2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

I FIRST EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM OCTOBER 2011 WHEN THE DASHBOARD MESSAGE INDICATED SERVICE TRACTION AND SERVICE ESC, I TOOK MY CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE WHERE THEY PUT DIELECTRIC GREASE ON THE BCM CONNECTORS. THEY STATED IF THE PROBLEM CONTINUES, I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO A DEALER FOR THE BCM TO BE REPROGRAMMED. WHILE THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM OF MY SERVICE BRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON WITHOUT TOUCHING MY BREAK PEDAL AND THEN WHILE BREAKING NO BREAK LIGHTS COME ON, THE FIX ONLY WORKED TEMPORARILY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A DEALERSHIP, BECAUSE LIKE OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, WHEN YOU SHUT THE CAR OFF IT CLEARS THE MESSAGE UNTIL YOU ARE NO LONGER AT THE GARAGE AND IT COMES BACK ON. I TOO TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND DID NOT SHUT THE CAR OFF. THE SERVICE WRITER SAW THE MESSAGES WHICH WERE, SERVICE TRACTION AND SERVICE ESC. THE FIRST TIME I VISITED THE DEALER WAS ON JUNE 1, 2012, THEIR REPORT STATES CODE C0131 ABS TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM PRESSURE CIRCUIT. I HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED ON JUNE 25, 2012 IN WHICH THEY REPLACED AND CALIBRATED BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH, GREASED BCM CONNECTOR, CLEARED CODE, ROAD TEST, REPLACE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FOR A SUM OF MONEY. THIS HAS NOT FIXED MY PROBLEM TO DATE. THE PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY PERSISTENT DURING DAMP AND WET WEATHER. IT IS AN UNEASY FEELING DRIVING BECAUSE IT HAPPENS AT RANDOM TIMES. *TR

FIRST STEERING WHEEL PULSED VERY RAPIDLY AND THEN POWER STEERING WENT OUT COMPLETELY. TURN OFF CAR SOMETIME RESETS PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. EVENTUALLY IT ALL HAPPENS AGAIN AND AGAIN. NEEDS TO BE RECALL ON POWER STEERING. FAST BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED, LIKE A CHILD OR FAMILY. THEN IT WILL BE TO LATE. THANKS GM. *TR

YOU HAVE TO TAKE OFF FRONT END OF CAR TO CHANGE HEADLIGHT BULB(BUMPER, GRILL, BRACKETS). REPLACED 3 HEADLIGHT BULBS IN LITTLE MORE THAN 1 YEAR . PROBLEM WITH REPLACING BULB......YOU HAVE TO TAKE OFF FRONT END TO CHANGE BULB. LAST TIME I CHANGED BULB WAS 3 WEEKS AGO. BULB OUT AGAIN. I AM NOT A MECHANIC OR BODY PERSON SO I HAVE TO PAY SOMEONE TO CHANGE THE BULB. PAID SOMEONE TO TAKE OFF FRONT END AND CHANGE THE BULB. BECAUSE IT ONLY LASTED ABOUT 2 WEEKS OR LESS, I AM ASSUMING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL. I NEVER KNOW WHEN BULB WILL GO OUT. I CAN PAY TO FIX IT AGAIN, BUT, I CANNOT SEE AT NIGHT WITH ONE LIGHT AND OTHERS CANNOT SEE ME. IT IS A HAZARD AND I DON??T KNOW WHAT TO DO. CHEVY QUOTED ME $320.00 TO DO THIS. I PAID 1ST $220.00 2ND 180.00 3RD $180.00 . ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BECAUSE OF LOCK PROBLEM DESCRIBED BELOW, THAT IS WHY I THINK IT MAY BE ELECTRICAL MY BROTHER AND I GOT A CAR (SAME CAR 3 MONTHS APART) HIS CAR DID THE SAME THING - ALL DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED - HE TOOK IN TO CHEVY. GAVE HIM SOME WEIRD EXCUSE AND SAID IT WOULD COST HIM SO MUCH MONEY TO FIX WHICH WAS A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT. HE TRADED HIS 2008 CHEVY MALIBU IN FINALLY BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS AND BOUGHT A TOYOTA CAMRY. THE COST QUOTED HIM WAS THE REASON I DID NOT TAKE MINE IN TO REPAIR. I COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR CHEVYS MALFUNCTION. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

AFTER PURCHASING MY 2008 MALIBU IN JUNE OF 2012, I HAVE NOTICED MULTIPLE TIMES THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN ACCELERATING, AND TURN OFF WHILE BRAKING. IF I PUSH THE BRAKE HARD ENOUGH THE LIGHT EVENTUALLY DOES COME ON. I TOOK THIS INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT EXAMINED, AND THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN ON A WEEKLY, IF NOT DAILY BASIS. *TR

THE "SERVICE AIR BAG" LIGHT STARTED TO COME ON WHEN THE WEATHER WAS VERY HOT OR VERY COLD FROM TIME TO TIME STARTING IN 2009. IN THE WINTER OF 2013, THE LIGHT REMAINED ON CONSTANTLY. WHEN THIS WARNING WAS ON, THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS NOT WORKING. EVEN IF SOMEONE WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT, THE LIGHT INDICATED THAT THE SENSOR COULD NOT DETECT A PERSON AND THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY. OUR DEALER VERIFIED THAT THE SENSOR WASN'T WORKING AND IF WE GOT INTO A CRASH, THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT WORK. WE FELT THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE DEALT WITH BY CHEVROLET AT NO COST TO US, BUT CHEVROLET CLAIMED THAT SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS, THEY COULD NOT REPLACE IT AT NO COST. WE HOPE THIS REPORT HELPS TO SHED LIGHT ON THE ISSUE, AND IF IT IS COMMON, LEADS TO A RECALL OR VOLUNTARY REPLACEMENT OF THE FAULTY SENSOR AT NO COST TO CONSUMERS. *TR

CHEVROLET MALIBU LTZ 3.6L, AS YOU DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AT ANY SPEED THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE DISPLAY SAY CHECK TRACTION PRESS ESC I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED AT THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THE TECH SAID THE ENGINE MISFIRED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO BAD GAS OR A PARTICLE IN THE GAS BUT IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT TEN TIMES WITH GAS FROM SEVERAL PLACES AND ALL GRADES REGULAR TO PREMIUM AND KNOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND AM KNOW TAKING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM SCAN THE CAR AGAIN I HAVE HAD THE CAR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH, IF THE DEALER DECIDES IT IS NO LONGER THERE PROBLEM I WILL REPORT THIS PROBLEM AND HASSLE I HAVE GONE THROUGH TO GM MANAGEMENT AND WILL RETURN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER OR OWNER OF DEALERSHIP FOR A REFUND. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE STEERING MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED TWICE UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,854. UPDATED 04/17/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT. ON ONE OCCASION, SHE WAS UNABLE TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. SHE HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, IN ORDER FOR THE STEERING TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. UPDATED 04/18/13

WHEN VEHICLES STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT IT MAKES A LOUD CLICKING NOISE LIKE ITS GOING TO BREAK. DOES NOT ALLOW ACCURATE STEERING WHILE DRIVING. THE DRIVER REAR WINDOWS ELECTRIC SUSPENSION WIRE POPPED AND CAME UNRAVELED AND WINDOW DROPS. FUEL LEVEL RANGE SENSOR DOES NOT PROVIDE ACCURATE READING. ALSO, DISABLED FUEL GAUGE ARM IN DASH (FLUCTUATES). DIAGNOSIS RAN AND SEEMS TO BE NO ISSUE WITH FUEL PUMP. WHILE DRIVING THE ARM BAR THAT KEEPS SEAT LEVEL AND IN PLACE SNAPPED AND SEAT FELL AS VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION (70MPH ON FREEWAY).. VERY SCARY.. SINCE STEERING COLUMN ALREADY FEELS LIKE ITS GOING TO FALL APART. *TR

FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS NOW EVERY TIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT IT WANTS TO "JUMP" IT ACTS LIKE IT IS HANGING UP SOMEWHERE. ON 3-2-2013 I GOT INTO THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WASN'T WORKING. I GOT BACK HOME AND SHUT IT OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON ABOUT AN HOUR LATER AND IT WORKED AGAIN. *TR

WHEN SITTING AT A STOP SIGN OR SITTING IN DRIVE WAY AFTER STARTING VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING TROUBLE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AND MAKES THE DRIVING OF THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT (MAKES IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THERE IS A FLAT TIRE, WHEN THERE IS NONE!). WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JULY 2011, I PUT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER TO GET IT FIXED AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE CURRENT MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE IS AT 83000. *TR