What 976 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

I BOUGHT MY FIRST CAR FROM A SMALL DEALERSHIP AND WITHIN THE LAST 35 DAYS THE ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, SHOCKS, FUEL PUMP AND NOW THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON....WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING IT SEEMS LIKE THE CAR DON'T WANT TO GO INTO GEAR. AND WHEN IT FINALLY GOES INTO GEAR IT JERKS YOU. ALSO THE ELECTRICAL AND TEMPERATURE GAGE, THE LIGHTS ON DASH BOARD GO IN AND OUT YOU CAN HEAR A FAINT NOISE COMING FROM THE DOME LIGHT. TEMPERATURE GAGE STAYED AT COLD WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND. TOOK CAR FOR A RIDE THE NEXT DAY AND RIGHT AWAY WHEN DRIVING IT WENT ABOUT A QUARTER ABOVE COLD???

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PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT EVER OTHER MONTH

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT FUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MILLER BROTHERS CHEVROLET OF ELLICOTT CITY, LOCATED AT 9035 BALTIMORE NATIONAL PIKE, ELLICOTT CITY, MD 21042, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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GOT A 2011 CHEVY MALIBU FROM MY FATHER IN LAW. CAR ONLY HAS 44500 MILES ON IT. SO OF COURSE IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY. NOTICE THAT THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS NOT WORKING, SO DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE WITH MELTED FUSES IN FUSE BOX IN TRUCK AND FUSE BOX MELTING ALSO. WHY IS CHEVY NOT TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT OR OFFERING A FIX OR RECALL. IT'S A FIRE HAZARD.

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MY VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ALL SYMPTOMS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 AND THERE IS NO ACTIVE RECALL FOR MY VIN. THAT PROBLEM HIS CAUSING HIGH VOLTAGE WHICH KEEPS CAUSING ELECTRICAL ISSUES LIKE BURNING CABLES TO THE HEADLIGHTS AND NOT GETTING POWER TO MULTIPLE INTERIOR EQUIPMENT SUCH AS THE IPC WHICH STOPS WORKING WHILE DRIVING AND I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO MY SPEED AND OTHER INFORMATION. I ALSO GET A ENGINE POWER REDUCED ERROR FROM A BAD CONNECTED FROM THE APP TO THE BCM, CODE P1238.

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IT HAVE THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON IN THE DASH SAY SERVICE AIR BAGS AND WITH THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN YOU DRIVE IT LIKE IT WON'T TO LOCK UP

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LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT SOCKET MELTED ON BOTH SIDES NOT ALLOWING LOW BEAM LIGHTS TO WORK. HAD TO REWIRE A NEW WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE READ MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS ON LINE OF THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENING. UNTIL I DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM I HAVE HAD TO ONLY DRIVE DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. RIDICULOUS!

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CAR QUIT SHIFTING INTO 3RD, 4TH OR 5TH GEAR AND REVERSE. EXITING THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT DOWNSHIFTED VERY SUDDENLY AND VERY HARD. FROM THERE STOPPED AT RED LIGHT. WENT TO TAKE OFF AND IT SLIPPED IN 2ND GEAR. FROM THERE PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE. NEXT TIME I TRIED REVERSE IT WOULD NOT GO AT ALL. LEADS ME TO BELIEVE IT'S THE TRANSMISSION.

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MULTIPLE FRONT HEAD LIGHT REPLACEMENT IN SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WITHIN 3 TO 4 MONTHS REPLACED 3 TIMES. NOTICED WARPING OF FACEPLATE BY AUDIO EQUIPMENT SO HAD TO REPLACE THAT. THEN CAME BACK FROM VACATION AND DROVE MY CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, PARKED I WENT INSIDE STORE AND MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE CAR WHEN SHE SAID IT JUMPED AND THEN TURNED OFF. WHEN I TURNED IT ON IT SAID "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" "SERVICE TRACTION" "SERVICE ESC" I DROVE IT TO GET HOME. NEXT MORNING IT WAS FINE TO GET TO WORK SHORT DISTANCE, ON WAY HOME IN HOTTER TIME OF DAY (LIVE IN ARIZONA) IT DID IT AGAIN. ONLY 20 MILES AN HOUR MAXIUM AND GULPING GASOLINE. I WAS IN MY CAR WITH MY 13 YEAR OLD AND IT WAS DANGEROUS AS WE WERE DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE WERE REDUCED TO 20 MPH OR LESS AND WERE ALMOST REAR-ENDED VARIOUS TIMES, CAUGHT MID TRANSITION FROM YELLOW TO RED LIGHT WHILE MAKING LEFT TURN. VERY SCARY. MECHANIC DROVE IT AND SAID AFTER ONLY 10 TO 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT DID THE SAME THING. MECHANIC HE RAN TESTS AND FOUND RELAY FUSE BOX ISSUE. TRIED TO ORDER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS ON "NATIONAL BACK-ORDER" BECAUSE THIS WAS THE SAME PROBLEM MANY OF MY VEHICLE YEAR MAKE AND MODEL WERE EXPERIENCING. I HAD TO GET RENTAL FOR 20 DAYS WHICH COST IN EXCESS OF $500 AND WAIT FOR PART. PAY FOR PARTS $223 AND LABOR. THESE EXPENSES CAUSE INCREDIBLE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AND STRESS. RECEPTS DID NOT GO THROUGH AND SCREEN SHOTS OF PANEL BECAUSE OF SIZE, PLEASE REACH OUT SO I CAN PROVIDE

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE LOW BEAM BULBS OVER 10 TIMES WITHIN THE PAST 4 YEARS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONTACTED THE DEALER MCCARTHY CHEVROLET LEE'S SUMMIT (945 SE OLDHAM PKWY, LEE'S SUMMIT, MO 64081, (816) 356-6610) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSE NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN A FEW TIMES, WHEN I PARK MY CAR SHUT OFF ENGINE PULL KEYS OUT OPEN DOOR THE IGNITION KEY KEEPS RINGING LIKE I LEFT MY KEYS IN THE IGNITION BUT I DIDN'T. I GET OUT OF THE CAR AND CLOSE THE DOOR AND IT WILL STOP AFTER A WHILE.

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I GOT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST (EPS) LIGHT SEVERAL TIMES. AS A RESULT, I WAN'T ABLE TO STEER THE WHEELS. I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO A RECALL. BUT THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM IF IT HAPPENS WITHIN 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES ON THE CAR. BUT SINCE THAT 10 YEARS JUST PASSED IN JUNE 2020 FOR MY CAR, I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET, THEY SAID. THEN I ASKED WHY I DIDN'T GET A NOTIFICATION ABOUT THE 10 YEARS/150,000 MILES COVERAGE. THEY SAID IT'S BECAUSE I'M NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. UNLIKE RECALLS, THEY SAID ONLY ORIGINAL OWNERS GOT THE NOTIFICATION (I BOUGHT THIS CAR SECOND HAND). I THINK THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. NOT BEING ABLE TO STEER WHEELS DUE TO THE MECHANICAL DEFECT IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. BUT IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO OPEN RECALLS YET. AND GM SETS AN ARTITRARY QUALIFICATIONS FOR FREE SERVICE AND DECLINES WARRANTY FOR CARS BEYOND THEM. I THINK NHTSA SHOULD ORDER OPEN RECALLS FOR THIS POWER STEERING PROBLEM SO THAT ALL VEHICLES SHOULD BE SERVICED REGARDLESS OF YEAR AND MILEAGE.

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THE METAL ON SIDE OF SEAT BROKE CAUSING THE SEAT NOT TO BE ABLE TO ADJUST. ALSO, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS LIGHTER HAD SHORTAGE AND SPEAKER SOUNDS INCREASE AND DECREASE WITH BEING ADJUSTED, AND THE LIGHT FOR THE TIRE PRESSURE REMAIN ON EVEN WHEN THE TIRES HAS SUFFICIENT AIR. I DIDN'T NOTICE AN EXACT TIME THE DEFECT HAPPEN. I JUST NOTICE THE AFFECTS WHILE DRIVING.

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THE ISSUE IS CONCERNING HEADLIGHTS ON THE CHEVY MALIBU. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES ONLY TO HAVE THEM BURN OUT WITHIN DAYS/WEEKS. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC THE FAULT LIES WITH THE DESIGN. THE LIGHT GETS HOT ENOUGH TO BURN OUT THE HARNESS. THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE EXCEPT TO CONTINUE TO REPLACE THE BULB/HARNESS WHICH REQUIRES REMOVAL OF THE END FRONT BUMPER WHICH ONLY ADDS TO THE EXPENSE. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS ISSUE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE LIGHT WILL GO OUT WHICH HAS CAUSED US TO BE PULLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BY THE POLICE AND GIVEN WARNINGS.

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WHILE MY SEATBELT IS FASTENED THE SEATBELT NOTIFICATION GOES OFF AS IF ITS NOT FASTENED. ALSO AS I'M ACCELERATING IT'S LIKE MY CAR STRUGGLES TO GET TO 40 MPH. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO GIVE IT A LITTLE MORE GAS FOR IT TO GO OVER 40

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MY HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OFF. I USE TO HIT THE FRONT AND IT TURNS ON BUT NOT ANYMORE. HAD IT FIXED 3 TIMES WITHIN A YEAR. NO AC DOESN'T TURN ON WHEN I START THE CAR AS WELL.

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THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON MY VEHICLE BURN OUT AND NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 3-4 MONTHS (3-4 TIMES PER YEAR FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE). THIS IS NOT ONLY AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR (BECAUSE MY MECHANIC NEEDS TO REMOVE THE BUMPER IN ORDER TO COMPLETE IT), BUT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. MULTIPLE TIMES MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AT NIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. SOMETIMES PULLING OVER AND HITTING THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WILL CAUSE IT TO HAVE A BETTER CONNECTION AGAIN, CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO WORK, BUT THIS FIX IS ONLY TEMPORARY. THE CONNECTORS KEEP MELTING, MY MECHANIC AND I NOW BELIEVE, DUE TO THE HIGH AMPERAGE CAUSED BY THE 70% REDUCTION IN POWER DURING THE VEHICLE'S DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT MODE. MY COMPLAINTS TO THE MANUFACTURER HAVE GONE UNHEARD. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO PROVIDE FOR A HEAVIER CONNECTOR THAN THE OEM PART, AND PERHAPS DIFFERENT BULBS, TO REMEDY THIS SAFETY ISSUE. IN THE YEAR 2020 IT SHOULD NOT BE SO DIFFICULT TO KEEP BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS RUNNING! I CAN GET AROUND THE ISSUE BY USING MY HIGH BEAM LIGHTS, BUT THIS IS HAZARDOUS TO OTHER MOTORISTS. IT IS A POOR DESIGN, AND I AM CONVINCED THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A SATISFACTORY FIX FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE UNTIL NHTSA COMPELS GM TO ISSUE A RECALL.

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TIMING CHAIN AND ENGINE MALFUNCTION. REVIEWED THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME THING. THE 2.4 ECOTECH ENGINE WAS IN A CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR EQUINOXS BUT NOT MALIBUS AND THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.

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I WAS SOLD A VEHICLE WITH BAD STRUTS ALL AROUND VEHICLE AND HAVE ONLY HAD IT FOR UNDER 40 DAYS. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ESC, THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, AND THE ENGINE REDUCED POWER WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE ALSO VIBRATED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING SYSTEM, AND REPLACED THREE DIFFERENT SENSORS. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO REPROGRAMMED THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT. THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 137,000.

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SINCE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE BACK IN 2015 (USED) I HAVE HAD ONGOING STEERING ISSUES. THE STEERING FEELS MUCH LOOSER THAN MOST VEHICLES. IT HAS ALMOST TAKEN ME OFF OF THE ROAD SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE HAD MECHANICS LOOK AT THE CAR AND THEY HAVE ALL SUGGEST I TAKE IT INTO CHEVY FOR DIAGNOSTICS SINCE IT IS ELECTRICAL STEERING. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE STEERING ON THIS EXACT YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL, THOUGH IT SAYS MY VIN WAS NOT AFFECTED. IT IS A HUGE CONCERN FOR MYSELF TO HAVE THIS STEERING CORRECTED AS I HAVE A TODDLER IN MY BACK SEAT. WHEN ROADS ARE WET, UNEVEN PAVEMENT, OR THE WEATHER WINDY.. MY CAR PULLS OFF THE ROAD DRASTICALLY I HAVE TO GRIP MY STEERING WHEEL SO HARD TO THE POINT MY HANDS TURN RED FROM GRABBING SO TIGHTLY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SOMEWHAT CONTROL OF THIS VEHICLE.. WITH THIS YEAR. MAKE AND MODEL HAVING STEERING RECALLS, I REQUEST CHEVY HONORS MY REQUEST TO HAVE MY VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A LICENSED CHEVY DEALER TO DETERMINE WHAT THE ISSUE IS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND I FIND IT UNLIKELY THAT I HAVE THE SAME EXACT ISSUES AS THE RECALL THOUGH A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ISSUE. I AM AFRAID THIS WILL CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR AND WRECK. HIGHER SPEEDS (FOR EXAMPLE ON THE FREEWAY) MAKE THE STEERING ALMOST UNMANAGEABLE AND DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. I HAVE SPOKE TO NUMEROUS CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS EXACT ISSUE WITH THEIR RECALLS. I HAVE REACHED OUT TO CHEVROLET DIRECTLY TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS AND IT WAS DISREGARDED, THEY SAID MY VIN WAS NOT EFFECTED SO IT COULDN'T BE THE ISSUE.*DT CONSUMER HAD THE PARTS REPLACED ON 6/19 AGAIN ON 6/29 BUT VEHICLE IS STILL UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND PROBLEM IS RECURRING.*JB

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MY VEHICLE HAS APPROX. 91,500 MILES. UPON STARTING THE CAR RECENTLY, AN ERROR APPEARED SAYING "SERVICE TRACTION" AND "ENGINE POWER REDUCED." THE VEHICLE COULD NOT GO ABOVE 35 MPH AND THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM WAS DISABLED. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DISCOVERED THE SUNROOF DRAIN TUBES HAD SHRUNK AND WATER HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE FLOORBOARD, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO CORROSION. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND FOUND SEVERAL OTHER DRIVERS REPORTING ISSUES WITH THE DRAIN TUBES BECOMING DISCONNECTED AND CAUSING LEAKS. I HAVE ALSO FOUND SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE DRIVERS LOST ENGINE POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, IT COULD EASILY CAUSE A CRASH. *TR

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ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HEADLAMPS BURNING OUT. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS AND HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED EVERY 3 MO.OR SO THE LAST BURN OUT HAPPENED ON 5/12/2020. *TR

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STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN VEHICLE IS IDLING. ONLINE RESEARCH MENTIONS A TSB 15356.61722 AND RECALLS FOR EARLIER MODEL YEARS. WHY WAS I NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS BACK IN 2015? *TR

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NEITHER FRONT DOOR ELECTRIC LOCKS WILL UNLOCK WHEN CAR IS STOPPED. OPERATOR AND PASSENGER MUST PHYSICALLY TURN AROUND AND UNLOCK THE DOOR TO GET OUT OF CAR. EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL IN THE CAR (SWITCHES, RADIO, GAUGES, LOCKS, WINDOWS) HAS MALFUNCTIONED AT ONE POINT IN TIME, EVEN WHEN THE CAR HAD AS LOW AS 40,000 MILES ON IT, BUT CHEVROLET HAS NEVER TAKEN ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY OF IT.

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