2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

NOTICED THE DRIVER'S SEAT NO LONGER ALIGNED PROPERLY: RIGHT SIDE IS DOWN AND BACK. INSPECTION SHOWS A SEAT FRAME WELD BROKEN AT THE FORWARD CROSS BAR WHERE IT IS WELDED TO THE SIDE FRAME. THE METAL CROSSBAR TUBE BROKE AWAY LEAVING THE WELD INTACT ON THE FRAME, INDICATING INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH IN THE DESIGN AND MATERIALS, BASED ON MY PROFESSIONAL MECHANICAL ENGINEERING BACKGROUND. INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATES BROKEN WELDS ON THESE DRIVER SEATS TO BE A GROWING PROBLEM, OFTEN LEAVING THE SEAT UNSTABLE, AND NEGATIVELY AFFECTING THE DRIVER'S CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A PRIME SAFETY RECALL ISSUE! *TR

THE 2004 CHEVY MALIBU CLASSIC IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME BRAKE APPLY SENSOR (BAS) CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION AS OTHER 2004 GM VEHICLES LISTED IN GM RECALL 13036. THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PUSHED, EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHT BULBS ARE BRAND NEW. I AM ASKING GM TO INVESTIGATE AND CONSIDER ADDING THE 2004 CHEVY MALIBU CLASSIC TO THE LIST OF VEHICLES TO BE RECALLED IN RECALL 13036. THE CONDITIONS THAT THE 2004 MALIBU CLASSIC ARE EXPERIENCING ARE IDENTICAL TO THE CONDITIONS STATED IN THE RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND POWER STEERING WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING) HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V153000 (STEERING) AND 14V224000 (POWERTRAIN) AND STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED WERE UNAVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO INFORM WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

WHEN SEAT WAS MOVED, IT BECAME VERY LOOSE AND ROCKS BACK AND FORTH AS WELL AS SIDE TO SIDE. DEALER TECH SAID THERE WAS AN INFERIOR WELD WHICH CONNECTS THE SEAT TO THE BASE AND IT IS BROKEN. TOLD ME IF WE WELD IT BACK TOGETHER IT CANCELS THE WARRANTY ON IT AS WE'RE PUTTING A NEW WELD ON TOP OF AN INFERIOR ONE AND IT MAY NOT HOLD. HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX IT. COST IS TOO MUCH AND NOT GUARANTEED. I HAVE THE SEAT PROPPED UP WITH WOODEN BLOCKS AND IT IS ALWAYS MOVING SO NEEDS CONTINUAL ADJUSTING WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO GET JUST RIGHT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THIS SEAT WILL MOVE IN A SUDDEN STOP OR SHARP TURN. ONLY SEAT BELT WILL HOLD ME AND SEAT IN PLACE. COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO ME. I LISTED THE PART ABOVE BUT IT WOULDN'T STAY THERE. I BELIEVE IT IS THE DRIVER SEAT ASSEMBLY. THIS CHANGE IS URGENT - DON'T KNOW WHY GM WON'T FIX IT SINCE IT WAS A MISTAKE IN THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH THE SEAT CONSTANTLY MOVING. IT'S LIKE SITTING ON A BALL. *JS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V224000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO RELEASE OUT OF THE ACCESSORY MODE INTO THE OFF POSITION. IN ADDITION, THE KEY REMAINED IN THE IGNITION CYLINDER AND THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,808.

2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR STEERING COLUMN RECALL NOTICE REPAIRS. *SMD THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND RACK AND PINION WERE REPLACED. *JB

I LOST POWER STEERING AND GOT A MESSAGE IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER TELLING ME THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING. I WAS DRIVING ON ROUTE 1 IN NEW JERSEY AND GOING ABOUT 45-50 MPH. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE CAR, HOPING IT WAS JUST AN ELECTRONIC GLITCH. THAT SOLVED THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I LEARNED READING THE NYTIMES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MAXX AND IN FACT THERE HAD BEEN A SAFETY RECALL ON THE CAR. I CALLED A LOCAL CHEVY DEALER TO HAVE IT FIXED AND FOUND THERE ARE THREE OUTSTANDING SAFETY RECALLS ON MY CAR. IN ADDITION TO THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM, THERE ARE ALSO PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE AND THE BRAKE LAMP. ALL THESE RECALLS WERE MADE IN APRIL AND MAY OF LAST YEAR AFTER ALL THE BAD PUBLICITY ABOUT COVERING UP DEFECTS THAT RESULTED IN DEATHS. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THREE PROBLEMS, BUT THIS IS MY LARGER CONCERN: I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I RECEIVED ONLY ONE RECALL NOTICE (NOT THREE) AND THAT ONE NOTICE (WHICH WAS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION CABLE) SAID THAT THE PARTS WEREN'T AVAILABLE AND THEY WOULD NOTIFY ME WHEN THEY WERE AVAILABLE. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED, BUT APPARENTLY THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AND HAVE BEEN FOR SOME TIME. MY QUESTION FOR YOU: WHAT IS NHTSA DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT INDIVIDUAL CONSUMERS RECEIVE ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT SAFETY RECALLS? I WAS LUCKY. I WAS DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD IN AN URBAN AREA -- AND NOT TAKING A CURVE ON A MOUNTAINSIDE -- WHEN MY POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. WHY WASN'T I TOLD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM EARLIER? WHY DID I HAVE TO WAIT TILL READING ABOUT IT IN THE NYTIMES? AND WHY DIDN'T I RECEIVE A FOLLOWUP LETTER WHEN THE PART BECAME AVAILABLE FOR THE TRANSMISSION CABLE? THANK YOU. *TR

STEERING WHEEL APPEARS TO LOCK UP AND POWER STEERING LOST. STEERING COLUMN APPEARS LOOSE. HAPPENS DAILY AND APPROX. TEN TO TWELVE TIMES WEEKLY. OFTEN NOISE RATTLING LIKE IN LOWER OR BASE STEERING SHAFT AREA. SOMETIMES HAPPENS A MINUTE OR TWO AFTER WE START CAR AND VEHICLE MOVES. SOMETIMES AT ABOUT 20-45 MPH IN CITY DRIVING. OTHER TIMES WHEN CAR IS GOING 50-75 MPH IN HIGHWAY DRIVING. IT IS INTERMITTENT AND UNPREDICTABLE. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN ON POT HOLED OR OTHERWISE ROUGH ROADS. OUR ONLY KNOWN STEERING RELATED GM RECALL WAS COMPLETED RECENTLY BY GMC DEALER. HOWEVER, PROBLEMS CONTINUE. *TR