2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID Complaints

SOMETIMES WHEN I PARK, EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE IS CLEARLY IN PARK, I RECEIVE A MESSAGE ON THE DASH THAT I NEED TO "SHIFT TO PARK". THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MANY GM VEHICLES AND IF YOU LEAVE THE CAR LIKE THIS, IT WILL DRAIN YOUR BATTERY. I HAVE TO REPEATEDLY SHIFT OUT OF PARK AND BACK IN TO GET THE MESSAGE TO GO AWAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WILL DO WHEN THIS STOPS WORKING. THE DATE OF "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?" IS THE MOST RECENT, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES.

HYBRID BATTERY CORROSION DUE TO FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT LETTING WATER INTRUDE INTO TRUNK. I WAS OUT OF COUNTRY FOR MOST OF 2019 AND WHEN I RETURNED I WENT THROUGH MAIL AND DISCOVERED A LETTER FROM GM STATING THAT WATER CAN GET INTO TRUNK AND CABIN FROM A CHMSL. I CHECKED MY TRUNK AND IT WAS FULL OF WATER AND METAL ITEMS ARE AND WERE OXIDIZED AS WELL AS THE HYBRID BATTERY IN THE TRUNK. THIS CORROSION WILL NOT STOP ONCE ESTABLISHED ESPECIALLY WITH CHARGED ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS. AND PREMATURELY SHORTENING THE LIFE OF THE HYBRID BATTERY DUE TO POOR QUALITY AND DEFECTIVE NUTS USED TO SECURE THE CHMSL.

TWO TIMES IN 24 MONTHS AND APPROXIMATELY 62,000 MILES THE PRIMARY 12 VOLT BATTERY HAS FAILED. THIS FAILURE CAUSES THE TRUNK LOCK TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE TRUNK CANNOT BE ACCESSED IN THIS SITUATION. BECAUSE THE TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN THERE IS NO ACCESS TO THE FAILED 12 VOLT BATTERY. ALSO THERE IS NO WAY TO FOLD THE REAR SEAT BACKS AS THE RELEASE LEVERS ARE LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. THIS SITUATION IS BOTH A SAFETY DANGEROUS HAZARD AND INCONVENIENCE. BOTH OF THESE OCCURRENCES HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE.

WITHIN 1 YEAR I BOUGHT BRAND NEW HYBRID MALIBU CAR FROM CHEVY DEALER, I HAD EXPERIENCED DEAD 12V BATTERY. DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY WHICH I PAID EVEN THOUGH I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE WITHIN WARRANTY. LAST NIGHT I EXPERIENCED 3RD DEAD BATTERY AGAIN AFTER I PARKED THE CAR FOR 7 HRS OFFICE WORK. THE 2ND TIME DEAD BATTERY OCCURED WAS LAST JUNE 2019 ONLY, DEALER ALSO REPLACED THE BATTRY. ITS A 3RD TIME THAT I EXPERIENCE DEAD BATTERY (STATIONARY/PARKED) FOR BRAND NEW CAR 2017 HYBRID MALIBU WITHIN 2 YEARS. OBVIOUSLY ITS NOT THE BATTERY ISSUE BUT ITS DESIGN OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. BEFORE AND DURING THE BATTERY ISSUE, I GOT STABILITRAK LIGHT ON AND STEERING ASSIST IN REDUCED ALARM AS WELL. I JUST WANT TO VENT MY FRUSTATION WITH THIS BRAND NEW CAR. HOPE OTHER CAR OWNERS WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS INFO. FOR 10 YEARS I NEVER HAD BATTRY ISSUE ON MY PREVIOUS CAR. THANKS

I PURCHASED A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU AS I AM A SALESMAN AND ON THE ROAD ALL DAY. MY REDUCE ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. THE CAR IS NOT EVEN 2 YEARS OLD. I WAS ADVISED IT CAN BE THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR OR THROTTLE BODY. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON LINE FOPR THE SAME CAR. WHY IS A BRAND NEW CAR HAVING THIS ISSUE?. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND REDUSED SPEEDS TO 20 MPH AND ALMOST CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I CONTINUALLY NEED TO PULL OVER AND TURN OFF CAR TOP RESET ITSELF. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS.

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BACK IN AUGUST 2018. IN JANUARY 2019 I NOTICED THAT MY HEADLINER, BACK SEAT, AND TRUNK WAS WET AND IT SMELL MILDEWY. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN THAT HAVE ASTHMA AND I DON'T FEEL THAT IT IS SAFE FOR THEM. I TOOK IT BY THE DEALERSHIP AND SHOWED THEM THEY SAID THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT WELL THEY ORDERED A PART FOR THE VEHICLE AND STATED THEATER SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL ONGOING. I'VE BEEN BACK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THEY DID A WATER TEST AND CANNOT FIND THE SOLUTION. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AFTER IT RAINED THE PROBLEM DOESN'T SHOW UP RIGHT WAY IT MAY TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS OR A DAY. I'M AFRAID THAT IT MAY BE MOLD IN MY HEADLINER AND IN BETWEEN MY SEATS AND TRUNK FROM THE WATER BEING STATIONARY. I KNOW OF A ANOTHER CAR SAME MAKE AND MODEL HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AND WE ARE NOT GETTING ANYWHERE WITH THIS ISSUE.

AFTER TRIP OF A FEW MILES AND AFTER TURNING OFF THE START/STOP(KEYLESS) SWITCH, THE SCREEN MESSAGED THAT THE REMOTE KEY WAS NOT DETECTED, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STILL IN THE CAR. NEITHER REMOTE KEYS WOULD NOT PERFORM ANY FUNCTION NOR WOULD MANUALLY PUSHING DOOR LOCKS OR SWITCH. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES REMOTE KEY OPERATION RETURNED.THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER. THE DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I AM WORRIED THAT THIS WILL STOP THE ENGINE IN A CRITICAL SITUATION.

THE CAR WAS PARKED AND I WAS EXITING MY VEHICLE. I PIVOTED TO CLOSE THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. I ACCIDENTALLY DID NOT HAVE MY LEG FULLY CLEAR OF THE DOOR. THE WING TIP EDGE ACTED LIKE A SHOVEL AND TOOK OUT A PIECE OF SKIN ON MY LEG AS I CLOSED THE DOOR REQUIRING STITCHES. I WAS USING A NORMAL AMOUNT OF FORCE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND WAS SHOCKED AT THE DAMAGE THE DOOR TIP DID TO MY LEG. IT WENT THROUGH THE SKIN LAYER DOWN TO THE MUSCLE. I BELIEVE THE WING TIP DESIGN OF FORWARD CAR DOORS ARE A SAFETY HAZARD AND RISK FOR INJURY. PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING THE EDGE MORE ROUNDED LIKE THE REAR DOORS. THE FILES I AM INCLUDING ARE FROM THE DAY OF INJURY (11/11/17) AND AFTER STITCHES (11/13/17).

MY REASON FOR WRITING IS MY CAR WAS STRUCK IN THE WINDSHIELD BY A ROCK REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED, I NOTICED UNDER CONDITIONS OF BRIGHT LIGHT SUCH AS A SUNNY DAY, I COULD NOT SEE CLEARLY THROUGH IT BECAUSE OF SIGNIFICANT REFLECTIONS OFF OF THE DASHBOARD. SEE PHOTO NUMBER 1. I DID BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CHEVROLET DEALER WHO REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE GLASS COMPANY THAT SUPPLIED THE WINDSHIELD. THEY BOTH AGREED THE REFLECTIONS SEEMED UNUSUAL, BUT STATED THE AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT MET THE APPROPRIATE GLASS STANDARDS. SEE PHOTO 2 FOR THE GLASS MANUFACTURER. THEY SUGGESTED I REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WITH AN OEM REPLACEMENT, WHICH I PLAN TO DO FOR SAFETY REASONS. MY REASON FOR WRITING IS TO ASK IF YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT STANDARD FOR OPTICAL TRANSMISSION IS REQUIRED OF NON-OEM REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELDS. IF I CAN SHOW THAT THE WINDSHIELD DOES NOT MEET FEDERAL GLASS STANDARDS PERHAPS THEY MIGHT HELP WITH THE ADDED COST OF REPLACEMENT. I DO HAVE A GOOD TECHNICAL UNDERSTANDING OF OPTICAL TRANSMISSION AND REFLECTANCE, AS I AM A RETIRED OPTOMETRIST. I MIGHT ADD THAT PART OF THE HIGH REFLECTANCE OF THE WINDSHIELD IS IN PART DUE TO THE ASH-GRAY INTERIOR COLOR, A DESIGN FLAW. HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD IS MUCH MORE REFLECTIVE THAN THE ORIGINAL, BASED ON MY BEST RECOLLECTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

THE CAR SOMETIMES HAS A HUGE DELAY AFTER YOU PUSH THE START BUTTON ON DASH TO ACTUALLY START, AND BEING A HYBRID THE CAR SHAKES BAD WHEN ENGINE STARTS, IT'S SOUNDA LIKE CRAP TO BE HONEST. I'VE GOT 12K MILES ON IT AND IT'S BEEN SERVICED AT CHEVY ONLY, AND THE [XXX] THING HAS A RATTLE IN THE DASH THEY 'CAN'T FIGURE OUT' AND THEY DON'T HEAR ANY ABNORMAL ENGINE NOISE. AND THEY SAY IT'S NORMAL TO LAG THAT BAD WHEN STARTING, AS IT HAS TO 'POWER UP'. BUT WHEN CAR WAS NEW IT DIDN'T DO THAT PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).