What 921 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Hev

MY 2013 MALIBU KEEPS HAVING POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT FLASHED AND STAYED ON. AT THE SAME TIME IT LOCK THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. I SEE THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM HAPPENING WITH THE MALIBU 2013 MODELS AND OWNERS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS DEFECT TO THE DEALERS. NOT SURE IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY RECALLS ON THIS; HOWEVER, THE DEFECTS ARE CAUSING PEOPLE DRIVING THE MALIBU TO HAVE ACCIDENTS BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING LOCKS AS SOON AS THE POWER STEERING LIGHT IS DISPLAYED. THE CAR ALSO SEEMS TO STALL A BIT WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON. THE WHEELS ARE LOCKED AND I CANNOT TURN THE WHEELS AT ALL UNTIL IT UNLOCKS ON ITS OWN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10945688

RIGHT REAR WHEEL HUB FAILURE MILEAGE 46,937

NHTSA ODI 10944664

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

NHTSA ODI 10938705

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

NHTSA ODI 10938645

I WAS DRIVING MY 2013 CHEVY, MALIBU WITH 46,901 MILES AT 80MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN MY CAR STARTED LOOSING POWER AND BECAME UNEASY TO DRIVE. THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT, STABILITY TRACK LIGHT, AND ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENCE, MY ENGINE AND STABILITY TRACK LIGHTING WOULD COME ON AT RANDOM MAKING THE CAR DIFFICULTY TO DRIVE. I WOULD TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THE TECH COULD NOT REPLICATE/DUPLICATE THE ENGINE LIGHT/STABILITY TRACK COMING. THE DEALERSHIP HAD ME TO PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY AND CHANGE SPARK PLUGS, BUT ENGINE LIGHT/STABILITY TRACK CONTINUED TO COME ON AT RANDOM. DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX ANYTHING THAT COULD NOT BE REPLICATED/DUPLICATED. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS AND POWER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 10936276

FIRST MY DASH CLUSTER WENT OUT NOTHING WORK HAD A NEW ONE PUT IN AFTER ABOUT TWO WEEK IT WENT OUT AGAIN HAD IT AT THE DEALER THEY DON'T KNOW WHY. SO I DID NOT REPLACE IT THIS TIME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF IT WELL HAPPEN AGAIN THE COST TO REPLACE IS ON ME. NOW I'M HAVING MOTOR IS HAVING A OIL LEAK BAD FOUND OUT WHY THE VALEVTRAIN OIL CONTROL PASSAGES INTEGRATED HAS COME APART AND THEY WILL NOT COVER IT ON WARRANTY SAID THAT I DID NOT CHANGE THE OIL WHEN IT CAME TIME TO DO I HAVE IT CHANGE ALL THE TIME AT THE DEALER WHEN IT COME TIME WHEN LIGHT COME ON TO TELL ME. THIS IS HIGH DOLLAR TO PAID FOR IT AS THEY SAID TOP OF THE MOTOR HAS TO BE TAKEN APART. AND THEY WOULD NOT LET GM KNOW OF THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10935116

MY CHEVY MALIBU HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IT STARTED AFTER MY CAR DIED AT THE END OF AN HOUR'S DRIVE. I THOUGHT I WAS EXPERIENCING BATTERY ISSUES BUT PERSISTED MONTHS WITH NO OTHER ISSUES. IT HAPPENED AGAIN 4 MONTHS LATER (DECEMBER 3RD), AND THE FOLLOWING DAY THE CAR COMPLETELY DIED ON ME WHILE TRAVELING HIGHWAY SPEEDS DURING A SNOW STORM. MY POWER STEERING WAS BARELY OPERABLE, WHILE MY LIGHTS HEAT AND RADIO COMPLETELY STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE DEALERSHIPS SEEM TO BE CLULESS ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE ONE I VISITED SEEMED ADAMANT THAT THE ISSUE COULD BE STEMMING FROM MY KEY! CHEVY HAS BEEN HELPFUL ONLY IN THE SENSE THAT THEY GAVE ME A $100 CREDIT TO GET THE CAR DIAGNOSED (WHICH HASN'T GIVEN ANY RESULTS). I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE HORROR STORIES FROM THIS ISSUE AND AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN UNTIL SOMETHING IS FIXED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE RPMS DECREASED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY RESTART AFTER RECEIVING A JUMP START. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND BATTERY CHARGE, STABILITY TRACK, AND SERVICE POWER STEERING WARNING MESSAGES APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURES OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,212.

NHTSA ODI 10934733

CAR RANDOMLY LOSSES POWER AT ANY SPEED. DURING THIS TIME, I AM UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE POWER STEERING IS OFF. THIS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE AS SHE MADE A LEFT TURN ON A GREEN LIGHT ON BELL ROAD, AZ (A BUSY ROAD). THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.

NHTSA ODI 10934844

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT CRANK, BUT THE BATTERY WAS FULLY CHARGED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE KEY DID NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING POWER LOSS AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,700.

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THERE ARE PERIODS OF TIME WHEN I PUT MY TURN SIGNAL ON AND MY WHEEL LOCK UP, THE RADIO TURNS OFF AND ALL THE POWER SHUTS DOWN IN THE CAR. THE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE LOCKING.

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RADIO, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING WHEN I TURN ON MY SIGNAL LIGHTS OR SOMETIMES WHEN I'M JUST RIDING. IT SEEMS TO ALWAYS HAPPEN WHEN I'M GOING AT SPEEDS 40MPH AND ABOVE. IT'S VERY SCARY AND MY GIRLFRIEND WHOM IS PREGNANT WITH OUR CHILD HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN TO HER ON THE HIGHWAY.

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MY DRIVER SEAT IS STUCK ALL THE WAY IN THE FULL RECLINE POSITION AND WONT GO BACK UP. I CONTACTED CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME 1,400 TO BUY A WHOLE NEW SEAT. I DONT HAVE 1400 LAYING AROUND TO BUY A NEW WHOLE SEAT AND THAT IT TROUBLES ME THAT A WHOLE SEAT WOULD GO OUT WITH MY CAR WHEN IT HAS LESS THAN 45,000 MILES. NOW MY WIFE AND I ARE FORCED TO DRIVE A UNSAFE CAR BECAUSE NOT ONLY WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY LAYING AROUND FOR A SEAT THAT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE BROKE AT 42000 MILES. IVE CONTACTED GM BUT THEY HAVE NOT CONTACTED ME BACK YET. I ALSO PAID 130 DOLLARS FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO TELL ME THAT I NEED A WHOLE NEW SEAT? I COULD HAVE TOLD THEM THAT. I HOPE I DON'T GET IN A ACCIDENT PROBABLY WONT HAVE A CHANCE WITH THE WAY THE SEAT IS SITTING SEAT BELT WONT WORK PROPERLY.

NHTSA ODI 10928086

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK GOING ABOUT 45 TO 50 MILES PER HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY, THEN MY VEHICLE STALLED, VIBRATED, AND WOULDN'T GO PAST 30 MPH. REDUCED ENGINE POWER SIGNAL CAME ON AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I THEN EXITED ONTO THE FEEDER AND COASTED TO WORK.

NHTSA ODI 10927502

REAR WINDOW GLASS IS DEFECTIVE. FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE GLASS DOWN AND ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE GLASS (LINE OF VIEW). DISTORTS THE VIEW WHEN LOOKING OUT OF THE GLASS, POSING A SAFETY CONCERN. THIS IS THE 3RD GLASS PUT IN MY CAR AND IT IS STILL VERY BAD. VIEW LOOKING OUT THE BACK WINDOW GIVES THE APPEARANCE THAT THE DRIVER IS INTOXICATED. ORIGINAL GLASS WAS FINE BUT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE METAL PART WHICH WAS GOING TO CAUSE THE REAR DEFROST TO STOP WORKING. THE GLASS THAT WAS REPLACED ON 11/4/16 HAD THE SAME DISTORTING AS THE GLASS THAT WAS REPLACED ON 11/18/16. MAKES LOOKING OUT THE BACK WINDOW TO BACK UP UNSAFE. THE DEALER CURRENTLY STILL HAS 2 OF THE 3 BACK WINDOWS ON HAND FROM THE VEHICLE.

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BUBBLING/RUST SPOT LOCATED NEAR FRONT GLASS ON HOOD OF THE CAR. (ONLY 3 YRS OLD).

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2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU (LT) HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING SERVE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THIS HIGHLY DANGEROUS DEFECT I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING AS WELL YET THERE IS NO RECALL! FIRST THE MY LINK/NAVIGATION/RADIO MODULE WOULD SHUT OFF AND COME BACK ON. WHILE THIS OCCURS, THE BATTERY VOLTAGE WOULD JUMP DOWN THEN JUMP BACK UP. I CALLED CHEVY/GMC AND THEY RECOMMENDED TO SHUT THE CAR OFF, REMOVE THE KEY, OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR SO THE COMPUTER CAN RESET ITSELF. IT CONTINUED TO HAPPY THROUGH THE COURSE OF COUPLE HOURS THEN FINALLY STOPPED AND WAS WORKING FROM OVER THE COURSE OF 4 DAYS. AS OF YESTERDAY THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, ENTIRE TOUCHSCREEN MODULE SHUT OFF, AND TURNED BACK ON IN A SPLIT SECOND. ONCE THE CAR TURNED ON, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY TIGHT, ALMOST LOCKED, AND WE WOULD BARELY TURN INTO OUR DRIVEWAY WHILE IN MOTION ON A 25PM STREET. THANK GOD I WAS NOT COMING OFF A HIGHWAY OR DRIVING FAST LIKE REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE LIKE OTHER CONSUMERS BUT THIS IS DANGEROUS. I AM TERRIFIED OF THIS VEHICLE AND WILL BE TAKING IT TO CHEVY. THERE ARE OVER A HUNDRED COMPLAINTS AND VIDEOS I SAW AFTER I LOOKED UP IF THIS ISSUE WAS COMMON, WHICH IT APPEARS TO BE, ONLINE. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ON THE RECALL LIST BECAUSE THIS CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS AND SOMEONE CAN GET SERIOUSLY INJURED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 51,400.

NHTSA ODI 10925900

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PRETENSION CABLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V269000 (SEAT BELT) AS A POSSIBLE RESOLUTION TO THE FAILURE, BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,652. UPDATED 01/31/2017*CT

NHTSA ODI 10925983

THE HEATING SYSTEM HAS AN EXHAUST SMELL COMING THRU THE VENTS WHEN IN USE ONCE CAR IS WARM. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE CONTROL SETTING IS ON PANEL. DOESN'T SEEM TO HAPPEN IN DEFROST SETTING. HAVE TO CRACK WINDOW TO GET FRESH AIR WHEN IN USE BECAUSE IT HAS CAUSED MY WIFE TO GET LIGHT HEADED WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HAD IT INTO THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER TWICE TO BE TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10920634

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT FAILED TO START AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE DOORS WERE LOCKED. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR IN ORDER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 10920148

WHILE DRIVING THE RADIO AND INTERIOR LIGHTS GO OUT AND POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING. SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN LEFT BLINKER IS USED. HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER WHEN THIS HAPPENS ALSO. THERE IS NO WARNING PRIOR TO SHUTDOWN. ONE OCCURRENCE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF ON ITS OWN AFTER POWER SURGE. VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE, I ALMOST HIT A PARKED CAR BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. IT HAPPENS ON HIGHWAY OR NEIGHBORHOOD. CAR IS PARKED AT DEALERSHIP TIL PROBLEM CAN BE RESOLVED. ODOMETER HAS 53,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE DOORS LOCKED ON THEIR OWN AND THE CONTACT COULD NOT EXIT THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE IGNITION KEY BECAME STUCK ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.

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