Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Sedans Chevrolet Malibu Chevrolet Malibu: Problems & Solutions 
3823 messages, Last post on Oct 12, 2006 at 2:31 PM
You are in the Chevrolet Malibu Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
|
Hey, folks. Maybe I'm just venting... but I got a brand new Chevy Malibu LT back at the end of December and already it's been in the shop three times, and I'm about to take it back for a fourth. First time: During the bitter cold we get here in Toronto, I had problems closing the door and trunk; the little plastic latches froze and the doors just bounced back open. My wife had to sit in the back seat holding the door closed as we drove home. Also, the cables in the trunk that power the lights in the trunk lid were binding against the weatherstripping around the trunk, and would have eventually split it. Second time: The "1-6" button on the steering wheel radio controls did not work for switching between the CDs in the 6 CD changer. A new radio had to be ordered and changed out. Third time: I noticed that the steering was a bit off centre and the car was pulling to the left a little bit, so that had to be adjusted. The car only had 2800km (1750mi) on it, so it was just about halfway to its first oil change. AND NOW... as I was driving home, the "check engine" light came on, and the message, "POWER STEERING" came on my D.I.C. -- that's right, my power steering system failed. I turned the car off and on again, and it worked for a bit, and then failed again! I thought this was supposed to be a brand new electrical power steering system that was going to be so much better than the old hydraulic type. In conclusion, I've always had GM vehcles, and this time I almost waited for the '05 Nissan Altima. People generally bash GM, saying that their cars are unreliable, and of poor quality, fit and finish. The new Malibu was supposed to be the car that lured Camry/Accord drivers back to GM... and I know the first run of any new generation of car is bound to have its problems, but you never want it to happen to you. All I can say is that the service at my dealer is excellent, and they've kept me happy by supplying a free rental car without me even having to ask, for as long as I need it. When everything is working on my Malibu, it's great. But I would suggest that anyone who is looking at the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu wait until they work some of the bugs out for 2005.
|
|
|
Wow! Sounds like you got a good one! I don't know how the law works in Canada, but if there are "lemon laws" for cars up there, you might have a good case for such before too long. At the very least, I would begin to make contact with the local GM district offices for your region, just to protect yourself. One of my daughters bought a Chrysler Sebring a few years ago that was about the same as what you are describing. She had it in for substantial repairs 6 times in the first 4 months..different problems each time. She raised enough cain that Chrysler took it back and gave her another one which did just fine for the 3 years she kept it. Maybe your car was built on a Friday afternoon when the plant guys all had a hot date waiting for them. |
|
|
So here's the update... I took my Malibu in to the dealer to get that power steering problem fixed. They had to replace the entire steering column and the electric steering motor. Everything seems fine now... but I'm skeptical. My wife thinks I'm a bit obsessed, listening for noises, making sure the steering is straight and the doors all close properly. On the up side, nobody changed my radio station presets in the Grand Am rental car I had since the last time my poor Malibu was in the shop. Cheers! |
|
|
|
| My wife and I test drove the LS Maxx at a local dealership last week. We were both very impressed except for a problem with the front passenger seat. It just seemed to hit my wife wrong; the edge of the seat pan was in just the right place to cut off circulation and put her legs to sleep. Has anybody else noticed this? Also, are there any front passenger seat adjustments besides forward/back and recline? Do the leather seats fit differently? Thanks for any info... | |
|
Well, it's good to know that someone else has had the same exact problem with the power steering that I experienced on 2 separate occasions earlier in the week. It was just as you described... I was driving along, and all of a sudden, the check engine light and "POWER STEERING" message came on. I pulled over and restarted it, and the power steering seemed to be working, but then failed again a few minutes later. I knew I wouldn't have a chance to take it in until the next week, so I just kept driving it. It didn't happen again for a few days, but that time it was the same thing. I just got the car in the middle of January, and knowing my luck, I got in an accident in February which required a wheel, ball joint, and other assorted parts to be replaced, along with some minor body work. I was concerned that maybe this problem was related to all that, but I guess it's not. Now if they give me any trouble I can say "I know this guy in Toronto..." Now for the new problem, as of today. Let's hope you don't get this one next. I was driving along uneventfully once again, and when I went to accelerate, there was no power. Then the car surged ahead. From that point, there was intermittent acceleration and lack of power. Then the car stalled out, and I had a hard time getting it started again. Since then, it hasn't stalled again, but still the same acceleration problem. When I take off from a stoplight, it feels like I'm in a car with someone trying to drive a stick for the first time. So now the car is officially out of commission until my service appointment. Good thing I have my Alero to drive, which I also have to take in for a broken power seat, faulty climate control knob, and clattering noise under acceleration. It also suffered the frozen door that won't close this past winter. I'm starting to wonder if my GM loyalty is misplaced...
|
|
|
Replying to: rat284 (Apr 16, 2004 10:22 pm) Sorry to hear about your problems so far. Hope you like your Malibu in general. Is it a Sedan or Maxx? 6 cylinder or 4 cylinder? Definitely have dealer take a look at the steering problem. Even if isn't happening when they see it there will be diagnostic information stored which will give them enough info to figure out what happened. On your other complaint, it is new one to me. Did you ever see a Check Engine Light or ENG REDUCED PWR message in your radio Driver Info Center? Keep us posted ! |
|
|
Replying to: e2helper (Apr 17, 2004 11:37 am) I called up the dealer this morning, and told the service manager about the new problem. He had me bring the car right down and gave me a loaner... an exciting white Lumina. I also asked if he'd seen any other cars with the power steering problem, and he said he's had one other one, the solution to which was the same as tim described above. No other ones with the acceleration problem, though. And the check engine light did come on, but there was no warning on the DIC. I didn't mean to seem too disillusioned with the Malibu, or GM cars in general. It's just so many things were going wrong at once, but I don't think it's necessarily going to be a trend. This is only the second time I've had to take the Alero in for a problem in over 3 years, and the first time was something very minor. Overall, I've had good luck with GM products, especially considering some of the horror stories I've heard about other cars.
|
|
|
Replying to: rat284 (Apr 17, 2004 4:37 pm)  And I'm glad to hear the Check Engine Light came on, it may help them with figuring out that issue. The steering problem will likely require replacement of steering column but I am sure that will address the problem you were experiencing. If any more questions/observations on operation of your Malibu LS come up please post them. |
|
|
The wife has a 2004 LS that has always been hand washed since new but just noticed that many scratches on deck lid just north of spoiler. The car is less than 5 months old but witl 8.8K miles. Does anyone else have this problem? Thanks Ken
|
|
It could be that someone placed boxes or some other object on the decklid and could have scratched the paint.
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Sedans Chevrolet Malibu Chevrolet Malibu: Problems & Solutions
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Chevrolet Malibu
2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
