What 921 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

The contact owned a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 MPH and his son another vehicle behind made him aware of sparks seen coming from underneath the front of the vehicle. The contact stated that smoke was seen coming from underneath the hood and exit the highway. The contact stated that soon after exiting the vehicle, it caught fire. The check engine and loss of power steering warning lights were illuminated. The fire department extinguished the flames and informed the contact that the origin of the fire came from the engine compartment. Both a fire department and police report were filed. The vehicle remained at an out-of-state junkyard. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 119,000.

NHTSA ODI 11497289

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

MY DAUGHTERS MALIBU LITERALLY IGNITED AND CAUGHT FIRE WHILE SHE WAS IN IT OVER THE WEEKEND. SHE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, NOTICED A FUNNY SMELL, TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND SMOKE WAS BILLOWING OUT OF THE ENGINE. SHE GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND REALIZED THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. IT WENT FROM A SMALL FIRE TO EVERYTHING BUT THE TRUNK ENGULFED IN LESS THAN 3 MINUTES. THESE THINGS DON'T JUST HAPPEN RANDOMLY. I FEEL THERE WAS A MECHANICAL ISSUE OR SOMETHING NOT BUILT CORRECTLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11328930

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

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN OUR 2013 CHEVY MALIBU WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN ABOUT 1/2 WAY INTO THE SPACE I EXPERIENCED AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION BY THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO A BOLLARD IN FRONT OF THE CONVENIENCE STORE CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING ME TO HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. *DT ADD CPSC *JS

NHTSA ODI 11197250

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

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. 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