2005 Chevrolet Malibu complaints

WHEN LIGHTLY APPLYING PRESSURE TO BRAKES ON FREEWAY, TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE TIRES COMPLETELY LOCKED UP AND THE CAR PULLED UNCONTROLLABLY TO THE LEFT, CAUSING THE CAR TO FISH TAIL AND SLIDE SIDEWAYS DOWN THE FREEWAY. VEHICLE SUFFERED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END WHEN COLLIDING WITH THE CEMENT MEDIAN. I WILL NEVER FEEL SAFE GETTING INTO THIS VEHICLE AND GETTING BEHIND THE WHEEL AGAIN. ACCORDING TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER THERE IS "NOTHING WRONG" WITH THE VEHICLE AND ALL SYSTEMS ARE WORKING "AS DESIGNED". *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS A KNOCK IN THE STEERING WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS STARTED TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED A NEW INTERMITTENT STEERING SHAFT WAS MALFUNCTIONING. UPDATED 3/9/2006 - THE CHECK ENGINE ILLUMINATED AND THE TECHNICIAN FOUND A LEAK AT THE SENDER HOSE TO THE CANISTER AND PURGE VALVE LEAKING. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR DROPS UNEXPECTEDLY. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE ORIGINAL VISOR. HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT VISOR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. UPDATED 2/21/2006 - THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE VISOR AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CLAIMED THAT THE WERE WORKING ON A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. *NM

I PURCHASED A CAR SEPTEMBER 1, 2005. WITHIN THE FIRST 20 DAYS OF OWNING THE CAR, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. IT HAS BEEN DUPLICATED BY BOB BROWN IN ANKENY MULTIPLE TIMES. THE STEERING COLUMN HAS BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THIS HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED AND I HAVE THE COPIES. MY CONCERN IS THE VEHICLE STILL HAS ISSUES WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. GM IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER WITH MY CAR. I HAVE SOME SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS. I AM AFRAID THIS CAR WILL KILL ME AND MY SON. *NM

DT: WHILE DRIVING THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER RAN UPON THE CURBING ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHE THEN OVER CORRECTED AND RAN INTO AN EMBANKMENT HEAD ON, AND THE VEHICLE FLIPPED TWICE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED I SHOULDER INJURIES , BUT THE PASSENGER WAS FINE. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL AND NOT CONSIDERED AS A CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE . THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE NOT REPAIRABLE. *AK

THERE HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL OF MY CAR EVEN IF TURNING ONLY SLIGHTLY. MY GIRLFRIEND HAS THE SAME CAR AND HAS HAD TO BRING HER VEHICLE TO THE MANUFACTURE THREE TIMES IN THE PAST 5 MONTHS TO BE FIXED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT IS WEARING DOWN THE BRAKES. MY CAR IS ONLY 6 MONTHS OLD AND THE BRAKES ARE ALREADY SQUEEKING. ALSO THE REAR DOOR LATCH GETS STUCK AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE DOOR TO CLOSE UNTIL A SCREWDRIVER IS TAKEN TO IT. THIS IS FOR A 2005 CHEVY MALIBU. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE SWERVED ACROSS THE ROAD AND THEN ACCELERATED DOWN THE HIGHWAY, HITTING A TREE. THE CONTACT COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT OR WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME IN SEPTEMBER 2005. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BINDING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER SEVEN TIMES THIS WEEKEND FOR THE POPPING. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE STEERING COLUMN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY OFFERED NO FREE REMEDY. *AK

CONSUMER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AT SPEED OF 5 MPH SEAT BELTS ALSO MALFUNCTIONED. *TS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE POLICE OFFICER NOTICED THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK WHEN PULLED QUICKLY. THE POLICE OFFICER STATED HE COULD SEE NO REASON WHY THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED DUE TO THE DAMAGE BEING MINOR. *JB

UPON TRYING TO BRAKE, THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. PRESSED HARDER ON THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES LOCKED CAUSING MY 2005 MALIBU TO SKID UNCONTROLLABLY INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. STARTED BRAKING APPROXIMATELY 40 - 50 FEET FROM STOPPED VEHICLE. WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WITH DRY ROAD CONDITIONS. HAVE HAD SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS OF SKIDDING WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED SINCE THE 9/23 INCIDENT. *NM

DT : THE AIR BAGS ON DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDES DEPLOYED DURING A REAR END COLLISION UNDER 10 MPH. THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. THIS HAPPENED ON AUGUST 24, 2005. THE CASE # WAS 055947.*AK

MY 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU, SOMETIMES WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILS TO START UNTIL ATTEMPTING 2 TO 3 TIMES BEFORE VEHICLE ENGINE STARTS, THIS IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM. TURN SIGNAL TODAY DID NOT WORK, UNTIL AFTER I HAD TO SHUT ENGINE OFF AND RESTART IT BEFORE TURN SIGNALS WOULD WORK. VEHICLE HAS A TENDENCY TO PULL TO THE LEFT. STARTER DOESN'T ENGAGE PROPERLY. *NM

MY SON USED MY NEW CHEV 2005 MALIBU LS AND WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY HE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL AND THE FRONT END CRASHED INTO THE GROUND SMASHING THE WHOLE FRONT END AND THE AIR BAGS NEVER WENT OFF. THANK GOD HE AND HIS COUSIN WERE NOT KILLED. I THOUGHT THE AIR BAGS WERE TO WORK WHEN YOU HIT THE FRONT END OF YOUR CAR?*JB

INSTALL JUMPER HARNESS PER PIP3098A NECK, FUEL TANK FILLER REPLACE TIE ROD END AND/OR ADJUSTER SLEEVE RIGHT REPLACE PANEL, SEAT BACK OF BACK PASSENGER R&R OR REPLACE RECEIVER, RADIO REMOVE, REPAIR AND REPLACE RADIO. *NM

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY WANTS TO STEER ON ITS OWN. THIS HAPPENS FOR ONLY A SHORT TIME WHEN IT OCCURS. PRIMARILY IT WANTS TO GO LEFT. ONCE I TRIED TO GO INTO THE LEFT LANE OF A FREEWAY QUITE GRADUALLY...IT WANTED TO GO LEFT ALRIGHT...ALTHOUGH IT WANTED TO GO QUICKLY INTO THE LANE! CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN TWICE. THE LAST TIME WAS THIS PAST FRIDAY (7/30/05). HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE THEN (TUESDAY, 8/2/05)...BUT...AGAIN THIS IS A VERY INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. MY MILEAGE HAS DROPPED FROM 33 MILES PER GALLON TO 29 MILES PER GALLON. DEALER SAYS THAT NOTHING THEY HAVE DONE SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. THEY SAY THAT THE 29 MILES PER GALLON IS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS...THIS DROP IS VERY SIGNIFICANT. HAVE REQUESTED A BUY BACK DIRECT FROM CHEVROLET. THE VEHICLE WELL EXCEEDS THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A BUY BACK ACCORDING THE OHIO LEMON LAW. CHEVROLET SAYS THAT THEY WILL NOT BUY BACK THE CAR...EVEN THOUGH IT EXCEEDS THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OHIO LEMON LAW! MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT THE STEERING WILL GO TOTALLY OUT AND THE CAR WILL GO WHEREVER IT DECIDES TO...I DON'T WANT TO BE INJURED AND DON'T WANT TO INJUR ANY ONE ELSE. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER RENTED A VEHICLE FROM ALAMO RENTAL IN ORLANDO, FL AT THE AIRPORT. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WITHOUT WARNING HE WAS JUST DRIVING AT 35 MPH AND THE VEHICLE JERKED TO THE LEFT. HE SAID THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT TURNED AND HE LOST CONTROL AND ALMOST FLIPPED OVER IN THE MEDIAN WHERE IT ALSO DISMOUNTED THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE FROM THE RIM. THE CONSUMER SAID THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS INSERTED ABOUT 6 INCHES LIKE IT WAS TURNED IN TOWARDS THE VEHICLE. ALAMO WAS CALLED AND THEY OFFERED TO FIX A FLAT BUT THE CONSUMER WANTED A DIFFERENT VEHICLE BECAUSE OF SAFETY REASONS. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. CALLER FEEL THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT. *JB

(1) NONE (2) LOSS OF STEERING AT 65 MPH: CAR CATAPULTED RIGHTWARDS INTO 2 VEHICLES, VAN AND SEMI, AND ULTIMATELY OFF FREEWAY PERSONAL INJURIES SUSTAINED. (3) RECOVERED FRACTURED PART OF VEHICLE AT SITE OF COLLISION 2 DAYS LATER.PART IDENTIFIED BY CHEVROLET DEALER AS ENGINE MOUNTING BRACKET BELONGING TO MY MAKE AND YEAR OF CAR.

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH 2005 CHEVY MALIBU. 1.) KEY STICKING IN IGNITION. RETURNED CAR TO DEALER 3 TIMES. TWO OF THESE TIMES THE KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED AND PARK CABLE ADJUSTED TWICE. 2.) TRACTION CONTROL (T/C), ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON AT ENGINE START UP. A SENSOR WAS REPLACED IN RIGHT REAR WHEEL HUB AND BEARING. IN ADDITION, THE EBCM COMPUTER TO THE BREAK SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED. VEHICLE IS NOW IN FOR SERVICE FOR THE 6TH TIME. ALL 3 LIGHTS ARE ON AGAIN. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH GENERAL MOTORS ON 6/13/05 WITH MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO FOLLOW UP ON MY FILE #1-34200114 BUT HAVE NOT HAD A RESPONSE OTHER THAN THEY ARE RESEARCHING MY CONCERNS.

IGNITION PROBLEM. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL NOT CRANK OVER ON THE FIRST TRY TO START CAR. HAVE TO WAIT A FEW SECONDS AND TRY AGAIN. THEN IT WILL START.

THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A POWER STEERING PROBLEM. WHICH MALFUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY BEING SERVICED. *AK THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. *SC *JB

AT APPROX 5 MPH, AND OUR BACK SEAT PASSENGER RESTED HIS ARM AGAINST THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN (LATCH FAILURE). THE DOOR WOULD NOT RE-LATCH DESPITE APPROXIMATELY 50 ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE THE DOOR. WE ROTATED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY TRYING TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG AND IT WOULD STILL NOT LATCH. IF THIS WAS A CHILD OR IF I WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGHER SPEED THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY OR DEATH. FINALLY WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO STICK CLOSED HALFWAY, THE WHOLE DRIVE HOME IT RATTLED AND DOOR AJAR WAS LISTED. IT WAS 9 DEGREES F ACCORDING TO THE ONBOARD COMPUTER AT THE TIME. THE NEXT MORNING, AT 22 DEGREES,WE OPENED IT AND IT LATCHED PROPERLY ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. ON JAN 21, ALSO AT 9 DEGREES, I OPENED THE REAR DOOR AND ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE IT. THIS WOULD NOT LATCH AT ALL, AND AFTER 30 MINUTES OF TRYING, I DROVE 5 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH MY HAND EXTENDED TO THE BACK SEAT, HOLDING THE DOOR CLOSED MANUALLY SO THAT IT WOULD NOT SWING OUT AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE SERVICE MANAGER LOOKED AT THIS, AND DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM FOR APPROX 5 MINUTES, AT WHICH TIME THE CAR WAS WARMED UP SLIGHTLY DUE TO IT BEING INDOORS, AND IT CLOSED PROPERLY. THE DEALER ASKED IF I HAD ANY CHILDREN AND WHEN I SAID NO, THEY RELEASED THE VEHICLE TO ME AND SAID THEY'D BE IN CONTACT WITH GM ABOUT THIS AND MY SUSPENSION ISSUE AND CALL ME MONDAY. *NM

DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR DID NOT LATCH PROPERLY WHEN CLOSED. NO DOOR AJAR LIGHT WAS INDICATED AND DOOR SWUNG OPEN UPON TURNING A CORNER EVEN WITH DOORS LOCKED. WE WERE EXPERIENCING A COLD SNAP AT THE TIME BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED ANOTHER TIME WHEN THERE WAS COLD WEATHER. NO ONE WAS INJURED BUT AN UNBUCKLED CHILD OR PASSENGER COULD HAVE BEEN THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS A DEFECT WITH THE LATCH MECHANISM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A FROZEN LOCK. THEY TREATED IT WITH SILICON SPRAY AND LUBE. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT I AM NOW WORRIED THE DOOR WILL OPEN AGAIN. THIS IS A 2005 CAR WITH ONLY 700 MILES. *NM

FAILURE WAS A SIDEWALL BLOWOUT. CAUSE WAS A SLIGHT CURB STRIKE. THIS 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU HAS 1200 MILES. THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE FAILURE, THE FIRST ONE HAPPENED AT 850 MILES.

THE SMELL OF FUEL PROMPTED THE CONSUMER TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURE AND THE DEALER SINCE THERE WAS A FUEL TANK RECALL. THE CONSUMER LOCATED A CRACK ON THE FUEL TANK. *AK

PICKED UP NEW FLEET VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP 10 11 04 AND DROVE HOME APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES. BEGAN APPRAISAL ROUTE 10 12 04. IT BECAME IMMEDIATELY APPARENT THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE ON THE STEERING SHAFT AND WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY LOOSE WITH EACH MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. IN LESS THAN 40 MILES OF TOTAL DRIVING SINCE PICKING UP THE NEW CAR, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD SO MUCH PLAY (ROCKED 3/4 OF AN INCH FRONT TO BACK AT EITHER SIDE AND COULD BE PUSHED IN AND GENTLY PULLED BACK AT LEAST 1/2" ON SPLINED SHAFT) THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. SINCE I DID NOT HAVE NEARBY ACCESS TO DEALER, I HAD A BODY SHOP OWNER AT MY FIRST STOP LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. TO GET RIGHT TO THE POINT, AFTER REMOVING THE PLASTIC STEERING COLUMN COVERS AND ADJACENT COVER ON COLUMN SIDE OF STEERING WHEEL, THE RETAINING NUT FOR THE STEERING WHEEL COULD BE TURNED WITH A FINGER AND WAS NEARLY OFF THE END OF THE STEERING SHAFT. THE SHOP OWNER WAS ABLE TO ACCESS THE NUT WITH AN OPEN END WRENCH AND MADE AT LEAST 4 FULL TURNS ON THE NUT BEFORE IT BEGAN TO OFFER RESISTANCE. THE NUT WAS TIGHTENED 1/8 TURN AT A TIME DUE TO LIMITED ACCESS, BUT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, MY CONCERN IS THE SPEED AT WHICH THE NUT BACKED OFF INITIALLY WHILE DRIVING. I NOTICED NO SUCH FREE PLAY ON MY TRIP HOME FROM THE DEALER ON 10 11 04. MOST OF THE LOOSENING OF THE NUT SEEMS TO HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN THE NEXT 5 MILES OF DRIVING, WHICH WAS MOSTLY STOP AND GO RESIDENTIAL WITH LOTS OF TURNS. CLEARLY,IF THE AVERAGE CONSUMER WERE PRE