What 921 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER SON WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE GCM MODULE FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE TRUNK. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER AND REMAINED IN THE DEALER SINCE JUNE OF 2020. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

NHTSA ODI 11343847

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE CAR STALLED WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. SMOKE THEN STARTED RISING FROM THE HOOD. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER FLAMES STARTING SHOOTING OUT AND THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS ENGULFED

NHTSA ODI 11342655

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO START AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS JUMPSTARTED BY THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE AND DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTO RETAIL STORE AND AN UNKNOWN CHEVROLET DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT A NEW BATTERY WAS NEEDED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY; HOWEVER, A WEEK LATER, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AGAIN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN, AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED A BUS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING AND SORENESS TO THE ARMS, NECK, WRIST, SHOULDER, AND BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. AFTERWARDS, A MESSAGE DISPLAYED INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LOSING POWER AND IT WOULD NOT HOLD A CHARGE WHEN IT WAS JUMPSTARTED. AS SOON AS THE JUMPER CABLES WERE REMOVED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS LATER TAKEN TO CHEVROLET OF HOMEWOOD (18033 HALSTED ST, HOMEWOOD, IL 60430, (708) 251-4692). THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,009.

NHTSA ODI 11253188

TAKATA RECALL THE LIGHTS ON MY DASH KEPT GOING IN AND OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND WHILE STATIONARY. WHILE MY CAR WAS OFF, WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE GAUGES WOULD MAKE CLICKING SOUNDS AND BOUNCE UP AND DOWN ABOUT AN 8TH OF AN INCH. THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH WOULD STAY OFF FOR DAYS AT A TIME, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO SEE HOW FAST I WAS GOING OR HOW MUCH GAS WAS IN THE CAR. SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS WOULD CLICK ON FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND THEN THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD BE STUCK AT THE LAST SPEED I WAS GOING AT, FOR DAYS, WITHOUT SHOWING ANYTHING ON THE DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER. WHEN I TOOK IT TO GET LOOKED AT, NO CODES WERE FOUND. MY CAR KEPT DYING WHILE I WAS DRIVING, WENT AND HAD MY BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR TESTED AND THEY WERE 100% FINE. CAR DASH LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING ON AND OFF WHILE I WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE. CHECK ENGINE, OIL, WIPER FLUID, GAS LIGHT, EVERYTHING FLASHED ON AND OFF, THEN MY STEERING LOCKED UP, CAUSING ME TO GO OFF OF THE ROAD AND HIT A TREE. MY CAR WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA ODI 11221009

I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, WITH MY FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE. SUDDENLY IT STARTED TO MOVE AND SUDDENLY TOOK OFF AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME (THE CAR HAD MOVED UP SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT I HADN'T, SO IT HAD A LOT OF MOMENTUM WHEN IT HIT)! AFTER THE ACCIDENT REPORT WAS FILED, I TRIED TO START THE CAR TO LEAVE, BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T START. ADDITIONALLY, A TON OF ERROR MESSAGES WERE FLASHING, AS WELL AS ALL INDOOR AND OUTDOOR LIGHTS FLASHING, EVEN THE DECORATIVE PANEL BLUE STRIP LIGHTS. I WAS TERRIFIED. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED FROM THE SCENE. AT FIRST, THE OFFICER DIDN'T BELIEVE ME, THAT IT WAS THE CAR'S FAULT, NOT MINE, BUT ONCE SHE SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING, SHE BELIEVED ME. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID THE CAR WAS POSSESSED, HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. THE CAR HAD ALMOST 53,000 MILES ON IT, ONE YEAR TO GO WITH PAYMENTS, AND I HAD BEEN PLANNING TO KEEP IT ONCE IT WAS PAID OFF, UNTIL THIS HAPPENED. IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH WORSE. WHAT IF IT HIT PEDESTRIANS CROSSING THE STREET? I WAS AT A COMPLETE STANDSTILL. WHEN MY MECHANIC EVALUATED IT, A BUNCH OF ERROR CODES PRINTED OUT, ONE OF WHICH WAS U0121 MULTI-AXIS ACCELERATION SENSOR LOST COMMUNICATION WITH ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE. I'M PRETTY SURE THIS WAS WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, BUT BOTH GENERAL MOTORS AND MY CHEVROLET DEALER SAY THIS MEANS NOTHING. I SOLD THE CAR AND BOUGHT A MITSUBISHI MIRAGE. I WILL NEVER BUY A CHEVY AGAIN. ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE HAPPENING TO OTHER CHEVY'S (MY MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR ALONE) - SO FAR ABOUT 167 THAT I'VE READ ABOUT, BUT NO ONE'S DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

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IF THE KEY IS REMOVED WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK, THE VEHICLE MAY ROLLAWAY AS OCCUPANTS ARE EXITING , INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY

NHTSA ODI 11190014

WHEN DRIVING THE CAR THE RADIO PANEL, AIR CONDITIONING, CONTROL PANEL AND POWER STEERING GOES OUT. WHEN DRIVING OVER 45 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE WILL NOT STOP. HOWEVER, WHEN DRIVING 45 MPH OR BELOW ON CITY STREETS, THE CAR WILL SHUT COMPLETELY OFF AND I WILL HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR. EVERYTHING GOES COMPLETE OFF. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. THE CAR HAS HAD THIS ISSUE WHILE IN TRAFFIC AND I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE PULLING OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT AND THE IMPACT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO CAUSE AN INJURY. I HAVE RESEARCHED ON YOUTUBE AND ONLINE AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER COMES ON BUT IT DOES SAY SERVICE POWER STEERING AND SERVICE STABILI TRAK. SOMETIMES WHEN THE CAR IS NOT MOVING (PARKED) IT WILL ALSO CUT OFF. ONCE, I WENT TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START AND IT WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO REMOVE THE KEY. I TRIED MAKING SURE THE CAR WAS IN PARK (WHICH I KNEW IT WAS BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR HOURS) BUT NOTHING WOULD MOVE. I ALMOST HAD IT TOWED AND THEN OUT THE BLUE EVERYTHING POPPED ON. CHEVROLET ADVISED THAT THEY "THINK" IT COULD BE THE BATTERY CABLES AND THE FUSE BOX BUT CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL FIX THE ISSUE. I HAVE ALREADY PAID 167.00 FOR THEM TO "TIGHTEN" THE CABLES AND TELL ME WHAT THEY "THINK" MAY BE THE ISSUE. I ALSO HAVE VIDEO OF THE CAR WHILE HAVING THIS ISSUE BUT IT IS NOT IN THE FORMAT ALLOWED FOR UPLOAD. THE LAST TIME IT HAD THIS ISSUE WAS TODAY 07/28/2017.

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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

NHTSA ODI 11003605

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON - WHEN CHECKED AT THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME NO CODE FOUND FOR TWO YEARS, THEN AS TIME WENT ON IT STARTED ADDING SERVICE POWER STEERING AND AC/DC SHUT DOWN. AFTER NUMEROUS VISITS TO THE DEALER AND TWO MAJOR REPAIRS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON, AND THE POWER STEERING LOCKS UP. ON AUGUST 24, 2016, I WAS DRIVING 50+ MPH ON A CURVY ROAD WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE SERVICE POWER STEERING, FOLLOWED BY SOMETHING STABILIZER, FOLLOWED BY AC/DC SHUT DOWN, TO ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE. THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP AND I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE CAR AND RAN OFF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO HAD JUST WORKED ON THE CAR FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A MONTH, AND THEY FOUND NO CODES - NO SURPRISE! I COMPLAINED TO CHEVY FOR THE THIRD TIME AT CORPORATE LEVEL AND THEY HAD DENIED MY CLAIM AS BEING SAFETY RELATED. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A CAR YOU SUDDENLY CAN'T STEER ISN'T CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUES. I ALSO FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT CHEVY CAN'T RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2013 MALIBU. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? ALSO, WHY ARE THEY WAITING ON CODES WHEN THE PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY AN ELECTRICAL/COMPUTER PROBLEM. IF THE COMPUTER ISN'T WORKING ITS NO SURPRISE THAT THE WARNINGS ARE NOT THROWING A CODE! COMMON SENSE! ALSO, A CAR DOESN'T THROW WARNING LIGHTS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WITHOUT SOMETHING SETTING IT OFF! HENCE YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!

NHTSA ODI 10908043

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAT WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATE WHILE DRIVING AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOR IN THE COMPUTER MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, IT SPORADICALLY HAD AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000.

NHTSA ODI 10860337

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DEALER CLEANED THE BATTERY TERMINALS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

NHTSA ODI 10788102

WAS SITTING IN MY SEAT ADJUSTING THE SEAT BY PUSHING THE BUTTON THAT HAD A SHORT WHEN I PUSHED THE BUTTON I HERD A CLICKING NOISE THEN I SMELT A FUME TYPE OF SMELL I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE WHEN THE SEAT WOULDN'T MOVE AS I LOOKED DOWN AT THE GEAR I NOTICE THAT THE DRIVER SEAT WHERE I WAS SITTING WAS ON FIRE EVERY WHERE THE CAR WAS WIRED IS WHERE THE FIRE BURNED UP I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN WHICH THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A ELECTRICAL FIRE AND CAR INSURANCE CONFIRMED RECALL ON THE CAR HAD BEEN REPORTED FOR DOING THE SAME THING PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT I CALLED KIN DIXON WHERE I PURCHASE THE CAR AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR ACCORDING TO THE VIN NUMBER I HAVE TO THEM WAS NOT AFFECTED BY RECALL I HAVE GM AND THEY HAVE YET TO RESPOND TO ME I COULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THERE NUMEROUS CUSTOMERS WHO LOST THEIR LIFE IN THERE DEFECTED RETORT CARS I WAS NOT BURNED BUT THE POOR CAR WAS TORCHED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10713739

I WAS RIDING IN THE CAR WITH MY WIFE AND COUSIN HEADING TO HER BROTHERS HOUSE. WE HAD JUST DROVE FROM OUT OF TOWN AFTER VISITING SOME FAMILY MEMBERS AND WAS TAKING MY COUSIN BACK HOME. WHILE DRIVING I NOTICE THE CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ACTING UP IT WOULD SAY I NEEDED TO PUT AIR IN THE TIRE OR THE BACK TIRE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. IT ALSO WOULD SAY I NEEDED TO PUT MY SEAT BELT ON WHEN IT WAS ON. BUT THIS WAS NOT MY BIGGEST CONCERN MY WIFE WHILE DRIVING RAN OFF THE ROAD A STRUCK A TREE HEAD ON. HAD SHE HAD BEEN DRIVING FASTER THEN WHAT SHE WAS GOING I FELL AS IF SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED. THE AIRBAGS NEVER CAME OUT AND THIS WAS A CONCERN BECAUSE WHO KNOWS HOW MANY VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED BY THIS. I THANK GOD THAT HER INJURIES WERE NOT THAT SERVE AS WELL AS MY COUSIN AND I, ALTHOUGH PAIN WILL HEAL THE PAIN OF LOSING A LOVE ONE WILL NEVER HEAL. SO I ASK THAT YOU LOOK INTO BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, I KNOW IF HAD MY WIFE BEEN TOLD THAT HER AIRBAGS MAY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER BROUGHT THE CAR....... *TR

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FIRE IN THE TAIL LIGHT THAT ALSO GOT SOME OF MY TRUNK. THE FIRE STOPPED 1/4 INCH FORM THE GAS TANK. *TR

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