What 976 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO USE THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED MORE THAN USUAL. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS WERE BLINKING ERRATICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. ALSO, WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS MELTED AND EMITTED A BURNING ODOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

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SERVICE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. PLAN ON TAKING TO DEALER THIS WEEK TO HAVE IT CHECKED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START UPON ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. WOOD MOTOR COMPANY (600 US-62, HARRISON, AR 72601, (870) 741-8211) INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE FAILURE THAT REQUIRED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR MAY BE EXTENSIVE. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN, GEAR, BELT, AND VALVES WITHIN THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE PISTONS HAD NOT BEEN FIRING AT THE RIGHT TIME AND THERE WAS AN INTERNAL MELTDOWN OF THE DASHBOARD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

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CRACKED MANIFOLD. SMELL EXHAUST FUMES UPON START. AND WILL DISSIPATE AFTER ENGINE HAS WARMED UP. THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY CAR BUT HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE.

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MY BREAK LIGHTS LIGHT UP WHEN I AM NOT PUSHING ON THE BREAK PEDAL AND TRACTION CONTROL TURNS OFF WHEN I AM IN MOTION. ONLY HAPPENS SOMETIMES.

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SINCE OF BOUGHT THE CAR FROM DEALER THE ESC LIGHT HAS BEEN ON AND IN THE WINTER MONTHS IF I GET STUCK I CAN'T SHUT OFF TRACTION CONTROL TO TRY AND GET OUT BECAUSE IT IS DISABLED. HAS POWER REDUCED

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WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES THE POWER STEERING AND SERVICE ESC MESSAGE WILL FLASH ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BE LOCKED AND CANNOT BE TURNED. WHEN RESTARTING THE VEHICLE THE MESSAGE MAY BE GONE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WILL MOVE AGAIN OR OTHER TIMES IT WILL STILL BE LOCKED AND THE MESSAGE PERSISTS. ALSO WHEN DRIVING AND SITTING IN IDLE THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS AND VIBRATES ON ITS OWN AND MAKES A WEIRD RATTLING/RUBBING SOUND, ESP. WHEN IN PARK. I HAD THIS SAME ISSUE LAST YEAR AND MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP "FIXED" IT FOR NO COST SINCE THERE WAS A RECALL PERTAINING TO THE ISSUE, BUT NOW THE SAME PROBLEM IS OCCURRING.

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THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE BULB HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES AND KEEPS GOING OUT. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM IT APPEARS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE COUNTLESS OWNER/OPERATORS AND PASSENGERS INVOLVED.

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PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON AND GO OUT. REPLACED THE HARNESS AND BULB 5/2018. IT MAY BE ON FOR 1 OR 2 DAYS AND IS OUT AGAIN. ESPECIALLY IF THE ROAD IS BUMPY.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SHEPHERDS CHEVROLET BUICK (1520 E 9TH ST, ROCHESTER, IN 46975, 574-223-2136) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000.

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I HAVE REPLACED MY DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT 5X THIS YEAR SOMETIMES I CAN BUMP THE HEADLIGHT EVERY NOW AND THEN AND IT WILL TURN ON BUT 90% OF THE TIME IT STAYS OFF

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I BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE THREE YEARS AGO FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER WITH 60,000 MILES KEPT UP WITH ALL THE MAINTENANCE ETC. AND TODAY THE VEHICLE LEFT ME STRANDED A FEW BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE . I CURRENTLY HAVE A NO START NO CRANKING ISSUE ALL THE DIAGNOSTIC FROM FUSES, RELAYS , FUEL PRESSURE, IGNITION SWITCH, BATTERY, ETC WHERE DONE LEADING US TOO BELIEVE ITS A BCM ISSUES AS TOO SEEING THAT MANY OTHER CHEVY MALIBU AND OTHER GM PRODUCTS ARE EXPERIENCING THESE SAME ISSUES

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I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE AIR BAG AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN BEFORE REGARDING THE ISSUE WITH THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT BEFORE. JUST RECENTLY THE SERVICE ESC (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) LIGHT HAD COME ON. I CALLED GENERAL MOTORS REGARDING IF THERE ANY RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE, AND WAS TOLD THERE ARE NOT ACTIVE RECALLS, BUT I SHOULD TAKE MY VEHICLE IN TO HAVE IT SERVICED FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG NOT WORKING PROPERLY (NOT ON). I HAVE ALSO HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH MY TMP(TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING) SYSTEM AS WELL WITH REGARD TO LOW TIRE PRESSURE THAT KEEPS SHOWING THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. WHEN I PUT AIR IN THAT TIRE AIR PRESSURE IS REGISTERING IN THE OTHER TIRES AS WELL. THESE ARE ALL SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS THAT NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THIS COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH.

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THE AIRBAG COMES ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME. IT'S VERY SCARY. IT COMES ON SOMETIME WHEN I START THE CAR AND SOMETIMES WHILE I'M DRIVING. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I STOP FAST OR MOVE OR TURN. IT'S RANDOM.

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FROM 5/2018 UNTIL PRESENT, MULTIPLE OCCASIONS UPON TURNING THE KEY TO START CAR HAVE EXPERIENCED: ENGINE POWER REDUCED ON MESSAGE BOARD ALONG W/ ESC LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CAR SHAKES AND SPUTTERS. USUALLY CAN MAKE ALL SYMPTOMS EXCEPT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DISAPPEAR BY RESTARTING MULTIPLE TIMES. UNTIL LAST WEEK, THE PROBLEM HAS ONLY OCCURRED UPON FIRST STARTING THE CAR REGARDLESS OF THE LENGTH OF TIME IT HAS SET BETWEEN STARTS AND IN ANY WEATHER (IE COLD, WARM, RAINY). LAST FRIDAY, IT CRANKED BUT DID NOT START THE FIRST ATTEMPT OF STARTING AND THEN AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS DID START NORMALLY BUT DURING A TWO MILE DRIVE IT REOCCURRED TWO MORE TIMES AND TOOK MULTIPLE TRIES EACH TIME TO GET IT TO START NORMALLY. EACH TIME I HAD TO QUICKLY PULL OFF STREET TO AVOID TRAFFIC AS IT DECREASED IN POWER AND STARTED SHAKING. THE CODE IT SENDS IS P-2135. THE FIRST TIME BACK IN MAY, I DROVE IT THE 6 MILES TO WORK BUT HAD TO TOW IT AS IT RESULTED IN DEAD BATTERY. THE CODE IT SENDS IS P-2135, SO WE HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY TWICE TO MAKE SURE IT WAS NOT A DEFECTIVE PART. OTHERWISE AFTER MANY HOURS WAITING AT MY MECHANICS, THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ACTUAL DIAGNOSIS THAT WE CAN FIND THAT SEEMS TO TRULY FIX THIS ISSUE. HAVE EMAILED CHEVY AND DO HAVE A SERVICE REQUEST # AND WILL BE CALLING TODAY TO SET UP APPOINTMENT W/ LOCAL DEALER ASAP IN REGARDS TO BULLETIN 15-08-45-001 TO SEE IF THEY WILL COVER THIS AND PRAY THAT IT MAY ACTUALLY ONCE AND FOR ALL FIX THIS ANNOYING PROBLEM. MY CURRENT MILEAGE IS 39,000.

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I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE MY PASSENGER LOW BEAM BULB 3 TIMES IN 2 YEARS, DRIVERS SIDE TWICE AND MY DRIVERS SIDE JUST BURNT OUT AFTER TWO MONTHS. AFTER RESEARCHING NUMEROUS FORMS THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM FROM 2008-2012 MALIBUS

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PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT HAS BURNT OUT 4 TIMES IN 2 YEARS. I REPLACED IT WITH REGULAR LIGHTS THE FIRST 3 TIMES AND THE LAST TIME USED LED LIGHTS AND STILL BURNT OUT IN 8 MONTHS.

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HEADLIGHT BULB BURNED OUT - AND IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REPLACE WITHOUT SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND TOOLS. THIS IS A SEVERELY SAFETY ISSUE SINCE MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A CAR DEALER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN A HEADLIGHT GOES OUT. REPLACING THE LAMP REQUIRES REMOVING PARTS OF THE FENDER AND THE ENTIRE BUMPER, AND REQUIRES SOCKET WRENCHES AND MECHANICAL ABILITY BEYOND WHAT THE AVERAGE VEHICLE OWNER WILL HAVE. DRIVING WITH ONE HEADLIGHT BECAUSE GM COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO REPLACE THE HEADLAMP WITHOUT TOOLS IS DANGEROUS.

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MY LOW BEAM LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. KEEP GOING OUT AFTER BEING FIXED THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL IT KEEPS RECURRING OVER AND OVER ON MY 2011 CHEVY MALIBU LS. HEADLIGHT BULBS OR IT'S THE SOCKET KEEPS BURNING OUT.

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BROKEN PART IN TRANSMISSION THAT CLOGGED THE FILTER. CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 85,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF SINCE THE DAY PURCHASED NEW ON 10/23/2010. CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT QUIT MOVING. WAS STILL RUNNING BUT I WAS STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

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ON 10/17/18 I WAS JUST ABOUT TO PULL ONTO THE SUBURBAN SIDE STREET THAT I LIVE ON, GOING APPROXIMATELY 10 MP, WHEN I SUDDENLY HEARD A VERY LOUD "CLUNK" OR "SNAP" AND IMMEDIATELY FELT MY DRIVER'S SEAT SHIFT DOWNWARD AND TO THE RIGHT. AFTER COMPLETING MY TURN, I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, PUT MY VEHICLE IN PARK AND NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS "LOOSE." I GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS TILTED TOWARD THE CENTER CONSOLE, ON A DOWNWARD ANGLE, THE SEAT WAS ROCKING BACK AND FORTH/UP & DOWN WHEN I GENTLY TOUCHED IT. WHAT A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE! IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS JUST DRIVING DOWN A SUBURBAN SIDE STREET AT A LOW SPEED, THEN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN AN ACCIDENT? ONE THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT SHORTLY PRIOR TO MY SEAT BREAKING, I HAD USED MY AUTOMATIC CONTROLS ON THE SIDE OF THE SEAT TO ADJUST MY SEAT SLIGHTLY. I ADJUSTED THE HEIGHT AND TILT OF THE FRAME (NOT THE ANGLE OF THE BACK OF THE SEAT). IT APPEARS THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS HAD THIS EXPERIENCE, THAT IS SCARY! I AM WAITING TO GET AN ESTIMATE FROM THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP I GO TO, AND I AM HOPING IT IS COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. MY CAR IS A 2011 MALIBU AND IS JUST UNDER 50,000 MILES. IT IS SERVICED REGULARLY BY THE SAME DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT AT, THERE IS NO REASON WHY THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED!!!!!!! VERY SCARY TO DRIVE WITH A SEAT THAT IS NO LONGER SECURED PROPERLY. IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THIS IS BEING ADDRESSED BY CHEVROLET, EITHER AS A RECALL, SAFETY INVESTIGATION, OR ETC. IF THIS HAPPENS TO 1 OR 2 PEOPLE, MAYBE COINCIDENCE, BUT GOOGLE IS FULL OF REVIEWS WITH THIS COMPLAINT. IN FACT, WHEN SEARCHING ON GOOGLE FOR "DRIVER SEAT BROKEN" THE FIRST THING THAT COMES UP IS THIS EXACT ISSUE IN A MALIBU!!! THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER SEARCH RESULTS ON THE FIRST PAGE THAT ARE THIS EXACT ISSUE IN A MALIBU AS WELL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS T-BONED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL TOW YARD AND THEN TAKEN TO DAVIS CHEVROLET (2277 S LOOP W, HOUSTON, TX 77054, (832) 554-9250). THE DEALER REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, WINDOW, SIDE VIEW MIRROR, AND FRONT PANEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *TT*JB

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS NOT COMPLETELY ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE AND THE SEAT MOVED WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 99,112.

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DRIVER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT CONTINUES TO GO OUT AFTER FREQUENT REPLACEMENT. PIGTAIL CONNECTIONS ARE ALL TIGHT AND PROPERLY ATTACHED.

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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, AND THEN IT CAME BACK MOMENTARILY, AND THEN WENT OUT AGAIN A LITTLE LATER. THANKFULLY IT DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, BUT NOW I HAVEN'T HAD POWER STEERING IN OVER 4 MONTHS AND IT'S STARTING TO CAUSE NERVE DAMAGE IN MY ARMS AND HANDS FROM THE CONSTANT STRESS TO DRIVE, AND WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP I WAS QUOTED AN ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNT JUST TO LOOK AT CAR TO GET DIAGNOSIS.

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