2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. STARTED OUT DROPPING TO EMPTY AND ACTIVATING THE TROUBLE LIGHT AND LOW FUEL DISPLAY WHEN THERE WAS STILL HALF A TANK OF FUEL. NOW IT DOES IT WITH 3/4 TANK OR MORE. AFTER THE FUEL GETS LOWER THAN 3/4 TANK OFTEN THE FUEL GAUGE WILL DROP TO EMPTY AND STAY THERE UNTIL I FILL THE TANK BACK UP THEN THE GAUGE WILL ONLY MOVE TO FULL AFTER DRIVING A BIT. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 22,732. UPDATED 12/29/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE PULLED OVER AND PARKED, SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND WAITED 10 MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING IT. SHE THEN NOTICED THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WAS ON. THE STEERING WHEEL STOPPED SHAKING. UPDATED 12/30/11

THE E-BRAKE STRIPPED OUT TO A UNABLE STATE AFTER 50,000 MILES. NOW IF THE BRAKES FAIL I HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE TO STOP THE CAR. THE STEERING POPS WHEN TURNING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND FROM START OFF AFTER A STOP THIS STARTED AT THE SAME TIME. *TR

THIS VEHICLE IS HAVING ISSUES WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATING WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDALS. WHEN THE BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON BY THEMSELVES, TRYING TO USE THE BRAKES WHEN NEEDED (IE SLOWING DOWN, STOPPING) SHUTS THE BRAKE LIGHTS OFF, WHICH COULD CAUSE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE PERSONS IN THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS PERSONS IN OTHER VEHICLES AROUND MY VEHICLE. IT ALSO TAKES WHAT SEEMS TO BE SOME FORCE TO MAKE THE BRAKE LIGHTS COME BACK ON. SOMETIMES SHUTTING DOWN THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTING IT SOLVES THE ISSUE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE IS ALSO HAVING A CRUISE CONTROL ISSUE, WHICH I AM ASSUMING IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ABOVE PROBLEM. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WANT TO STAY ENGAGED WHEN TURNED ON. IT SEEMS THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE BY THEMSELVES. THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE PERSONS WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS ALSO HAVING AN ERROR THAT COMES ON ADVISING THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL IS OFF AND TO SERVICE THE ESC SOON. THIS LIGHT COMES ON FOR NO REASON THAT I CAN DETERMINE. THE ERROR CODE THAT COMES ON IS C0131. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE (MORE THAN 50 AT THIS TIME) THAT I HAVE FOUND THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME EXACT ISSUES. THIS IS A VERY HIGH SAFETY CONCERN, THAT I AM UNSURE ON WHY THIS HASN'T BEEN RECALLED AS OF YET. I CAN IMAGINE THERE ARE WAY MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVE JUST HAD THIS ISSUE FIXED ON THEIR OWN INSTEAD OF TAKING THEIR TIME OUT TO REPORT TO THE NHTSA FOR THEIR REVIEW. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME SORT OF CONTACT TO BE MADE BY THIS DEPARTMENT TO MYSELF. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THESE SAFETY ISSUES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE SLIGHTLY. THE CONTACT APPROACHED A STOP SIGN AND ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE BUT THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIGOROUSLY. THE FAILURE WAS CONSTANT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STEERING MOTOR AND MODULE ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,245.

AFTER RETURNING GROCERY SHOPPING I COULD NOT GET GROCERIES INTO BACK SEAT, DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK . THIS COULD HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR MONTHS AS I ALWAYS PUT GROCERIES IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND FLOOR AND NEVER USED REAR DOORS . APPROXIMATELY 1-2 WEEKS LATER OTHER REAR PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK. I CONTACTED DEALER WHO STATED GM MIGHT WORK WITH ME TO HELP A LITTLE BUT DOUBT IT AS MY MILEAGE WAS AT 42000 MILES. AFTER CHECKING ONLINE I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM MALIBU OWNERS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THEM AT 40,000 - 50,000 MILES AFTER THE WARRANTY IS OVER. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE COVERED BY GM AS IT SHOWS A DEFECT IN THE ACTUATER IN DOORS GO BAD, AS WELL AS A NEGLIGENT SAFETY HAZARD KNOWING MANY CARS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. IS IT GOING TOI TAKE SOMEONE TO DIE IN REAR SEATS DUE TO THIS DEFECT WHEN AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE OCCURS. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD AS CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT CANNOT OPEN DOOR IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE, AS WELL AS A POLICEMAN/FIREMAN/RESCUERER, CANNOT OPEN EITHER REAR DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. YOU HAVE TO CRAWL OVER AND SQEEZE IN BETWEEN FRONT SEATS AND HAVE ENTIRE BODY IN BACK SEATS BEFORE YOU CAN REACH THE DOOR LOCKS TO MANUALLY OPEN THEM. THIS IS GOING TO COST ME APPROX $400-$500.00 FOR REAR DOORS AND READING OTHER CUSTOMERS THIS COULD EVENTUALLY APPLY TO ALL DOORS INCLUDING FRONT DOORS (ANOTHER $400-$500.00). THIS IS MY FIRST CHEVY I PURCHASED BRAND NEW AND WILL PROBABLY MY LAST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK WHEN USING THE REMOTE CONTROL OR WITH MANUAL THE LOCK AND UNLOCK BUTTONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE DOORS WAS TO PULL THE KNOB TO UNLOCK IT MANUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

I PURCHASED A 2008 CHEVY MALIBU AT MATT BLATT IN EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP IN NEW JERSEY APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTH (MARCH OR MAY OF 2011) WITH APPROXIMATELY 28,500 MILES. I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE [XXX] IN REGARDS TO THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM THAT MY VEHICLE WAS HAVING. MY STEERING WAS SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL AND I ALMOST GOT INVOLVED IN TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENTS THIS WEEK 10/19/11. I EXPLAINED THIS SITUATION TO DON, WHO STATED THAT BECAUSE I DID NOT PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE I WILL HAD TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER [XXX], WHO KINDLY SENT ME TO THE BENNETT CHEVROLET ON THE SAME DATE AND THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. I OWN A 2008 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 30,700 MILES. I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER LOCKS WHICH I WAS ADVISED THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS. I BELIEVE THAT MY COMPLAINT WAS HANDLED VERY UNPROFESSIONAL BY [XXX], BECAUSE I WAS VERY SPECIFIC THAT I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND HE STATED WE CAN TOWED YOUR VEHICLE, BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE FEE. AGAIN I WAS AFRAID BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING MOTOR WAS DAMAGE AND MY VEHICLE WAS DRIVING OUT OF CONTROL. I'M REQUESTING SOME TYPE OF COMPENSATION AND I WILL LIKE THE POWER LOCKS TO BE FIXED FREE OF CHARGE. REMEMBER MY CAR ONLY HAS 30,700 MILES AND WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I WAS ADVISED BY THE SALESMAN [XXX] THAT I HAD WARRANTY FOR 100,000 MILES OR 5 YEARS BUMPER TO BUMPER. I WILL LIKE SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE THIS. THANK GOD I DIDN'T HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MOTOR. I PURCHASED IN THE PAST A 2 CHEVY IMPALAS AND NOW A CHEVY MALIBU AND I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A CHEVY AGAIN. AGAIN, THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WAS HANDLE WRONG BY SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE [XXX] . THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND THE THE VEHICLE IS NOT MOVING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD JERK ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME HARD TO STEER ONCE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAD TO BE RE LEARNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

I HAVE MADE THIS COMPLAINT BEFORE. IT CONCERNS THE FRONT WHEEL SHAKES, VIBRATION. AFTER GETTING TIRED OF THIS I PUT THE CAR ON JACKS REMOVED THE WHEEL AND FOUND THE TIE ROD END BALL NUT TO BE LOOSE AND THE BALL JOINT TO BE FRIGHTENINGLY WORN. I REPLACED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND TIGHTENED THE TIE ROD BALL NUT MYSELF. THE PROBLEM HAS COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED. FUNNY THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIGURE THIS OUT.I THINK THAT OTHER OWNERS SHOULD BE WARNED OF THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL CONDITION! *TR