Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 82 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 82, in the owner's own words
No incident yet but will happen if not recalled and fixed. My EPS keeps going out while driving and will yank the steering wheel hard in either direction at any given time. Uncontrollable
Sent the car to fix recalls and they said it has another problem and want to charge to fix the steering recall N140772 problem. They said is not free.... Do not know if the other recalls were repaired.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL), 14V224000 (POWER TRAN), 15V064000 (STEERING) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE POWER TRAIN, STABILE-TRACE CONTROL, EMERGENCY BRAKE INDICATOR, AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD TO DEPRESS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A FRIEND REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. SIERRA CHEVROLET (7850 U S 64, MEMPHIS, TN 38133, (901) 382-5644) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT AN APPOINTMENT WAS NEEDED TO BE SCHEDULED FOR THE FREE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THERE WAS NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 19,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.*DT*JB
BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING PUSHED; THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE PEDAL IS PUSHED.; DIFFICULTY MOVING THE GEAR SHIFTER OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITIONS WITHOUT PUSHING THE BRAKE. GM SAYS THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL, BUT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED IN REGARDS TO THIS PROBLEM.
WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREET APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER, STEERING, AND ABS BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL, ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND BRAKE PEDAL SEIZED. THE FAILURES MADE IT DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, ACCELERATE, AND DECELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER (5 STAR AUTO PLAZA, 3690 W CLAY ST, ST CHARLES, MO 63301) STATED THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,526.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JAMES MARTIN CHEVROLET (6250 WOODWARD AVE, DETROIT, MI 48202, (313) 444-8226) TO BE SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL STABILITY CONTROL), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 158,709.
BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON
BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED. WILL GO OFF WHEN FOOT IS TAKEN OFF OF PEDAL, BUT WILL GO BACK ON AND STAY ON WHEN PEDAL IS NOT APPLIED. THIS HAPPENS BOTH WHEN IN NEUTRAL AND IN PARK AND THE CAR IS STATIONARY. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS WHERE INCREASED RESISTANCE IN THE BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) CONNECTION SYSTEM CAN RESULT IN VOLTAGE FLUCTUATIONS OR INTERMITTENCY IN THE BRAKE APPLY SENSOR (BAS) CIRCUIT THAT CAN CAUSE BRAKE LAMP MALFUNCTION. THE BRAKE LAMPS ILLUMINATE WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED. RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM DATED MARCH 2017, # 13036. THIS RECALL PROBLEM AND NUMBER DOES NOT SHOW UP IN THE NHTSA DATABASE.
TRACTION FEATURE FAILS WHEN BRAKING. THE BRAKES WILL NOT OPERATE PROPERLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO TRAVEL FORWARD ALTHOUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL IS BEING PRESSED. THIS HAPPENS MOST OFTEN WHEN BRAKING ON AN INCLINE OR IN WET CONDITIONS. IT HAPPENS WHETHER THE SPEED IS FAST OR SLOW. HAVE BROUGHT VEHICLE TO GRAFF CHEVY FOR RECALL REPAIR, BUT CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS. HAD BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS CHECKED BY FIRESTONE WHO STATED THAT NEITHER OF THESE NEEDED REPAIR, AND THEREFORE, ARE NOT ADDING TO OR CAUSING THE PROBLEM.
BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN NOT DEPRESSED CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT WORK RECALL WAS COMPLETED TOOK CAR BACK BRAKE SENSOR WAS REPLACED ON 6/16/16 AS OF TODAY 6/26/16 PROBLEM IS STILL THERE COST OF 287.20. IAM NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM I AM A GM MAN BUT MAYBE NO MORE AND ILL MAKE SURE AND LET EVERYBODY I CAN KNOW ABOUT YOUR SERVICE THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE BRAKE LAMP FAILED TO ILLUMINTE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE LAMP WOULD ILLUMNINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
I'LL START BY SAYING MY VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 84,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURRED A FEW WEEKS AGO AND IS VERY WELL CARED FOR AND MAINTAINED. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT I NOTICED THAT MY BREAK LIGHTS WERE NOT COMING ON WHEN I PRESSED THE BREAK (I DIDN'T SEE THEM ILLUMINATING THE CAR BEHIND ME). WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC I NOTICED THAT IF I PRESSED THE BREAK PEDAL AS FAR AS IT COULD GO THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON. THE BREAKS LIGHTS THEN STARTED WORKING PROPERLY FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, THEN THEY STARTED WORKING IN REVERSE ORDER (BREAKS NOT PRESSED AND LIGHT SWITCH ON, BREAKS PRESSED AND BREAK LIGHTS SWITCH OFF). I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO A CHEVY DEALER TO HAVE THIS ISSUE LOOKED AT, AND REFERENCED THAT IT WAS SHOWING THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000. THE DEALER NOTED THAT I HAD ALREADY HAD THE REPAIRS FOR 14V252000 BACK IN 2014 SO IT COULD NOT BE DUE TO THAT ISSUE. IN THE END THE DEAL CHANGED MY BREAK SWITCH AND PEDAL POSITION SENSOR, WHICH HAS RESOLVED THE ISSUE. I WOULD ASK THAT 14V252000 BE UPDATED TO REQUIRE THE BREAK SWITCH AND PEDAL POSITION SWITCH BE REPLACED. I BELIEVE GM'S RESPONSE TO ORIGINAL COMPLAINTS OF 14V252000 IS NOT ADEQUATE. I AM FORTUNATE TO BE VERY OBSERVANT OF WHAT MY VEHICLE IS DOING, OTHERS WILL BE MUCH LESS FORTUNATE AND THE RESULTS WILL LEAD TO A CRASH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AROUND A CURVE, THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED AN INJURY TO THE RIGHT ARM THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000.
VEHICLE WAS ALREADY SERVICED UNDER RECALL 13036 AT DEALER IN MICHIGAN - NOW JUST OVER 1 YEAR LATER THE SAME ISSUE IS PRESENT - BRAKE LIGHTS ON WITHOUT DEPRESSING PEDDLE - PUTTING ON BRAKE DOES NOT TURN ON BRAKE LIGHTS - CRUSE CONTROL NOT WORKING BECAUSE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON, SOMETIMES UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK, ETC - SAME PROBLEM - LAST RECALL WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX IN MY CASE.
IN SEPT 2014, I HAD MY 2006 MALIBU REPAIRED UNDER GM RECALL 13036. AT THE END OF JUNE 2015, I NOTICED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE MALFUNCTIONING. I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR REPAIR, WHICH WAS THE SAME WORK THAT WAS DONE FOR THE RECALL. AT THE END OF JULY 2015, THE MALFUNCTION RETURN AGAIN. I CONTACTED CHEVY VIA EMAIL AND PHONE, AND WAS FIRST TOLD THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED AGAIN AND EXPLAIN THAT I WAS HAVING THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN RECALL 13036 (" THESE FLUCTUATIONS CAN CAUSE ONE OR MORE OF THESE CONDITIONS: THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING PUSHED; THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE PEDAL IS PUSHED"). I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THAT MINE WAS "CLOSED" SINCE I HAD ALREADY HAD IT DONE ONCE. I AM CONCERNED THAT I WILL BE REAR-ENDED BECAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTIONING BRAKE LIGHTS, WHICH IS A PROBLEM THAT CHEVY/GM IS AWARE OF, HAVING ALREADY ISSUED A RECALL.
HAVE NOT BEEN IN WRECK YET BUT MANY PEOPLE ARE DRIVING CARS THAT ARE UNSAFE. WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON WHEN YOU APPLY THEM THEY GO OFF, RECALL IS NOT FIXING PROBLEM. CHEVROLET KEEPS CHARGING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHEN THEY KNOW ITS A MODULE THAT NEEDS ISOMETRIC PASTE REAPPLIED EVERY THREE MONTHS. THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT ALSO AND THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW THE LIGHTS AREN'T WORKING, OTHER THAN PEOPLE ASKING IF YOU ARE RIDING THE BRAKES.
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR DAYS AFTER I PURCHASED IT , SUDDENLY THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING ON AND OFF. THIS INCLUDES GAS GAUGE, OIL LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE SOON , ABS, SPEEDOMETER , DOME LIGHT, RADIO,... ALSO SHOWED ON INSTRUMENT PANEL AN IMAGE OF A CAR AND A LOCK. ETC.. IT FLASHED ON AND OFF FOR A WHILE THEN COMPLETELY WENT OUT. SO I WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE SPEED, HOW MUCH GAS WAS IN THE TANK NO INSIDE LIGHT OR RADIO.. THE WEATHER WAS BELOW ZERO WITH A WIND CHILL FACTOR AND I ASSUMED IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT. AFTER A FEW DAYS EVERYTHING CAME BACK EXCEPT RADIO. AN ADDITIONAL COUPLE OF DAYS AND RADIO CAME BACK . THE CAR WENT IN FOR INSPECTION WITH IN 10 DAYS OF PURCHASE . NOTHING WAS SAID, ABOUT ELECTRICAL OR INSTRUMENT PANEL. NOW ON OR ABOUT JUNE 10TH THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING MORE CONTINUOUS FLASHING AND ELECTRICAL GOING OUT. IT FLASHES WHEN YOU START THE CAR AND CONTINUOUSLY FLASHES WHILE YOU DRIVE SOMETIMES JUST GOING BLANK FOR A WHILE.. THANK YOU.
MY BRAKE LIGHT ON MY CAR KEEP POPPING ON IN OFF WHILE DRIVING AS IF AM PUSHING ON BRAKE.THE POLICE PULLED ME OVER SEVERAL TIMES IN ASKED ME WAS I RIDING MY BRAKES I TOLD HIM NAW. HE SAID I NEED 2CALL THE DEAL SHIP BECAUSE ITS AN ELECTRIC PROBLEM THAN. *TR
I WAS ON 44 JUST TURNED ON 41 NO CARS ON LEFT OR RIGHT NONE BEHIND PROCEEDING ACROSS TRAFFIC LIGHT OTHER PARTY WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN I WAS STOPPING BRAKES ANKLE WAS FRACTURED AND WE HAD A HEAD ON COLISION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL), BUT IT DID NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE CONTACT WAS EXPERIENCING AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT NOT ILLUMINATING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE CHARGER FOR THE PHONE AND THE GPS, BUT THERE WAS NO ELECTRIC CURRENT TO CHARGE THE GADGETS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER MORE THAN THREE TIMES AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY REPLACED THE FUSES SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE CONTACT WAS PULLED OVER BY THE STATE POLICE AND THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A MEDIAN IN ORDER TO STOP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) HOWEVER, THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO PASS INSPECTION DUE TO A SERVICE BRAKE LAMP MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.
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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