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 2011 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 37 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 37, in the owner's own words
Car started to loose power and wanted to cut off had to drive with both feet put in the shop a few times but couldn't find any wrong finally stopped driving it and then I started back to driving it and still doing the same thing, finally the motor went out.Have notice more Malibu's in this area and surroundings area having problems with the motor.
2008 to 2012 Chevrolet Malibu's have a confirmed problem by mechanics about the fuel system regarding the electrical components going bad. The fuel pump relay will overheat the wiring behind it, and will shut the car off, regardless of if it is driving or not.
MAP sensor was physically broken and replaced during a particularly cold snap (below -10 degrees F), but the check engine light and "Service ESC," "Service Traction," and "ESC off" messages continued to appear in the following weeks. Acceleration repeatedly dropped off for a split second, and would continue to dip and return until I let off the accelerator and tried again. This acceleration problem always coincided with the three ESC/Traction messages listed above, and happened multiple times every time I drove it. During a second trip to the mechanic, some "frayed wiring" was replaced and the throttle relearned, but the symptoms continued as before, prior to the MAP sensor replacement and the wiring repair. The symptoms progressed to delayed, pulsing acceleration, not just dropping out. The following week, the power steering went out while driving, preceded by a gentle automated jerking on the steering wheel upon startup. The mechanic confirmed that it was electrical, nothing wrong with the physical components.
car unexpectedly died on the way home with 2 children in car. Car would crank, but wouldn't start up, and sounded like a typical fuel pump problem. We had the car towed to a shop and they showed the fuel pump as working within the normal ranges and then started up the next day just fine, but paid 750 for work. A few days later the car died again, so we had it towed to the same shop, by the next day when the mechanic said it started up just fine so he wasn't able to diagnose the problem. He and i don't want to spend a 1000 every week putting parts in it that don't fix the problem while getting towed each week at 150 dollars. This is a safety concern and leaves the consumer hopeless. We want to get rid of the car, but don't want to sell it to a person for them to have the same issues and then in return blame us. GM NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I've read hundreds of forums of other people having the same problem with no actual fix.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic and was diagnosed with needing the fuel pump replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 153,400.
I BOUGHT MY FIRST CAR FROM A SMALL DEALERSHIP AND WITHIN THE LAST 35 DAYS THE ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, SHOCKS, FUEL PUMP AND NOW THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON....WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING IT SEEMS LIKE THE CAR DON'T WANT TO GO INTO GEAR. AND WHEN IT FINALLY GOES INTO GEAR IT JERKS YOU. ALSO THE ELECTRICAL AND TEMPERATURE GAGE, THE LIGHTS ON DASH BOARD GO IN AND OUT YOU CAN HEAR A FAINT NOISE COMING FROM THE DOME LIGHT. TEMPERATURE GAGE STAYED AT COLD WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND. TOOK CAR FOR A RIDE THE NEXT DAY AND RIGHT AWAY WHEN DRIVING IT WENT ABOUT A QUARTER ABOVE COLD???
STARTING PROBLEM TOWED AND WORKED ON ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL PUMP, ECM RELAY, ETC. ALL FIXED THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY.MECANIC REFUSES TO WORK ON THE CAR NOW, CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. WE KNOCK ON THE FUSE BOX IN THE TRUNK AND GET IT TO RUN BUT NOW DIES RANDOMLY. THE LAST TIME I DROVE IT, IT DIED IN A BLIND INTERSECTION AND I WAS ALMOST T-BONED.
I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR, USED FROM A FLEET SALE. THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT AT JUST OVER 50K MILES. ALL FLEET MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN COMPLETED. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ALL DAY, IT WAS RUNNING FINE, AND RAN INTO A STORE. WHEN I CAME BACK OUT AND WENT TO START THE MALIBU, IT FIRED UP, ALL OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON, BUT IT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING GAS. YOU COULD HEAR IGNITION FIRING AND STARTER ENGAGING.
CODE P2135
ECS LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, REDUCED ENGINE POWER, ABS LIGHT, CODE THROWS MAP SENSOR ERROR. HAPPENS AFTER VEHICLE GO THROUGH THE CARWASH OR GET SLUSH AND MOISTURE FROM THE ROAD. MAP SENSOR CONNECTOR SEEMS TO BE CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE. VERY DANGEROUS GOING DOWN THE ROAD, HAPPENED SUDDENLY WHILE NOT EXPECTING IT.
CRACKED MANIFOLD. SMELL EXHAUST FUMES UPON START. AND WILL DISSIPATE AFTER ENGINE HAS WARMED UP. THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY CAR BUT HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE.
WHEN EXCELLERATING FROM A SITTING POSITION THE ENGINE DOESN'T EXCELLERATE AT THE SAME TIME. THERE IS HESITATION FROM STEPPING ON THE GAS TO ACTUALLY MOVING AND ONCE THE EXCELLERATION KICKS IN THE CAR PROPELLED QUITE FAST ALMOST LIKE A STICKY CHOKE.
THE CAR WONT START BRING 3 TIMES AT DEALER SHIP NO FUNS ANY REAZON A BUT THE PROBLEM
WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR SURGED FORWARD AND THE DRIVER COULD NOT STOP THE CAR.. BRAKES DIDN'T WORK; STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN DRIVER TRIED TO MAKE A TURN.
FAULT CODES POWER STEERING AND BREAK LIGHT SHOW UP ON DASH BOARD. CODES WILL NOT CLEAR THUS CUSSING THE VEHICLE A NO START NO CRANK. THE VEHICLE WHILE BE DRIVEN INSTRUMENT GUAGES GO IN AND OUT CAUSING IT TO THROW CODES RANDOMLY.
THE SERVICE ESC AND TRACTION SENSORS FLASH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES. THE CAR LOSES POWER AND LURCHES AND BUCKS. THE CAR RUNS REALLY ROUGH AND SOUNDS HORRIBLE! THE DEALER SAID THE FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED $1700 WORTH OF CLEANING, BUT DIDN'T MENTION ANY OF THE STUFF WE FOUND FROM OUR RESEARCH.
WHEN DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING MY VEHICLE WILL SAY SYSTEM SHUT DOWN AND THEN ENGINE POWER REDUCED AND THE IT WILL SHAKE VIGOROUSLY AND TURN OFF. THIS HAPPENED TO ME ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF A SNOW STORM AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A SEMI. I HAD TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD DOWN INTO A DITCH. IN THE WINTER IT HAPPENS ALMOST EVERYDAY. NOT IN WINTER MONTHS IT HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WAS ON 7/11/17. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF POSTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUE IS EVEN AFTER THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BEING SPENT.
CHECK LIGHT WITH EVAPORATIVE LEAK AT LESS THAN 5 YEARS AND APPROX 97800 MILES. DEALER REPLACED HEAVILY CORRODED FUEL PUMP MODULE, AND A WEEK LATER THE FUEL TANK ITSELF, ALSO DUE TO HEAVY CORROSION. DEALER PROVIDED DISCOUNTS AND FREE LOANER, I HAVE NO COMPLAINT WITH DEALER. MY COMPLAINT IS WITH CHEVROLET FOR NOT PROPERLY DESIGNING THESE PARTS WHICH WERE HEAVILY CORRODED IN LESS THAN 5 YEARS. I AM OUT A SUBSTANTIAL SUM, ABOUT $1600, AND HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INSTANCE. A FUEL OR VAPOR LEAK IS CERTAINLY DANGEROUS AND I ASSUME IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL EMISSIONS REGS. I HAVE CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY WILL NOT EVEN RESPOND TO EMAIL. I WAS HOPING FOR SOME COMPENSATION AS I AM A LONGTIME/MULTI CHEVY OWNER. WHILE NOT AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY ISSUE, IT SEEMS A FUEL LEAK IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND I WANTED TO LOG A COMPLAINT SO NHTSA CAN DETERMINE IF A MANUFACTURING/DESIGN DEFECT EXISTS. I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE THE ONLY MALIBU WITH THIS PROBLEM. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
MY SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. TOOK MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY COULDN'T DUPRIVATE THE ISSUE. $240. PROBLEM CAME BK THE NEXT DAY. TOOK MY CAR BK TO SHOP WITH LIGHT ON AND THEY SAID I NEEDED AN ENGINE FLUSH. 180.00. PROBLEM STILL CAME BACK.TOOK MY CAR TO ANOTHER SHOP, BC I FELT I WAS GETTING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AFTER BEING CHARGED 180.00 JUST FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THIS SHOP CHANGED SPARK PLUGS AND CHECKED WIRES. 100.00. PROBLEM CAME BACK. GOT IN TOUCH W GM. NO RECALL. NO ASSISTANCE UNTIL I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP. THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR 4 DAYS AND FINALLY TOLD ME I NEED A NEW MOTOR! IT'S A 2011, WITH 110K MILES AND I NEED A NEW MOTOR?? THAT IT WOULD BE 4000.00 I LEFT WITH MY CAR, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY JUST LAYING AROUND IN HOPES THAT IT MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM. DRIVING A CAR THAT SCARES ME BC THE LIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY FLASHING AT ME ALL OF THE TIME NOW, CAR SPUTTERING OUT WHILE AT LOW SPEEDS OR IDLE, CO ENGINE FLASHING, AND MY CAR ACTING LIKE IT'S GONNA DIE ANY MINUTE! NOT TO MENTION THE GAS IT'S CONSUMING ON TOP OF THE ALMOST 700 I'M ALREADY OUT. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND QUITE DISHEARTENING TO BUT A CAR FROM CHEVROLET, IT ONLY BE 5 YRS OLD AND HAVE THIS MANY ISSUES WITH NO RESOLVE. SEEING ALL OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE, SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT. PLEASE HELP
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START OR WOULD IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF ONCE STARTED. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS FAULTY. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
IN JUNE 2015, VEHICLE STALLED WHILE TRAVELLING AT 35 MPH. COULD NOT RESTART WITH JUMP.CAR WOULD TURN OVER BUT SHUT RIGHT DOWN ON STEPPING ON ACCELERATOR. REPAIR SHOPS HAVE FAILED TO PINPOINT PROBLEMS. GM REPORTS THEY HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS PROBLEM IS COMMON. HAVE SMALL CHILD AND IF CAR STALLS ON MAJOR HIGHWAY IT WOULD BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHICH COULD CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. IF GM IS AWARE OF PROBLEM ARE THEY WAITING FOR A FATALITY BEFORE DOING SOMETHING. REPAIR SHOPS HAVE NO SOLUTIONS, GM HAS NO SOLUTIONS. WHAT IS THE CONSUMER TO DO. I DO THINK THIS SITUATION WHICH APPEARS TO NOT BE ISOLATED BE INVESTIGATED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
CAR STARTS AND THEN DIES.WILL THEN CRANK BUT NOT FIRE.AFTER SEVERAL TRIES IT STARTS BUT JUST SPUTTERS TIL YOU STEP ON GAS.IT HAS DONE THIS ON 4 OCCASIONS.THE DEALER HAS CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP,PURGE VALVE AND CAM SHAFT CONTROL SOLENOID.IT STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.
I FEEL THERE IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE 2011 CHEVY MALIBU FUEL SYSTEM WHICH MAY BE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL, FAIL WHILE IN MOTION, OR JUST WONT START AT ALL.....THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR MY VEHICLE SINCE SEPT 2014.MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER MANY TIMES FOR WHAT SEEM TO BE THE SAME ISSUE. WHEN VEHICLE ARRIVE AT DEALER, IT SEEMS TO WORK JUST FINE WHICH MAKE MAKES IT HARDER TO DETECT THE ISSUE. MY VEHICLE WILL BE AT THE DEALER WEEKS AT A TIME TO GET I DONT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS OR BRING BACK WHEN PROBLEM WORSENS.IN TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ISSUE MY CAR HAS HAD THE RELAY SWITCH REPLACED TWICE, THE JUNCTION BLOCK ASSEMBLY REPLACED, SEVERAL RECALLS REPAIRED IN BETWEEN, AND NOW THE FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS REPLACED IN MAY 2015. AS OF TODAY, JUNE 23RD 2015, MY CAR IS STILL DOING THE SAME EXACT THING AS BEFORE. STARTING ON MINUTE, DOESN'T START THE NEXT OR JUST STOP WHILE IN MOTION. THERE'S A SERIOUS ISSUE SOMEWHERE AND IVE SPENT WAY TOO MUCH MONEY TO BE GETTING THE RESPONSE "I JUST DONT KNOW" WHICH ISN'T THE ANSWER.
FUEL PUMP FAILED(STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY) WHILE PARKED AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. LUCKILY I WAS NOT DRIVING WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THIS IS AS SERIOUS AN ISSUE AS THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM IF NOT MORE SO. I,SEE MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THEY ARE DRIVING AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. CARS SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS MANY FUEL PUMP ISSUES AT THE TIME THEY ARE OCCURRING. THE PROBLEM IS COMPOUNDED WHEN THE VEHICLE RUNS POORLY AND IS MISDIAGNOSED FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM AND UNNECESSARY REPAIR. PLEASE MAKE GM ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM. *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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