What 810 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

5/4/2018 TOOK THE CAR TO SERVICE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THEY REPROGRAMED THE HYBRID POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE 2 - PER A FACTORY SERVICE BULLETIN BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, LIGHT CAME BACK ON. 5/26/2018 - 100 DEGREES. CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AT 40 MPH ON CITY STREET. RESTARTED IN SOME KIND OF DEFAULT MODE WITHOUT EV COMPONENTS AFTER 30 MIN. NEXT DAY IT WORKED FINE. 8/12/2018 - 86 DEGREES. CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON CITY STREET GOING 30MPH. RESTARTED AND DROVE FINE BUT LATER THE SAME DAY AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND SHIFTING TO REVERSE THE CAR MOVED FORWARD, CAR WAS IN EV MODE. SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND CAR STILL MOVED FORWARD, STILL IN EV MODE. SHIFTED TO REVERSE AND NEUTRAL AGAIN THE CAR STILL MOVED FORWARD, STILL IN EV MODE. TURNED OFF ENGINE, RESTARTED AND WORKED FINE, STILL IN EV MODE. 8/16/2018 - 85 DEGREES. CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, RESTARTED AND WORKED. BUT LATER THAT DAY I STARTED THE CAR AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE CAR MOVED FORWARD, CAR IN EV MODE. I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL BUT AT THE SAME MOMENT THE ENGINE STARTED AND I FELT AND HEARD A SHIFTING NOISE AND THE CAR WORKED FINE. 2ND APPOINTMENT WILL DEALER ON 8/20/16, APPEARS A COMMON FACTOR IS WARM DAYS WHEN I PARK THE CAR OUTSIDE IN THE SUN. NO MATTER WHAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE THERE IS A SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY SYMPTOM OF A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AND COULD BECOME A COMMON PROBLEM. THE NEXT STEP THE DEALER WILL DO IS REPLACE A WIRING HARNESS, AGAIN PER A SERVICE BULLETIN SO THE MANUFACTURER DOES KNOW OF A PROBLEM.

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JUST OVER 37000 MILES, CAR STARTS RUNNING FUNNY, ALOT OF VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL. I GET OUT OF THE CAR ONE DAY, I LEAVE IT RUNNING, I GET BACK IN JUST A MINUTE AND A HALF LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT IS FLASHING ALONG WITH THE STABILITRACK LIGHT AND THE CAR IS REALLY RUNNING ROUGH AND STEAM OR SMOKE IS COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A COUPLE HUNDERED DOLLARS FOR DIAGNOSIS. I CALL BACK THE NEXT DAY THEY TELL ME ENGINE COMPRESSION IS LOW AND CHANCES ARE IT'S A CRACKED PISTON RING. I ASKED WHAT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE THAT IN A 2016, NOT EVEN A TWO YEAR OLD CAR? I WAS TOLD THAT THESE PARTS WEAR, I MEAN IF I COULD TELL YOU WHY IT'S HAPPENING OR WHAT THE CAUSE WAS THERE WOULD NEVER BE ANY PROBLEMS, JUST BE GLAD IT'S COVERED UNDER YOUR POWERTAIN WARRANTY. I'VE DRIVEN CHEVYS FOR TWENTY YEARS AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THIS, AT THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN THE WATER PUMP. I'VE GONE ONLINE SINCE TO SEARCH FOR INFO ON THIS EXACT PROBLEM AND THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A RECALL TO ME CHEVROLET, GM.

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WHEN STOPPING AND STARTING AT STOPLIGHT ETC CAR WILL NOT ENGAGE. PRESS HAS CAR BARLEY MOVES THEN IT WILL JUMP INTO GEAR AND DRIVE NORMAL. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE WHEN ENGINE IS HOT AND CAR HAS BEEN DRIVE FOR A EXTENDED PERIOD.

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FALSE INDICATION OF CAR NOT IN PARK AND DOES NOT TURN OFF DASHBOARD DISPLAYS AND CAR BATTERY DISCHARGES FULLY

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NOTICED MILDEW SMELL IN TRUNK OF VEHICLE AND APPARENT WATER MARKS ON BULKHEAD ON INSIDE OF TRUNK. CARPET ALSO WET, ESPECIALLY TOWARDS FRONT OF TRUNK COMPARTMENT. FIRST STARTED NOTICING ISSUES BELOW 5000 MILES.

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THE CAR STALLS IN TRAFFIC, LOSING ALL POWER. IT DOESN'T START SOMETIMES. EVERYTIME I TAKE IT INTO THE DEALER THE ISSUE DOESN'T OCCUR AND THEY CLAIM THE COMPUTER IS COMING BACK CLEAN. HOWEVER, IT DODENT FO THIS ALL THE TIME IT CAN GO WEEKS AND DRIVE JUST FINE BUT AT ANY GIVEN TIME WILL LOSE ALL POWER AND SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND DONE DAYS TAKE A VERY LONG TIME TO START. IT'S VERY SCARY WHEN YOUR IN TRAFFIC IN THE CAR SHUTS OFF THEN ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON FROM STABILIZER BAR WARNING, TO ENGINE LIGHT. IT'S DANGEROUS AND SCARY WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR AT TIMES ON SAN DIEGO HIGHWAYS. A CAR SHOULD NOT JUST SHUT OFF OR TAKE FOREVER TO START WHEN EVERYTIME I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER THEY CLAIM THE READINGS ARE FINE. I ALSO SEE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. GM CHEVROLET WANT BE SATISFIED UNTIL SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT WITH THIS ISSUE LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING.

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LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER HAS ACCUMULATED IN MY TRUNK NEAR MY SPARE TIRE. MY TRUNK HAS ALSO BEGAN TO GROW MOLD. THE WATER IS ALSO LEAKING INTO MY CAR AND CAUSING WATER STAINS.

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WHEN PUTTING MY CAR IN PARK, NOT EVERY SINGLE TIME BUT, THE CAR IS COMPLETELY STOPPED AND DASHBOARD SAYS P (FOR PARK), WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF AN ERROR POPS UP STATING CAR NEEDS TO BE SHIFTED INTO PARK TO TURN OFF.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT WAS BURNT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOB BELL CHEVROLET (1 KANE ST, BALTIMORE, MD 21224, (443) 407-1778) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE POWER SEAT WIRING WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,114.

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TAKATA RECALL - I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS LOCKING, UNLOCKING, AND TURNING ON MY CAR. WHEN THE CAR FINALLY GETS TURNED ON IT WILL SAY THAT THE KEYS ARE NOT DETECTED. OR WHEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE IT WILL TELL ME TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON. TAKATA RECALL - ABOUT ONCE A MONTH WHEN I TURN MY CAR ON, A LOUD BUZZING NOISE COMES ON FOR AROUND 30 SECONDS.

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET HEADED HOME THE ENGINE SIGN LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD WITH A MESSAGE TRAKSTABIL WARNING. THE ENGINE LOST POWER BUT NOT COMPLETELY. STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE AND OPENED THE HOOD, NOTHING APPEARED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DROVE HOME AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED AT FIRESTONE. FIRESTONE INFORMED US THAT ONE OF THE ENGINE PISTON HAD BLOWN. THEY ADVISED THAT I TAKE IT TO A GM/CHEVY DEALER AS THE VEHICLE HAS BARELY 40K MILES AND SHOULD BE UNDER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT FREMONT CHEVROLET, FREMONT, CA. THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON JULY 2, 2018. FIRST THEY INFORMED US THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED SINCE IT HAS A BLOWN ENGINE PISTON. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY TELL US THAT THEY ARE STILL LOOKING INTO IT.

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MY MALIBU ALL OF SUDDEN STARTED SENDING A MESSAGE WHEN I GO TO TURN THE CAR OFF THAT MY CAR NEEDS TO SHIFT TO PARK. I HAVE THE CAR IN PARK, BUT IT IS NOT REGISTERING IT IS IN PARK. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, IT HAPPENS 90% OF THE TIME WHEN I GO TO TURN THE CAR OFF.

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WHEN CAR IS PUT IN PARK, AN ERROR "SHIFT TO PARK" APPEARS ON THE DASH. THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OFF. IT TAKES MULTIPLE TRIES TO GET THE CAR TO REGISTER THAT THE GEAR IS PUT INTO PARK.

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LEAK THROUGH 3RD BREAK LIGHT CAUSES MOISTURE TO BUILD UP IN CAR AND ONCE IT RAINS THE FRONT WINDSHIELD FOGS UP AND CAN YOU CAN NOT SEE DEFROST CANNOT FIX THIS ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE BUILD UP OF MOISTURE FROM THE LEAK IN THROUGH THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT

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I HAVE TAKEN MY 2016 MALIBU PREMIER 2.0 TURBO TO THE DEALERSHIP FOUR TIMES NOW FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE PARK ASSIST SENSORS GOING OUT. NOW, THEY ARE OUT AGAIN, AND THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ME TO PAY A $250 DEDUCTIBLE FOR MY EXTENDED WARRANTY TO COVER THE REPAIRS. I AM NOT AGREEING WITH THIS BECAUSE THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR OF THIS SAME COMPONENT. NOW THE SERVICE ADVISOR HAS CONTACTED ME SAYING THE ENTIRE MODULE HAS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A SHORT IN THE SYSTEM ITSELF. I PURCHASED THE CAR SEPT. 21, 2016, IT SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN SO SOON, NOW I HAVE TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE FOR THE SAME WORK TO THE DONE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED PROPERLY THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THIS REPAIR, INSTEAD OF A SIMPLE SYSTEM UPDATE. THESE PARK ASSIST SENSOR ALERTS WHEN SOMEONE IS WALKING IN FRONT OR BEHIND THE VEHICLE, AS WELL AS ANOTHER VEHICLE BEING IN A 'BLIND SPOT". THE ALERT IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL AT NIGHT , WHEN IN AN AREA WITH PEDESTRIANS AND SMALL CHILDREN, AND BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPOTS.

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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SAID REDUCED ENGINE POWER. ALSO WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE CAR FROM REAR BRAKE LIGHT

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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON CAR HAD TURNED OFF 2 TIMES AND WAS STALLING ALSO SAID ENGINE POWER REDUCED

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OIL LIGHT CAME ON TOOK CAR IN TO GET OIL CHANGED AND FIX NAIL IN TIRE. THERE WAS A RECALL ON PRE IGNITION. ECM WAS REPROGRAMMED AND OIL AND OIL FILTER WAS CHANGED

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CAR WAS LEAKING FLUID AND WHEN DRIVING CAR HAD NO ACCELERATION.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WITHIN FIVE MONTHS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT TOOK IT TO MORE THAN ONE DEALER BECAUSE THE VEHICLE JERKED AND MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. INTEGRITY CHEVROLET OF CHATTANOOGA (2110 CHAPMAN RD, CHATTANOOGA, TN, 423-535-9455) AND MOUNTAIN VIEW CHEVROLET (310 E 20TH ST, CHATTANOOGA, TN, 423-266-0181) WERE CONTACTED AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO MAKE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN IT RELEASED, THE BRAKE PEDAL SEIZED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE THROUGH A RED LIGHT, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXTREME FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. A PASSERBY ALERTED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED A CASE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE "REDUCE SPEED" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE'S SPEED WAS REDUCED TO 40 MPH. SIMULTANEOUSLY, A BELL CHIMED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 40 MPH. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED ON THEIR OWN ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. RYDELL CHEVROLET IN NORTH RIDGE, CALIFORNIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REPLACED THE ENGINE AT 5,000 MILES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. SANTA PAULA CHEVROLET IN SANTA PAULA, CALIFORNIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. ONSTAR WAS CONTACTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION THROTTLE FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.

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IN FEBRUARY 2016 I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP OF PURCHASE THE NIGHT BEFORE I WAS DRIVING ON A PUBLIC STREET I CAME TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDDLE AS THE CAR BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD BEGAN FLUTTERING THE CAR THEN CUTS OFF A MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD READ INSTA LINK STEERING ASSIST REDUCED DRIVE CAREFULLY ALSO THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ON AFTER GETTING THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND THE ALLEGED PROBLEM BEING FIXED TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM TOOK CAR BACK DEALERSHIP STATED THEIR IS NOTHING WRONG THEY CLEARED THE CODES THE STOP ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER SAME PROBLEM AGAIN THEY STATED AGAIN NOTHINGS WRONG NOW HERE I AM AGAIN FOR THE FIFTH TIME SAME PROBLEM NOW THAT MY WARRANTY IS DONE THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME 700 TO 1000 DOLLARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM I IMMEDIATELY CALLED GM THEY HAVE ALLEGEDLY RESOLVED THE PROBLEM I HAVEN'T GOT THE CAR BACK YET THEY SAY MAYBE TOMORROW

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY DECELERATE AND THE "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" MESSAGE DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN CHEVROLET DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRE HARNESS WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. *TT

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED WATER ACCUMULATION IN THE BACK SEAT AND DRIPPING FROM THE CEILING. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO SANDY SANSING CHEVROLET (6200 PENSACOLA BOULEVARD, PENSACOLA, FLORIDA 32505) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE REAR WINDSHIELD WAS ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ALSO FOUND THAT THE ANTENNA WAS LEAKING. THE ANTENNA WAS REPAIRED BUT, A WEEK LATER, A MILDEW ODOR DEVELOPED, EMERGING FROM THE TRUNK AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER, BUT THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY REPAIRED THE ANTENNA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

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2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TERRIBLE SHAKING WHILES OPERATING THE VEHICLE. *LD CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WATER WOULD BUILD UP IN THE RIMS AND FREEZE DURING THE COLD SEASON CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *JS

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