Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
FACTORY POWER SUNROOF SWITCH HAS PREMATURE INTERMITTENT FAILURE CAUSING THE WINDOW TO STOP MIDWAY OR OPEN PARTIALLY. CLOSURE IS ALSO PARTIAL OR STOPPING MIDPOINT. THE SWITCH FAILURE REQUIRES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO OPEN AND OR CLOSE THE GLASS. ALL OTHER POWER ACCESSORIES WORK AS INTENDED INCLUDING OTHER POWER WINDOW SWITCHES. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN MODIFIED OR OR DAMAGED.
MY HEATER/AC FAN SPEED CONTROL SWITCH HAS 5 SPEEDS ON IT. THEY ALL WORK UP TO NUMBER 4. WHEN I TURN IT ON UP TO 5 IT SHUTS OFF THE FAN MOTOR. NUMBER 4 SPEED IS NOT FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP THE ICE FROM THE WINDSHIELD AND NOT FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP THE CAR COOL WITH THE AC WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS SET THIS WAY OR IF IT HAS A FAULTY SWITCH. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2008 ON STATE ROUTE 2 WESTBOUND DURING A RAINSTORM AT APPROXIMATELY 5 PM. SUDDENLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHEN A SEMI-TRUCK PASSED. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. SHE WAS VERY SCARED AND BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. SHE THEN TURNED THE WIPER CONTROL LEVER TO EVERY SPEED SETTING UNTIL THE HIGH SPEED SETTING BEGAN TO WORK. WIPER MOTOR WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *TR
CAR HAS FAILED TO START ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO TELL US WHY. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET, WHICH HAD NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. OUR WIPERS ONLY WORK ON HIGH. OUR HEAT ONLY WORKS ON NUMBER 4 AND 5. WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR WITH MY BABY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR, THE CAR JUST DECIDED TO DIE ON ME. I HAD TO TRY TO GET OUT OF THE PASSING LANE, SO THAT I COULD PULL OFF OF THE ROAD. MY RADIO AND HEAT STILL WORKED, BUT CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. MY OIL AND BATTERY AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS WERE ON (I HAD NOT EVEN USED THE CRUISE CONTROL) AND MY CAR JUST WOULD NOT START. IT TOOK ME AN HOUR TO GET MY CAR TO START AGAIN, NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ANY DISTANCE FOR FEAR OF BEING STRANDED. *JB
MY 2002 CHEVY MALIBU LS WOULD NOT START AND NEEDED TOWED HOME. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND SEEMS TO HAPPEN REGULARLY TO OTHER MALIBU OWNERS WITH NO RECALL FROM GM YET. I HAVE A YOUNG CHILD AND WIFE THAT DRIVE USE THE CAR MOSTLY AND AM WORRIED OF THEIR SAFETY IF THIS WOULD HAPPEN ON A HIGHWAY. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUITTING DURING A RAINSTORM. I CONTACTED GM AND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL AND ALL REPAIRS WOULD BE OUT OF POCKET EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT. *NM
I OWN AN '02 CHEVY MALIBU (SINCE 2/28/02). I HAD THE SAME HAZARD SWITCH PROBLEM W/MY '02 MALIBU THAT THE '00 & '01 MODEL YEARS HAD, AND I HAD TO PAY FOR ITS REPLACEMENT (ROUGHLY $130). I HAD NO TURN SIGNALS OR HAZARD BLINKERS UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED. GIBSON CHEVY OF SOUTH HOLLAND, IL DID THE REPLACEMENT (IT'S IN THEIR REPAIR SYSTEM). MY CAR PRESENTLY HAS A LITTLE OVER 45K MILES. GM SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE MONEY I WAS FORCED TO PAY, GIVEN THE HISTORY OF THIS DEFECT WITH PRIOR MODEL YEARS AND THE FACT THIS SITUATION HAS NOT SEEMINGLY BEEN REPLACED WITH THE '02 MODEL YEAR, EITHER. I GOT NO NOTIFICATION OF A PROBLEM WITH THIS SWITCH OR A RECALL ON IT, EITHER. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE A MODULATOR REPLACED LAST WEEK (10/5/05) WHICH AFFECTS THE BLOWER MOTOR SPEEDS IN MY VEHICLE'S VENTILATION SYSTEM ($152.00). AT SPEEDS 1, 2 AND 3, THE BLOWER MOTOR WOULDN'T WORK AT ALL. EACH SPEED STARTING WITH THE LOWEST TO THE HIGHER SPEEDS WAS GOING OUT-THE ONLY SPEEDS WORKING WERE #4, #5 & DEFROST. I WAS FORCED TO HAVE THIS REPLACED OR I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO USE THE VENTS OR DEFROSTER OR THE BLOWER ITSELF (& THE DEFROSTER), WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. THIS REPAIR WAS DONE AT BRACH AUTO REPAIR (103RD & WESTERN AVE., CHICAGO IL -- THIS REPAIR DETAIL IS IN THEIR SYSTEM). BRACH AUTO ALSO REPLACED SOME PARTS IN MY FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM (IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING/ABOUT TO GO OUT). THE AMT I PAID FOR THIS IS ALSO IN THEIR SYSTEM. AT THAT TIME, TOM BEAULIEU INFORMED ME THAT GM HAS DISTRIBUTED A TSB RE: THIS SITUATION (WHICH I WAS NOT INFORMED OF UNTIL I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR THE MODULATOR REPAIR), & HOW I MUST RUN MY CAR W/ ONLY SHELL OR BP'S 93 OCTANE GASOLINE (EVEN THOUGH THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES IT SHOULD/CAN RUN ON 87 OCTANE). NOW, DUE TO A POOR FUEL INJECTOR DESIGN, RUNNING ANYTHING LESS THAN 93 OCTANE IN MY '02 MALIBU WILL RESULT IN MORE COSTLY REPAIRS. (3 SEPARATE FAILURES / 3 SEPARATE PARTS ON THE SAME CAR). I WANT GM TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE MONEY I'VE SPENT FOR THESE REPAIRS.*JB
I PURCHASED MY 2002 MALIBU NEW AND HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED FOUR TIMES AND AM ON MY THIRD SET OF ROTORS. AT 54000 MILES THE WHEEL BEARING AND CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER THE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WINDOW CAN'T BE DOWN BECAUSE LAST TIME WE HAD A ROUGH TIME GETTING IT TO GO BACK UP.*JB
WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING (AT 6:40AM 3/30/05), THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW TOTALLY (100%) SHATTERED. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65MPH. ALL THE WINDOWS WERE ROLLED UP AND THE HEATER WAS ON. I WAS ALONE IN THE CAR AND WAS NOT INJURED IN ANY WAY. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 40'S AND THE SUN WAS SHINING ON THE WINDOW (A CLEAR MORNING). TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THE WINDOW WAS NOT IMPACTED BY ANY OBJECT. NO CARS OR PERSONS WERE ON MY LEFT SIDE. MOST OF THE WINDOW ENDED UP ON THE CAR'S FLOOR AND IN MY LAP. SOME PIECES REMAINED STUCK IN THE FRAME.*AK
MANY MAKES OF CARS NOW HAVE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID COMING OUT OF SMALL RUBBER TUBES ATTACHED TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE IN JANUARY THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID FROZE WITHIN THE TUBES AND WOULD NOT COME OUT. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH ROAD SALT SPLASHED FROM OTHER CARS FAIRLY QUICKLY BUILDS UP ON YOUR WINDSHIELD AND YOU CAN HARDLY SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING OVER 60 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE DAY WAS COLD, PERHAPS 14 DEGREES, BUT NOT EXTREMELY COLD AND THIS WAS PENNSYLVANIA NOT MINNESOTA NOR CANADA. MY GUESS IS THAT THE 14 DEGREES WEATHER PLUS DRIVING AT 70 MILES PER HOUR CREATES A WINDCHILL THAT IS BELOW THE -20 DEGREES THAT THE WASHER FLUID IS GOOD FOR. BUT IT IS ON COLD WINTER DAYS THAT YOU SPECIFICALLY NEED THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID BECAUSE OF THE SALT LEFT ON THE ROAD. THE FLUID BEGAN TO FLOW AGAIN WHEN I GOT INTO SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES IN MARYLAND. I NEVER DILUTED THE WINDSHIELD FLUID WITH WATER. FOR THIS WINTER I HAVE BOUGHT WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID THAT IS GOOD TO MINUS 38 DEGREES AND HAVE ALSO BOUGHT AN ALCOHOL ADDITIVE FOR THE FLUID THAT WILL MAKE IT GOOD TO ABOUT MINUS 40 DEGREES AND I WILL SEE IF THAT WORKS. BUT MANY DRIVERS WON'T KNOW AHEAD OF TIME TO DO THAT, AND ALMOST ALL GAS STATIONS ONLY SELL THE STANDARD -20 FLUID. I THINK THAT CAR MANUFACTURERS IN DESIGNING FUTURE MODELS SHOULD GO BACK TO THE OLD SYSTEM OF WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID COMING OUT OF SLITS IN THE HOOD INSTEAD OF COMING OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *LA
THE FRONT GLASS TINT IS TO BRIGHT, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVERS VIEW. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PH THE FRONT GLASS TINT IS TO BRIGHT, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVERS VIEW. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *MR
THE CONSUMER SAID THAT SHE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE PASSENGER WINDOW BLEW OUT, FOR NO REASON. THE FLYING GLASS NICKED AND GOUGED THE PAINT ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE WINDOW OR THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. *SCC
I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 CHEVY MALIBU ON AUGUST 1, 2002. FOUR DAYS AND 250 MILES LATER THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW "EXPLODED" WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ALONE DOWN I-90 AT 75 MILES AN HOUR. I FEEL THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE WINDOW OR THE CAR ITSELF TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN FOR "NO APPARENT " REASON. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR WINDOW REPLACD AND THE RIGHT EXTERIOR OF THE CAR REPAINTED FROM THE FLYING GLASS NICKING AND GOUGING THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. I HAD BROKEN GLASS IN BOTH THE FRONT AND BACK SEATS. THE WINDOW AND PAINTING WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP FROM GETTING IT REPAIRED I NOTICED THEY (BODYSHOP) HAD SNAPPED BOTH REAR SEATBELTS. WHEN I GOT THE CAR HOME, I UNSNAPPED THE SEAT BELTS AND NOTICED THEY WOULD NOT RETRACTED BACK IN, BUT INSTEAD, JUST HUNG DOWN ONTO THE SEAT. I CALLED CORY PETERSON, HEAD OF SALES, AND TOLD HIM ABOUT THE SEATBELTS, AND HE TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR IN THE NEXT DAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, TO HAVE THEM CHECKED. MY HUSBAND AND I TOOK IT IN, AND DAVE HALLAND LOOKED AT BOTH SEAT BELTS AND SAID, "THEY ARE WORN OUT." I SAID "WORN OUT! THE CAR IS A MONTH OLD!" HE DID NOT HAVE REPLACEMENT PARTS THAT THAT TIME AND SAID HE WOULD ORDER THEM AND SET US UP FOR AN SEPTEMBER 20TH APPOINTMENT. I TOOK IT BACK ON THAT DATE, AND WAS TOLD THE PARTS WERE NOT IN. HE HAD ANOTHER MAN CHECK OUT THE SEAT BELTS AT THIS TIME AND HE SAID THE "RETRACTORS" WERE DEFECTIVE AND THE ENTIRE SEAT BELTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. DAVE HALLAND AGAIN TOLD ME HE WOULD HAVE THE PARTS OVER NIGHT EXPRESSED AND WOULD CALL ME WHEN THEY WERE IN. I WAITED AND WAITED AND FINALLY CALLED FOR DAVE ON SEPTEMBER 30TH AND OCTOBER 1, 2002. AND LEFT A MESSAGE FOR A CALL BACK. AFTER NO WORD, I CALLED A REQUESTED TO TALK TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. I WAS TURNED OVER TO TERRY, AND HE TOLD ME THE PARTS HAD BEEN THERE FOR OVER A WEEK. I TOLD HIM I WANTED THE PARTS WHEN THEY WERE REMOVED AND HE TOLD ME I COULD NOT HAVE THEM. I SAID, "I BOUGHT THIS CAR, DIDN'T I?" HE SAID"
WHEN DRIVING REARVIEW INTERIOR MIRROR WOULD VIBRATE, CAUSING A VISIBLE DISTORTION. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND HAD MIRROR TIGHTENED, BUT NOT REPLACED. ALSO, THIS HAPPENS WHEN RADIO IS TURNED ON. OUTSIDE EXTERIOR MIRRORS DO NOT VIBRATE. MECHANIC INDICATED PROBLEM IS NORMAL.*AK DEALER SWITCHED MIRRORS, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *TT
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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