Owner-reported complaints naming the other system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above. 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. 16 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
WHILE DRIVING CAR STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO MAKE A CLICKING SOUND BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT THEN WHEN I STOPED CAR BATTERY NEEDED TO BE JUMPED STARTED BECOME HARD TO CONTROL CAR AND IT SEEMED AS IF CAR WANTED TO LOSE POWER I WAS ON WATERMAN AND BASELINE. ON THE STREET WHEN IT BEGAN..07/15/2020 I HAD RECALL N140226 14116 WITH A CHEVY MANUFACTURER MALIBU DEALERSHIP
IM HAVING SERIOUS BRAKE PROBLEMS I ALMOST HAD A MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF MY THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAR BRAKES BY ITSELF SPECIALLY WHEN I SPEED UP TO 50MPH AND ABOVE. AND ALSO THE BRAKE PEDAL WONT DISENGAGE BY ITSELF WHEN BRAKING AND THE WHOLE CAR STARS SHAKING UNCONTROLABLE. AND IM AFRAID EVERYDAY MORE AND MORE THAT I MIGHT KILL MYSELF DRIVING THIS CAR BECAUSE THIS IS MY ONLY CAR I HAVE AND DRIVE EVERYWHERE I NEED TO GO SPECIALLY NOW THAT IM EXPECTING A BABY BOY I CONSTANTLY NEED CHECK UPS IN MY CLINIC I GO TOO. MOST OF MY BRAKING PROBLEMS ACCURED WHILE IM DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY BUT SOMETHING I DONT NEED TO BE ON THE FREEWAY FOR ALK THIS TO HAPPEN.
AIRBAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. I'VE HAD THIS CAR SINCE 1/31/2014.USED. NO ACCIDENTS. POWER STEERING WENT OUT. TOOK TO GMC FOR RECALL. 2/2014 CLAIMED IT WAS FIXED. 11/2014 STEERING WHEEL HARD TO TURN..NOW THE TIRES WON'T TURN TO THE RIGHT. LOUD CLONKING NOISE WHEN I TURN THE STEERING. TIRES WON'T TURN..NEAR ACCIDENT. HAD CAR SINCE 1/2014 .TOOK FOR RECALLS 2/2014 7/2014 TRANSMISSION DIED. 1000+ IN REPAIRS. THIS CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND I AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE TO COME OUT OF POCKET AND WASTE MY MONEY.
2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU EXPERIENCING POWER STEERING PROBLEMS, ABS AND SHIFT CABLE, ALL REPLACED. *CW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP SEVEN TIMES, DUE TO POWER STEERING FAILURE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE STEERING LOCKING UP. THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS, IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A TRANSMISSION, STEERING AND BRAKE RECALL. HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. *JB
SINCE 2012 I HAVE NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH MY MALIBU. POWER STEERING GOING OUT CAUSING THE WHOLE FRONT END TO BECOME UNSTABLE, CAUSING THE CAR TO PULL THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT. HARD TO KEEP IT CENTERED; CAUSING BUSTED BELTS IN TIRES, BAD BRAKES, TORN UP ROTORS. FUEL GAGE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, TRACTION CONTROL ON BREAK CENSOR GOING OFF AND ON. IGNITION SWITCH NOT WORKING PROPERLY, I HAVE RECEIVED 4 RECALL NOTICES SO FAR AND I KNOW THERE ARE MORE TO BE HAD. BUT NO DEALER SHIP SEEMS TO HAVE ANY PARTS TO FIX THIS CAR. THIS CAR IS A DEATH TRAP. I FEEL AS THOUGH EVERY TIME I STRAP MY SELF INTO MY CAR, I AM SETTING MYSELF UP TO BE HURT OR KILLED. I NEED TO GET THIS CAR FIXED. IF NOT I NEED SOMEONE TO GET ME NEW ONE. *TR
WITH THE SHAKING STEERING WHEEL AND THE POWER STEERING GOING IN AND OUT MY FRONT TIRES WHERE FEELING OUT OF BALANCE SO I PULLING INTO WAL-MART AND HAD THEM LOOK AT IT. BOTH OF MY FRONT TIRES HAD BUSTED BELTS IN THEM AND MY BREAKS WERE PRETTY MUCH GONE AND THE ROTORS WERE TORN UP. THE ALIGNMENT WAS WAY OFF CAUSING THE CAR TO NOT STEER . I WAS TOLD ALL THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE POWER STEERING GOING OUT. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, HOWEVER ITS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND WITH SO MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS I HAVE NO MONEY TO HAVE HE PROBLEMS FIXED. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE . THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
WHEN STARTING THE CAR THE IGNITION GETS STUCK, THERE IS A RECALL ON OTHER MODELS BUT NOT THE 2004 MALIBU, AND ALSO THE RIGHT REAR TIRE ROD HAS PART THAT HAS COME LOOSE, TOOK TO TIRE SHOP AND SHOWED WHERE THE PART WILL HAVE TO BE WELDED BACK TO THE ROD. CURRENTLY HAVE RECALL ON STEERING FOR 2004 MALIBU 14116. *TR
I GOT IN MY CAR AND TRIED TO CRANK IT AND IT MADE A CLICKING NOISE. IT TOOK HOURS BEFORE IT STARTED, ON ANOTHER INCIDENT; SEVERAL TIMES I COULDN'T SHIFT MY CAR FROM PARK. MY POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN I WAS COMING TO A STOP AT A LIGHT THE CAR LIST CONTROL SERVING LEFT TO RIGHT UNTIL I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I ALWAYS HAVE TO GAS THE CAR TO GET GAS TO THE ENGINE FOR THE CAR TO START. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER HE SAID THAT IT WAS A RECALL PROBLEM AND HE'S HAD SEVERAL CUSTOMERS WITH MY CAR COME TO HIM WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN I LOOKED UP THE RECALL I NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AS REPORTED. *TR
WHILE DRIVING WENT TO PUT ON THE BRAKES AND THE DRIVER SEAT MADE A LOUD THUMP AND SHIFTED FORWARD TO THE RIGHT I HAD TO GRIP THE STEERING WHEEL AND PULL OVER BECAUSE THE SEAT WAS LEANING FORWARD TO THE RIGHT AND MADE IT HARD FOR ME TO DRIVE. I GOT OUT AND THE BAR UNDER THE SEAT THAT GUIDES THE SEAT WAS BROKEN HAD TO MANUEVER IT TO DRIVE AFTER PUTTTING A BLOCK OF WOOD UNDER IT TO STABALIZE THE SEAT SO I COULD DRIVE. HAD NEW TIRES, LUGS AND NUTS PUT ON CAR IN JUNE ALONG WITH ENTIRE SUSPENSION SYSTEM FORNT AND BACK AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND ON TWO OCCASIONS MY LUGS HAD TO BE CHANGED DUE TO BREAKAGE OR LUGS COMING UNSCREWED AND DROPPING OFF ON FRONT DRIVERSIDE AND BACK PASSENGER HAD CAR CHECKED AND THERE APPEARS TO SEVERAL MECHANIC SHOPS NOTHING VISIBLY WRONG BUT THIS IS A SURE SAFETY HAZARD.
I HAVE A 2004 MALIBU LS, WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR DURING THE WINTER OF 04 I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, I TOOK IT BACK EVERY WINTER FOR 4 YEARS AND THE DEALERSHIP ALWAYS REPAIRED THE CAR. IN 2010 MY POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST POWER TRYING TO TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT. THE NEXT TIME IT OCCURRED, I WAS DRIVING 50 MPH I WENT TO CHANGE LANES THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. I WAS PULLING OUT FROM A PARKING SPOT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR. THIS YEAR THE SEAT BELT LIGHT STAYS ON WHEN MY SEAT BELT IS ON. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY THE LIGHT STAYS ON. THE DEALER THAT I USE TO USE WENT OUT OF BUSINESS AND DID NOT NOTIFY THE CUSTOMERS. I FOUND OUT WHEN I WENT TO HAVE SOME WORK CORRECTED THAT THEY DID. THIS PROBLEM IS SCARY BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE POWER STEERING LIGHT IS GOING TO COME ON. THAT IS VERY VERY SCARY. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THEY CAN NEVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I RECENTLY HAD MY CAR INSPECTED THEY WOULD NOT PASS IT BECAUSE OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR 300 MILES AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND THEY PASSED IT FOR INSPECTION. THE ORIGINAL BRAKES WERE REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF HAVING THE CAR. I ONLY HAVE 45, 000 MILES. PURCHASED 2 BATTERIES FROM GM THE 2ND ONE LASTED LESS THEN 2 YEARS AND DIED. AN AUTHENTIC GM BATTERY. *TR
2004 MALIBU PURCHASED 04/05/04 STEERING COLUMN FAILURE 01/10/05 9,225 MILES REPLACED AGAIN 06/16/05 13,430 MILES 01/30/06 INTERMITTENT SHAFT NEEDED REPLACEMENT BUT NO "GOOD PARTS AVAILABLE" FINALLY REPLACED 08/24/06 24,636 MILES RACK & PINION STEERING GEAR 04/17/07 31,846 MILES REPLACED INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT 09/14/09 54,841 MILES REPLACED RACK & PINION STEERING GEAR. CAR NOW HAS 3RD RACK GEAR. ON 11/11/10 AT 68,209 MILES WE WERE TOLD IT NEEDS REPLACEMENT OF RACK & PINION STEERING GEAR. IT HAS ONLY BEEN 14 MONTHS AND 13,368 MILES SINCE LAST TIME REPLACED. *TR
THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING IN MY VEHICLE IS FAULTY. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL MOVE BY ITS SELF WHILE DRIVING OR IN PARK. ALSO MY POWER STEERING WILL GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP DUE TO POWER STEERING I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME TURNING AND CONTROLLING CAR. I HAVE BARELY AVOID SEVERAL ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. I HAVE TAKEN CAR TO DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF CAN BE FIXED BECAUSE WHEN I CALLED GM I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE WARRANTY THAT WOULD HAVE FIXED ISSUE BUT BECAUSE IT WAS PAST THEIR RECALL TIME THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST ME AND THE DEALER WANTS 800.00 TO FIX AND THEY SAY THAT EVEN FIXING THE STEERING COLUMN AND OR THE ASSIST MOTOR THAT I WILL MORE THEN LIKELY HAVE THE SAME ISSUES! MY CAR IS A 2004 WITH ONLY 44,462 MILES ON IT. I GOT THE CAR USED FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR (2010) AND DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE AND A DEATH TRAP FOR MY FAMILY! I HAVE VIDEO OF THE WHEEL MOVING BY ITS SELF AS WELL AS VIDEO SHOWING THAT WHEN I LOSS POWER STEERING THE CAR IS HAZARDOUS. I AM REALLY AFRAID THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THIS ISSUE AND WILL ONE DAY LOSS COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HURT MYSELF AND POSSIBLY OTHERS! CHEVROLET NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE FOR GOOD OR REPLACE THE CARS ALL TOGETHER BECAUSE ITS REALLY ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS ISSUE BITES THEM IN THE BUTT! I REALLY LIKE MY MALIBU BUT I REALLY THINK THAT I SHOULD HAVE NEVER GOT IT BECAUSE OF ALL THE ISSUES LOSING POWER STEERING, PULLS BAD TO LEFT AND RIGHT, LOOSE SHIFTER KNOB, & THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY DOESN'T WORK RIGHT. I HOPE BY FILING THIS COMPLAINT WITH YOU THAT MAYBE IT WILL BE RESOLVED. I WANT TO HAVE PIECE OF MIND WHILE DRIVING MY FAMILY IN CAR NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE CAR BEING A DEATH TRAP ON 4 WHEELS THAT WILL LOSS CONTROL WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT AND KILL MY FAMILY AND MYSELF. I KNOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE ISSUES WITH THE MALIBU AND CHEVROLET REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP AND MAKE THESE ISSUES RIGHT FOR US THE CONSUMERS FAST! *TR
I OWN A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU WHEN STARTING VEHICLE THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ENGAGES AND THE CONSOLE INDICATOR CHIMES READING POWER STEERING. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME I START THE CAR NOW. I HAVE REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN 2 TIMES SINCE TAKING OWNERSHIP OF VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY 2008. BOTH STEERING COLUMNS WERE GENUINE GM PARTS INSTALLED BY A CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN. WORK PERFORMED IN 5/08 AND 10/08 TOTALING SOME $3000.00. PAID ANOTHER DEALER $51.56 TO ADJUST AND CALIBRATE SENSOR. IT WAS OK FOR THE SUMMER. LATE FALL 2009 BEGAN COMING ON INTERMEDIATELY AGAIN. NOW IT COMES ON EACH TIME YOU START THE CAR AND YESTERDAY I ACTUALLY LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. I HAD LOST THE POWER ASSIST STEERING A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES NOW. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. SOMEONE COULD GET HURT HERE. *TR
I HAVE REPORTED TWO PREVIOUS INCIDENTS REGARDING NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF MY 2004 CHEVY MALIBU LS. THE SAME NOISE IS AGAIN OCCURRING IN THE FRONT END OF MY CAR WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE IT IS A STEERING ISSUE. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO JACK PHELAN CHEVROLET, THEY DID NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT END/STEERING. I BELIEVE THEY AREN'T TELLING ME BECAUSE THIS WILL BE THE 3RD COMPLAINT REGARDING STEERING PARTS. *TR
2004 CHEVY MALIBU WAS TAKEN IN DUE TO POWER STEERING COLUMN AND SERVICE CAR LIGHT COMING ON AND CLUNKING COMING FROM CAR. HAD IT IN THE FIRST DEALERSHIP FIRST TIME NOTIFIED ME THAT IT WAS THE STEERING COLUMN $1500 LATER AND IT WASN'T REPAIRED. TOOK BACK TO SAME LOCATION. THEN THEY NOTIFY ME THAT THE SAME STEERING COLUMN WAS BAD AGAIN AND NOW MY RACK AND PINION HAD TO BE REPLACED. $650.00. LIGHT AGAIN NOW LOOSING POWER STEERING HAD TO TAKE TO ANOTHER DEALER. THE FIRST ONE NOTIFIES ME BY LETTER THAT I CAN NOT COME BACK WITH MY CAR. NOW I HAD TO PAY $52.00 TO HAVE THE SENOR THAT ARE PART OF THE STEERING COLUMN ADJUSTED. THAT WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SERVICE NOTICES. BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A RECALL THE OWNER HAS TO CONTINUE TO PAY. MY CAR IS A SALVAGE HOWEVER, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GENUINE GMC PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED NOT ONCE BUT TWICE AND GUESS WHAT. THE LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN. $2400.00 LATER AND ITS NOT FIXED. I HAVE TALKED DIRECTLY TO GM AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HELP. THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PROTECT CONSUMER FROM BEING TAKEN TO THE CLEANERS FROM A MANUFACTURER THAT KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM. *TR
DT: WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE THE JACK THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED WHILE HE HAD THE VEHICLE RAISED UP. THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL JACK THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE. IT COLLAPSED WHEN HE HAD THE TIRE OFF AND WAS TRYING TO PUT THE SPARE ON. IT COLLAPSED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK
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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