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.
Having problems with my rear stop lights, traction control/ indicator light, ECS/ indicator light. When driving center brake light remains on but when I need to apply brakes they go off, lights on dashboard have been on since I purchased the vehicle which were never addressed the only light addressed was the check engine light. All other issues were voided being that they let me drive down to N.C. knowing it would void my warranty with them after putting 1 thousand miles on the vehicle without notication to me.
My steering wheel shakes and jerks while driving and when I start the car. Also, my car steers and pulls to the left while I-??m driving until the electric power steering light comes on and then the steering locks up and I am unable to turn the steering wheel to make a turn which can lead to a crash because I have to force the wheel in order to turn. I was driving on the highway and my steering locked and I pulled over safely and tried turning the car off and on. This has turned the electric power steering light off and I was able to turn the wheel but my steering wheel still shakes and jerks and the car pulls to the left. To add, a few minutes later my steering locks up and the electric power steering light comes on again and I am unable to turn the steering wheel. A couple of days ago I was coming off of an exit and the power steering light came on and I could turn the wheel to make the turn, almost causing an accident. Fortunately, I was able to force the steering to make the turn. *This has been a reoccurring issue. I will post the date below for the latest occurrence.
Steering has become increasingly stiff and harder to turn, as if the power steering doesn't work. My granddaughter hit a curb in a tight turning entrance to a 4 lane highway and broke the wheel and other component parts.
UNKNOWN I was driving to work last week on Thursday and when I attempted to make a right turn my steering wheel was difficult to turn and a few seconds later it locked and the car turned off and on the dash board the battery light turned on and the words that appeared were Service Traction, Service ESC, and Power Steering.
- Pomona, CA, USA
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The passenger front light stops working no matter his w many times I fix it. Replaced bulb 3 times within two weeks. Works for 1-2 days then stops. Everyone I know who has a Malibu is having the same problem. The right wheel rubs and makes noise. No matter how many times I have it fixed, no matter how many times I replace the noise continues. Mechanic cannot figure out why.
Power steering fails while driving, had to shut my car off while I tried to make a turn on the higway. The 1st time it happened at home on May 2020, car locked up and wouldn't move at all. Dashboard will say traction off, ESC off and it won't let me move my steering wheel. I have to shut off the car and wait a few minutes for it to come back. Car is at roughly 133K miles and had no issues prior to this. Also, when I drive my front side of the car shakes as if it is going over stuff. I replaced both cv joints, gotten the car aligned, and balanced my tires and they still can't find the issue with it. Only recall that pops up is the electronic, but I believe it has the steering recall as well.
The caliper arms on both of my passenger side tires have gotten stuck, wore down the new brake pads completely and destroyed the rotors of my car in the past. The dealership's warranty had covered the replacement of the pads, correction of arms and rotors previously but the second occurrence happened after my warranty had expired and was extremely expensive. When the rear passenger side got stuck the sensor for my tire pressure was showing but there was no hesitation or issue with breaking. A soft dragging sound lead me to believe the sensor itself had disconnected from the vehicle and was dragging on the ground and making a soft but strange noise. Its going to take me 2 weeks to get into the dealership for an appointment ' since then, my rear rotor has become effected and will need replacing. This morning the tire pressure monitor sensor remained on the screen but when I first started driving and attempted to use my breaks, I did not stop and my foot touched the ground as I pressed the pedal. As I pulled into the parking lot of my office (about 45 minutes of morning commute), more lights lit up the back panel including the emergency break light, the 'brake fluid, ' warning, 'service ESC, ' followed by 'ESC off' scrolled across the dash and my breaks did not work at all when I attempted to slowly stop. I complained about the ESC warning light coming on previously and stopping my power steering from working but the dealership said they couldn't recreate the warning so they couldn't help me.
1) awhile back, after starting and warming engine and taking off, while making a left turn on city street, car turn off completely..wheel froze after turn. I turned key off and restarted car and it would work ok. It happened 3 0R 4 times. No warning light came on. I took it to dealership and they could not find the problem. 2) while on freeway, tire monitor warning light came on twice, I bought tires but did not have monitors checked. A few days later engine light came on. Now, I needed smog done, had to replace catalic converter (1400.00) and mechanic has a problem with car communications system. Its costing me too much. There is recall on something having to do with brakes.. could this communications problem be related? I did have brake pads replaced last year. The recall has to with BCM and bas (my dashboard lights occassionally fluctuate and take a while for lights to come on bright with dashboard button all way to bright.). remote control stopped working 6 months after I bought car in 2010...doors have to be locked manually..except for passenger side door, power windows do not work. My concern right now is having it smogged and tire monitors.
After making a turn a vibration started within a few blocks the center of the left rear wheel broke out and the outer part of the wheel with the tire came off the car and rolled across the street and hit a house. The rear of the car came down grinding on the road. Tried to find a used wheel at local salvage yards but was told that they cant keep them because they are selling them that fast. Good thing I wasn't on the interstate going to work.
Takata recall; steering column is loose(stationary, motion). Wheel bearings are bad. I took the car to a Chevrolet dealer(clemson rd.). they were not able to find an issue. Everytime I maintenanceperformed I am advised to have the ;steeting column check, rattling and loose, maybe a piece of plastic?). my second trip to the Chevrolet dealer did not allow enough time for a diagnostic. I purchased the car used from united auto sales. The wheel bearings(motion) were bad when I purchased and the dealer (united car autosales). I replaced the wheel bearings once already and have to replace again. The car is making a clapping noise and speed is impeded.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that there was a progressing failure with the TPMS warning light randomly flashing. The contact also stated that while pulling into a parking area, the power steering failed and the steering wheel became extremely tight and difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but the technician was unable to diagnose or replicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V153000 (steering) and 14E044000 (steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,500.
I am an owner of a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. For the last year or more, I've been dealing with what I then believed was tires slowly leaking air. The last couple of weeks it has been getting worst, and finally the last couple of days I've have woke up to a completely flat tire. Today I took my car to the shop to have them inspect the tire. The tire is perfectly fine. I was told that it is my rim that is causing the leak. I was informed that there has been a lot of issues with not only my car, but a lot of other Chevrolet Malibu vehicle's rims. I do not think I should be responsible for a manufacturing defect when my car has been well taken care of and no negligence on my behalf. It is obvious from my web searches on this issue that I am not the only person that has had this problem. I believe this issue should be investigated for a recall. Please look into this issue. Thanks in advance.
On 4-1-2014 our right rear tire was extremely low. At a gas station the leak was found not from the tire, but from a crack in the rim. You could see the bubbles coming through the crack under water. We ended up replacing the wheel. We had never heard of this but thought it was a fluke. On 12-19-2014 when I was driving home I noticed the tire pressure light was on and the car made a strange sound. I stopped at a gas station and saw that the right front tire was very low. I inflated it, then drove home. The next morning (12-20) the tire was very low again so we inflated it and took the car to american tire in oceanside. My husband and I decided that since the tread was getting low we would get a set of new tires. The next morning one tire was very low again. We went back to american tire. They found that the leak was from a crack in the wheel. Since this was the second time this happened we decided to contact Chevrolet because we felt it was a defect in manufacturing. In the meantime I had american tire check the other wheels for cracks. They determined that two more wheels had cracks and they marked the spots on the wheels. We spoke first with Chevrolet, then dealt with [xxx] at GM for more than 2 weeks. She asked that we take it to the Chevrolet service dept for them to look at it. I did that on Jan. 7. [xxx] at the service dept wrote on the report that there was indeed a crack in the rim that was leaking, and that there was no other damage on the wheel that would indicate misuse. Even after that Chevrolet and GM declined to accept any responsibility. [xxx] also told me that he visually saw the cracks on the other two wheels but did not see a leak. He said, however, that those two wheels were only in the water 5-10 min. I feel that these wheels are a hazard due to advice from the first service station that cracked wheels are unsafe to drive on. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
I went to my car on the morning of 12/26/14 & noticed that the passenger front air pressure was at 18 psi. I took the vehicle to sams club, in clarksville, tn, where it was determined that there was a defect in the wheel rim & not in the tire. I had to purchase a new rim. This is the second rim that I have put on this vehicle. In 44 years of driving, averaging approximately 15,000 miles/year, this is the first vehicle where I have ever had to replace a wheel rim.
On or about 9/5/12, I noticed that my left front tire pressure was slightly low (28psi). I put air in and the pressure was back to 30 psi per manufacturer's specs. On 9/6, while driving home from work, my tire pressure monitor light appeared on the dash and the pressure was then at 25 psi. Pressure did not fall below this level and when I got home, I put air in to get it back to 30 psi. I drove approximately 2 miles to the gym. Approximately 1 1/4 hours later, I came out and the pressure was at 26 psi. Came home, put air in and the next morning, pressure had been maintained. Took the car in to tires plus - lake mary fl the next am & they couldn't find anything wrong with the tire. Drove 40 miles with no loss of pressure. Came out to my car approximately 8 hours later & there was 12 psi in the tire. Called aaa and had the spare put on. Took the car in to tires plus on university blvd in orlando. They also did not find anything wrong, put a new valve stem on and I drove home with no loss of pressure. When I went to the car the next morning, pressure was at 9 psi. Put air in to get pressure back to 30 psi & drove it to tires plus in lake mary again (9/9) & it was discovered that there was a pinhole in the rim. Since having the new rim put on one week ago, I have not had a further problem. This is not an isolated incident. I met a gentleman earlier this week who told me he had the same problem with two wheels on a 2009 Malibu. I am going to ask him to file a complaint, as well.
Wheels wobbling when I bought the certified vehicle, took it back to dealer. They replaced front tires and aligned vehicle. Also steering wheel does not lock into place when put in park and key removed from ignition. Constant steering correction at any speed. Wheel dances back and forth and feels bouncy. Dealer stated that there is no problem with the steering wheel. Returned to dealer on Feb. 23 2012. They replaced front tires again. Test drove car and stated the car was fixed. Car still wonders, wheels still wobble..still play in steering wheel. Spoke with GM rep. Explained issue. GM rep. Also spoke with dealer mechanic. Dealer mechanic advised GM rep. That car wheels and steering was fixed. Incorrect. Dealer did not address steering wheel. Only replaced tires. Issue still exists. Easy to lose control. Feels like it has bad wheel bearings or busted hub. But dealer mechanics says its okay.
Vehicles tire right side rods failed at 45880 were replaced under warranty 3/4/11. Complained to dealer about noise from right side of car at 50K dealer claimed there was no noise however due to weather conditions at the time (raining) they would need to see vehicle on a dry day. Vehicle in shop now with 64000 almost 1yr later right side tire rods need replacing again. This is my second Chevy Malibu and I am not happy. Doubt I will purchase Chevy again!!!
I have a 2009 Chevrolet mailbu. I am experiencing a serious problem with bent wheel rims. These are the standard steel rims with the plastic covers. I have lived in the same location for 17 years and have owned or driven 10 different automobiles in that time, never experiencing problems with bent rims. Both the dealer and GM have been told of the problem but they both deny any responsibility for the damaged rims. They say that this a driver problem and bad road conditions in the area where I live. I have anecdotal evidence that this is not an isolated problem from both a national tire chain and recent postings on this web site. I have been advised that this problem exists on the Saturn aura, which is the same basic car as the Malibu. These bent rims cause a severe out of balance condition and can affect the low tire sensors, causing a false reading.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Rochester , NY, USA