2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ON STAR SYSTEM INTERFERED WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT SOMEONE TAMPERED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

WHILE DRIVING AND SIGNALING TO CHANGE LANE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE RADIO TURNED OFF. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AFTER SPEAKING WITH CHEVY. THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATED THE ISSUE. IT HAPPENED A FEW MORE TIMES THEN AUG 8, 2015 I WAS ABLE TO RECORD A 2 MINUTE VIDEO OF THE ISSUE. IT IS UPLOADED ON YOU TUBE, HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=T44SLFCG434 I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER 8/11/2015. ON 8/13/2015 NICHOLAS FROM GLOBAL AUTO (908) 757-4000 CALLED SAYING THAT THIS IS HAPPENING BECAUSE OF A FAULTY ALTERNATOR. I FIND THIS HIGHLY SUSPECT BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE VIDEO, THE RADIO CUTS OUT, THE STEERING CUTS OUT BUT THE AIR CONDITIONER STAYS ON. IF THE ALTERNATOR IS GOING BAD YOU WOULD SEE AN ACROSS THE BOARD LOSS OF POWER NOT JUST CERTAIN SYSTEMS. I WILL BE TAKING THE CAR TO AUTOZONE THIS WEEKEND TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR INSTALLED. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING LOSS OF STEERING ON CHEVY MALIBU'S I HAVE ZERO FAITH IN THIS RESOLVING THE ISSUE. FURTHERMORE IF IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR IT WOULD NOT PICK AND CHOOSE WHEN TO QUIT AND IT WOULD NOT ONLY QUIT WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAD TURN.

FOR ALMOST 2 MONTHS, THE BRAKES ON THE CAR DO NOT RELEASE. THIS ISSUE STARTED DURING A SNOW STORM IN THE WINTER BUT HAS CONTINUED. IT IS NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT SEEMINGLY EVERY EVENING AFTER WORK THAT THE BRAKES ARE LOCKED UP. MORNINGS ARE USUALLY FINE. THE PEDAL STAYS DEPRESSED, WHICH I DIDN'T REALIZE FOR A FEW WEEKS, LEADING TO CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING, SLUGGISH MPG RATES, EXTRA WEAR ON THE BRAKE PADS, ENGINE STRAIN, LOWER SPEEDS THAN EXPECTED, NO COASTING, DIFFICULT ACCELERATIONS, AND TAIL LIGHTS STAYING ON AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE PEDAL CAN BE RELEASED MANUALLY BY KICKING IT UP WITH YOUR FOOT, BUT THIS IS REALLY TIRESOME IN TRAFFIC AND LONG COMMUTES. *TR

GOT IN CAR & PUSHED THE PASSENGER WINDOW BUTTON DRIVER SIDE, WINDOW DID NOT GO DOWN, REACHED OVER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE & DID NOT GO DOWN. WENT TO DEALER & TRIED TO GET A REP TO COME TO THE CAR BEFORE I SHUT IT OFF BUT COULDN'T SO I TURNED OFF CAR & GOT A REP, WHEN WE GOT TO THE CAR AND TURNED IT ON THE WINDOW WORKED. THEY SAID BRING IT BACK WHEN IT'S NOT WORKING. I LEFT, GOT TO WHERE I WAS GOING, IT WOULD NOT ROLL UP. IT HAPPENED PERIODICALLY OVER TIME. FINALLY I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO SERVICE & A REP WITNESSED THE WINDOW NOT WORKING. THEY FOUND A SHORT IN THE WINDOW SWITCH & REPLACED THE SWITCH W/2025110 .2 DIAG. WHATEVER THAT IS. IT IS STILL NOT WORKING RIGHT, TO THIS DAY. ON 2/14/15 I CALLED WALDORF SERVICE ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOW, VOLTAGE FLUCTUATING FROM 11.43 TO 14.45, THE BATTERY CHARGE INDICATOR IS LOW MOST OF THE TIME & MY CAR WAS MAKING SICK AIRPLANE NOISES. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE BUSY & THAT I WOULD GET A CALL BACK. HOWEVER THEY DID NOT, SO I TOOK THE CAR TO CHEVY ON 2/23/15 AND REPEATED THE ABOVE ISSUES AND HAD AN ADDED ISSUE CAR RADIO STAYED ON WHILE THE KEY WAS OUT OF THE IGNITION, BOTH CAR DOORS WERE OPEN. I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT. THEY ASKED ME TO LEAVE THE CAR SO I DID. I WAS TOLD THAT THE FLUCTUATING WAS NORMAL & THAT HYBRID/ECO VEHICLES MAKE THAT NOISE. I HAD TO TAKE IT BACK ON 3/20/15, THE NOISE WAS UNBEARABLE. I WAS TOLD I HAD TO WAIT ABOUT 15 MINUTES, I SAID I WILL WAIT. I WENT BACK TO MY CAR AND TURNED IT ON, NOT 3 MINS LATER A REP CAME OUT & SAID I HEAR IT, IT IS LOUD, SOMETHING IS WRONG. I FOUND OUT ON 3/22 THAT IT IS THE HYBRID MOTOR. WAS PROMISED IT BACK 3/24, THEY STILL HAVE IT. THEY WAITED UNTIL MY WARRANTY EXPIRED. ITS COVERED BUT NOT THE RENTAL CAR. I HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL BUT POSSIBLY 3 DAYS. I STILL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR REPAIRS TO MY PASSENGER WINDOW. I THINK I HAVE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *TR

PURCHASED THE CAR IN AUGUST 2013 (NEW), FACTORY INSTALLED STEREO WORKED FINE AT TIME OF PURCHASE. IN SEPTEMBER 2014 STEREO WOULD NOT READ MUSIC OFF PHONE WHEN PLUGGING IN THROUGH USB PORT IN VEHICLE, WHICH IS A FEATURE OF THE STEREO THAT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. IT WORKED UP UNTIL THAT POINT, BUT THEN STOPPED AND STARTED GIVING MESSAGES INDICATING "FILES UNFOUNDED". I HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR THIS ISSUE TO BE FIXED WITH NO SUCCESS. THE DEALERSHIP IS AT A LOSS AS TO A FIX FOR THIS ISSUE. THE STEREO SYSTEM WHICH IS CALLED "MYLINK" WILL NOT READ MUSIC FROM THE PHONE AS IT SHOULD. THE PHONE BEING USED IS AN APPLE PRODUCT. UPON DOING RESEARCH ONLINE I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH APPLE PRODUCTS AND GM'S "MYLINK" STEREO SYSTEM. OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS SAME PROBLEM TO DEALERSHIPS AND GM DIRECTLY WITH NO SUCCESS IN GETTING THE PROBLEM SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVED. HERE IS A LINK HTTP://GMAUTHORITY.COM/BLOG/TOPIC/MYLINK-STOPPED-RECOGNIZING-IPOD-CLASSIC/ TO AN ONLINE FORUM WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME PROBLEM I'M EXPERIENCING AND WHO HAVE ALL CONTACTED GM WITH NO SUCCESS IN GETTING THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. I AM AT A LOSS AND HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO GET MY STEREO FIXED THAT IS A GM FACTORY INSTALLED STEREO. THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY FOR ANOTHER 6K MILES AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE RESOLVED, HOWEVER GM SEEMS TO NOT BE OFFERING ANY RESOLUTIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND NOTICED A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE REAR TRUNK AREA NEAR THE ECO BATTERY. THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO CLEARED THE CODE, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE A SPECIFIC DIAGNOSIS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE ODOR COULD STILL BE DETECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V173000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

THE FUEL MILEAGE IS VERY INCONSISTENT. IT CAN RANGE FROM AN AVERAGE OF 20 TO 28 AND HAS BEEN AS LOW AS 18 AND AS HIGH AS 29. BEFORE YOU DISMISS THIS COMPLAINT AS DRIVING CONDITIONS OR ROUT-THIS CAR TRAVELS THE SAME 8 MILE ROUT 4 DAYS A WEEK TO WORK AND NOT MUCH MORE THAN THAT IN AN AVERAGE MONTH. IT HAS BEEN ON HIGHWAY TRIPS AND NOT GOTTEN OVER 29 MPG. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS DUEL TO THE FUEL MIXTURE THAT I WAS PURCHASING. I HAVE TRIED EVERY BRAND OF GAS IN THE TOWN I LIVE IN AND IT DOES NOT HAVE A NOTICEABLE EFFECT ON THIS PROBLEM. DOES NOT ACHIEVE THE ADVERTISED MILEAGE. *TR

DRIVING UP HILL HAVING TO DECELERATE, THERE IS A HARD JERK AS IF THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED-THIS IS DANGEROUS DUE TO HUMAN REACTION TO ALSO QUICKLY TO APPLY THE BRAKES. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT THAT THE VEHICLE HAD STRUCK SOMETHING OR HAD A MAJOR MALFUNCTION. IT ONLY LAST FOR A SECOND OF TIME. THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS JUST CHARACTERISTICS OF A 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION. THIS IS MY THIRD GM WITH A 6 SPEED AND THE OTHERS DID NOT DO THIS. *TR

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR VENTS IN THE DASH DO NOT STAY OPEN WHEN THE BLOWER IS RUNNING ON HIGH WITH THE SYSTEM SET TO RECIRCULATE. DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE THE CENTER VENTS TO CLOSE FROM ROAD VIBRATION, IN TURN CAUSING A DOMINO EFFECT AND THE AIR PRESSURE COMING OUT CAUSES THE OTHER VENTS TO CLOSE ONE BY ONE. THE LEFT TO RIGHT ADJUSTMENT ON THE VENTS IS WORN OUT BEFORE 10K MILES ON MY VEHICLE. CHEAP... *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2013 MALIBU ECO IN NOVEMBER OF 2013. ON OR ABOUT MARCH 1, 2014 WE WERE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR WHEN WERE CUT OFF BY A TRUCK. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES WITH SOME FORCE TO AVOID A COLLISION AND UPON DOING SO THE MOTOR LOST ALL POWER AND BEGAN TO SHAKE WITH MY SPEED GOING FROM 70 DOWN TO 20 MPH. I COULD NOT REGAIN THE SPEED LIMIT AND HAD TO PULL OVER THINKING IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING USING THE MANUAL OPTION. I WAS IN 6TH GEAR WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME AFTER A 90 MILE DRIVE AT ABOUT 45 MPH. I DID NOT REPORT THIS TO THE DEALER AS THE NEXT MORNING I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT SEEMED FINE. A MONTH LATER WE TOOK THE SAME TRIP AND THIS TIME THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT PRECIPITATED BY A NEAR COLLISION. THE CAR SIMPLY LOST ALL POWER IN WHILE DRIVING CITY STREETS. THE CLUTCHES IN THE TRANSMISSION WERE GRINDING AS I TRIED TO GET THE CAR TO GAIN ENGINE POWER. AGAIN I FOOLISHLY DID NOT REPORT TO THE DEALER AS I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK TO SPEED AFTER ABOUT A HOUR OF DRIVING. IN JUNE THE SAME ISSUE APPEARED AND I FINALLY DID TAKE IT INTO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SENSOR SHORTED CAUSING TRANSMISSION NOT TO DOWNSHIFT PROPERLY. THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE PROBLEM. IN LATE JULY THE SAME ISSUE REOCCURED AND THIS TIME THE DEALER PERFORMED A RECALL ON THE TURN SIGNAL LAMP OUTAGE. THEN IN EARLY SEPTEMBER THE ISSUE REOCCURED WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING LOCALLY. THE CARS BRAKES WERE SO HOT THE WHEEL WEIGHTS AFFIXED TO THE FRONT TIRES WERE LAYING IN OUR DRIVEWAY HAVING MELTED OFF. THIS TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, FRONT ROTORS, BRAKE PADS AND WHEEL WEIGHTS. IN EARLY OCTOBER I WENT TO HAVE AN OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION AND WHEN THEY TOOK THE FRONT DRIVER WHEEL OFF THE FRONT BRAKE ROTOR RETAINING BOLT FELL OUT. *TR