This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
I was hit directly on the drivers side in the area of the driver T-boned. The air bags did not deploy. I was injured with a concussion and taken to the hospital. The car was totaled. The consumer stated his daughter was injured as well. GM informed the consumer, the impact was not sufficient to cause the air bags to deploy. Updated 09/02/14
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 40 mph attempting to avoid crashing into another vehicle, the brakes were engaged but failed to stop the vehicle. As a result, the contact crashed into the rear of the second vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. The front passenger sustained a fractured knee. A police report was filed. Neither the manufacturer nor the dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 27,000.
Multiple error messages appearing in dashboard electrical burning smell with dash computer giving out random error messages stating service airbag and service engine soon burned out my battery. Gear shift makes loud booming noise when putting in gear while driving car jolts and hesitates to shift gears. Chevrolet dealership refuses to check the car diagnostic without charging per module.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the steering wheel was extremely rough to turn. Additionally, the air bag warning light would illuminate intermittently and the battery continued to drain prematurely. The contact also stated that the rear suspension was unstable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times but the dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. The contact was traveling on the highway when the rear suspension failure recurred and the vehicle swayed violently toward the driver's side of the vehicle. The steering wheel seized and as the contact applied force to the steering wheel, the steering wheel seized and the contact crashed into a tree. The air bags only partially deployed. The driver sustained severe injuries and the jaws of life were used to remove an injured passenger from the vehicle. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 12V460000 (power train). The contact received the recall notification after the crash occurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failures several times but to no avail. The approximate failure mileage was 1,000. Updated 3/3/15 updated 07/06/2017
Stopped behind traffic and the vehicle behind me did not. Not sure how fast they were going, but fast enough to hit the rear of my car 2 times and push me into the vehicle in front of me. The problem is-- my air bags did not deploy. I am having issues with back and neck since the seat belt did not hold me in place. The drivers seat broke, but the passengers seat belt held, but no air bags.
- Knoxville, TN, USA
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Air bag light coming on intermittently. Car was taken to dealer for recall and service performed. Car continued to have intermittent service air bag message. I returned for service after warranty expired with mileage reading of 33,000. Paid $93 to have dielectric grease added to in line connector. Service air bag light now on steady almost never goes out. Mileage now near 37000. This car has always been kept in a garage.
2010 Chevrolet Malibu. Consumer writes in regards to transmission malfunction. The consumer stated a recall was issued regarding the transmission. However, she never received a letter. Also, the air bag illuminated and the dealer attempted to fix the problem twice, with no resolution. The consumer also stated the seat would move while driving. She stated there was rust on the seat track. The dealer claimed the seat was working properly.
I have several complaints about this car that I believe to be manufacturer defects. The most serious issue I found today (4/19/2014) when I smelled gas outside of my car. Upon looking underneath my car I found my gas tank leaking onto my exhaust pipe. I consider this to be a recall issue because there is absolutely no damage to the undercarriage of my car. One of the other serious issues I have found with my car include a brake light issue. My car was occasionally showing a "service traction/ ESC" error code, which could not be explained by any mechanic or even a Chevy dealership themselves. It wasn't until a friend following me pointed out that my brake lights didn't seem to be working right, did I realize I was having an issue. The brake lights do the exact opposite of what they should, but only on the occasions said error code is showing. I looked into the issue online and found this to be a common problem. Chevy has not been able to give me a solution to this problem. The third major safety issue I'd like to point out, I know from experience is not exclusive to my car. When I sit in the passenger seat of my Malibu, among every Malibu I have ever been, the passenger side airbag does not turn on. I am 26 and weigh 94lbs, so I don't know if my size is the reason I do not engage the airbag!? the final defect I had to deal with involved my driver side rim. I had a tiny little hair line crack on the inside of my rim, causing me to loose a lot of air in my tire. I consider this a manufacturer defect because my rim was not damaged in any other way shape or form. I had a hard time obtaining a new rim, because (according to everyone I called) the rim was in high demand. Please look into these issues and consider adding them to GM's current recall list. Thank you for reviewing my concerns...updated 04-23-14
The air bag service message appeared in the driver information center and the air bag service light came on. It went back off before I could get it to the dealer. Nevertheless I took it in to see what the problem was. The service department suggested I keep driving it to see if the light would come on and stay on so that they could get a code to diagnose. I asked about the previous recall to see if the manufacturer is responsible for this problem. I was told I would have to pay for any diagnosis and repairs since it was out of warranty. They did not acknowledge that this has been a historical problem for this model and that there are still issues with the air bags on this model. Since then the air bag service message continues to come on and then after a period of time, ranging from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours, goes back off. There was a recall on air bag connectors which we had completed on 5/25/2011. I am very uncomfortable driving the vehicle because the air bag service light comes on with no warning and I don't want to be in an accident and not have the air bags work.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the passenger air bag warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician stated that the air bags would potentially need to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 30,000 and the current mileage was 56,000.
My vehicle is experiencing steering problems in which it is hard to steer the wheel of the vehicle while making turns and driving. Also, the airbag light is on on the dashboard. The vehicle warning light also displays traction control.
I was travelling South on a 4 lane road that has a turn lane in the middle. My 2 right lanes were stopped so I proceeded into the turn lane to make a left turn. Just as I was about to make my left turn a car came across the stopped lanes and proceeded to pull I front of me taking off the entire front of my car. The airbags did not deploy and I hit my chest on the steering wheel causing severe pain in my chest. I am sure that my trauma would have been less severe if the airbag had deployed.
1. the service light comes on indicating service traction and/or ESC. It stays on until the engine is turned off and may stay off for some miles or some days. Then it comes on again while driving or standing at a red light. Now it comes on every day. I took it in several times, but it never stays on, therefore the service dealer doesn't find an issue. I have paid for parts to be replaced, but it has not fixed the issue. 2. service air bag light comes on and off similar to the service traction control light. I have had the airbag fixed under recall previously and now it is happening again. When I start the engine I can hear a whistling sound as I assume the airbag disengages.
Purchased vehicle at 30K miles at beginning of year and within the same year towards the end of the year upon start up the vehicle begin making a loud exhaust noise (several occassions). I took the vehicle into the dealersship on two seperate occassions and they were not able to diagnose it and gave the excuse the the older the vehicle gets the more apt it is to make noises and such. I'm a very educated young lady and I knew that statement to be just as false as two left shoes on a left and right foot and thus expressed that fact to the dealership who should be educated in the car that they are selling when it comes to body parts and likely problems. Needless to say, after hitting the 70K mileage mark the vehicle air bag light begin to come on and off and still does; furthermore vehicle upon start up of the engine would lag as if something was not catching and preventing the vehicle from starting up properly, thus I would have to hold the key turned longer than usual. I am not satisfied with this vehicle at all. At 70K miles this vehcile should still be running flawlessly as it is regularly maintained and tuned-up. Purchasing this vehicle was an epic fail. I am shocked that certain models and years have not been permanently recalled and replaced by a vehcile of owners choice from Chevrolet (needless to say I probably would not purchase another Chevy car) for the headeache we have had to endure. I have an infant and a toddler and the uncertainty of vehicle operation on any given day at any given time on a practically new vehcile needs to be the least of my concerns!
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the air bag failed and the service air bag light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times for the failure. The dealer performed a diagnostic, which located the failure at the air bag wiring harness. The dealer rerouted the wiring harness, and replaced the air bag connector twice however, the failure was not corrected. The air bag service warning light remained illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 26,256 and the approximate current mileage was 34,200. Updated 11/30/1cn
The service airbag light keeps coming on. When I took it to the dealer they said the connector under the passenger seat was corroded. This is not covered because I have to many miles on the car. After doing some research I found this is a common problem. I don:T feel miles should count when its a safety feature. If my car was 10 or 15 yrs old I might agree but its only 3 yrs old. How does a connector corrode that fast?
Service air bag light came on. Took car to dealer from which the car was purchased. Dealer said that the passenger air bag connector on the wire harness had backed out. They reconnected the terminal and it repaired the problem. Now 08/10/2013 service air bag light is back on. Now that the car is no longer under there bumper to bumper warranty chances are that they will charge me to repair the same problem. So I researched the problem online and it seems that I am not the only one with a 2010 Malibu that has this problem. To me this is a safety issue that Chevy should recall but wont. Its sad that the car only has 18,000 miles at this time and I have to take the car back for the same safety issue and pay to have it repaired. These air bags are installed on these vehicles for safety. You would think that any issue with safety that the dealer should be held accountable.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Wilmington, NC, USA