What 921 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO. WHILE DRIVING 45-70 MPH, THE BATTERY SAVER MODE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE UNTIL SOMEONE PROVIDED JUMPER CABLES TO JUMPSTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SMOKE ODOR EMITTING FROM THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V173000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 08/22/17*LJ *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE'S FAILURE PERSISTED.*JS

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GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. 464.00 AT PAUL MASSE CHEVROLET IN EAST PROVIDENCE RI. THE INDICATOR CAME ON TELLING ME TO SHIFT IN PARK WHEN IT WAS ALREADY IN PARK. FAULTY MANUFACTURING IN THE PART.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATED, THE STEERING COLUMN SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LONG HAMMER AUTO DEALER FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER, BUT A DIAGNOSIS WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK BATTERY SENSOR, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR, AND THE SERVICE POWER STEERING INDICATOR SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE BATTERY WAS RECHARGED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CASTLE CHEVROLET IN ILLINOIS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

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SOMETIMES WHEN I START MY CAR THE AIR CONDITIONER COME ON BY IT'S SELF , WHILE THE KNOB IS SET ON OFF.

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SERVICE PARKING BRAKE......CAN NOT REST CODE REPAIR SHOP...WHAT DO YOU DO...THE PARKING BRAKE IS FINE...THE LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF AMBER COLOR.... HELP TSB WITH NO SOLUTIONS....I WOULD LIKE THIS FIXED ALSO COME ONE AFTER ABS WHAS RESET WITH WHEEL BEARING CODE/REPLACED

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE STATIONARY, THE INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. FURTHERMORE, THE BATTERY LOST POWER ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO START. HENDRICKS CHEVROLET OF NORTH CAROLINA DIAGNOSED THAT THE GENERATOR IN THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED, BUT THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE GENERATOR CONTROL MODULE WAS ALSO FAULTY. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER STATED THAT A REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE IN 2012. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED PRODUCT SAFETY NUMBER: 12238, WHICH PROVIDED COVERAGE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE GENERATOR; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT IT HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,812.

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I HAD FOUR RECALLS DONE ON 3/17/17 AT EMERSON CHEVY IN AUBURN, ME. 15176, 12212, 13142, AND 13342. CAR HAD BEEN TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHEN IT DIED ON SIDE OF ROAD. THEN ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, IT DIES ON SIDE OF ROAD AGAIN (BATTERY NOT CHARGING AGAIN!!). PAID OVER $1,000 TO GOODWIN CHEVROLET IN OXFORD, ME TO SUPPOSEDLY FIX IT. ON 6/1/17, MY DAUGHTER WENT OFF THE ROAD WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN (BATTERY DRAIN, STEERING FAILS, ETC. LUCKILY SHE WAS NOT GOING VERY FAST AND WENT INTO A FIELD. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOME ONE GETS KILLED!

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THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. EVERYTHING IS DEAD ON THE CAR, NO POWER NO INTERIER LIGHTS, NOTHING. THE DEALER COULD NOT SEEM TO FIND A PROBLEM. THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY NOW AND, IT CONTINUES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM.

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THE GENERATOR CONTROL MODULE (GCM) NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. CAUSING A GRADUAL LOSS OF BATTERY CHARGE AND THE ILLUMINATION OF THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION OF MODULE THAT IS CAUSING LOSS OF BATTERY CHARGE.

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I HAVE A 13 MALIBU LTZ BUT AS I'M DRIVING THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF AND COMES BACK ON IN THE MIDDLE OF ME DRIVING. I HAD IT SENT TO A SHOP THEY DIAGNOSED IT BUT FOUND NOTHING SAID THE KEY WAS POSSIBLY A PROBLEM. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND GOT A NEW KEY SO FOR A MONTH OR SO THE ISSUE WAS FINE. I STARTED DRIVING AGAIN AND AS I HAVE MY BLINKERS ON I'M GETTING READY TO TURN AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF AGAIN.. I'M IN 5PM TRAFFIC THIS IS SCARY BUT AS THE CAR SHUT OFF THE WHEEL LOCK IT CUTS RIGHT BACK ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID MY BATTERY SINCE IT WASN'T CHANGED IN AWHILE SO I HAVE THE BATTERY REPLACED. THE CAR WAS FINE NOW TWO MONTHS LATER IT DID IT ALL OVER AGAIN.. I'M GETTING READY TO TURN AND AGAIN EVERYTHING SHUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING THEN CUTS BACK ON. I'M VERY FRUSTRATED I PAY A CAR NOTE AND INSURANCE AND I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED.. THERE ARE SOOOO MANY COMPLAINTS I JUST WISH IT WOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS CAR SHUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING WHEN THERE ARE OTHER CARS AROUND. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE IT BUT IT'S MY ONLY CAR AND I'M PAYING NOTES ON IT. IF I HAD THE MONEY TO TRADE IT IN I WOULD!! THIS ALL HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET WHEN THERE'S CARS AND TRAFFIC .. SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING BUT MOSTLY EVERY TIME WHEN I'M TURNING. EVERYTHING SHUTS OFF THE WHOLE CAR IT'S SCARY.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE BATTERY AND POWER ASSIST WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE A JUMP START WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAM POSITIONING SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER'S FOR MORE DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 106,000.

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SINCE 2015 CAR HAS EXPERIENCED ENGINE SPEED PROBLEMS, WIRING ISSUES AND EVERY 5-6 MONTHS THE CAR IS IN A CHEVY DEALERSHIP, THEY SAY ITS FIXED BUT THEN ITS BACK IN THE SHOP

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, INCLUDING THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE DIAGNOSED AND THERE WAS NO AIR BAG RECALL TO ADDRESS THE REPAIR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE AIR BAG, TRACTION CONTROL, AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS RANDOMLY FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING ON THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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FOR THE THIRD TIME WE ARE WORKING ON SAME ISSUE.. DASH LIGHTING UP AIR BAG STAYING ON. WIRING REPLACE ON SECOND TIME TO DEALERSHIP.. GOING BACK FOR THIS TIME...

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CAR BOUGHT FROM THE DEALERSHIP AS USED WITH 28K MILES IN NOV 2014. IN MARCH 2015, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO LOCK WHILE TURNING. MEANWHILE, THE SCREEN AND THE RADIO RESTARTS. THE LOCKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL HAPPENS UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMIT TO WHEN PARKING, CRUISING ON THE NEIGHBOURHOOD (SPEED BELOW 30 MPH), CHANGE LANES IN HIGHWAYS (SPEED AROUND 50 MPH), AND SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE CAR WAS ACTUALLY PARKED WITHOUT MOTION. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN APRIL 2015 FOR THE FIRST TIME. IN THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS UNTIL LAST WEEK (MARCH 2017), THE DEALERSHIP REPLIED "COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE" EVERY SINGLE TIME. IN THE RECENT SEVERAL TIMES OF ME VISITING THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE, THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY CABLES (WITH A CHARGE FOR $750), AND THE FUSE BOX (WITH A CHARGE OF $108), BUT STILL, THE PROBLEM EXISTS. THE LAST VISIT TO THE DEALER ENDS UP WITH THE ROUTINE REPLY OF "CAN NOT DUPLICATE" BUT THEY DID ADMIT THAT THERE IS INDEED AN ISSUE SINCE I SHOWED THEM A VIDEO I RECORDED WHEN THE ISSUE HAPPENS. THE LOCKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL HAPPENS EVERY SINGLE TIME WHEN I TRIED TO ROTATE THE STEERING WHEEL (TO MAKE TURNING WHILE DRIVING OR PARKING OF COURSE), BUT THE ISSUE IS THAT IT DOES NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN. IT ONLY HAPPENS EVERY NOW AND THEN. THAT IS WHY I AM STILL DRIVING IT AFTER TWO YEARS SINCE UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS MY ONLY CAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SINCE THE LOCKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL ONLY LOCKS WHILE TURNING. IT CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD AND A LETHAL ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAYS. THE GM OFFERED ME A COUPON FOR SOME CREDIT TO BE APPLIED TO MY NEXT PURCHASE OF A NEW GM CAR BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IS A SOLUTION I CAN ACCEPT. I AM ATTACHING SOME OF THE SERVICE HISTORIES TO SUPPORT MY STATEMENT. THERE ARE MORE BUT I CAN ONLY UPLOAD 5.

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THIS WILL BE SECOND TIME OCURRING WITHIN TWO MONTHS..WHILE DRIVING PANEL LIGHTS UP RADIO TURNS ON FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS ON WHEN EVERYTHIGN ELSE TURNED OFF.. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR AND THEY STATED IT WAS THE AIRBAG MODULE..REPLACED IT AND A MONTH LATER SAME THING HAPPENED... BACK AT DEALERSHIP TODAY

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THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT IN TO GET CHECKED. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED TO THE DEALERSHIP, EVERYTHING WAS FINE. A WEEK LATER MY WIFE WAS IN THE OUTSIDE WALGREENS LINE WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR RADIO SCREEN TURNED OF AND THE CAR STARTED TO JUMP A LITTLE. THE CAR RADIO SCREEN TURNED BACK ON AND EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER SHE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED. LUCKILY SHE HAD HER FOOT ON THE BREAK AND WAS NOT GOING ANY RATE OF SPEED. I HAVE READ ALMOST ABOUT 100 COMPLAINTS NOW OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM BUT MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS IT HAPPENED WHEN THEY WERE DRIVING AT A CONSIDERABLE SPEED WHERE THE RADIO DASH TURNED OF AND THEY LOSE POWER TO THE CAR FOR A SECOND OR SO. THIS COULD BE A MAJOR ISSUE AND IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE THERE ARE ANY DEATHS. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING AND GOING TO CHANGE LANES, I TURN ON MY TURN SIGNAL TO CHANGE LANES AND THE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING, THE DASH GAUGES FLICKER AND THE RADIO CUTS OUT AND SOMETIMES THE MOTOR CUTS OFF. THIS ALSO OCCURS WHEN SITTING STILL, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BOUNCE IF TURNING ONE DIRECTION OR THE OTHER. I HAVE SEEN MANY OF THESE COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND NO RESOLUTION. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHILE TURNING. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY.

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WHILE DRIVING HOME MY INSTRUMENT PANEL LITE UP AND RADIO STARTED PLAYING FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES THEN CLEARED AND THE SERVICE AIR BAG CAME ON.... HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING

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TURNING LEFT INTO MY DRIVEWAY, (LUCKILY NOT GOING VERY FAST) THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT SEVERAL TIMES IN A ROW AND THEN THE SCREEN PROMPTED TO "SERVICE POWER STEERING". CHECKED FLUID LEVEL AND IT WAS FINE. READ THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY CHILDREN COULD GET HURT! AND I PAID TOO MUCH MONEY FOR THIS CAR TO BE UNABLE TO DRIVE IT AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT! SMH!!

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BURNING SMELL,SMOKE, BATTERY/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, RUNS ROUGH

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE SUBWOOFER WAS DRAINING THE POWER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

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USED SWITCH TO ROLL DOWN PASSENGER WINDOW, TOUCH SCREEN WENT BLACK, CAME BACK ON MAYBE AFTER 30 SEC OR SO. WHILE DRIVING TOUCH SCREEN OCC BLACK OUT, ALL ELECTRONIC GO OUT , NO TURN SIGNAL, NO DIGITAL SPEED, POWER STEERING. AFTER FUELING WENT TO START CAR, IT WOULDN'T START, NO LIGHTS NO POWER AT ALL, DID THIS THREE TIMES IN ONE DAY. I HADN'T HAD CAR THIRTY DAYS. *TR

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SEVERAL TIMES NOW THE CAR RADIO AND ELECTRICAL HAS JUST SHUT OFF . SHORTLY THERE AFTER --- THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING. SUCH THAT THERE WAS AN INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS UNABLE TO BE MOVED AT ALL. THIS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FOR MY DAUGHTER AND MY GRANDCHILDREN. THUS SAFETY IS A MAJOR CONCERN. IF INDEED MY DAUGHTER WERE TO HAVE BEEN IN A BUSY INTERSECTION WHEN THIS HAPPENED TODAY, SHE OR MY GRANDCHILDREN COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED. CHEVROLET DEALER REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT A RECALL AND HAVE SAID THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC WOULD BE $100.00 TO PERFORM. IN MY 30 YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND MY HUSBANDS 22 YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY ARMY SERVICE AND MANY MECHANICAL FIXES THAT WE HAVE DONE TO NUMEROUS VEHICLES WE HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMETHING AS DANGEROUS THAT A MANUFACTURER WOULD REFUSE TO RECALL. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND GOD FORBID ANYTHING HAPPENS TO MY DAUGHTER OR MY GRANDCHILDREN THERE IS NOW DOCUMENTATION TO REQUEST CHEVROLET FIX THE PROBLEM, AS I WILL BE SURE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR NEGLIGENCE. WE HAVE MAINTAINED PROPER MAINTENANCE, THERE ARE NO FAULT CODES THAT HAVE COME UP THAT WILL INDICATE AN ISSUE THAT WOULD CAUSE THE STEERING TO JUST LOCK UP STRAIGHT. WE HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED, THE BATTERY TERMINALS CHECKED AND WE KEEP TRYING TO NARROW DOWN THE CAUSE. BUT WE ARE NOW AT AN IMPASSE AND THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE FOUND ON MULTIPLE FORUMS IN COMMON WITH OTHER OWNERS. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, MID TURN, CITY STREET, AND UNABLE TO MAKE THE TURN . WOULD HAVE CRASHED HAD BEEN GOING FASTER, OR HAD OTHER CARS BEEN COMING . *TR

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