What 976 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON CITY STREET, A CHIME SOUNDED AND POWER STEERING, SERVICE ESC MESSAGE CAME ON. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. ALTHOUGH VERY HARD, I WAS ABLE TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. AFTER TURNING THE CAR ON/OFF FOR ABOUT 20 MIN, THE MESSAGE FINALLY WENT AWAY AND THE STEERING WORKED AGAIN. TODAY WHEN I STARTED MY CAR, THE SAME MESSAGE APPEARED.

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DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I GET A REDUCED POWER MESSAGE AND MY CAR INSTANTLY GOES FROM 60MPH TO ABOUT 10MPH. LUCKY FOR ME NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. SHUT THE CAR OFF FOR A BIT, STARTED IT BACK UP AND NO ISSUES UNTIL I GOT INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND THE SAME THING! SHOWS A P2135 CODE. GM KNOWS OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS EVEN RELEASED A BULLETIN STATING THAT WHEN YOU GET THIS CODE YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE THROTTLE BODY DUE TO A FAULTY TPS SENSOR. OF COURSE THEY EXPECT THE CUSTOMER TO PAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH VEHICLE OWNERSHIP BUT THIS IS KIND OF RIDICULOUS THAT THEY KNOW THIS CAN CAUSE FATALITIES. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO YOU FOR YEARS NOW AS WELL ON THIS VEHICLE AND MANY OTHER GM'S. WILL THEY EVER BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE?

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STABILITRAK CONTROL TURNED ON CHANGE ALL SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES PLUS COILS. RAN FINE 1 WEEK AGAIN STABILITRAK FLASHING ENGINE IN LIMP MODE. TOOK RO MECHANIC REPLACES LIFTERS CAM SHAFT. ONE WEEK LATER AGAIN. REBUILD COMPLETE MOTOR AND STILL DISPLAYING SAME ISSUE!!!! TRUCK IS A LEMON

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FOR ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE INCIDENT, 2011 CHEVY MALIBU WAS SHAKING WHEN ACCELERATED ABOVE A CERTAIN SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE. TWO DAYS AGO, IN THE PARKING LOT AT WORK, WHEN TURNING ON THE CAR, THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS THE TRACTION SYSTEM AND THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TURNED CAR OFF AND LIGHTS DID NOT COME BACK ON, BUT DROVE HOME A SAFER ROUTE. THE NEXT NIGHT ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE CAR WOULD ONLY GO 30 MPH! AND THIS WAS ON A DAY OF LARGE SNOWSTORM AND WAS VERY COLD. SO DANGEROUS. COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. TOOK CAR TO CLOSEBY FIRESTONE AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE THROTTLE. BILL WAS OVER 600 DOLLARS. WANT TO WARN GM AND MALIBU OWNERS OF THIS TERRIBY DANGEROUS ISSUE IN THEIR CAR!!!!!

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AIR BAG LIGHT JUST KEEPS POPPING ON AND OFF. I SEE THERE IS A RECALL, BUT NOT FOR MY VIN

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON A RAMP AND ATTEMPTING TO ENTER HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT ALSO WANTED TO STATE THAT PREVIOUSLY THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO ENGAGE IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ROY ROBINSON CHEVROLET (6616 35TH AVENUE NE, MARYSVILLE, WA, 98271, (360) 659-6236) WHERE THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,632.

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A CLUNKING WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING, WHICH ENDED UP BEING THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT.

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THE POWER STEERING LIGHT JUST CAME ON MY CAR WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD

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THE LOW BEAM PORTION OF HEADLIGHTS STARTED GOING OUT AND BACK ON PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING I'VE REPLACED THE BULBS TWICE WITHIN 6 MONTHS AND IT CONTINUES TO REPEAT ISSUE THE BULBS ARE NOT BLOWN. MULTIPLE REPORTS ONLINE OF THIS ISSUE BUT NO RECALL. IF HEADLIGHTS FAIL DURING DARK DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS OR EVEN FATAL ACCIDENTS.THE INFORMATION ONLINE SUGGESTS WIRING HARNESS ISSUES

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE REDUCE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AND DRIVEN TO HER DESTINATION. THE CONTACT STATED SHE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CONTROL COMPUTER PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,000.

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WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON A CITY STREET, MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT, THE EVS SERVICE LIGHT, THEN TRACTION LIGHT & BACK TO NO POWER STEERING LIGHT. WAS ABLE TO MAKE HARD TURNS TO GET INTO A PARKING LOT. TURNED THE CAR OFF & ON - ALL LIGHTS WENT BACK TO NORMAL. CALLED THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME IT WAS "MY CALL" IF I WANTED TO BRING IT IN FOR SERVICE. DANGEROUS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED & SURPRISED THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR KILLED SOMEBODY ELSE AT THAT SPEED.

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PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT GOES OUT RANDOMLY. WIRING AND HEADLIGHT HAVE BEEN REPLACED, AND DOES NOT SEEM TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE. THIS HAPPENS APPROX.EVERY 6 MONTHS IF NOT MORE. YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE FRONT BUMPER TO GET TO THE HEADLIGHT WHICH IS A PAIN IF DONE YOURSELF. VERY EXPENSIVE IF YOU PAY A MECHANIC.

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MY DIM LIGHTS DO NOT WORK, IT IS NOT THE BULB OR ANYTHING CONNECTED WITH THE LIGHT, IT HAS ALL BEEN CHECKED OUT! BRIGHTS WORK, BUT IT IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR ME TO HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY BRIGHTS ON. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT!

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MY CARS STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO MAKE NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL THEN IT STARTED TO MOVE SLIGHTLY.VERY SLIGHTLY WHILE I WAS DRIVING. AFTER A LITTLE BIT MORE OF DRIVING THE SAME DAY. THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND ONLY LOCKED ONCE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEED

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DRIVING DOWN THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE, MY VEHICLE STARTED TO CHIME AND DISPLAY A MESSAGE ABOUT THE POWER STEERING BEING OFF AND ESC SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE STATIONARY AT A STOP LIGHT. I STRUGGLED TO MOVE MY CAR OVER AND OFF THE ROAD, STILL WITHOUT POWER STEERING. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN, MY POWER STEERING HAD RETURNED. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, GENERAL MOTORS HAS ALREADY RECALLED THE PREVIOUS YEARS FOR THIS PROBLEM IN JUNE OF 2014 WITH RECALL #14117. I HAVE VERY GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM IN LATER MODEL YEARS AND THEY HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS IT. THE LAST RECALL HAD TO DO WITH THE TORQUE SENSOR ASSEMBLY AND/OR THE POWER STEERING MOTOR CONTROLLER UNIT, PER THE RECALL.

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I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREE WAY GOING 65 MPH. WHEN I GOT A MESSAGE SAYING TRACTION CONTROL AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS LOSING POWER. THE CAR THEN STOPPED ACCELERATING UNTIL IT CAN TO A COMPLETE STOP IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. IT ALMOST GOT ME REAR ENDED SINCE THE CARS ARE GOING FAST AND IT LOST AL SPEED AND POWER.

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PASSENGER SIDE LOW-BEAM HEAD LIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT, AND HAVE TO REPLACE EVERY SIX MONTHS OR LESS. VERY COSTLY DUE TO DESIGN. FRONT BUMPER NEEDS TO BE REMOVED TO GET TO HEADLIGHT. HAVE HAD DIFFERENT MECHANICS CHANGE AND ISSUE CONTINUES TO BE THE SAME.

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THE POWER STEERING WARNING COMES ON ALONG WITH SERVICE MESSAGE. WHEN CAR IS STARTED AND YOU ARE UNABLE TO TURN WHEEL. GLAD THIS HAPPENED IN PARK AND NOT WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT. I READ ABOUT A RECALL FOR MALIBU FROM 2007 THRU 2012 I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND NEVER HAVE RECEIVED ANY INFO FROM GM. THE DEALER SHIP SAID TODAY THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT IN THE RECALL. I CAN'T BELEIVE THAT THE STEERING STAFF SENSOR WAS A DIFFRENT PART FROM ONE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER. THE DISCRIPTION OF THE ISSUES I'M HAVING IS EXACTLY THE SAME THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. I BELEIVE GM IS IN ERROR THAT IF MY VEHICLE HAS A DIFFRENT PART # FOR THE SENSOR THAT PART IS ALSO DEFFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE IN THIS RECALL. HOPE YOU CAN HELP THANKS.

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WHILE PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC IN TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, LEAVING STARBUCKS,, I LOST POWER STEERING CONTROL WITHOUT ANY WARNING OF THIS POSSIBLE ISSUE OCCURRING, ALMOST RESULTING IN CRASHING INTO THE MEDIAN.

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SINCE THE FIRST OF JANUARY I'VE HAD TO REPLACE MY HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHT 3 TIMES SO FAR , I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE MY BEARINGS ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER 2 TIMES ON MY PASSENGER. AND THE REASON I AM WRITING THIS NOW IS BECAUSE MY DRIVER SIDE NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN. THE HEADLIGHTS DIDN'T COME ON IN THE MORNING WHEN I WAS LEAVING FOR WORK. AND THE BEARING JUST STARTED MAKING A SOUND WHEN DRIVING AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE BAD.

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LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS KEEPS GOING OUT!! HEADLIGHT BRACKET MELTED! CAR FORUMS REVEAL THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ELECTRICAL ISSUE. WHEN ANYBODY REPLACES HEADLIGHT HARNESS AND HEADLIGHTS, THEY END UP WITH THE SAME ISSUE A FEW WEEKS LATER. VERY DISAPPOINTING! PLEASE RECALL! CAR FORUM CONTAINING MULTIPLE CASES OF SAME ISSUE HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T32066_DS667897

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MY TEENAGE SON WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN WHEN HIS MALIBU GAVE ENGINE POWER REDUCED, SERVICE TRACTION, SERVICE ESC, AND ESC OFF WARNINGS. CAR WAS BARELY DRIVABLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE IT HAPPENS SUDDENLY AND INCREASE THE CHANCES OF A COLLISION WITH OTHER VEHICLES. CODE READER SHOWED THE P2138 DTC. THE HEADLINER ABOVE THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS ALSO WET. THIS APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM THE SUN ROOF. I BELIEVE THAT THIS LEAKAGE IS CAUSING ELECTRICAL CONNECTION ISSUES SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE CAR THAT IS CAUSING THE ABOVE MENTIONED WARNINGS AND PERFORMANCE ISSUES. ACCORDING THE THE CHEVY WEBSITE, THERE ARE NO RECALLS APPLICABLE TO THIS CAR BASED ON ITS VIN.

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THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME I'VE ENCOUNTERED THIS EXACT ISSUE, AND HAVE HAD PREVIOUS ISSUES AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE (USED) BACK IN 2013. BOTH TIMES THIS EXACT ISSUE AT HAND OCCURRED, BOTH HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. FIRST TIME, I WAS DRIVING IN A SHARP CURVE WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT. THIS LAST TIME I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY NOTHING WAS HIT IN EITHER CASES, HOWEVER THIS PAST TIME I PULLED MUSCLES IN MY BACK STRAINING SO HARD TO TRY AND STEER THE VEHICLE TO GET AT LEAST VERY MINIMUM OFF THE ROAD AND ONTO A SIDE STREET AND TO SAFETY. AS BOTH TIMES I WERE DRIVING THE ESC LIGHT CAME ON, AND POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON. RESULTING IN ME NOT BEING ABLE TO BRAKE, OR STEER - THE ONLY STEERING I WERE ABLE TO DO WAS VERY STRAINED (AS PREVIOUSLY STATED), I HAD TO PUT FORTH EXTREME EFFORTS TO GET IT TO BARELY TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL ACTED AS IF IT WERE LOCKED. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND COVERED UNDER A RECALL AS I'VE READ/HEARD A MULTITUDE OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT ARE ALL COMMON WITH THIS EXACT YEAR, MODEL/CAR. AND FOR THIS BE SUCH A DANGER, IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BEFORE IT COSTS SOMEONE THEIR LIFE. I'M TERRIFIED TO THINK WHAT IF EVERYONE AROUND ME WEREN'T PAYING ATTENTION WHEN BOTH EVENTS TOOK PLACE, IT COULD'VE RESULTED IN MY LIFE. MY SPOUSE BEING SINGLE RAISING OUR PRECIOUS 4 CHILDREN. HOW CHEVY/GM CAN LIVE KNOWING THESE ISSUES HAPPEN AND NOT ADDRESS IT IS HORRIBLE, KNOWING VERY WELL IT COULD RESULT IN A LIFE I'D NOT MORE BEING LOST. THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET THE LIGHTS TO TURN OFF AND ME TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE, I HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF, WAIT, AND TURN IT ON IN ORDER TO CONTINUE MY DRIVE TO WORK. I'M TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS DEATH TRAP OF A CAR, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THESE ISSUES COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, WITHOUT WARNING OR REASON. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED. OTHERWISE THIS IS A LAWSUIT JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN.

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU LTZ, I EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE WAS ONLY TEMPORARY; WHILE DRIVING APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, I WENT THE APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL HAD ALMOST NO PRESSURE. IT ALMOST WENT THE THE FLOOR BEFORE I BEGAN PUMPING THE BRAKES. UNFORTUNATELY THIS DID NOT WORK, WHICH LED TO MY CAR REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, I MADE MY BEST ATTEMPT TO INSPECT THE BRAKES AND BRAKE FLUID, AND NOTICED ALMOST NOTHING. THE ONLY THING I HAD NOTICED WAS SLIGHT LOW BRAKE FLUID. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, I READ A FEW COMPLAINTS RELATED TO BOTH ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING RACK ISSUES, AND BRAKE FAILURE. BOTH OF THESE WHICH I EXPERIENCED. ALL OF WHICH HAPPENED AT SPEEDS BELOW 40 MPH ON A CITY STREET

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THE HEAD LIGHTS IN MY VEHICLE DO NOT WORK AT ALL. I HAVE TO USE THE BRIGHTS TO SEE ANYTHING AT NIGHT. THE HEAT WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TOO AND WHEN I BUMP INTO A SMALL LUMP ON THE STREET IT TURNS OFF. THE WHEEL BARRIER IS BAD ON MY RIGHT TIRE.

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