4972 messages,
Last post on Feb 09, 2013 at 10:37 AM
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Chevrolet Malibu Forum.
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Chevrolet Malibu, Sedan
#4051 of 4972 Re: No Child Door Locks on 04 Malibu?? [e2helper]
by wayneski
Jul 22, 2004 (6:36 am)
I'm still surprised but suspect you are on to something. I must say though that I have a 2001 Impala and it has the feature but the 04's don't. The Aveo, Chevy's cheapest model and a new one at that does. Still can't believe a car targeted to families would have the feature. I checked this with the dealer and he reassured me that the car had the feature. I asked him to show me and he couldn't. He went back to their "dealer manual" a book that describes all of the features and selling points for dealers use in selling cars to customers. The manual says it has the safety feature so who knows, an error in the design to be fixed in the 05's? A cost saving measure? Anyway, I would rather have the safety feature like child safety locks than a convenience feature like remote start.
#4052 of 4972 Re: No Child Door Locks on 04 Malibu?? [307web]
by wayneski
Jul 22, 2004 (7:16 am)
Thanks for the attached brochure. It clearly says the car comes with "child security rear door locks" on the left side column of the first page. Try to find them though. Their not on the sedan or max models I've seen in Houston. The dealer was equally confused and embarassed.
#4053 of 4972 Re: No Child Door Locks on 04 Malibu?? [wayneski]
by 307web
Jul 22, 2004 (7:30 am)
The owners manual would be the best place to look for the instructions. If it is not there, then it is a misprint on the other literature and it is very odd for it to not have it.
There is more than one website that lists the Malibu as having the child safety locks and they would also be wrong in that case.
#4054 of 4972 Child Safety rear door locks
by badgerfan
Jul 22, 2004 (8:58 am)
It seems GM has decided to do away with this safety feature. Saves a few bucks per car, I suppose, but I would bet they will pay for it in the end with lawsuits. GM not only eliminated it on the Malibu redesign, they deleted it off Impala when it was included on earlier model years of the same design, just decontented it away. It'll be even harder to defend in court since this safety feature has been nearly universal for many many years on most GM vehicles.
#4056 of 4972 Steering - e2helper
by 7937
Jul 22, 2004 (11:36 am)
I bought my Malibu on 02-07-2004 in California. Do you think my Malibu had its steering corrected?
#4057 of 4972 Re: Child Safety rear door locks [307web]
by wayneski
Jul 22, 2004 (11:41 am)
Yes, as far as I have learned, the feature doesn't exist on the Malibu sedan or Max. Perhaps it will be on the 05 models but I suspect not given that it has been eliminated from the Impala. Probably a cost cutting measure.
Anyway, I will be buying some other car instead because of it. I was pretty settled on a Malibu and in final negotiaions. Quite a shame, I like the car. I contacted Chevrolet.com and was told that the Malibu does not have this "important item" but that it has automatic locking doors as a standard feature. The problem is that two year old children are smart enough to open a lock and door and I would prefer not to take that risk. Still very surprised that GM would eliminate such a basic safety feature.
#4058 of 4972 Re: Child Safety rear door locks [wayneski]
by yurakm
Jul 22, 2004 (2:46 pm)
In one word: Lutz.
#4059 of 4972 Child Safety Rear Door Locks
by alpha01
Jul 22, 2004 (8:29 pm)
People are talking about lawsuits, how cheap GM is, etc. I dont really agree. Child Safety Rear Door Locks are not required by law, nor have they ever been. Most people, by my estimation, never use this feature, I certainly dont, and probably wont when I have kids. I think think this is a great way for Lutz to cut costs, and applaud him. Its a give and take, and Id much rather see a telescopic steering wheel, for instance. FWIW, in my estimation, its far more dangerous to have your rear occupants unable to exit at all if you keep the child safety door locks enabled. Additionally, if you dont like the fact that GM doesnt have the child safety locks.... you can always choose not to buy a GM product.
~alpha
#4060 of 4972 Child Safety Locks
by mr_bots
Jul 22, 2004 (9:50 pm)
From what I've heard the child safety locks were removed for safety concerns. People were getting trapped in the back seats of cars. I do believe this was somewhat offset by the auto locks that lock when the car is in gear and the location of the little pull things to manually unlock the door,(on the very top at the very front of the door panel) which is out of reach for someone young enough to need the child safety locks.