2004 Chevrolet MALIBU: complaints, problems and recalls

AFTER PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT BECAME STUCK AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RELEASED RIGHT AWAY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN THE POWER STEER LOCKED UP, THE CONSUMER HAD TROUBLE TURNING THE WHEEL. *CB *JB STEERING COLUMN AND STEERING POSITION SENSOR REPLACEDCW. PE04031_CAT

Owner-reported narrative. 3,035 miles reported. Look up ODI 10048032 at NHTSA ↗

KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION, WILL NOT COME OUT. CHEVY SERVICE BUFFED KEY, GRAPHITED LOCK, BUT STILL THE KEY IS GETTING STUCK! SERVICE SAID THERE IS NOTHING MORE THEY CAN DO WHICH IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!!! IT'S A BRAND NEW CAR!!*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10050921 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING TO THE LEFT STEERING WHEEL FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION AT 15 MPH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE INFORMATION SCREEN INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A PARKING LOT AND TURN OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED BACK ON THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. TO DATE THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED. *NM PE04031_CAT

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052253 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE RIGHT STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED. *AK WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED, THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO ASSIST BUT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE NEXT DAY THE STEERING WAS NORMAL. DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. REPAIR ORDER PROVIDED.CW *LA PE04031_CAT

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054006 at NHTSA ↗

PROBLEMS WITH KEYS GETTING STUCK IN IGNITION.*MR *MR

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055865 at NHTSA ↗

THE POWER STEERING WAS DISPLAYED IN THE INFORMATION DISPLAY CENTER OF THE RADIO. THE POWER STEERING THEN FAILED. THIS HAPPEND TWO TIMES. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM OR DUPLICATE IT. A PROBLEM LIKE THIS AT HIGH SPEEDS COULD BE DANGEROUS AND CAUSE A DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THERE NEEDS TO BE FURTHER INVESTIGATION ABOUT THIS TO AVOID SERIOUS PROBLEMS. THE STEERING WHEEL CAN STILL BE TURNED BUT EXPTREMELY DIFFICULT. THE STEERING BECAME HEAVY INSTANTLY. COMPLAINANT SON WAS…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058469 at NHTSA ↗

MY 2004 CHEVY MAILBUX MAXX LOST ITS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN OUT OF A SAM'S PARKING LOT. THE 'POWER STEERING' MESSAGE WAS ILLUMINATED ON DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER (DIC) AND AN ORANGE VEHICLE SERVICE LIGHT APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR THE VEHICLE SERVICE LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED AND THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSSIT WORKED CORRECTLY FOR A WHILE. THEN SUDDENLY, WHILE IN REVESE OUT OF MY HOME DRIVEWAY, I LOST POWER STEERING ASSIS…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10061830 at NHTSA ↗

ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT 17,000 MILES BECAUSE THEY WERE WARPED. THEN AT 46,000 MILES THERE WAS NEW PADS PUT ON THE FRONT OF CAR,AND ROTORS WERE MACHINED AT THIS TIME,AS REGULAR MAINTENANCE. NOW AT 60,000 MILES THE ROTORS NEED REPLACED AGAIN. THERE IS A PROBLEM HERE AND CHEVROLET NEEDS TO REALIZE IT. CARS DON'T GO THROUGH ROTORS EVERY 20,000 MILES. THIS GETS EXPENSIVE ONCE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. BUT CHEVY SAYS ITS JUST HOW IT IS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10061871 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-02-24 (February 24, 2004)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD (FMVSS) NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." SOME OF THESE VEHICLES THAT WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM (AORS) HAVE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISORS WITH AORS LABELS. THE AORS LABELS DO NOT INCLUDE STATEMENTS AND THE ILLUSTRATION REQUIRED BY FMVSS NO. 208 FOR VEHICLES WITHOUT AORS.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE SENT REPLACEMENT LABELS WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO INSTALL THEM. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

Reported: 2004-04-16 (April 16, 2004)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, ANALYSIS OF AN A SIDE IMPACT CRASH TEST CONDUCTED BY THE NHTSA;S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) INDICATED THAT THE OUTBOARD ANCHORAGE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT COULD DISCONNECT BECAUSE OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE SEAT TRIM AND THE ANCHORAGE CONNECTOR WHEN THE SEAT WAS ADJUSTED TO ITS LOWEST POSITION.

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURRED IN A CRASH, THE DRIVER COULD RECEIVE GREATER INJURIES.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSERT A RETAINER ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S BELT ANCHORAGES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

Reported: 2004-04-19 (April 19, 2004)

SOME OF THESE PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) THAT MAY CALCULATE A HIGHER THAN ACTUAL VEHICLE SPEED BECAUSE OF AN ERRATIC REAR-WHEEL SPEED SENSOR SIGNAL, AND CAUSE ABS ACTIVATION WHERE IT IS NOT NEEDED OR NEEDED ABS ACTIVATION TO BE EXTENDED DURING BRAKING AS THE VEHICLE SPEED DROPS TO ABOUT 3 MPH.

Consequence: UNEXPECTED ABS ACTIVIATION COULD INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE UP TO ABOUT 11 FEET DPENDING ON THE GRADE OF THE ROAD, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ABS CONTROLLER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

Reported: 2014-03-31 (March 31, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

Consequence: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.

Reported: 2014-04-30 (April 30, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.

Consequence: If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the ‘PARK’ position, the transmission may not be in ‘PARK.’ If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.

Reported: 2014-05-14 (May 14, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. 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; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.