My 2004 Chevrolet Malibu was parked legally in front of my house. The street was covered with black ice. The driver of a 1999 Ford Ranger truck slipped on the ice and hit the front of my car. His auto insurance, state farm, paid for a rental car for 40 days and paid $5,338.10 in body repairs, including replacing the radiator. However, when it came time to pay $527.18 to replace the steering shaft and the gear shifter, they refused. The reason given was that these parts in the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu have a history of wearing out prematurely. The car ran fine before the accident. However, after reading the complaints on your web site, I would also like to add my complaint. I bought this car as a GM certified used vehicle on August 2, 2007, 17 months before the accident. The car had 31,720 miles on it when I bought it and 34,517 miles at the time of the accident, a difference of 2,797 miles I think people should know that insurance companies do not pay for certain components on the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. This car is still being sold all over the country. I found 7 GM certified used vehicles, Chevrolet 2004 Malibu's for sale within a radius of 250 miles ranging in price from $9,500 to $14,000. People think they are safe when they buy these 2004 Malibu's; they are not. Is there some way they can be taken off the road? the intermediate shaft needed to be replaced. Updated 03/18/09. The consumer was also informed the brakes and gear shift needed to be replaced. Updated 04/09/09.

- Chillicothe, OH, USA