2004 Chevrolet Malibu Body & structure Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND A DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. IT WAS UNKNOWN WHO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

NHTSA ID

10726104

Incident

Jun 18, 2015

Mileage

118,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT WOBBLED AND WAS UNSTABLE WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BRACKETS NEEDED TO BE WELDED AND RE-MOUNTED ON THE FRAME TO FULLY SECURE THE SEAT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRAME AND BRACKETS WERE ENTIRELY RUSTED AND THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10640295

Incident

Sep 19, 2014

Mileage

100,000 mi

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2006 WITH 17,000 MILES AT THE CARMAX SUPERSTORE IN NAPERVILLE ILLINOIS AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL SERIOUS ISSUES SINCE. THE LEAKING SUNROOF WITH THE INNUMERABLE FAILED ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR. THE LEAK HAS NEVER BEEN RESOLVED AND I HAVE RESORTED TO COVERING THE VEHICLE WITH A TARP DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE CONSTANT CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEN MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH AND THE SEVERE STIFFNESS IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN CURB SIDE PARKING BETWEEN PARKED VEHICLES. THE INTERMITTENT IGNITION FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TURN OVER UNLESS YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR SLIGHTLY. THERE WERE COUNTLESS FUTILE ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR FOR ALL THESE DEFECTS THROUGH OUT THE YEARS OF WARRANTY AND EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. THE FAILED ATTEMPTS OF CORRECTLY DIAGNOSING AND PROPERLY REPAIRING THESE DEFECTS BY THE ENGLEWWOOD AUTO GROUP IN ENGLEWOOD NEW JERSEY HAVE LEFT ME UNSATISFIED AND SUPER FRUSTRATED. TODAY I AM WRITING BECAUSE THE OPERATORS SEAT HAS NOW TILTED TO THE RIGHT AND IS LEANING AGAINST THE CENTER CONSOLE. THERE WAS NOTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE THAT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING THAT IMMEDIATELY ALERTED ME OF THIS PROBLEM, I WAS SIMPLY ADJUSTING THE SEAT WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE SEAT WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE CENTER CONSOLE. UPON INSPECTING UNDERNEATH THE SEAT I OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT REAR CORNER DOES NOT RISE WHEN ENGAGING THE ELECTRIC SEAT CONTROLS. THE ANGLE OF THE LEAN IS SO BAD THAT IT AFFECTS MY POSTURE AND PAINS MY LOWER BACK. I AM ALSO AFRAID THAT THE SEAT WILL COMPLETELY COLLAPSE WHILE I AM DRIVING. WHEN THE SEAT IS LOWERED ALL THE WAY DOWN IT DOES LEVEL TO ITS ACCEPTABLE NORM, BUT AT 5 FEET 4 INCHES TALL I CANNOT OPERATE SAFELY THAT LOW TO THE FLOOR. FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS DRIVEN ON AVERAGE ONCE A WEEK IT IS PLAGUED WITH SOME SERIOUS MANUFACTURER DEFECTS THAT THE DEALERSHIPS' SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10510778

Incident

Apr 27, 2013

Mileage

82,600 mi

REAR WINDOW OF VEHICLE APPARENTLY BROKEN BY TRUNK LID OPENING TOO FAR. TRUNK LID OPENED TOO FAR DUE TO TWO RUBBER TRUNK LID STOPS HAD BOTH PREVIOUSLY FALLEN FROM THEIR DESIGNED LOCATION. CHEVROLET DEALER STATES THESE PARTS WERE A PROBLEM AND ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE-NEW PARTS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED AND WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $100 IF PURCHASED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10466700

Incident

Apr 12, 2011

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR - LEFT TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT WORK - CAR IS ALIGNED AND STILL WANTS TO GO LEFT (ELECTRICAL STEERING ISSUES I AM TOLD) - ADJUSTABLE PEDALS DO NOT ADJUST - VISOR MIRROR IS BROKEN - *TR

NHTSA ID

10225775

Incident

Apr 25, 2008

Mileage

50,000 mi

2004 MALIBU ANTI THEFT LIGHT AND RADIO LOCK LIGHT ILLUMINATES, PROBLEM WITH SEAL ON THE REAR LEFT WINDOW. *TS THE STEERING WAS STIFF, THE MOLDING ON THE LET REAR WINDOW CAME OUT OF PLACE WHEN THE WINDOW WAS ROLLED UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS A RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED SEVERAL TIMES, THE TEMPERATURE AND FUEL GAUGE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN PROPERLY WHEN USING THE REMOTE. THE VEHICLE STARTED BY ITSELF AND ALL THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHICH CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DIE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10161575

Incident

Jan 20, 2004

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STEERING AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE STEERING WENT OUT, FORCING THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INTO AN EMBANKMENT. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A SERVICE CENTER. TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO THE INTERLOCK. IF GOING INTO REVERSE AND CHANGING INTO DRIVE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE. CONSUMER MUST USE ABOUT 45 LBS OF PRESSURE TO GET THE GEAR SHIFT TO OPERATE SMOOTHLY. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS HAVING BRAKE PROBLEMS. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON AN OFF RAMP AND APPLIED THE BRAKES DOWN TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN BUT DID NOT STOP COMPLETELY. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALERSHIP, WHO TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A BRAKE RECALL, AND THAT THE BRAKE PROBLEM WAS ELECTRICAL. THE BRAKES WERE ELECTRONICALLY PROGRAMMED CONTROLLED. *AK RECALL CAMPAIGN; 04V190000. SUMMARY: SOME OF THESE PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) THAT MAY CALCULATE A HIGHER THAN ACTUAL VEHICLE SPEED BECAUSE OF AN ERRATIC REAR-WHEEL SPEED SENSOR SIGNAL, AND CAUSE ABS ACTIVATION WHERE IT IS NOT NEEDED OR NEEDED ABS ACTIVATION TO BE EXTENDED DURING BRAKING AS THE VEHICLE SPEED DROPS TO ABOUT 3 MPH. THE TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON ON THE DRIVERS DOOR CAME APART. THE SHIFTER HANDLE BROKE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AFTER BEING IN TRAFFIC. *TC

NHTSA ID

10107002

Incident

May 15, 2004

Mileage

1,500 mi

POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK EA04018_CAT THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO PULL AND SHAKE TO THE LEFT. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT A PART WAS NEEDED FOR THE POWER STEERING. A LIGHT ON THE DASH HAD ILLUMINATED AND THE POWER STEERING HAD GONE OUT AGAIN. ALSO, THE FOAM STRIP NEAR THE WINDSHIELD WAS COMING OUT OF PLACE. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10097840

Incident

Oct 26, 2004

Mileage

18,563 mi