Chevrolet MALIBU MAXX problems and owner complaints

COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING, WHILE DRIVEING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (65 MPH). *AK PE04031_CAT

Owner-reported narrative. 4,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078620 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL DASHBOARD COMPONENTS FAILED TO FUNCTION WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING DAY A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED, BUT NO FAILURE CODES WERE FOUND. THE FAILURE RECURRED 4 MONTHS LATER WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING SPACE. ALSO, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL READ STEERING COLUMN ASSISTANCE NEEDED. THE CONSUMER THEN TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, THEN BACK ON. THE VEHICLE STARTED, BUT THE STEERING WHE…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,379 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081632 at NHTSA ↗

AT 34 MILES ON THE CAR ABS/TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR IN THE WHEEL HUB FAILED, CAUSING SEVERAL TROUBLE LIGHTS TO COME ON AND A SOUND SIGNAL TO INDICATE THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE OWNERS MANUAL NOTED THAT THE CAR SHOULD BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 34 miles reported. Look up ODI 10093659 at NHTSA ↗

ON DEC. 3, 2004 I WAS TURNING INTO MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP THE SERVICE SOON LIGHT WAS ON AND MY CAR WAS DINGING. I HAD TO BRAKE QUICKLY OR I WOULDNT HAVE GONE RIGHT INTO THE CORNER OF A CHURCH. I QUICKLY RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, WHICH RESTARTED THE POWER STEERING, BUT THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. I CALLED CHEVY AND THEY TOWED MY CAR AND I RECEIVED A LONER VEHICLE. THEY HAD THE REPAIR DONE FAIRLY QUICK AND SAID THEY HAD TO REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. I LOOKED ON THIS SIGHT AND NOTICED MULTIPLE CO…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10102368 at NHTSA ↗

I OWN A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX, WHICH HAS AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WORK IN AUTOMATIC MODE, EVERYTHING WORKS FINE. UNFORTUNATELY THE SOLAR SENSOR THAT ACTIVATES THEM "THINKS" THE SKY IS BRIGHT WHEN IT IS VERY OVERCAST. FOR THE MOST PART NOT A PROBLEM, AS YOU CAN TURN THE LIGHTS ON MANUALLY. UN-FORTUNATELY, THE DASH-BOARD LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON WHEN YOU DO THIS, UNLESS THE SENSOR "THINKS" IT'S DARK. TO REMEMDY THIS, I PUT SOMETHING OVER THE SENSOR, BUT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO, AND IF I DON'T, EVEN THOUGH I CAN SEE IN FRONT OF MY C…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10122190 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A SHORT CIRCUIT CAUSED ALL OF THE VEHICLE'S LIGHTS TO BLINK AT THE SAME TIME VERY RAPIDLY. ALSO, THE HORN SOUNDED RAPIDLY, THEN THE VEHICLE POWERED DOWN CAUSING ALL OF THE LIGHTS TO DIM AND THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A COASTING MODE. UNTIL THE VEHICLE POWERED BACK UP AGAIN, AND THE COMPUTERS OVERRODE EACH OTHER, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALL OF THE LIGHTS THREE TIMES. THIS INCLUDED TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, TA…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168157 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED A 2004 MALIBU MAXX, NEW NOT USED. THE SECOND DAY I DROVE IT, IT SPUTTERED A LITTLE AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. ON OCTOBER 14, I FILLED THE CAR WITH GAS AND WITHIN 1 MILE, THE CAR STALLED OUT 4 TIMES. I INITIALLY THOUGHT I HAD PURCHASED BAD GAS, AND MY HUSBAND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. THEY CAME AND PICKED IT UP WITH A WRECKER. AT THIS TIME, THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 800 MILES ON IT. THEY CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY AND SAID IT WAS MY ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM AND THEY HAD TO REPROGRAM MY KEY BUT IT WAS FINE NOW. I PICKED IT UP AND BEFORE I MADE IT …

Owner-reported narrative. 780 miles reported. Look up ODI 10096292 at NHTSA ↗

A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR NEW, THE "CHECK GAS CAP" WARNING STARTED DISPLAYING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A CRACKED CARBON CANISTER, AND AFTER A FEW WEEKS, THE PART CAME IN AND THE DEALER INSTALLED IT, FIXING THE PROBLEM. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE WAS A MOANING NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVETRAIN UNDER ACCELERATION. THE DEALER FOUND A SERVICE ADVISORY ABOUT A DEFECTIVE CHAIN SPROCKET IN THE TRANSMISSION, ORDERED THE PARTS, AND WHEN THEY CAME IN, TOOK THE TRANSMISSION APART AND INSTALLED THE NEW PARTS. THIS APPARENTLY SOLVED THE N…

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098016 at NHTSA ↗

2004 MALIBU MAXX - AFTER CAR TURNED 25,000 MILES, WOULD START TO BE SLUGGISH UPON SLOW ACCELERATION BETWEEN 35 - 40 MPH. HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY AS CAR APPROACH 30,000 MILES. LEFT VEHICLE WITH DEALERSHIP IN FEBRUARY 06. PROBLEM WAS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE 3-4 VALVES WERE BURNED, AS WAS THE BAN, AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10151726 at NHTSA ↗

ON 9-3-05 I FILLED MY FUEL TANK AND DROVE THE CAR THE REST OF THE WEEKEND. ON 9-5-05 AROUND 12 NOON THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE..THE FIRE DEPT CONTACTED AND THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT..THE REPORT IM GETTING FROM G.M AND THE DEALER IS THAT I PUT TO MUCH FUEL IN THE CAR AND THAT CAUSED THE FIRE..I WAS TOLD THAT THE FUMES CAUSE THE FIRE ON TOP OF THE ENGINE...I DO NOT FELL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR I DO NOT BY THE FACT THAT OVER FUELING THE CAR WAS THE CAUSE I HAVE FUEL THE CAR MANY TIME IN THE PAST WITH NO PROBLEMS..AND EVER TIME I MADE CONTACTED WITH A G.M …

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10137386 at NHTSA ↗