Home · 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Eco · Complaints

What 976 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (976)Crash / fire / injury (62)Electrical system (234)Steering (212)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (174)Engine (160)Lights (130)Transmission & drivetrain (112)Airbags (93)Speed control (87)Seat belts (53)Brakes (44)

112 of 976 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters · page 2 of 5

Apr 16, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

TAKATA RECALL*** AT 80000 MILES I WAS DRIVING AND THEN MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE TRIED REVERSE WITH NO LUCK ENDED UP HAVING TO CALL TOW COMPANY TO GET ME OUT OF TRAFFIC WITH ALMOST BEING HIT SEVERAL TIMES . WITH RESEARCH FOUND OUT THIS IS COMMON AND GM REFUSES TO FIX PROBLEM WITCH IS NOT RIGHT SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING AND PUTTING FAULTY TRANSMISSION IN 2010 AND 2011 MALIBU'S

NHTSA ODI 11196774

Mar 13, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

TAKATA RECALL WE WERE IN MOTION GOING DOWN A HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR JUST STOP, WE PUT IT IN REVERSE IT MOVED WHEN WE PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE WOULD NOT MOVE.THE CAR IS NINE YRS OLD I WAS SCARE TO DEATH.

NHTSA ODI 11186646

Feb 17, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

TRANSMISSION COMPUTER (TCM) FAILED AT 87,700 MILES. PART HAD TO BE REPLACED AND REPROGRAMMED.

NHTSA ODI 11180698

Feb 16, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

THE VEHICLE STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS IN 2016 AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF RANDOMLY AND WOULD NOT COMPLETELY STAY ON TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE CORRECTLY AND WHEN IT WOULD COME ON IT KEPT SAYING IT WAS DIFFERENT SENSORS. AFTER REPLACING SEVERAL SENSORS THAT WERE DIAGNOSED TO BE INCORRECT AND CHANGING SPARK PLUGS AND ALL FILTERS AND FLUSHING SEVERAL PARTS OUT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE AS MUCH POWER AS IT DID IN THE PAST AND SEEMED TO BE SHIFTING DIFFERENTLY. THE CAR PROGRESSIVELY KEPT GETTING WORSE AND LOOSING POWER AND NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. I HAD TAKEN IT TO 3 MECHANICS IN THE NASHVILLE AREA AND EACH OF THEM COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM ALSO BUT ALL HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THE ISSUE AND HAD RELAYED THAT THEY BELIEVED IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN FROM PREVIOUS CLIENTS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES. I THEN TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALER BECAUSE IT HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE SEEMED UNSAFE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY AND I WOULD BE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND WHEN I WENT TO TAKE OFF THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE UNTIL CATCHING AND IT WOULD SIT THERE IDLING AND ALMOST STALL OUT AND THEN AFTER 60-160 SECONDS THE VEHICLE WOULD FINALLY CATCH AND TAKE OFF. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED WITH THE REST OF THE TRAFFIC. ANYTIME THE VEHICLE REALLY NEEDED TO SHIFT IT TENDED TO JUST SIT AND IDLE UNTIL THE CHAIN CAUGHT EXACTLY WHERE IT NEEDED TO WHICH IS WHAT CAUSED THE SAFETY ISSUE. THE CHAIN WAS MISSING IN CERTAIN SPOTS SO ONCE IT FINALLY CAUGHT THE CORRECT SPOT IT WOULD TAKE OFF BUT MADE IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AS YOU NEVER KNEW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO CATCH ON AND TAKE OFF OR IF IT WAS GOING TO COMPLETELY BREAK AT SOME POINT AND JUST NOT MOVE AT ALL. THE VEHICLE ALSO DID NOT WANT TO START KEPT ROLLING OVER MULTIPLE TIMES BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO CHEVY TO FIX IT.

NHTSA ODI 11180471

Oct 20, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

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

NHTSA ODI 11141585

Jun 6, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

I HAVE A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU WITH 91963 THAT HASNT MOVED SINCE APRIL 26 2018. THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE 3-5-R WAVE PLATE IN CHEVY MALIBUS FROM 2009-10 THAT THEY FIX IN 2012 BUT DID NOTHING FOR 2011. MULITPLE REPAIR SHOPS HAVE TOLD ME THEY HAVE SEEN ALOT OF 2011 MALIBUS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. GM WILL NOT AKNOWLEDGE THIS DEFECT. I NEED HELP.

NHTSA ODI 11100172

Jun 5, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

I BOUGHT MY CAR LAST OCTOBER WITH 88505 MILES AND MONTH AFTER MY SPEAKER WENT OUT AND IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER MY CAR DIED ON ME THREE TIMES AND MY GRANDMOTHER HAD TO FORCE THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE WARRANTY ALLOWED ME TO GET A NEW BATTERY AND IN MARCH MY CAR WOULD JUMP WHEN I SHIFT TO REVERSE. THEN I TOLD IT TO A AUTO SHOP THEY CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID . FINALLY ON APRIL 26 'MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR GO IN REVERSE . I HAD IT TOWED TO MY DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY CHARGED ME $108 TO DIAGNOSE IT AND TOLD ME MY 3-5-R WAVE PLATE WAS DONE AND I NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. MY GRANDMOTHER DID HER RESEARCH MD COULD THAT BETWEEN 2009-2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU TRANSMISSION HAD A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION WITH THE 35R WAVE PLATE AND THEY HAD MADE THE CHANGE THE 2012 MODELS BUT NEVER DID ANYTHING WITH THE 2010 MODELS AND I DID RESEARCH TO AN SAW THAT SOME CARS COULD HAVE PARTS FROM OLDER MODELS AND BE IN NEWER CARS. I WENT TO A TRANSMISSION PLACE AND THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO THE CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCY WITH THE STATES ATTORNEY. DEPENDING ON MY VIN I COULD FIND OUT IF MY 2011 CAR WAS MADE WITH 2010 PARTS

NHTSA ODI 11099978

May 23, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

DRIVING DOWN CITY STREET, ENGINE SPEED INCREASED AND VEHICLE SLOWED TO STOP. WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR REVERSE. AS TRAFFIC BACKED UP BEHIND ME, SHUT VEHICLE OFF FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND RESTARTED. VEHICLE THEN MOVED ENOUGH TO GET OFF ROADWAY THEN STOPPED MOVING AGAIN. TOWED TO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, THEY DIAGNOSED WITH MAJOR INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE, TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACED. VEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 90,000 MILES, COST TO REPAIR, ABOUT $4200

NHTSA ODI 11097591

May 1, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEARS WERE GRINDING AND MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE GEARS FAILED TO SHIFT AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER (GORDON CHEVROLET, 1506, 31850 FORD RD, GARDEN CITY, MI 48135, (734) 427-6200). THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS 190 DAYS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD COVER 50% OF THE COST TO REPLACE THE PART, BUT REFUSED TO COMPLETELY COVER THE REPAIR FROM THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. *TT

NHTSA ODI 11091237

Mar 6, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO REVERSE, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CASPER TOYOTA (904 STRUB RD, SANDUSKY, OH 44870, (888) 864-2057) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST. THE CONTACT LATER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A WAVE PLATE WAS DETACHED AND A THREE FIVE PISTON FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-3962773200 AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

NHTSA ODI 11076545

Feb 9, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY AND HIGHWAY, TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING, AS THOUGH IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN WITH NO BREAKS IN BETWEEN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR. TRIED TURNING CAR ON AND OFF. CHECKED ALL FLUID LEVELS. TRIED DRIVING IN MANUAL MODE, NO CHANGE. AFTER DRIVING FOR 10 MINUTES, CONDITIONS WORSENED. WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO CAR REDUCING POWER WHILE STUCK IN "NEUTRAL" MODE AS WELL AS JERKING FORWARD OUT OF NO WHERE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS NOT EVEN BEING PUSHED.

NHTSA ODI 11071985

Nov 16, 2017Transmission & drivetrain

I AM REPORTING THIS INCIDENT ALTHOUGH IT IS A LITTLE OVER 3 YEARS OLD, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS WEBSITE WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS RELATED TO THE COMPLAINT I RECENTLY SUBMITTED, COMPLAINT NUMBER: 11045010, PLUS CHEVROLET NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. ON OCTOBER 6TH, 2014 AT ABOUT 2PM I AM GETTING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AS I AM ABOUT TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC AND START TO ACCELERATION I FEEL A SURGE AND THAN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. WHEN I AM ABLE TO I PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND CONTACT THE SHOP WHERE I TAKE MY CAR TO BE SERVICED AND SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING MY CAR IN THE NEXT MORNING. BRACH'S AUTO RUNS A ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS TEST AND THE CODES ARE P0700 AND P2714. THE MANAGER ASKS IF MY CAR IS STILL UNDER ANY WARRANTY AND IT WAS STILL UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY SO HE SUGGESTS I CONTACT CHEVROLET. I FIRST CONTACT WEBB CHEVY OAK LAWN WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO GIVE ME AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL 2 WEEKS AWAY SO I CONTACTED THE CHEVROLET CUSTOMER CARE AND SPOKE WITH A REP WHO HELPED ME TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH KINGDOM CHEVROLET AND TO RECEIVE A GM RENTAL. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE LICENSED SHOP WHERE I HAVE MY CAR SERVICED AND THEY REFUSED TO PAY THE ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS FEE I HAD ALREADY HAD COMPLETED. KINGDOM CHEVROLET CAME UP WITH THE SAME DIAGNOSTIC CODES AS BRACH'S AUTO AND SUGGESTED A THROTTLE BODY SERVICE AND FUEL INJECTION SERVICE FOR RUNNING ISSUES. AFTER THE WORK WAS COMPLETED I TOOK IT BACK TO BRACH'S AUTO TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT AND IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I DO THE THROTTLE BODY SERVICE WHICH I HAD COMPLETED.

NHTSA ODI 11046494

Nov 9, 2017Transmission & drivetrain

ON NOVEMBER 1, 2017, WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE EXPRESSWAY I HEAR THIS LOUD REVVING NOISE, I TURN MY RADIO OFF AND REALIZE IT IS MY CAR MAKING THE NOISE AND THAN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND TURNED MY CAR OFF IN HOPES OF THE ERROR CLEARING OUT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON ONLY TO FIND THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON, WHEN IT WAS SAVE TO DO SO, I PULLED BACK INTO TRAFFIC WITH MY HAZARD LIGHTS AS I COULD NOT GO OVER 20 TO 30 MPH WITHOUT THE RPM GOING UP. I MADE IT HOME, TRIED TO BACK INTO MY GARAGE ONLY TO FIND THAT MY CAR WILL NOT GO IN REVERSE. I PUT THE CAR BACK IN DRIVE, PULLED AROUND TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND PARKED THE CAR. SINCE IT WAS AFTER MIDNIGHT, I CALLED CHEVROLET THE NEXT DAY AND THE ONLY THING THEY COULD HELP ME WITH WAS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH A DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR DIAGNOSTICS AS MY CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS MODEL YEAR ALTHOUGH THERE IS A RECALL FOR MODELS 2007 THRU 2009 FOR THE SAME ISSUES. MY SERVICE ADVISER CALLED ME LATER THAT DAY TO TELL ME IT WAS DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE, THEY FOUND METAL IN THE TRANSMISSION AND HIS ADVICE WAS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. MY DIAGNOSTIC CODE WAS P0776( PRESSURE SOLENOID 2 STUCK OFF), MY BILL $3946 FOR CAR THAT HAS 84000 MILES ON IT. A CAR THAT I AM STILL PAYING A CAR NOTE ON. WHEN I PURCHASED IT 4 YEARS AGO IT HAD JUST UNDER 30000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING TO MAINTAIN MY CAR BECAUSE MY BIGGEST FEAR IS BEING STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY SINCE I AM A WOMAN WORKING 2ND SHIFT. I DO NOT HAVE MY REPAIR INVOICE YET AS I HAVE NOT PICKED MY CAR UP YET, ITS NOT SO EASY TO COME UP WITH NEARLY $4000.

NHTSA ODI 11045010

Nov 6, 2017Transmission & drivetrain

EVER SINCE PURCHASING MY 2011 CHEVY MALIBU, IT HAS ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM SHIFTING. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TESTED IT SAYING NOTHING WAS WRONG. I TOLD THEM IT SEEMED LIKE IT HAD A HARD TIME SHIFTING GEARS ESPECIALLY GOING FROM 2ND TO 3RD. I COULD BE AT A STOP LIGHT AND IT ACTED LIKE IT DIDN'T WANT TO GO. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND IT STARTED TO OVER HEAT AND STOPPED SHIFTING GEARS. IT WOULDN'T SHIFT UNTIL I GOT THE SPEEDOMETER UP TO 95. IMAGINE BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND YOUR CAR JUST STOPS SHIFTING GEARS. I WENT TO THREE DIFFERENT PLACES TO BE TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG JUST TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN. AFTER TAKING IT TO MY MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED A WAVE PLATE REPAIR WHICH WOULD MEAN REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK MY CAR TO 3 DIFFERENT PLACES ALL QUOTING ME THE SAME AMOUNT OF $3000. WHILE AT TWO OF THE AUTO SHOPS I RAN INTO 3 OTHER PEOPLE WITH MALIBU THAT ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS AND MY CAR AND THEIRS HAS LESS THAN 100K MILES

NHTSA ODI 11043695

Sep 5, 2017Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WYMER CHEVROLET IN CUMBERLAND, MD WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,654.

NHTSA ODI 11021591

Jun 27, 2017Transmission & drivetrain

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED, CAR "SQUEALED", CAR STARTED SHAKING, AND TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT. I COULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST FIRST GEAR. IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, HAD TO COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY TO SAFETY. NO PRIOR NOTIFICATION (LIGHTS, WARNINGS, NOISES) THAT THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. CAR JUST RECENTLY EXCEEDED THE 100000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. WAS NOTIFIED IT WAS THE WAKE PLATE THAT FAILED. CONSIDERING ALL OF THE OTHER CHEVY OWNERS HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE, I THINK CHEVY SHOULD AT THE VERY LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11001811

May 16, 2017Transmission & drivetrainEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO GO INTO DRIVE POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER OVERHAUL KIT, PISTONS, CONTROL SOLENOID, AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE PLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

NHTSA ODI 10986005

May 5, 2017Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR BACK IN 2014 THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS NO BIG DEAL THAT THE LIGHT WOULD EVENUALLY GO OUT. UPON PURCHASE IT HAD 51,000 MILES ON IT, BECAUSE THEY HAD IT FOR A FEW WEEKS DUE TO IT HAVING HAIL DAMAGE THE FINANCE COMPANY WOULDN'T APPROVE THE LOAN BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS RIDING OK UP UNTIL A FEW MONTHA AGO I NOTICED I WAS LOOSING POWER IT WAS DRIVING SLOWER, I STARTED FEELING IT TUGGING WHEN I WANTED TO PICK UP SPEED. THEN 3 DAYS AGO IT JUST WOULDN'T GO IN REVERSE, WHEN I TRIED TO SWITCH BACK TO DRIVING IT WOULDN'T GO INTO DRIVE ULTIMATELY I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BECAUSE THE TRANMISSION WENT OUT ON IT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 71,000 MILES ON IT. I BARELY DRIVE IT ANYWHERE. THE ENGINE TO LOOK AT IT IS VERY CLEAN. I LOOKED UP ALL THE RECALLS ON MY CAR AND NONE OF THEM I WAS NOTIFIED FOR AND THERE ARE MANY. SO WHY AM I NOT GETTING A LETTER ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION THAT HAS OBVIOUSLY GONE OUT. UP UNTIL NOW I WAS IN LOVE WITH THIS CHEVROLET MALIBU AND WAS A DEVOTED CUSTOMER ADVISING PEOPLE THIS WAS A GOOD CAR, NOW I'M NOT SO SURE. LOOKING AT ALL THESE RECALLS ARE ALARMING.

NHTSA ODI 10983676

Apr 4, 2017Transmission & drivetrain

ACCORDING TO DEALER, A PRODUCT FAILURE OCCURRED. A PLATE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION BROKE AND DAMAGED 3RD, 4TH AND REAR GEARS. CAR IS ONLY 6 YEARS AND 78,000 MIKES WITH A YRANSMISSION FLUSH AT 60,000. DEALER STATES IT COULDNT BE A BAD FLUSH.

NHTSA ODI 10970606

Mar 22, 2017Transmission & drivetrain

A KNOWN CHEVROLET ISSUE ON THEIR 2.4 L ENGINE CAUSED FAILURE IN MY AUTOMOBILE WHILE TRAVELLING 70 MPH ON I94 IN MINNESOTA. IF THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP WE MAY HAVE DIED. THIS ISSUE IS KNOWN TO GM AND HAS BEEN ADDRESSED IN OTHER VEHICLES BUT THE MALIBU THEY LEFT OUT. GM WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THIS. THE TIMING CHAIN, OR CHAIN TENSIONER, OR CHAIN GUIDES FAILED CAUSING THE CHAIN TO BREAK AND LOSE POWER WHILE TRAVELLING DOWN THE ROAD. EVERY GM MECHANIC I HAVE TALKED TO AFTER THIS HAPPENED HAS SAID THAT THESE VEHICLES REQUIRE AN OIL CHANGE EVERY 3000 MILES BUT GM STATES DIFFERENTLY. THEY SAY IF YOU FOLLOW GM STANDARDS THIS WILL HAPPEN ALMOST EVERY TIME. VEHICLE HAD UNDER 100,000 MILES ON ON WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND COULD HAVE CAUSED MASS CASUALTY. AGAIN THIS ISSUE IS KNOWN ON GM VEHICLES AND THEY REFUSE TO ADDRESS IT UNTIL MORE PEOPLE WITH A MALIBU COME FORWARD. THIS NEED TO BE RESOLVED AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE TRAVELLING DOWN THE ROADS IN MN. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 10967751

Mar 20, 2017Transmission & drivetrainSpeed control

REACTOR GEAR BROKE, BLOWING INTO ALL PARTS OF THE TRANSMISSION. BROKE WITH NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, WASN'T ABLE TO SPEED UP OR MOVE OUT OF FIRST GEAR. ALSO WAS NOT ABLE TO REVERSE. RESULTED IN A NEED FOR A TOTAL NEW TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI 10967188

Mar 2, 2017Transmission & drivetrainSeats

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HAS BROKEN. IT IS THE RIGHT SIDE AND IT IS SITTING LOWER THAN THE LEFT SIDE. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN IN ANY VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED. THE OTHER ISSUE IS INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE SHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION. IT IS VERY WORRISOME. WHEN YOU ARE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN/LIGHT OR ANYTHING AND YOU GO TO TAKE OFF IT FEELS LIKE CAR SHUTS DOWN BRIEFLY AND THEN IT KICKS IN. THE PROBLEM CAN NEVER SEEM TO BE REPLICATED AT A DEALERSHIP IMAGINE THAT.

NHTSA ODI 10957979

Jan 12, 2017Transmission & drivetrainElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND JERK, AND THEN THE ALERTS ACROSS THE DASH CAME UP AS "SERVICE ESC", "SERVICE TRACTION", AND "ENGINE POWER REDUCED". I TOOK IT TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER PAYING $550.00 FOR THE REPAIR THE CAR SEEMED TO WORK FINE UNTIL RECENTLY, ONLY TWO MONTHS AFTER THE INITIAL REPAIR THE SAME EXACT THING HAS HAPPENED, AND NOW THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR, THERE IS NO RECALL AND I'LL EITHER HAVE TO TRADE THE CAR IN (WHICH I CAN'T AFFORD TO DO) OR JUST DRIVE IT AND HOPE THE PROBLEM WILL CORRECT ITSELF. I AM BEYOND SCARED TO DRIVE IT AS MY DAUGHTER IS IN THE CAR WITH ME, AND I DO NOT WANT TO BE DRIVING A DEATH TRAP DOWN THE HIGHWAY. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ODI 10944519

Jan 5, 2017Transmission & drivetrain

TRANSMISSION, THE CAR JERKS AT ALL SPEEDS, SLOWS DOWN AND SPEEDS UP .THE LONGER YOU DRIVE IT THE WORSE IT GETS.WHEN YOU GO TO TAKE OFF AND PUSH THE GAS IT'S LIKE YOU PUSHED THE GAS AND LET OFF AND THEN ALL THE SUDDEN TAKES OFF . IT'D LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS CONSTANTLY SLIPPING AND THEN GRABBING .

NHTSA ODI 10940033

Dec 16, 2016Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PLACE THE GEAR SHIFT IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REVERSE AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 103,000.

NHTSA ODI 10935668

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How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Eco verdict →