2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC Complaints

WE WERE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 84 WESTBOUND AT CASCADE LOCKS WHERE THERE IS CONSTRUCTION. WE HAD A SIDEWATT BLOWOUT ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM LES SCWAB TIRES IN PORTLAND OREGON. WE ARE TAKING THE CAR THERE TOMORROW MARCH 8, 2010 FOR THE TIRE TO BE REPLACED. THE INFORMATION OFF OF THE INVOICE IS A FOLLOWS. 205/65R-15 94T TOUREVO ALL SEASONS BLACKWALL. WE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED ON JUNE 9, 2008 JUST PRIOR TO A VACATION. WE DID NOT SEE ANYTHING HIT THE CAR OR THE TIRE, AND THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY CUTS ON THE TIRE PRIOR TO THE TRIP. THE TREAD THAT IS LEFT ON THE TIRE IS ABOUT 3/16TH OF AN INCH OR MORE. THE TREAD LOOKS FAIRLY GOOD. *TR

STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHIMMY WHILE IN MOTION, OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY KNOCKING THAT IS HEARD AND ALSO FELT THROUGH THE STEERINGWHEEL WHILE APPLYING BRAKES, AND WOULD STOP ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO AN NEAR OR COMPLETE STOP. OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS INCLUDE A ROUGH VIBRATION WITH AN AUDIBLE REPETITIVE THUMPING THAT WAS FELT FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL THAT WOULD SLIP ON REGULAR INTERVALS WHILE APPLYING BRAKES. THE FAILURE HAPPENED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING MY 2 SPECIAL NEEDS BOYS TO SCHOOL. THE FAILURE STARTED WITH LITTLE WARNING IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL WHICH IS LOCATED RIGHT OFF THE BOULEVARD. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR SAFELY TO A STOP DUE TO THE 25MPH SCHOOL ZONE RULE. THE MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT IS 35 DURING NON SCHOOL HOURS AND 40 MPH FURTHER DOWN THE BOULEVARD. THE POWER STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER WITH IN SECONDS BEFORE THE SERVICE (WRENCH) LIGHT CAME ON. I PARKED MY VEHICLE, AND CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO AN REPUTABLE CARE REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE CAR WASN'T SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE. AFTER 50 MINUTES THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED AND WHEN THE DRIVER STARTED MY CAR, THE CAR WAS AGAIN STEER-ABLE AND THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON. THE MECHANICS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN REPRODUCING THE STEERING MALFUNCTION. SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2009 , THE SAME FAILURE REPEATED ITSELF, SAME LOCATION SAME TIME AS BEFORE, THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THEN UNLIKE THE FIRST EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, THE RADIO DISPLAYED AN POWERSTEERING FAILURE MESSAGE ON ITS' SCREEN. THE MECHANIC AT THE AUTO SHOP TOOK A LOOK AT MY CAR IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE SAW THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT, AND THE POWERSTEERING FAILURE MESSAGE. AFTER THE POWERSTEERING PART FROM BOB STALL CHEVROLET WAS DELIVERED, THE PART WAS THEN INSTALLED. I PAID OUT OF POCKET, AND DIDN'T FIND OUT UNTIL AFTER SERVICE WAS RENDERED, THAT A DISCOVERY WAS MADE BY THE SHOP WHILE SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT MY CAR, THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL. I NEVER RECEIVED GM'S NOTICE. I HAVE THE OLD PART. PART INSTALLED IS NEW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER UNIT IN THE VEHICLE BURNED INTO PIECES. SHE USED THE LIGHTER REGULARLY AND WHEN THE LIGHTER POPPED BACKED OUT TO BE USED, THE ENTIRE UNIT OVERHEATED AND BURNED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OR ISSUES WITH THE LIGHTER UNIT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SCARRING FROM THE FAILURE. SHE STATED THAT HER VEHICLE MAY BE AT RISK OF CATCHING FIRE OR EXPERIENCING OTHER ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

THE THEFT SYSTEM COMES ON IN MY CAR ABOUT EVERY 3 TIMES I USE IT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS I NEED TO WAIT TEN MINUTES BEFORE STARTING ME CAR. IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT IN MY PARKING DECK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. WITHIN THE PAST YEAR, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH THE WINDOWS. THE WINDOWS WORK AT RANDOM AND, OCCASIONALLY, RISE VERY SLOWLY AS IF THE MOTOR IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE IS ALSO EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH THE TURN SIGNALS. MOST OF THE TIME THEY DO NOT WORK AT ALL, BUT OTHER TIMES THE SIGNALS WORK FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THE ISSUE IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND SHOULD BE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000. UPDATED 5/7/09 *CN UPDATED 05/12/09*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH CAUSES THE TURN SIGNAL AND EMERGENCY FLASHERS NOT TO WORK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE; THEREFORE, HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT WENT TO THE DEALER TO PURCHASE THE PARTS AND HANGE THE SWITCH HIMSELF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 03/18/09. *LJ UPDATED 03/19/09. *JB

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A 2004 CHEVORLET MALIBU IN 2 ACCIDENTS. THE FIRST ACCIDENT WAS ON 8/29/05 IN WHICH I WAS T-BONED BY AN SUV THAT RAN A STOP SIGN IN WHICH IN COURT THE SUV WAS FOUND GUILTY. THE SECOND ACCIDENT WAS ON 1/8/09 IN WHICH MY DAUGHTER GABRIELLE THREADGILL SLID INTO THE BACK OF A HUGE VAN DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SLID INTO THE VAN GOING AT LEAST 30 MILES PER HOUR, NO CITATION WAS GIVEN DUE TO THE ICE. MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE BOTH INJURED IN BOTH ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING. *TR

AFTER RADIO WAS REPLACED I EXPERIENCED MY BLINKERS DO NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY. I HAD A WARRANTY AT THAT TIME TOOK IT TO DEALER THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM TOLD ME COME BACK WHEN IT STARTED AGAIN, HOWEVER THE DEALER SAID THAT IF I JIGGLED THE HAZARD BUTTON THE BLINKERS WOULD WORK THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES AND THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A RECALL MATTER. OF COURSE THE SITUATION CONTINUED MY WARRANTY RAN OUT AND I'M STUCK WITH THIS DANGEROUS ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE A/C IS ALSO AFFECTED, IT COMES ON AND OFF AND IT SEEMS THE HAZARD BUTTON SOMEHOW HELPS TO RESET THE PROBLEM SOMETIMES SO IT COMES BACK ON JUST LIKE THE BLINKERS WILL STAY ON IF I HOLD THE LEFT CORNER OF THE HAZARD BUTTON. IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW IT WAS CORRECTED. HELP! *TR

CAR WOULDN'T START SO TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND REMOVED BATTERY AND THEN REPLACED IT AND CAR STARTED. INFORMED US HE HAS WORKED ON OTHERS THAT HAD SAME PROBLEM AND IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE THAT HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. THE CAR STARTED AND RAN FOR 3 DAYS THEN IT WON'T START AGAIN. SO HAD IT TOWED TO THE CHEVY DEALER. MECHANIC TALKED TO ON THE PHONE INSTANTLY KNEW THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE HAD TO REPAIR IT ON MANY CARS. TOLD US IT WAS THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE AND THE ONLY WAY AROUND IT WAS TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CAR IS STILL CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERS SO CANT GIVE A TOTAL ACCOUNT YET OF WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I'VE HAD TO MISS DAYS AT WORK BECAUSE OF THIS AND WONDERING IF IT IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM WHY SOMETHING ISN'T BEING DONE ABOUT IT. HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE BEFORE BUT CAUSED A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. IT WENT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND DIDN'T LET ME USE CRUISE CONTROL, AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. IT ALSO WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES. THEN IT STARTED BACK UP AND HAD NO PROBLEMS TILL NOW. *TR

MY HUSBAND TRAVELS 200 MILES A DAY,MOSTLY INTERSTATE TRAVEL. AT LEAST .ONCE A DAY HIS TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO WORK. MOST OF THE TIME IF HE MESSES AROUND WITH THE HAZARD LIGHT BUTTON FOR A FEW SECONDS THE TURN SIGNALS WILL FUNCTION AGAIN,BUT NOT ALWAYS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. ONE MECHANIC SAID IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY A SHORT IN THE WIRING BUT WILL E EXPENSIVE TO FIND LET ALONE FIX. I FEEL THERE IS ALSO A POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE. *TR