2005 Chevrolet MALIBU CLASSIC: complaints, problems and recalls

DT: THE CONTACT STATES NEXT TO THE ACCELERATOR THERE IS NO PROTECTION BETWEEN FOOT AND A CABLE. HE IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE CONTACT'S FOOT IS ON THE PEDAL OR ON THE CABLE. THIS COULD CAUSE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. HE FEELS THERE SHOULD BE A SHIELD TO KEEP FOOT FROM HANGING. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT ALL OF THE MALIBUS WERE LIKE THIS, AND WERE NOT ABLE TO OFFER A REMEDY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10142863 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL POWER AND NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AROUND A SHARP CURVE WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A CRASH, THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER, BUT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. IN ADDITION TO THE STALLING PROBLEM, THE TRUNK LID LEAKED ALLOWING RAIN TO ENTER THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,042 miles reported. Look up ODI 10147938 at NHTSA ↗

I'D JUST ENTERED ONTO THE FREEWAY AND WAS GOING ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN MY CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AT WHICH TIME I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT MOVE. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SO I TURNED IT ON THEN OFF AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES AND EACH TIME ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE BUT THE PEDAL STILL WOULD NOT MOVE AND WHILE AT THE SAME MANEUVER WITH CARS ON THE FREEWAY. I ENDED UP EXITING ABOUT 4 MILES DOWN THE ROAD USING AN EXIT WITH A LONG EXIT RAMP. AS SOON AS I EXITED I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND IT BEGAN…

Owner-reported narrative. 55 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157282 at NHTSA ↗

PURCHASED CAR 12/26/05- IN FEBRUARY, HEARD A STRANGE RATTLING SOUND IN CAR ON RIGHT HAND (PASSENGER) SIDE OF CAR. SPOKE TO DEALERSHIP ONCE ABOUT IT, MY HUSBAND TOOK REP ON DRIVE SO HE COULD HEAR IT. HE SAID HE COULD HEAR IT... TAKE IT TO SERVICE. HUSBAND TOOK THE CAR INTO SERVICE. THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE SOUND, COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. MAY 26, 2006 - DRIVING ALONG AT 8:00 A.M. ON A FRIDAY MORNING - WHILE DRIVING ALONG CURVE, CAR LOST CONTROL, ABOUT TO GO INTO DITCH ON RIGHT HAND SIDE, SWERVED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID. FELT LIKE CAR WA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10158849 at NHTSA ↗

ON 4-28-06 I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AND TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL AND HEARD A CLICKING AND A POPPING NOISE. AS I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE GETTING UP SPEED TO ABOUT 45 MPH, OUR ROAD HAS SLIGHT BUMPS IN IT, I HEARD THE SAME NOISE. THIS PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED BUT IS NOW LOUDER, IT IS IN THE FRONT END. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR THREE MONTHS AS OF TODAY 6-24-06. SO THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY '06 I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I GOT IT THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR THREE DAYS AND SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG I DROVE THE MECHANIC IN MY CAR AND HE H…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160675 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE ENTIRE LIGHTING SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE MANUALLY SWITCHED ON AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED. ON THE FIRST AND SECOND OCCASIONS THE ELECTRICAL COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

Owner-reported narrative. 25,168 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161506 at NHTSA ↗

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POPPING SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEEL HAS OCCURRED SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS A PROBLEM WITH HIS BRAKES. THE CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY WORKED FOR A FEW DAYS AND BEGAN TO SQUEAK EXCESSIVELY AGAIN. ALSO, THERE WAS AN EGG SMELL IN HIS CAR AND BEGAN A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THE ONGOING VE…

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10179342 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED THE 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC FROM A NEARBY TOWN DEALERSHIP AND WAS PLEASED UNTIL ABOUT 1 MONTH LATER WHEN I KEPT HEARING A LOUD SCREECHING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THINKING IT WAS THE BRAKES GOING BAD, I HAD A FRIEND WHO WORKED ON CARS, CHECK IT OUT AND HE FOUND THE BRAKE CALIPER HAD GONE BAD. THE CAR HAD ONLY 32,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT WAS FAIRLY NEW HE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS NEW CAR WOULD HAVE A CALIPER GOING BAD THAT FAST. IT WAS PRIOR OWNED AS A COMPANY PROGRAM CAR. HE REPLACED THE BRAKES AND CALIPER AND …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10187467 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2014-07-03 (July 3, 2014)

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.