What 810 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE DISPLAYED " REDUCED ENGINE POWER". VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND I HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER TURNING OFF VEHICLE, WAITING A MINUTE, AND RESTARTING VEHICLE IT RAN OK FOR 5 MINUTES. SOMETIMES IT RUNS LONGER BEFORE THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON AND I LOSE POWER AGAIN. THIS IS DANGEROUS!!!

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WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AND DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH WARNING ENGINE POWER REDUCED MODE AND CAR WENT INTO LOW SPEED. TRIED ACCELERATING CAR WOULD NOT GO BEYOND 20 MPH

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SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK MY CAR WILL SUDDENLY GO INTO "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" MODE AND GO INTO LOW SPEED. IF I GET OUT OF THE CAR, LOCK IT, AND UNLOCK IT 30 SECONDS LATER IT WILL RESET AND THEN BE OKAY FOR A FEW MINUTES. THIS POWER REDUCTION IS EXCEEDINGLY DANGEROUS WHEN MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND SUDDENLY NEEDING TO PULL OVER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON BUT THEN DISAPPEAR SOMETIMES THE SAME DAY AFTER HAVING PARKED FOR A WHILE. TYPICALLY THE CAR GOES INTO THIS "REDUCED POWER MODE" AFTER ABOUT 45 MINUTES OF DRIVING. I WAS ABLE TO CAPTURE THE FOLLOWING ERROR CODES: P1101 (INTAKE AIR FLOW SYSTEM PERFORMANCE), P2122 (THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR D CIRCUIT LOW INPUT), AND P2138 (THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION SENSOR/SWITCH D/E VOLTAGE CORRELATION). REALLY HOPING THIS WILL BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GET IT FIXED MYSELF!

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I WAS DRIVING ONE DAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAVE SEEN 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD. THIS WARNING REDUCES THE CAR SPEED CONSIDERABLY AND THEREFORE SLOW THE CAR NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP TO GET IT CHECKED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT ONE OF MY INTAKE VALVE WAS DEFECTIVE. I HAD IT REPLACED AND PAID FOR THE SERVICE. I LEFT AND THE SAME DAY THE WARNING CAME BACK AGAIN AND SLOWED THE CAR. THE SPEED CAN GO FROM 60MPH TO LESS THAN 10MPH IN FEW SECONDS. STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AGAIN DOESN'T HELP THE CAR INCREASE SPEED. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND MANY OTHER DRIVERS HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSED IT AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE NOT DETECTED THE CAUSE OF THE WARNING 'ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED'. THEY TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND ARE ASKING ME TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. I THINK THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.

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MY VEHICLE HAS A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE BACKSEAT SOUNDS LIKE THE MUFFLER HITTING UP AGAINST THE BACKSEAT. WE AS CONSUMERS SHOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS CHEVROLET FAULT FROM THE START

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WHEN AUTO-STOPPED THE ENTIRE CAR SHUTS DOWN. IT TURNS COMPLETELY OFF AND STARTS MOVING BACKWARDS BEFORE TURNING BACK ON. A DIAGNOSTIC REVEALED A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER SUPPLY TRANSFORMER AND BATTERY CURRENT SENSOR CIRCUIT. THEY ARE ERODED I BELIEVE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS ANYTIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED - AT STOP SIGNS AND LIGHTS.

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ENGINE POWER REDUCED, THIS HAS HAPPENED COUNTLESS TIMES, SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2017, IT HAS BEEN TO BRYNER CHEVROLET IN JENKINTOWN, PA, WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED MORE TIMES, THAN I CAN COUNT. EACH REPAIT COSTING MORE AND MORE. I'M ASSUMING CHEVY IS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE, BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY FIX IT. IMAGINE BEING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND GOING FROM DOING 65 TO 20 UNEXPECTEDLY. THE PERSON BEHIND ME HAD TO SWERVE INTO ANOTHER LANE TO KEEP FROM REAR ENDING ME.

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I JUST EXPERIENCED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND REDUCED POWER ALERT ON CHRISTMAS EVE: 12/24/20 THIS WAS SO SCARY ON HIGHWAY AND HAD TO DRIVE ON THE REDUCED POWER WITH MY FLASHERS ON AND TERRIFIED AS CAR'S WIZZED PAST ME! I WAS WORRIED THAT I WOULD BREAKDOWN AND COULDN'T GET HOME. I DID MAKE IT HOME AND WAS SHAKEN BY THE EXPERIENCE. I HAVE A 2016 CHEVY MALIBU AND THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED $350 TO FIX IT. IT IS STILL THERE AS DIDN'T HAVE FUNDS TO FIX IT. DEALERSHIP SAID IT IS AN ISSUE WITH GAS PEDAL NOT READING IN SYSTEM CORRECTLY. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY RISK BECAUSE IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY GOING 60 MPH, AND IT DROPPED SPEED TO 35 MPH! THIS IS SO DANGEROUS! ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT HAPPENED AT NIGHT IN A SECLUDED AREA. THIS IS SUPER SCARY FOR A WOMAN DRIVER THINKING I WAS GOING TO BREAKDOWN AT ANY MOMENT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING UBER SINCE COVID AND NO WORK AVAILABLE IN MY REGULAR JOB. SINCE I DON'T HAVE MY CAR, I CAN'T DRIVE TO MAKE ANY MONEY TO FIX IT. I WAS UNABLE TO WORK ON UBER'S BIGGEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, LOSING OUT OF A $500 NIGHT. GM SHOULD PAY TO GET THIS FIXED AND FOR LOST REVENUE DUE TO UNABLE TO WORK.

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OFTEN, WHEN I SHIFT MY CAR TO PARK, A WARNING COMES UP AND INDICATES SHIFT INTO PARK. IT ALREADY IS IN PARK. I HAVE TO PLAY AROUND UNTIL IT RECOGNIZES IT. HAPPENS RANDOMLY. ANNOYING.

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I WAS DRIVING DOWNTOWN WHEN CAR ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND IT SLOWED DOWN THEN SHUT OFF, LUCKILY THE CAR BEHIND ME DIDN'T HIT ME. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. I'VE HAD IT TOWED 2 TIME ONE MECHANIC SAID: I NEEDED A MOTOR. I BOUGHT A CODE READER REPLACED BOTH BATTERIES. NEXT CODE P2138 REDUDED ENGINE POWER. IT A DEFECTIVE THROTTLE CONTROL ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR. I TOWED IT TO GM DEALERSHIP THEY ARE TRYING TO SELL ME A MOTOR AND WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE, PEDAL PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL ONLY SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT #N192188250 GLOBAL SAFETY FIELD INVESTIGATION DCS5117 GLOBAL WARRANTY.

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WHEN THE CAR GOES INTO THE AUTO STOP MODE IT COMPLETELY DIES AND THE LIGHT. NO DASH LIGHTS, NO DOME LIGHT, NO HAZARD LIGHTS, LITERALLY NOTHING WORKS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SO FAR, AND ALL THREE TIMES I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I'M NOT HAPPY, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE OUT OF THIS CAR WITH OTHER ISSUES SENSE I GOTTEN IT BACK IN JULY OF 2020

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DRIVING THE CAR YOU SMELL A BURNING SMELL UPON PARKING IT TURNED OUT THE HEAT SHIELD ON CAR WAS BURNING AND DISINTEGRATING. I HAVE PHOTO BUT WON'T LOAD ,,,

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I NOTICED A WET SPOT BY THE 3 BREAK LIGHT INSIDE HEADLINER

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WHEN PUT MY CAR IN PARK, A DISPLAY COMES ON THE DASHBOARD SAYING PUT CAR IN PARK. IT'S NOT RECOGNIZING THAT THE CAR IS IN PARK AND WON'T SHUT OFF! IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE LASTED BEING 12/19/2020!

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VEHICLE HAS BEEN GIVING PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER, WELL ABOUT 60DAYS INTO MY PURCHASE. REAL PROBLEM IS THAT IT JERKS CONSTANTLY AT TIMES IT DOESN'T MOVE DUE TO ACCORDING TO MY OWN DIAGNOSTICS THE TRANSMISSION CONVERTER TORQUE SOLENOID AND THIS SHOULD BE HAPPENING. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I'M ON THE HEY IT TAKES TOO LONG TO ACCELERATE AND MANY TIMES NOT ACCELERATING AT ALL. IT CAUSES MY GAS TO DECREASE. THE OTHER DAY I WAS 30MIN FROM MY RESIDENCE AND IT TOOK 5 HOURS, LITERALLY FOR ME TO GET HOME. COMPUTER SYSTEM STARTED BLINKING CONSISTENTLY. ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. WINSDAHIELD WOOER LIFTS STAYS ON. TC LIGHTS STAYS ON. EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS CAR WITHIN 60 DAYS STAYS ON. THIS IS HORRIBLE.

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WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP AND AUTO START HAPPENS, MY RADIO SHUTS OFF. BATTERY SOMETIMES DOES NOT HOLD CHARGE. COULD BE THE ALTERNATOR OR SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL MISFIRE OR CONTACT. DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY TIME VEHICLE IS STARTED.

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DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND THEN TAPPING THE BRAKE TO COME TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY GO INTO AUTO STOP AND THEN SHUT EVERYTHING OFF EVEN THOUGH THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC CAR TO RESTART THE CAR IT'S LIKE A STANDARD IT HAS TO ROLL BACKWARDS BEFORE YOU CAN GO FORWARDS, THE FUEL ISSUE IS I'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THREE TANKS OF GAS AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A GREAT CAR ON GAS ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY I'M BARELY GETTING A 150 FOR EACH FULL TANK OF GAS. THE 47 HW AND 27 CITY FOR GAS MILAGE IS MORE LIKE 27HW AND 10 CITY ....

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OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY ON TWO OCCASIONS. EACH TIME THE ENTIRE CHARGING SYSTEM WAS CHECKED WITH NO FAULTS IDENTIFIED. RECENTLY, LAST 3 MONTHS, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS VEHICLE WILL STALL WHILE IN MOTION. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS FROM ACCELERATING FROM A STOP TO AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WHEN VEHICLE STALLS ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE IS DRAMATICALLY REDUCED; ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS WHEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. ON OTHER OCCASIONS ALL ACCESSORIES AC, RADIO, WIPER BLADES, ETC WILL ALL TURN OFF AND NOT RESTART UNTIL THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. ANOTHER FREQUENTLY REOCCURRING ISSUE IS THE SOUND YOU NORMALLY HEAR WHEN A TURN SIGNAL IS ENGAGED WILL STOP - THIS USUALLY PRECEDES THE ENGINE STALLING. ON MOST OF THESE OCCASIONS THE ENGINE WILL RESTART - TWICE IT REQUIRED A JUMP START. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WE RECEIVE VARIOUS FAULT LIGHTS/MESSAGES THAT TOO WERE UNFOUNDED. MOST FREQUENT REFERENCING THE STABILITY TRACKING. RESTART THE ENGINE AND FAULT IS CLEARED ONLY TO RETURN AT LATER TIME. ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AND PLACES MY FAMILY AND I IN DANGER EACH TIME WE OPERATE THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NUMEROUS WRITE UPS DETAILING THIS SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH MULTIPLE YEARS OF THE CHEVY MALIBU GMC AND CHEVY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEMS AND CONTINUE TO LEVY CHARGES AND COLLECT MONIES FROM OWNERS FOR WHAT PROBABLY SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL IN ORDER TO AFFECT REQUISITE REPAIRS.

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WHEN PLACING MY VEHICLE INTO THE PARK POSITION AND TRYING TO TURN MY ENGINE OFF A MESSAGE STATES TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO THE PARK POSITION BEFORE THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF. THE CAR STAYS ON UNTIL IT GOES OFF BY DEFAULT WHICH CAUSES A DRAW ON THE BATTERY. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING CONSISTENTLY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS AND WHEN I TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP I AM TOLD THAT THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE.

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I GET ROUTINE SERVICE TO MY CAR & MY ENGINE IS CLICKING, LOUDLY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY GOES ON & OFF & I WAS TOLD BY CHEVROLET SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY COULD NOT EVEN RUN A DIAGNOSTICS TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS OFF WHEN I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP. SOMETIMES 'SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM' WILL ILLUMINATE BUT IT TOO PICKS AND CHOOSES WHEN TO ILLUMINATE. SOMETIMES IT SHOWS 'BATTERY SAVER ACTIVATED' AND THIS IS THE THIRD BATTERY I'VE PURCHASED! THE ENTIRE CAR WILL STALL/SHUT OFF BUT THE GREEN LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED TO SHOW THE CAR IS ON BUT WHEN I ACCELERATE IT WON'T BUDGE! DANGEROUS CONSIDERING MY CAR COULD STALL AT ANYTIME AND CAUSE A COLLISION. I'VE NEARLY GOTTEN T-BONED TWICE COMING OUT A GAS STATION ENTERING A ROAD BECAUSE MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHILE TRAFFIC WAS COMING FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS! A SERVICE MAN AT THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP ASKED ME WAS I EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY AUTO START/STOP WHEN I TOLD HIM WHAT WAS HAPPENING. YES! MY CAR PICKS AND CHOOSES WHEN IT WANTS TO DO IT. AND WHEN IT DOES 'RESTART' THE ENTIRE CAR REBOOTS, THE LOCKS RE-CLICK, LIGHTS FLICKER, IT'LL BE IN DRIVE AND ROLL BACKWARDS UNTIL THE IGNITION TURNS OVER! CHEVY OR AT LEAST THE SERVICE TECHS ARE FULLY AWARE OF AN ISSUE AND WON'T FIX IT. SOMETIMES THE CAR JUST WON'T START, ALL THE POWER WILL GO OUT. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I'M OUT & THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND ENGINE WON'T START AFTER AT LEAST STARTING 20 MINUTES PRIOR! I'VE ALREADY GOT NEW PISTONS, A NEW ALTERNATOR, 3 NEW BATTERIES & GET THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. I HAVE A MYCHEVY ACCOUNT & EVERY MONTH MY DIAGNOSTICS REPORT, SHOWS AN ISSUE! IF I'M IN AN ACCIDENT & MY CHILD OR I ARE INJURED, WHO IS LIABLE BECAUSE MY CAR DECIDES TO MALFUNCTION IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY? CHEVROLET FOR NEGLECTING TO SERVICE MY CAR BECAUSE THE FREAKING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ISN'T ON!

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MY CAN SAYS "SHIFT TO PARK" WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE IS ALREADY IN PARK. IT WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO LOCK THE DOORS OR TURN OFF THE DRIVING LIGHTS.

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THE PAINT IS FAYING ON IT AS IF THE PAINT IS GOING DOWN TO THE METAL.

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WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP AT A LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE IN DRIVE, HOWEVER THE LIGHTS & RADIO REMAIN ON IN THE CAR & THE START BUTTON STILL SHOWS THE CAR AS 'ON'. THE ENGINE WILL NOT REV & THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WHEN IN DRIVE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE CAR OFF THEN ON AGAIN, THE CAR WILL NOT RESTART WITHOUT A JUMP. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CUT THE CAR ON WITHOUT A JUMP, THE DOORS LOCK & UNLOCK ON THEIR OWN AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS IN THE CAR, ALONG WITH THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH, FLICKER ON & OFF AND THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE BUT THE CAR DOESN'T CUT ON.

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TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF A FRIEND WHO OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE ACCELERATING AFTER BEING IDLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ABNORMALLY WHILE IDLING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO VANN YORK CHEVROLET BUICK (321 EASTCHESTER DR, HIGH POINT, NC 27262; (336) 841-4133) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ROD BEARING FAILED AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN. THE OWNER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY THE DEALER AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

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WHEN I PLACE THE CAR IN PARK IT DOES NOT REGISTER THAT IT IS PARK AND A 'SHIFT INTO PARK' ERROR COMES UP. EVERYTHING STAYS ON IN THE CAR AND THE BATTERY DRAINS IF IT'S NOT CORRECTED. IT CAN TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET IT TO RECOGNIZE IT IS IN PARK. MUST KEEP TURNING THE CAR IN AND OFF UNTIL IT SENSES IT'S IN PARK. IT HAS TAKEN UP TO 10 TIMES UNTIL IT FINALLY SENSES IT.

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