Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 29 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.
The 25 most recent of 29, in the owner's own words
TAKATA INFLATORS PLEASE FIX MY CAR I WENT TO THE LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE AND THEY CHECKED THE SYSTEM FOR ME AND ALL THESE PROBLEMS PLUS MORE HAVE POPPED UP AND THEY'RE ALL ON THE RECALL LIST
MY CHECK GAS CAP KEEPS COMING ON N MY CAR IS LEAKING GAS FROM THE FUEL PRESSURE LINE N UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE SO I CHECKED FOR A RECALL ON THE CAR WHICH IT SEEMS TO ME IT SHOULD HAVE ONE BUT DOES'NT IT'S CLEARLY A FACTOR DEFECT IF ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE IT LEAKS WHEN THE KEY IS ON I WON'T DRIVE IT FOR TWO REASONS ONE WHO CAN AFFORD TO HAVE THEIR GAS LEAKING AND TWO I'M AFFRAID IT COULD BLOW-UP WHILE DRIVING IT. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR A MONTH AGO SO REALLY DON'T KNOW WHEN THE ISSUE ACTUALLY BEGAN.
"TAKATA RECALL" THERE IS ALOT OF COMPLETION OF THE FUEL GAGE READING WRONG AFTER U FILL THE TANK UP. I WILL FILL UP ON GAS AND MY GAGA WILL READ EMPTY AND WILL TELL ME LOW FUEL. THIS WILL GO AND FIX IT SELF AFTER IT RUN FOR ABOUT 20 MILES. ONLY HAPPENS AFTER I FILL IT UP.
"TAKATA RECALL" MY 2004 MALIBU DOES NOT HAVE WORKING CRUISE CONTROL , MY WIRING IS BARELY WORKING AS IN MY LOCKS WON'T WORK , MY HEAT WE ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR ON DEFROST MY DEFROST BARELY CLEARS MY WINDOWS , MY T\C LIGHT IS THE ONLY LIGHT THAT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME AND I BARELY HAVE TRACTION WHILE DRIVING IF I'M TRYING TO ACCELERATE GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY MY WHEEL WILL LOCK OR BARELY MOVE AND I HAVE TO LET COMPLETELY OFF THE GAS TO FREE THE WHEEL I GET ANY ALERTS ON MY SPEEDOMETER. *TR
THERE WAS A RECALL ON FUEL SYSTEM MY ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND HAD IT DIAGNOSED AND ITS READING I NEED A FUEL PUMP CANT UNDERSTAND WHY WHEN WORK WAS ALREADY DONE SOMETIMES WHEN I ACCELERATE TO 25-30 STUTTERS AND PUTTS
DRIVING THEN ONE DAY GAS GAGE TURN OFF SAYING EMPTY ALL THE TIME HARD TO PUSH ON GAS
MY CAR WAS RECALLED FOR A TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN FEBRUARY OF 2015 AND THE DEALER REPLACED IT PER THE RECALL. ON MARC 27TH 2016 THE SHIFT CABLE CAME OFF OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER AND I COULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE. I TURNED THE MOTOR OFF AND NOW THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS DUE TO THE INCLINE I HAD STOPPED ON. SINCE THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR. THE BRAKES WERE INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE THE MOTOR WAS NOT RUNNING. THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN MY GARAGE SO I HAD MY WIFE PUT A SCRAP OF WOOD BEHIND THE TIRE SO IT WOULD NOT ROLL OUT INTO THE STREET. I CONTACTED THE DEALER THAT DID THE RECALL WORK AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL SERVICE WAS ONLY WARANTEED FOR 1 YEAR. I AM HAVING DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ORIGINAL RECALLED PART LASTED FOR 11 YEARS AND THE REPLACEMENT PART ONLY LASTED FOR 13 MONTHS. SINCE THIS WAS A RECALLED ITEM WHY ISN'T IT REPAIRED BY THE DEALER UNDER THE ORIGINAL RECALL BULLETIN? ONCE A RECALL ALWAYS A RECALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE FRACTURED AND LEAKED FUEL INTO THE MUFFLER. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,672.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11E009000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,629.
FILLED UP WITH GAS STARTED THE CAR HEADED DOWN THE ROAD AND THE GAS GAUGE DROPPED DOWN THE E AND SHOWED LOW FUEL. THEN A FEW MINUTES LATER THE GAUGE WENT BACK UP THE F. NOW THE GAUGE GOES UP AND DOWN ALL THE TIME. THE ONLY WAY FOR ME KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE IS TO LOOK AT THE READ OUT ON DISPLAY. I HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY MILES I'M DRIVING IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE I DON'T RUN OUT OF GAS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED AN INACCURATE FUEL LEVEL READING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 168,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL RELAY SWITCH OVERHEATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED AND WERE REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. IN ADDITION, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE BRIGHT ENOUGH TO SEE IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE ACTIVATING THE CRUISE CONTROL AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
MY BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON THIS MORNING AND I CAME HOME FROM LUNCH TRIED MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO A STREET AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ON ME. I COULDN'T TURN MY CAR, NOW MY CAR WON'T EVEN START. I BARELY MADE IT HOME, THANK GOD BECAUSE I ALMOST CRASHED INTO MY NEIGHBORS HOUSE FROM MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKING. *TR
FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING , WOULD NOT INDICATE FUEL LEVEL. *JS
I WAS SMELLING GAS IN MY CAR. IT WAS LEAKING GAS FROM UNDER THE CAR HEAVILY. THE SMELL OF GAS WAS IN MY CLOTHES AND CAME THRU THE HOUSE OF MY GARAGE. *TR
FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS THE THEFT LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN TRYING TO START. THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO WAIT 10 MINUTES TO START. IN DECEMBER WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPS THE ENGINE STOPPED, POWER STEERING WAS LOST AND THE THEFT LIGHT WAS ON. AFTER 10 MINUTES THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. THEN TWO TIMES LATER THE ENGINE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60 & 65 MPH, POWER STEERING WAS LOST. ONE OF THESE TIMES THE CAR STARTED UP AGAIN AND POWER STEERING RECOVERED. I TOOK THE UNIT TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER IN EMPORIA, KANSAS. THEY SAID THE SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE FUEL PUMP CUTS OFF BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. BOTH NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $1,100 ACCORDING TO THEM. NORMALLY THE CAR OPERATES GREAT! I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY A PRODUCT IS ALLOWED ON THE MARKET WITH A FUEL PUMP THAT WORKS PART-TIME. PRIOR TO GOING TO THE EMPORIA CHEVROLET, I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE BURLINGTON, KANSAS CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT HAD TO DO THAT AT THE TIME THEY WERE CHECKING IT OR THEY COULD NOT FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. I AM GLAD THAT MY WIFE OF 4'11" WAS NOT DRIVING IT WHEN THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE STOPPING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD CONSTANTLY DISPLAY AN ERRONEOUS FULL READING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
POWER STEERING RECALL 04050 AND REPLACED IN 2005 WITH 9,296 MILES UNDER WARRANTY AND NEED IT AGAIN AT 26,000 MILES TODAY. FRONT BRACKET REPLACED IN 2006 WITH 19,217 MILES AND NEEDS IT AGAIN AT 26,000 MILES TODAY. FUEL LEAK TWICE ONCE IN 2006 AT 19,102 MILES AND REPLACED TANK IN 2007 AT 20959. *TR
MY 2004 MALIBU HAS GIVEN ME PROBLEMS SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED IT. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON. IF I STOPPED AND START THE CAR 4 OR 5 TIMES A DAY IT WOULD NOT START RIGHT AWAY. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP A FEW TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NEVER FOUND OUT WHY IT WAS ON. RECENTLY, I'VE BEEN HAVING THIS KNOCKING SOUND WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL, MY FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. TOOK IT TO THE SHOP, I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A FUEL READER WHICH CAME WITH THE FUEL PUMP. THE FUEL PUMP WAS GOOD. AS LONG AS I KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE IN THE CAR I'M GOOD. A MONTH LATER THE CAR STARTS BUT DOESN'T STAY ON. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SHOP. IT TOOK THEM 24 HOURS TO TELL ME THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP. $997.00. THIS IS AFTER THE COMPUTERS HAD BEEN GOING DOWN ALL DAY. THINKING ABOUT GETTING A NEW CAR. ONLINE LOOKING AT A HYUNDAI. CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY RECALLS. DECIDED TO CHECK MY MALIBU AND SEE IF IT EVER HAD A RECALL. YES, JUST RECENTLY ON THE FUEL PUMP. I WONDER IF MY FUEL PUMP WAS PART OF THE RECALL. I WANT MY MONEY BACK. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THERE WAS A SLIGHT LOSS OF POWER STEERING FOR A FEW SECONDS. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND A MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATING THAT THE FUEL CAP WAS OPEN. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR SPORADICLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THREE DIFFERENT TIMES FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 114,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS CONSTANTLY TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOPS AND DEALERSHIPS SEVERAL TIMES. THE BULBS WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE HEADLIGHT BULB RECENTLY MELTED TO THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD FLUCTUATE BETWEEN FULL AND EMPTY AND DID PRODUCE CORRECT READINGS. ON THREE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT RAN OUT OF FUEL BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY GAUGE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED FOR THIS PROBLEM AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD , DUE TO HIGH MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE, THEY COULD NOT ASSIST HER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 60,000.
I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 80,000 PLUS MILES. MY POWER STEERING COLUMN MOTOR SHORTED OUT AND THEREFORE MY POWER STEERING HAS ENABLED MY CAR TO BE DRIVEN; AND THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWS EMPTY WHEN I JUST FILLED IT WITH GAS. I DID AN ON-LINE RESEARCH AND SAW THERE WERE SO MANY OTHER CONSUMERS THAT HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS I HAVE AND I CONTACTED GM AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. IT IS SAD WHEN WE PURCHASE 'MADE IN AMERICA' PRODUCTS THAT THE COMPANIES DO NOT STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A TOTAL RECALL ON ALL THESE CARS BEFORE WE END UP WITH MAJOR ACCIDENTS. SHAME ON GM TO GET THE POWER STEERING FIX IS NOT CHEAP. GM KNOWS OF THESE PROBLEMS AND IS EXTREMELY NONCHALANT ABOUT RECTIFYING THE SITUATION. TOYOTA STEPPED UP AND RECALLED THEIR CARS TO CLEAR UP THE PROBLEMS , WHOSE GOING TO MAKE GM DO THE SAME? *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 25-35 MPH; PROCEEDING TO MAKE A TURN. THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. ALSO, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AT A DIFFERENT TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR SERVICE REPAIRS. THE COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHICH CONSISTS OF THE STEERING COLUMN, GAS CAP, FUEL MODULE, AND TIE-ROD. THE PCM WAS ALSO REPROGRAMMED. THE SERVICE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED AT THE DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.
A FEW MONTHS AGO, MY POWER STEERING LIGHT BEGAN TO COME ON. I TOOK IT TO SEVERAL PLACES ONLY FOR EVERYONE TO TELL ME THAT THE CAR DOES NOT TAKE POWER STEERING FLUID AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO HOOK THE CAR TO A COMPUTER TO SEE WHAT IS WRONG. EVERY SO OFTEN, I WOULD CRANK THE CAR AND HAVE A HARD TIME STEERING. I LEARNED THAT WHEN THAT HAPPENS, I COULD TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTART THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WOULD RETURN. I HAVE HAD MY CAR SERVICED AND TWICE, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY ARE NOT GETTING ANY CODE READINGS ON THE COMPUTER. NOW, JUST RECENTLY, I WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING COLUMN HAS ISSUES. I READ TODAY ABOUT THE RECALL ON GM CARS, BUT THE 2004 MALIBU ISN'T LISTED BUT I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE ARTICLE. I DO NOT WANT TO WAIT UNTIL I HAVE AN ACCIDENT FOR MY CAR TO BE ON THE RECALL LIST. I HAVE ALREADY PAID MONEY TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED ON MY CAR, I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO SPEND MORE FOR THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND MY INFANT SON, AS WITH OTHERS ON THE ROAD, IS OF CONCERN. *TR
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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