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9.2

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$630
Average Mileage:
95,100 miles
Total Complaints:
5 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (3 reports)
  2. replace pcm (1 reports)
  3. two small wires cut in the drive shaft console (1 reports)
2004 Chevrolet Malibu engine problems

engine problem

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2004 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments

problem #5

Jan 162015

Malibu 6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 96,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2004 Chevrolet Malibu 4 door...when driving on highway all dashboard lights started flashing, then engine light started flashing. Then car shut down lost all power for few moments, but car started up after a few minutes. (all this started after I took my vehicle in to have all recalls for my car done by dealership) The engine light stayed on for 24 hours then went off....this happened a couple of times, then I decided to park car until I could find out what is the problem was. Took car to dealership. They diagnosed problem as having bad PCM which needs to be replace which is the main computer of the car.

- dianegeorgia, Decatur, GA, US

problem #4

Oct 092012

Malibu LX 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 150,000 miles

Do not buy a chevy. Too many issues to note........

- Will K., Burr Oak, Mi - Michigan, US

problem #3

Jan 012012

Malibu EX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

we started having a lot of different problems, such as check engine light would go on and off, engine would turn really rough, car would not accelerate properly, at one point car would not advance at all (gas pedal to the floor but just would not go), our mechanic told us it was the throttle body so we changed it. did not help then he said we had to change the gas pedal and recode the computer. before doing all that, we had it checked out by a specialist at gm. he put it on the computer and it gave us about 250 different problems with the car, ex; transmission solenoid to be changed,spark plugs, wiring,internal sensors etc.. we thought the car was finished until the mechanic said he had seen this before and he was right. he took apart the shifter console and found 2 wires that were cut. put them back and the car runs like new. If it not had been for one really competent guy, it would have cost us a fortune and we would have gotten rid of the car. apparently these wires are too short to begin with and with time they break.

hope this can help someone else because we were really discouraged. My daughter has a Malibu and trust me that will be the first thing we check if her car starts going haywire.

- denyse, Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada

problem #2

Dec 012010

Malibu LS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 127,000 miles

just need answer on how to repair. is it necessary to repair this problem or will engine problems result from not repairing

- Philip H., Lenoir City, 53, US

problem #1

Mar 152007

(reported on)

Malibu

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,350 miles

This light had been going on & off for weird things, like using the cruise control, rolling down the windows, turning on the radio, using the air/heater, using the high beams, etc.

I had a quote for what they thought was wrong, the BCM or Body Control Module, which was going to be $600 about 2 weeks ago. I didn't have it fixed at that time & they said it would need to be replaced soon within then next few months or it would cause the computer system to fully crash.

Well my car just died tonight on my way to work, only 2 weeks after the diagnosis. Everything just shut off except the headlights & the clock. Luckily I wasn't on to major of a highway, but it was still pretty scary! We were going to trade it in last weekend & decided to just wait until the end of the month. Boy, I wish we had traded it! Just in the past 6 months, we have had to spend about $2500 making repair from tie-rod end replacement, brake & rotors replacement, fuel pump & filter, plus having to get new tires.

These cars are just money guzzlers. I hope it costs more than I owe to fix it, so I can just total it!

- jennygirl267, Napa, CA, US

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