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7.3

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$200
Average Mileage:
60,850 miles
Total Complaints:
9 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (8 reports)
  2. replace transmission (1 reports)
2006 Chevrolet Malibu transmission problems

transmission problem

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2006 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments

problem #9

Dec 272014

Malibu LT 2.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,589 miles

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

I bought the car in July 2012 at 53,000 miles. This problem first occured in winter of 2012. The car would not shift out of 1st gear, you could floor it and the rpm's would go up but the speed would not go past 25mph. I would pull over, turn the car off and back on and it would work perfect. Now it has gotten to the point where if you try to accelerate too much the engine light will flash, rpms will lower and speed will either stay the same or decrease, even if you are flooring car. It is also shifting pretty rough when it does decide to switch gears. For this car to be under 100,000 miles I just expected it to last longer before something major went wrong with it.

- acarpenter0039, Jeffersonville, IN, US

problem #8

May 012013

Malibu LS 3.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

I bought this Chevy, Malibu 2006 at 38,000 miles and it looked like new and I was expecting to be able to drive it for 200,000 miles and about a year ago at 40,000 miles the transmission started slipping and jerking fairly significantly as the car increased speed. I get the car from GSA, service car and was sure it had been maintained fairly well so I know this was not a problem I caused and I am sure GSA did not cause the problem either. I have not looked into replacing the transmission because I was told by the dealer it would cost up to $2,500 for a new transmission because the original one cannot be repaired for this car.

After checking your complaints on the Malibu from 2002 - 2014 I have found this is a common complaint for this car and for year 2006. The only thing fair is that General Motors should have Chevrolet to replace this transmission for a new one at no expense to me since I have already been troubled enough by this mechanical problem which I did not create.

My heart goes out to those families who lost loved ones in car crashes in other GM cars that crashed related to mechanical failures of factory installed parts.

Sam

- samiam4479, San Francisco, CA, US

problem #7

Nov 092013

Malibu

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,000 miles

Took the car to someone to have speed odometer censor replaced because that's what they said needed to be done. However, the car was still stalling and not able to drive above 20-25 miles per hour. When taken to another mechanic, they replaced the transmission lines and that was $100.00...however, upon leaving the shop, the car did the same thing and they checked and said it needed a new transmission. However, they said that the 2006 Malibu cannot have trans rebuilt, therefore we would have to purchase a new or used one....this is really bad. The car trans should not be gone on a 2006 with such low miles. This appears to be a manufacture problem!!

- 1juliais, Chicago, IL, US

problem #6

Nov 172012

Malibu

  • Automatic transmission
  • 72,000 miles

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

As soon as it got cold the car started doing the same thing. When taken to a mechanic they fixed something else and the car continued to do what it was doing....

Update from Dec 16, 2013: We did have the speed odometer censor fixed on the passenger side but car continued to have same problem

- 1juliais, Chicago, IL, US

problem #5

Oct 012011

Malibu

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,000 miles

This was annoying!!! Had just bought the car for my daughter in March of 2011. It was taken back to the car lot and they supposedly fixed it but when it got cold it did the same thing.

- 1juliais, Chicago, IL, US

problem #4

Sep 012013

Malibu Maxx LS 305

  • Automatic transmission
  • 101,000 miles

Is there no recall on this transmission. I heard manufacture claims Chevy Malibu had trans problem.

- Donald R., Columbia, KY, US

problem #3

Dec 312010

Malibu LS 2.2L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

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

Got a 2006 Chevy Malibu LS 2.2liter engine. since my father was given the vehicle from my grandmother it has had the notorious "tranny slip" where occasionally when the vehicle is placed in drive it does not shift out of first gear and does not go above 25mph, to "fix" this we would put the car back into park then try again placing it back into drive. usually this would work but it was quite annoying as the car was still under warranty yet the dealer claimed there was no issue because the problem could not be replicated. well when my dad gave me the car it did that very same issue a few times to me, usually once every couple of months. although this was bothersome we never bothered to get it checked out when the warranty ran out because it seemed we could easily "fix" it by parking the car than trying to drive again. well recently the transmission started to make a clunking noise when shifting into drive or reverse or after coasting while in drive if you proceeded to give it gas the same clunking noise would happen. very frustrated with this car as it is supposed to be "new"

- jrdyer2012, Windham, ME, US

problem #2

Nov 012008

Malibu LS 2.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,000 miles

I bought my Malibu certified used and after about 7 months of owning it the car started having a hard time once and a while after starting the car and accelerating. Once and a while once I start driving (after a new start) the car wont shift to second gear and wont go past 25 MPH. I have to stop the car, put it in park, and then put it in drive for it to work again. I took it to the dealer and they could not replicate it. Now that it is May I am not having the problem. Not sure if it is due to the warm weather or what.

- 06malibu, Troy, MI, US

problem #1

Nov 302007

Malibu LS 2.2L 4 Dohc

  • Automatic transmission
  • 28,000 miles

My car started jerking and locking in first gear occasionally within the first year of owning it. I took it in at 40,000 when I realized it become serious. The car sticks in first gear about once a month despite being in drive and will not accelerate over 25.

- robdiddy, Wixom, MI, US

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