RoadVitals

2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Apr 5, 2019
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 434 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceElectricalSteering
Filed Apr 5, 2019

NO STEERING,STEERING TURNS AROUND AND AROUND WITHOUT STOP TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION,RIGHT OR LEFT. SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED,SPENT APPROXIMATELY $1200.00 BEFORE. CAR THIS TIME ENDED IN A TOW POUND YARD. TRIPLE AAA MOVED MY CAR TO A SHOP CALLED QUICK STOP WHERE I WANTED TO GET MY CAR FIXED AT ONLY TO DISCOVER THEY DIDN'T DO ELECTRICAL WORK WHICH THEY DISCOVERED WAS THE PROBLEM AMONG OTHERS. AGAIN THE TOWING COMPANY TRIPLE AAA CARRIED IT TO WEBB CHEVROLET SUGGESTED BY THIS SHOP. WEBB CHEVROLET DISCOVERED ALSO ELECTRICAL ISSUES. MY INSURANCE NOTIFIED ME AFTER I CONTACT THEM FOR A CLAIM REPORT. AN ESTIMATOR WAS SENT TO WEBB CHEVROLET ALSO THEY DISCOVERED AFTER A TEAR DOWN DIAGNOSIS THAT IT IS A RECALL ISSUES. NOW YOU ARE BEING NOTIFIED BY ME,RUBY WELLS OF THESE PROBLEMS. THIS IS WHY IM NOTIFYING YOU OF THE RECALLS FOUND ON THIS MAKE,MODEL AND YEAR 2004 VEHICLE. NOT STATIONARY,IT WAS IN MOTION WHEN HAPPENED ON CITY STREET. MY SON WAS ARRESTED FOR NO REASON $2000 BAIL TIMES 2 . COURT JUDGE THROUGH CASE OUT ON APRIL 45TH 2019 AFTER DISCOVERING BOGUS TICKETS WRITING AND ARRESTS THEY INDICATED THERE WAS NO INSURANCE ON VEHICLE AND HAD MY CAR TOWED TO POUND WITHIN HOURS. I HAD TO PAD TOWING FEES OF $1200 APPROXIMATELY TO GET MY CAR FROM POUND LESS THAN24 HOURS OF THE TOWING. MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT UNNECESSARILY MONEY I HAD TO BORROW BECAUSE I'M RETIRED. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF THIS FOR ME ASAP. PLEASE!

NHTSA ID
11194247
Incident
Mar 7, 2019
Mileage
155,000 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 25, 2017

THE VEHICLE CONTINUALLY GOES INTO "ENGINE LOW POWER MODE" WHILE ON THE HIGHWAYS. THIS IS NOW OCCURRING DAILY. I'VE TRIED TO GET IT FIXED BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT IT IS. I AM VERY FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE HAS HIT ME WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES FROM HIGH SPEEDS DOWN TO 20 MILES PER HOUR WITH NO RESPONSE BY PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE THINGS FAILING ON THIS CAR: PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW NO LONGER OPENS, CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT WORK, 2 OF THE 3 CHARGERS IN THE CAR DO NOT WORK (AFTER FIXING THOSE FUSES, THEY JUST BLEW IMMEDIATELY) POWER LOCKS WENT FROM BARELY WORKING TO NOT WORKING AT ALL, THE LATEST BEING THE LOW POWER MODE AND TRACTION CONTROL BEING ACTIVATED IN THE HEAT OF A TENNESSEE SPRING (ALREADY 80 DEGREES) - IT'S NOT A WATER ISSUE. THE FIRST FEW MONTHS I HAD THIS CAR IT WAS IN THE SHOP ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND. I'VE GOTTEN ALL THE RECALLS FIXED WHEN THEY REQUIRED IT AND I KEEP UP WITH MAINTENANCE ON THIS CAR. IT HAS THE USUAL BREAK DOWNS BUT THIS IS THE LEAST SAFE CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN (AND I HAVE DRIVEN AROUND TWENTY LONG TERM, TEN MORE SHORT TERM).

NHTSA ID
10980567
Incident
Apr 25, 2017
Mileage
148,500 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 27, 2014

I AM WRITING THIS FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO IS AT THE END OF HER ROPE. THE SHIFT CABLE BROKE BACK IN JULY, WHEN SHE FOUND OUT THE CABLE WAS ON A RECALL SHE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO RIVERHEAD CHEVY. SHE WAS TOLD THERE ARE 3 RECALLS THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF. AROUND MID SEPTEMBER WHEN SHE CALLED SHE TOLD THEM HER FARTHER WANTED GM'S CONSUMERS NUMBER. THE MAN THEN GAVE HER TWO NUMBERS TO CALL, WHEN TRIED TO CALL THEM I FOUND OUT THEY WERE SEX LINE NUMBERS. WHEN SHE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THEY WERE SORRY. THIS IS NOT THE WAY A DEALERSHIP SHOULD RUN A BUSINESS ! NOW IN THE MEANTIME I HAD TO HELP HER BUY ANOTHER CAR SO SHE COULD GET BACK AND FORTH FOR WORK (SHE IS A SINGLE MOM NOT LIVING AT HOME). BACK IN SEPT. SHE WAS TOLD THE PARTS WOULD BE IN AROUND LATE OCT. NOW SHE WAS TOLD NOT UNTIL AFTER DEC. THIS HAS GONE ON FOR 5 MONTHS WITH COUNTLESS PHONE CALLS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND GM HOT LINE, HOW AND WHY IS GM ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS. I AM A MECHANIC AND HAD A REPAIR SHOP FOR MORE THEN TEN YEARS. I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN COURT A LONG TIME AGO IF I TRIED TO DO THIS. ON DEC. 26 WE RECEIVED THIS RECALL #14V224 AFTER SITTING IN A PARKING LOT FOR 5 MONTHS HOW GOOD WILL THE OIL, BATTERY, TIRES, AND GAS BE? *TR

NHTSA ID
10668438
Incident
Jul 8, 2014
Driver assistanceEngineSteering
Filed Apr 23, 2014

SINCE 1/2012, INTERMITTENT MALFUNCTION OF POWER STEERING AND ENGINE OPERATION AT HIGHWAY/STREET SPEEDS OCCURS. VEHICLE SINCE HAS BEEN INSPECTED FOR INCIDENTS BY CERTIFIED DEALERS/AUTO REPAIR SHOPS. PROBLEM CONTINUES FORCING THE DRIVER TO VEER OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT STEERING AND/OR POWER, PUTTING THE DRIVER AND ANYONE IN THE PATH AT RISK OF INJURY/DEATH. MY RESEARCH DUE TO THE MOST CURRENT INCIDENT LED ME TO INFORMATION RELEASED FROM THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION DATED APRIL 1, 2014 STATING THAT 1,340,447 CARS AFFECTED WITH THIS PROBLEM. NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 14V153000, GM RECALL #:N140115. GM KNEW THIS INFORMATION. ON 4/23/14 I SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT TO THE NHTSA, AND GM. 2 GM EMPLOYEES DENIED THE RECALL/SERVICES, YET EVENTUALLY ADMITTED THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE RECALL WHICH WOULD BE MADE PUBLIC 4/28/14, YET NOTICES TO VEHICLE OWNERS WILL GO OUT AFTER 4/28/14. GM CONTINUES THE PRACTICE OF NOT INFORMING THE PUBLIC. *TR

NHTSA ID
10584559
Incident
Apr 15, 2014
Mileage
125,000 mi
Driver assistanceSteering
Filed Feb 19, 2014

I TURNED MY CAR ON, AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON. COULDN'T STEER. TURNED CAR OFF AND ON, THEN MY STEERING WHEEL JERKS LIKE CRAZY FOR A WEEK. NOW DRIVING HOME FROM WORK MY STEERING DIED COMPLETELY. READING ABOUT THIS AND I SEE THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR THE MALIBU AND MALIBU MAXX. CHEVY NEEDS TO DO A RECALL!!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10564954
Incident
Feb 10, 2014
Mileage
159,900 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Apr 5, 2013

BRAKE LIGHTS FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN I WAS NOT BRAKING. I WAS STOPPED AND INFORMED OF THIS BY AT STATE TROOPER. "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS ON. THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS DISENGAGED INVOLUNTARILY SINCE 2005. I HAD A NEW BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SENSOR INSTALLED, BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL STILL DISENGAGES AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON DURING TRIPS OF MORE THAN 10 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10507279
Incident
Dec 25, 2012
Mileage
69,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 16, 2010
Crash reported

WHEN I START MY CAR, I CAN HEAR SOME CLICK NOISE FROM TRANSMISSION OR BRAKE CONTROL. I HAD NOT BEEN AWARE OF THAT COULD LEAD TO SERVER ACCIDENT AFTERWARDS, BECAUSE THE CAR IS PRETTY NEW AND I KEEP IT IN MAINTENANCE PERIODICALLY. ON NOVEMBER 13, 2010, I DROVE AT 40-50MPH, ALONG HWY 128 TO MENDOCINO. IT RAN OUT OF CONTROL, RUSH A SMALL MOUND OF ROAD SIDE, ROLLED OVER ON THE ROAD. I WAS TRAPPED IN THE CAR, ALL FROND WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN. I ESCAPED SAFELY. I DOUBT THE CONTROL HAS SOME PROBLEM, LEAD THE CAR IMBALANCE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10366455
Incident
Nov 13, 2010
Mileage
68,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalSteering
Filed Sep 24, 2010

FAILURE OF POWER STEERING WHILE ACCELERATING VEHICLE. STEERING DIRECTION BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE UNTIL ACCELERATION CEASES. THIS HAS SUPPOSEDLY BEEN FIXED BY THE DEALERSHIP TWO TIMES PREVIOUS TO TODAY. THE LAST TIME IT WAS FIXED WAS ONLY TWO WEEKS AGO AND WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE KIDS INTO SCHOOL THIS MORNING, THE STEERING LOCKED UP, THE DINGING SOUND TURNED ON, AND THE MESSAGE BOARD READ POWER STEERING ALONG WITH A TOOL THAT LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10357317
Incident
Sep 24, 2010
Mileage
40,000 mi
Driver assistanceFuel systemTransmission
Filed Oct 30, 2004

A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR NEW, THE "CHECK GAS CAP" WARNING STARTED DISPLAYING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A CRACKED CARBON CANISTER, AND AFTER A FEW WEEKS, THE PART CAME IN AND THE DEALER INSTALLED IT, FIXING THE PROBLEM. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE WAS A MOANING NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVETRAIN UNDER ACCELERATION. THE DEALER FOUND A SERVICE ADVISORY ABOUT A DEFECTIVE CHAIN SPROCKET IN THE TRANSMISSION, ORDERED THE PARTS, AND WHEN THEY CAME IN, TOOK THE TRANSMISSION APART AND INSTALLED THE NEW PARTS. THIS APPARENTLY SOLVED THE NOISE PROBLEM. THE NEXT TIME THE CAR WAS DRIVEN AFTER TAKING IT HOME, THE TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING. THE ENGINE SPED UP, BUT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT PULL. I AM WAITING FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO OPEN TO REPORT THIS LATEST PROBLEM. THERE WERE ALSO MINOR PROBLEMS WITH CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGEMENT AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTING WHICH THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. THIS HAS ALL OCCURRED IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. *JB

NHTSA ID
10098016
Incident
Sep 20, 2004
Mileage
400 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .