control. It was a hot day when it happened and I almost was in an accident. I found a recall on line NHTSA campaign # 04V528000 which was exactly the problem I was having with my vehicle. My VIN number was not on the recall list according to GM. My mechanic performed the test on the accelerator and brake assembly and it failed. The accelerator would not return to the engine idle position when my foot was off the accelerator pedal- it would go 35 miles per hour without my foot on the accelerator- very dangerous. My mechanic replace the accelerator and brake assembly, and gave me the part. They suggested I pursue through GM. I did so, case #71-827370783. I received a call today from GM stating they would not pay for the repair since it wasn't part of the recall, regardless of the fact that it was a defective item, not a wear and tear item, and further, very dangerous. I think there should be a new recall for the rest of the 2003 Chevy Malibu that were not on the original list- they obviously missed some vehicles that were affected. This happened very suddenly and I was lucky I didn't kill someone or get killed myself.
2003 Chevrolet Malibu accelerates without assistance about 1 month ago (March 2010). Taken to mechanic and when tested there weren't any codes. Also the engine light didn't come on. So a road test was done and the iac sensor was diagnosed as the problem. The iac sensor was replaced but the problem hasn't stopped. So the tps (throttle position sensor) tested over 2 volts and when tested going the other way it tested at.63 volts. So the mechanic also replaced the tps but the car is still idling high without assistance. Unable to fix so I took my car to a local Chevrolet dealer and they too were unable diagnose the problem. They said they checked the vacuum hoses, the parts put in by my mechanic, and other diagnostic test (not sure what) and still no resolution. Now the car speeds down the street, when stopped in park, neutral, & drive idles at 3000 and hard for the brakes to hold, and when the gas is pushed the car acts as if it wants to cut off. Not sure if the old part are available can contact mechanic to verify. This problem happens every time the car is driven but is worse when the car is hot. I don't know what to do especially since the Chevrolet dealership was unable to locate the problem.
- St. Petersburg, FL, USA
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2003 Malibu accelerator stuck to floor when car was in heavy traffic. The car was checked for this problem during a recall in 2005 and it was determined by the dealer that my car did not have this particular problem. It has happened twice since then, as recently as last week. I took the car to a GM dealer to have the problem repaired and they said it was no longer under the recall because I had already had it checked. They now tell me it is a result of wear and tear.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. During warm weather or when the vehicle has been parked outside in the heat, the accelerator would stick. The contact must use her other foot to release the pedal. The vehicle was previously repaired according to NHTSA campaign id number 04V528000 (vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal). The current mileage was 36,000 and failure mileage was 28,000.
Took the car to the service station for maintenance. When I pull into the drive way of the service station the car accelerated by itself. I ran into the door and the building. I turned the ignition off and inspected the damage to the car and the building. The car had some scratches and damage to the front bumper. The building damage was superficial. The service station did the maintenance and repaired the faulty acceleration cable. I remembered later that there was a recall service that was done in 2005 on this vehicle. This also happen again, I had it repaired again. I am concerned that the car is unsafe.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. On May 25, 2008, while driving 40 mph, the vehicle began accelerating faster than normal. The contact had to merge out of traffic. She could not feel the brakes working and sped through a stop sign. She drove into a parking lot to avoid crashing into other vehicles. The vehicle finally stopped when it crashed into an embankment. The front driver's side air bag failed to deploy. The vehicle was taken to the body shop to replace the driver's side door and headlamp. The manufacturer stated that an investigator would investigate the failure. They are currently stating that due to the body work that was performed on the vehicle, they will not investigate the acceleration failure, only the air bag failure. The contact has a back injury that was aggravated due to the crash. A police report was filed. The failure and current mileages were 24,000.
About two years ago when it started getting humid, I would be driving at a constant speed, and all of a sudden I would begin to speed up. I would let off the accelerator, and the car would continue to gain speed. When I tried to come to a stop, the car still wanted to go forward, and the RPM was stuck at 1.5. I need to stick my foot under the accelerator pedal to lift it up, as if it gets stuck. It typically doesn't do it in the winter months, but does it all summer long, especially on hot, humid days. I've also had problems with blinker noise: I will be driving down the road, and for no particular reason, I will hear the noise it makes when signaling. My turning lights don't come on, but it does make the noise and has continued to do it excessively for periods of 10 minutes or longer. My car has also started to make a dinging noise, as if a door were open, as I'm driving along....extremely annoying!!
While driving consumer was entering a parking space and vehicle accelerated at a very high speed, leaving skid marks in the parking space where she was trying to park. Then, vehicle jumped the curb and hit a tree. Upon impact, the air bags did not deploy. The consumer was injured.
While exiting the freeway the vehicle began to accelerate on its own. From 50 to 90 mph. The driver tapped the brake and the engine speed increased even more. As a result driver lost control of vehicle. The consumer stated the incident has happened before.
While pulling inside of a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated uncontrollably. The consumer put both feet on the brake pedal and the vehicle continued to accelerate. The accelerator pedal was stuck to the floor. This caused the consumer's vehicle to hit another vehicle. Upon impact, both frontal air bags did not deploy. No injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection. The vehicle was taken to the service dealer on four occasions. This problem remained the same. GM would not take responsibility.
While vehicle was parked, and consumer's foot was on the brakes vehicle surged forward. Vehicle's front end collided with a cement pole, dividing the parking lot. There were no injuries involved nor did the police arrive. The next day the same thing occurred, but applying the brakes prevented another collision.
Vehicle lurched forward twice while car was coasting towards a red light. The consumer was slowing the vehicle for a stop light. When the consumer's foot was taken off the brake pedal the vehicle accelerated to 40 mph while the consumer pressing the accelerator. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem.
For several days the throttle has been sticking during acceleration. When the vehicle was taken to the dealer, they could not reproduce the occurrence nor find any problem. The problem still persists.
Consumer complained that in the last three days while driving at any speed vehicle experienced sudden acceleration. Dealer inspected vehicle, and could not duplicate or correct the problem. First episode of vehicle accelerating suddenly, vehicle accelerated to 70 mph, and consumer had to apply the brakes to the floor to stop the vehicle. In addition, due to its sudden acceleration, brake rotors had warped. In addition, there's an intermittent sticking of the throttle.
While driving 30 mph and without warning vehicle suddenly accelerated. Driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. Mechanic replaced the speed sensor. Then, driver drove the vehicle from the dealer, and the problem still occurred.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Waco, TX, USA