What 976 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Hev

FIRST, I HAD TO JUMP THE CAR TO START IT. COLD MORNING BUT THE BATTERY WAS ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD. DRIVING FROM DOWNRIVER MI AREA ALL EXPRESSWAY TO GRAND RAPIDS. JUST ENTERED GRAND RAPIDS AREA WHEN I HAD TO REDUCE SPEED FROM 75 TO 60. CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BACK TO ORIGINAL SPEED. CRUISE CONTROL HAD BEEN ENGAGED. PROBLEM RESOLVED ITSELF BUT 15 MINUTES LATER THE CAR WENT FROM 75 TO 25 MPH BY THE TIME I HAD EXITED THE FREEWAY AND STOPPED THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND THE PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WENT ON AS DID MESSAGES:REDUCED ENGINE POWER, SERVICE ESC, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. I WAS ABLE TO TURN CAR BACK AND ACCELERATE BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON AND THE ENGINE FELT LIKE IT CHUGGED A BIT. WHEN I STOPPED AT INTERSECTIONS, THE CAR FELT AS IF IT WANTED TO STALL. MILEAGE IS 88,258.

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TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY BROKE AFTER 74K MILES WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 20MI AN HOUR. IT WOULD JUMP INTO 3RD GEAR AND THEN WOULDN'T COME OUT OF 1ST GEAR. AFTER PULLING OVER REVERSE HAD ALREADY GONE OUT. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD ANY PROBLEMS, THERE WERE NO INDICATORS THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD PROBLEMS. AFTER THE TRANSMISSION BROKE I RAN ACROSS MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ON THEIR 2011 MALIBU'S. ALL OF THEM ARE 4 CYLINDER 6 SPEEDS WITH AN MH8 TRANSMISSION.

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SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION, ENG PWR REDUCED. THIS MESSAGE HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES LATELY, MOST NOTABLY WHEN TRAVELLING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. ENGINE LOSES ALL POWER NO MATER HOW FAR I PRESS THE ACCELERATOR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE TRACTION AND SERVICE ESC WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/11/16*LJ UPDATED 05/24/18*JB

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THE CAR STUMBLES ON DRY ROADS IN SHARP TURNS, LIKE CLOVER LEAF RAMPS GETTING ON AND OFF THE INTERSTATE, WHEN COASTING OR BRAKING AT 20-25 MPH. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM, BUT THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A SOLUTION FROM THE DEALER. I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V269000 (SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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GOING 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE GOING TO MPLS AND CAR FLASHES REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND SUDDENLY SLOWS DOWN PULLED OVER A TOTAL OF 8 TIMES TO GET HOME. HAD TO PULL OVER TURN CAR OFF WAIT A LITTLE WHILE START AGAIN AND CONTINUE. CHECK ENGINE STAYED ON. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S THE THROTTLE BODY SO I AM REPLACING AND HOPEFULLY ABLE TO GET TO WORK. THIS IS A DANGEROUS FLAW ON ICY ROADS.

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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY, I FELT THAT THE SEAT WAS LOOSE ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND WAS MOVING. WHEN I STOPPED THE CAR AND EXITED, I FELT THE SEAT MOVE AWAY FROM THE RIGHT SIDE.

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THE OTHER DAY MY 2011 CHEVY MALIBU STARTED TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE COMING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND THEN AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO LANE ROAD. THIS ISSUE WAS FRIGHTENING BECAUSE I COULDN'T PROPERLY STOP THE CAR AND ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT. THE DISPLAY INDICATED REDUCED ENGINE POWER/TRACTION/SERVICE ESC AND THE OBD2 CODES INDICATED P2135 (THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION SENSOR/SW A/B VOLTAGE CORRELATION). THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY. I HOPE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE THE NEXT TIME I MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY IN GETTING OUT OF THIS PREDICAMENT UNSCATHED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM THE EXTERIOR BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN THE IGNITON KEY WAS TURNED, A LOUD CLICKING NOSE EMITTED AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE POWER DOOR LOCKS ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE RPM GAUGE AND SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

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CAR LOST POWER AT 65 MPH THAN REDUCED POWER AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TURN CAR OFF AFTER TRYING TO COAST TO TA STOP WITH CARS AND TRUCKS FLYING BY HONKING THERE HORN AND FLICKING ME OFF AND I WAS HELPLESS THE CARS MOTOR WAS SHUT OFF BECAUSE OF THE POWER REDUCE AND ESC THAN THE TRACTION CONTROL CAN ON TOO ALL NEED TO BE SERVICED FINE BUT THAN IT DID IT ALL AGAIN AFTER I GOT EVERYTHING FIXED AND THEN THE THROTTLE BODY HAD TO REPLACED AGAIN AND PEDDLE SENSOR AND TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR AND STILL DOES IT THE CAR IS TRYING TO KILL ME AND THE NEW MECHANIC I TOOK IT TO SAID HE SEES THIS A LOT AND ITS SOMETIMES HARD TO FIX BECAUSE IT COMES BACK AND THAN I READ ONLINE THE SAME THING I THOUGHT HE WAS TRYING TO GET MORE MONEY OUT OF ME WHY WONT CHEVROLET HELP GM HELP GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN AND MAKE THESE CAR PLACES FIX THIS STUFF BEFOR A LOT OF PEOPLE GET KILLED

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30 MINUTE DRIVE TO WORK, IN RAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 32 DEGREES, VEHICLE WAS RUNNING GOOD UNTIL I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT AND AN ERROR MESSAGE APPEARED (REDUCED ENGINE POWER). I LATER LEFT AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON. I THEN RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE (SERVICE ESC) AND LATER AGAIN RECEIVED THE (REDUCED ENGINE POWER) WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS SNOWING DURING THIS TIME. I WAS UNABLE TO FULLY ACCELERATE BUT IT FELT AS THOUGH THE ACCELERATION WAS NOT RUNNING WELL. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND DISCOVERED MANY PEOPLE/ CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH NO RESOLUTION; EVEN AFTER TAKING TO DEALER ON MANY OCCASIONS. GM NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE AND DISCOVER A RESOLUTION.

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MY 2011 MALIBU WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY THROUGH A SENSOR CODE FOR MULTIPLE PROBLEMS THE FIRST STATING REDUCED ENGJNE POWER, THEN SERVICE ES, SERVICE TRACTION, SERVICE AIRBAGS ETC... PROBABLY 8 CODES. AT WHICH POINT ON THE HIGHWAY I COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE ABOVE 40MPH CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ME. THE CAR WAS JERKING AND SHAKING AND THE RPM WAS REVING UP BETWEEN 500 AND 1500 EVEN AFTER I STOPPED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF FEARING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND CALLED MYHUSBAND. HE ASKED ME TURN IT ON AGAIN SO I DID AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOW IDLING NORMALLY THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON. HE SUGGESTED I CONTINUE MY COMMUTE. I PULLED BACK ON TO THE HIGHWAY AND EXPERIENCED THIS SAME DANGEROUS PROBLEM 7 YIMES BETWEEN JACKSON MI AND LANSING MI. WE TOOK IT IN TO A REPAIRSHOPAND THEY ASSESSEDWHAT THEY COULD STATING THAT IT APPEARED TO BE A THROTTLE BODY ISSUE BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT APART TO LOOK AT IT. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATEDTHAT MANY OF THE CHEVY MADE VEHICLES HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND HE WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT THEREHAD NOT YET BEEN A RECALL ON THE PART.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING SEIZED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E044000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CHIME AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

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THE VIOLENTLY SHAKES ALMOST AS IF IT IS ABOUT TO DIE. IT DOESN'T GO OVER 23-30 MPH. THE CAR ACCELERATES WHILE HOLDING THE BRAKES. A MESSAGE DISPLAYS SAYING ENGINE POWER REDUCING, SERVICE TRACTION, SERVICE ESC. THE CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING IT ON THE STREET AND HIGHWAY. I'M SCARED OF HITTING SOMEONE WHILE MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE! MY CAR IS AT 103K MILES ON IT. I'M OUT OF A CAR THAT I'M PAYING A NOTE ON. ITS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THE CAR FOR A WHILE YEAR YET. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AS WELL. THE CODE FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS C0242. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL! MANY CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS ARE HAVING OR HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE!

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER FAILED. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE THE FUSE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FUSE MELTED INTO THE FUSE PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUSE PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

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I WAS STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND MY DASH READ SERVICE AIRBAG. I STARTED TO DRIVE OFF AND THE DASH STARTED FLASHING SERVICE AIRBAG. WHEN IN MOTION AND AS I START IGNITION. ALSO MY SEATBELT SOMETIMES LOCK OR NOT LOCK AND IS VERY LOOSE AS I ADJUST SEAT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO START. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED THAT SMOKE AND UNKNOWN FLUID WERE BUBBLING OUT OF THE BATTERY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A SHORTAGE WITHIN THE BATTERY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER SOME TIME. IN ADDITION, MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION, THE BATTERY CABLE AND THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,697.

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WHEN STARTING MY VEHICLE, (STATIONARY) IT DOES A REVVING THING LIKE WHEN PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE GAS PEDLA IS NOT BEING PUSHED. AT THE SAME TIME THAT IS HAPPENING THE LIGHTS INSIDE AND OUT GET VERY BRIGHT AND THEN VERY LOW. I NOTICED WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DOES NOT MOVE AT ALL. EVEN AFTER VEHICLE IS RUNNING FOR A WHILE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STILL DOES NOT MOVE AND THE VEHICLE RUNS HARDER AND LOUDER WITH A SLIGHT SHAKING. RECENTLY I DROVE FOR HOURS BEFORE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE MOVED. ALSO WHEN IT DID THIS RECENTLY THE HEAT AND DEFROST DID NOT WORK WELL. MY VEHICLE HAS 55,100 MILES ON IT. WHEN I ASKED A MECHANIC ABOUT THIS THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE SHOULD NOT BEHAVE IN THIS MANNER. I GOT MY VEHICLE IN JULY OF 2015 AND A MONTH OR SO LATER IT STARTED DOING THESE THINGS. IT DOES NOT DO THIS ALL THE TIME BUT AS OF LATELY ITS DOING MORE FREQUENTLY.

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I TOOK MY 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU IN FOR GM RECALL #15031, NHTSA RECALL # 15V269. THIS IS HOW MY FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WAS RETURNED TO ME AFTER THE SERVICE WAS DONE BY MALL CHEVROLET IN CHERRY HILL, NJ. THE FRONT PASSENGER BELT IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE AS INSTALLED BY MALL CHEVROLET IN CHERRY HILL, NJ.

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AFTER READING THE MANY MANY COMMENTS HERE, I CAN SAY I'M LUCKY. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT DRIVING MY CAR WHEN THINGS WENT HAYWIRE. I RETURNED HOME FROM WORK TODAY AND MY VEHICLE WAS FINE. I HAD TO RUN A FEW ERRANDS BUT WHEN RETURNING TO MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED THIS: VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. FAST CLICKING SOUND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN OVER. DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED BY THEMSELVES DURING THIS TIME. SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION, AND ESC OFF APPEARED. VEHICLE HAS YET TO START AND NOW HAVE NO POWER WHATSOEVER THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. VERY ODD THAT THIS IS NOT A CURRENT RECALL. HELP?'

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