Problems with 2008 Chevrolet Malibu ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The power door locks stopped working on all but the rear, right passenger door. this is a huge safety concern when it involves young children riding in the back seat, or elderly who find it difficult to manually unlock the door. i don't know how many complaints it takes to trigger a recall, but there appears to be several hundred already on file. please realize that this is a very serious issue.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving various speeds, the anti-theft alarm was activated independently and the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that after the vehicle was parked and restarted, the vehicle failed to operate. in addition, the security lock warning light illuminated intermittently. the failure recurred three times. the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the safety system needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown. the vin was not provided.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the engine stalled without warning while driving 40 mph. the contact lost control of the vehicle, drove into a ditch, and stopped in an embankment. the front driver side air bag deployed and the gas inside caused the contact to contract pneumonia. the contact suffered chest pains that required medical attention. the vehicle was towed to storage. a police report was filed. the vin was not available. the contact stated that nhtsa campaign number: 14e021000 (electrical system) was received over one year ago; however, the repair was not performed. the manufacturer was not notified. the vin was unknown. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

Brake lights would be on when not applying brakes and brakes lights would not come on when applying brakes - esc and service traction indicators remained on. on the way to have this problem repair for the 3rd time, the engine loss power while i was driving approx 75mph on an extremely busy interstate. one of the scariest moments of my entire life. pulled over, put the car in park & then is shutoff. the engine light came on at the same time as the reduced engine power warning. after waiting awhile, i restarted the car and was able to get to the dealership. service tech said the brake lights worked find - he had no evidence that they were staying on. he said the esc & traction was related to the reduced engine power & i needed to have the throttle body replaced - $550. had the throttle body replaced and driving home-approx 30 mins later-the car starts doing weird idle things. in park the rpm hand flucuated between 1.5-2 and then out of nowhere 3.0-in park, not applying gas or brakes. i had to apply brakes and put the car in gear to make it stop. when i released the brakes at the stoplight-not applying gas-car accelerated to 20 mph on it's own. called dealership back-they implied it was my fault for leaving the lot if something was wrong. the only thing that the car did before leaving dealership was for approx 5 secs it was a tad be louder than normal when i started the engine. the other problems did not present until after i was several miles away (interstate) and more so when i was off the interstate where there was more slowing, stopping, etc. i parked after my concern increased. turned the car and then restarted after a period-that is when it idled up to 3.0 rpms in park-people walking by looked at me strange as if i was sitting in the parked car just pressing the gas-not. i am just as terrified to drive the car tonight as i was before it was repaired earlier today.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving in a parking lot, the steering wheel locked without warning while turning. the contact had to apply extreme pressure to the brake pedal and the steering wheel. the contact was not notified, but the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v153000 (steering). the vehicle was not diagnosed or remedied. the vehicle was also included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 12v460000 (power train) and 14v252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control). the contact did not receive notification of those two recall repairs and had to call the manufacturer to be referred to a dealer to schedule the repairs. the failure mileage was 150,000. parts distribution disconnect.

Takata recall: hello my name is [xxx] i am constantly having problem with my chevy malibu 2008. my car shut off while still in drive on my way home on the street and then my gear shifted to park while again the car is in drive. i have bad electrical problems that i gotten fixed and it still acting up but what's is important is that my car is not driving and i cant start it at all. yes i got a new starter and its still responding the same. these problems been ongoing since i purchased it almost 3 years ago. can you please contact me and help me. thank you. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

When the car was started the information panal was not reading, it consisted of mostly dashes. the car was running much louder than normal and the check engine light came on. it started saying service traction and engine power loss. i placed the car in drive, the interior lights started flashing and locks went up and down rapidly. i shut the car off and re started it, attempted to see if it would drive but it had no power, could only reverse and there seemed to be no power steering. the next day i started the car again, this time no immediate issue until i pulled out on to the street. the steering wheel was tight, and the car failed to accelerate. loss of engine power was on the dash, engine and traction lights remained on. restarted the car and i was able to park again. the car remains at the dealer after being towed a week ago, and they are unsure of the cause. this is extremely dangerous, especially if it were to happen on the highway i would not have had any control of the car and most definitely would have caused an accident.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle's locks functioned independently while idling and driving. the check air bag, check power module, and service tire monitoring system warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. the failure mileage was 80,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving 30 mph, the contact was notified that the brake lights failed to illuminate when the brake pedal was depressed. in addition, the brake light illuminated without the brake pedal being depressed. the vehicle was taken to a dealer who repaired the vehicle under nhtsa campaign number: 14v252000 ( electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control); however, the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the bcm module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 110,000.

My gas tank started leaking for no reason (no wear and tear-every mechanic said that is almost unheard of), my power windows and lock stopped working 2 years after purchase and was told that i had to pay almost $300 to fix each motor for the door locks and windows, the service airbag light has been on for more than a year, my ac also have issues; the sensor and thermostat has been changed 6 times within the last 4 years. i am sick of all of these issues and have no assistance with it. no matter how many times i called the local dealerships here, coincidentally, my warranty was up on every issue i faced. gm has really taken a lot of money out of my pockets. i was informed of the power steering issue and was told my vehicle would be in the shop for 1 day, which turned into 5 days, and i was denied to be reimbursed for the rental fees, which were almost $600. someone needs to do something about these issues, because my car is extremely unsafe for myself and 3 children. the windows will not go up or down at times, whether the vehicle is parked or not. the ac is the same issue, the parts will go out whether i am driving it or not. the gas leak issue is awful, because the car wreaks of gas, and my car burns gas whether it is powered on or not. the door locks have not worked since the end of 2010 and we have to manually lock and unlock. the issues with my car are there 24/7, and happens if the car is in motion or not. although, the issues i have been having have been going on for a while, except the gas leak issue which is recently, i have no choice but put the start as today's present date, because each issue started at different times and continue to cause issues, even after many attempts to repair with some issues.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle stopped accelerating without warning. the contact depressed the accelerator pedal with no response. the vehicle was pulled to the side of the road. the contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure recurred. the vehicle was towed to the dealer but not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 60,000.

When i drive the car it drives fine. in the morning when i try to leave at 7 or 8 it refuses to turn on until it is warm i guess. there's definitely an electrical issue i've only had the cat for 2 months and when it does start it says power steering and service esc. sometimes i can't even drive over 20. it's definitely an issue that needs recalled.

Started as passenger door sometimes wouldn't unlock with remotes or by either door passenger or drivers door lock control. gradually door wouldn't lock or unlock other than manually. then the same happened with passenger bk door, drivers bk door, then driver door. now only entry is with the key.it doesn't matter if car is running or not. this is a inconvient problem as much as a personal safety issue. my husband is disabled and must wait in rain/snow/cold/heat until i unlock drivers door with key and slide across to manually unlock passenger door. as far as a personal safety issue, doors must sometimes when motor is turned off the back doors will unlock but they don't lock again when car is restarted. i don't like driving with doors unlocked so i have to get into back seat to reach the passenger door to lock it before driving (a safety issue). also, if i have other passengers i have to get into back to open the door for them. this began about 2 yrs ago and progressed to the current problem about a yr ago. it could be as simple as a bad sensor i suppose but i have talked to other malibu owners and they have the same issues. this is a problem, especially for senior or handicapped drivers.

Electrical and module problems safety hazards with traction control. tc on when it should not be. fuel system problems. car powers off during driving. gm refused repair without charging 120 to look at. had to disconnect fuses and had to pull actuators pressure. sensors fuel and electrical. door latches going up and down even when car is off. cannot drive highway. gm refused vehicle from repair or compensation.

I brought a 2008 chev malibu ls that had a lot of problems and the dealer refuse to give me my money back the came with a warranty but the warranty didn't cover the thing that need it to be fix the car had a bad catalyst covert and electrical problems the car has been hit all around i bought the car from e&s auto sales in south hackensack new jersey don't know elias it's nothing but the crook refuse to give my money back and give this to a lot of other people and he needs to be stopped i contacted the better business bureau consumer affairs and new jersey dmv

The anti theft system in my car is going off resulting in my car not being able to start. i have to wait 10 minutes and then my car will start and i know eventually it will not start or something worse. this has been an ongoing issue for a lot of people and i am personally terrified to drive my car now. what would happen if my car stalls in the middle of the road or even worse, the highway and it does not start back up? right there would be a situation for a possible rear end collision and at whose fault? this should be a recall for how many times i am seeing the issue. it is not something i can shovel $300+ dollars out for this problem that is clearly gm's issue. please consider making it a recall.

I am a owner of a 08 chevy malibu lt 2.4 liter. when i first got the car from the dealer (used) for about two years it was running fine with just little maintenance. when the third year comes around i start having problems with the traction control and engine reduce power light. i've looked up fixes for these problems and i'm currently invested over 5,000 on fixing this problem and it's still not fixed the dealer didn't fix it other auto shops couldn't fix it and it the engine reduce power light on the car sometimes n shuts off where it sits (like in busy traffic). i have a [xxx] son and i dont trust putting him in my car because of this problem of stalling out and not being able to start back up. my car is a daily driver so it cuts off in traffic, when stopped at redlights, takes about 2 to 3 minutes to get it started and idling properly. i fear that one day i wont be able to start my car back up and get into a crash if it stops in the middle of traffic again. this is the most unsafe car i have owned. *tr parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Doesn't matter if the car is running or turned off - all door locks keep locking and unlocking. very annoying. had to remove fuse from under the dashboard to make it stop. now none of my automatic locks will work without the fuse.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the door locks on the vehicle failed. the failure occurred intermittently. in addition, the contact stated that the security system failed. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 72,000.

While stopped at a red light, my 16 year old son was at a stop light and a person began to enter the passenger side of his 2008 malibu due to the electric locks going up and down on their own randomly. he was able to run a red light and drive away in order to escape. this incident happened in a high crime city. *tr

While on my way to work, suddenly my traction light and service engine light came on and the reduced power notification came on moments later, the car slowed to about 10-20 mph(like it almost died but still running) and the car was shaking. i could not accelerate, i coasted into a parking lot and it was idling rough. i shut it off, waited a few moments and started it like nothing happened. i was scared and just wanted to get home and borrow another car to get to work. i was less than a mile away from home, and managed to get it home. while returning home it did the same thing but, it added a new code disabled engine. i have read these forums, and i don't have extra money to waist on replacing parts that do not fix the problem. it seems to be a common issue with gm, i don't want to be giving the run around with bs reason, i want to fix my car. *tr

Automatic remote began to malfunction; replaced batteries. failed. brought to dealer and they took apart the door $350.00 and no repair. stated they needed to take apart the dashboard and pull up rugs to find where the electrical problem was. another $700.00 and i didn't have it fixed. problem has worsened as it was at first the driver's side only; now affecting all locks. i have to lock it manually and it's difficult being disabled to reach back and lock or unlock the back doors. cannot afford repair. now the directional lights are problematic. i have to manually shut off the directionals as they stick. very disappointed as i am the only one that drives my car and it only has 38,800 miles on it and just made my last car payment.

1.after the engine is turned on and the gear is shifted to reverse and the car starts to move, the warning lights come on. either it says "service air bags" or low tire pressure light comes on. when i switch off the ignition and restart the engine the warning lights goes off and does not come back and i am fine. this happens almost every day. many times the turn signal does not sound the audio. it blinks quietly. when i switch off the auto headlight by twisting the lever towards me it does not give the chime. 2.when i turn on the ignition and start the engine i hear a noise from the speedometer when the needles are moving freely to the full and returning to zero and settling. *tr

2008 chevrolet malibu. consumer states he received 2 recall notices and has been experiencing problems with his vehicle that are outlined in the recall notice. *tgw

2008 chevrolet malibu. consumer writes in regards to gm recall #13036 and repair reimbursement. * ld

Dash lights and parking lights just quit working. took to mechanic and they found out the bcm needed to be replaced. *tr

Just bought this vehicle used from the dealer. the keypad didn't work, so we tried locking it by the switch on the door... still didn't work. 3 of the doors will lock when the car is put in drive. 3 (most of the time) will unlock when the car is manually unlocked in the driver door by the key. one of the doors only works by manually pushing down or pulling up on the lock no matter what. to get in the car when the doors decide not to unlock, i have to either have one kid climb in to unlock them or roll the back windows down so they can reach in to unlock them. this is a safety issue. i have two kids that could be trapped in the car if we were to have an accident and the doors will not unlock by the button or keypad. for the car to be this new, it should not have this issue. the car also has something wrong with the fuel sensor. on highways (continuous driving) you can watch the gas measurement slowly go down. an example, a 1 hour and 40 minute trip leaving on a full tank took the gas down to below half a tank. but when the vehicle is stopped or back in the city, the gas level will rise back up toright below or right above 3\4 tank. it was below a half tank on the highway and when we filled up before leaving back out it only took $10 to get it back on full. also another issue that should not be occurring in a newer vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact received recall notifications for nhtsa campaign number: 12v460000 (power train), nhtsa campaign number: 14v252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control), and nhtsa campaign number: 14v153000 (steering). the parts needed to repair the vehicle were unavailable. the manufacturer was not notified. the contact had not experienced a failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving approximately 10 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and the check engine and abs warning lights illuminated. in addition, the contact stated that when the front driver seat was adjusted, all of the warning lights on the instrument panel illuminated. while at a traffic stop, the brake was applied but the vehicle accelerated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. the failure mileage was 124,169.

I purchased a 2008 chevy malibu one year ago and has had steering and electrical problems after 2 months of ownership. the biggest problem is the power steering and lack of control. when the car is in park or driving, the steering wheel shakes and makes loud noises. when i'm driving, the wheel will jerk left and right and feel "stuck" in certain positions. i am terrified to drive the car because the wheel will turn and stick at any given moment... it has turned and stuck going into oncoming traffic on the street and highway. there is also issues with the car door locks going up and down, and i have replaced the headlight bulb twice within a year. i noticed the turning light/blinker going fast and slow and a couple of times the car speakers have gone in and out. my dealership has sent me around in circles with no care if this gets resolved. i contacted gm and i have a case number but no one has given me a resolution or even suggested help by gm or my dealership. *tr

The door locks will not work at times... the door locks lock and unlock all the time. while driving and sitting in park. *tr

While driving the door locks started locking/unlocking. speed did not affect the frequency of roughly every 30 seconds for 5 minutes then stopped. heard alarm chime no warning lights or information on the display. car continues to lock/unlock while driving and while in park. also happens while the car is parked an keys out of ignition?? has continued now over week. *tr

Only 3 of 4 power locks work, i have had this issue twice since owning the vehicle, the first time while it was still under warranty and was able to have it repaired, the second while no longer under warranty and cannot afford the repair. i experienced the effects of the body control module recall issues while on a road trip traveling at 65 mph when my cruise control disengaged and my brake lights would not stay off or on. i've paid to have this repaired and i am now awaiting the "official" recall notice from chevrolet, despite having received the interim notice and already having had to have the vehicle repaired, in order to obtain a refund of the nearly $600 repair. now, i'm waiting to get in to the dealer for the electronic power steering recall repairs and i've begun to experience issues with the ignition switch and key mechanism. intermittently the vehicle will turn everything on, but not turn over or start the engine. the battery is new and this only happens sporadically. also, with the same intermittent the key becomes stuck in the ignition / key mechanism on the steering column and it will not come out without significant wiggling and forceful pulling. i've also had to have the exhaust converter, manifold and gaskets replaced, a nearly $800 repair. not to mention an earlier recall in 2012 dealing with the same transmission cables that i now see are being recalled once again via your site, however i've not seen a notice from chevrolet. *tr

While driving on the 101 a 5 lane hwy, we were in the hov lane. the car completely stalled, we had all electrical on the dash light radio worked but the car wouldn't start back up. previous occasions it has stalled , this is the 5 or 6th time! i take it in to service and they say its one thing and other week goes by and it does it again. *tr

Pulling out of my parking space my steering wheel got stiff. i put car in park restarted car and it loosened up but as i started to drive it the power steering light came on and now my steering wheel is starting to shake and my engine light is on. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact received recall notices for nhtsa campaign numbers: 12v460000 (power train), 14v153000 (steering), and 14v252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control). the parts needed for the repairs were unavailable and the dealer could not provide an estimated date of arrival. the manufacturer was notified. the contact had not experienced a failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer on two different occasions who stated that the fuel pump and starter relay needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 113,313.

Regular headlights do not work. they were going off then on for at least 3 weeks. shutting off on the freeway 3 times. forcing me to use my high beams. please review your recall to include my 2008 also. tire sensor problems since i got the car. 3 years ago. *tr

Driving on the freeway, tried to switch lanes and vehicle's traction went out of control, making the vehicle had unstable, tried to controlled the car, but there were other vehicles driving next to the car which resulted in a multiple car crash, had recently received a recall letter from gm stating that the car had that problem but they did not have the parts available, they were going to contact me as soon as the parts were available but up to today i have not heard anything from general motors. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 14v252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control); however, the parts needed for the repairs were unavailable. the manufacturer was made aware of the delay. the contact had not experienced a failure.

I put my children i the car as i always do the car doors lock when put in drive. all of a sudden the unlocked and would not lock back. since then they have failed to work. this is a huge safety issue for those with children. the fuses and relays are all good on the car im assuming it is the actuator. would definitely like to see a recall on these locks for the safety of our children and others riding in these same conditions due to faulty locks. *tr

When vehicle was placed in park, the auto unlock feature activated unlocking the doors, but i could not remove keys from ignition, (ignition was in off position). i attempted to restart car and key would not turn to the start position, after several attempts to start, ignition finally moved to start position. now the auto locks are constantly trying to unlock even when locks are in unlock position. this happens with vehicle running in park and not running in park with no keys in ignition and moving down road. warning chime constantly dinging but no message or indicator light is displayed. removed fuse for power locks problem with locks stops (well sure it does, no power to locks) but the warning chime still is activated but no idiot light on or message displayed. very frustrating with this junk gm product. *tr

Power door locks will not work they make the noise and click but do not take action to lock or unlock.this is very inconvenient having kids and having to reach all throughout the car to lock or unlock doors . please fix this issue. *tr

The door lock actuators have failed in the front drivers side door and the rear passenger side door. the door locks do not operate or only operate intermittently when using the electronic door lock/unlock feature on either the key fob or the door switch. the door locks also do not operate when the vehicle is shifted into or out of park, potentially leaving the doors either unlocked while the vehicle is operating or locked after the vehicle is shifted into park. the biggest concern with the locks is in the placement of the manual pull on the rear doors. i have 2 small children in child seats that have been temporarily locked in the vehicle when the rear doors fail to unlock. the rear door lock pull is located near the "c" pillar of the vehicle instead of a more conventional "b" pillar location, making manual access to the door lock pull impossible from the passenger side of the vehicle. if the passenger in incapable of unlocking the door themselves (such as in the case of small children or the disabled) another person has to either climb over the front seats or across the rear seat from the drivers side to access the passenger and/or door lock pull to unlock the door. i feel that this is a safety hazard for certain vehicle occupants as well as for the vehicle operator, who may believe that the vehicles doors are in a locked position while the vehicle is in motion, when in fact, they may not be.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the key failed to turn. on numerous occasions, the contact had to make multiple attempts to start the vehicle. the dealer stated that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 137,000. updated 09/15/14*lj

My wife and i were traveling on interstate 40 going around 75-80 mph when the cruise control disabled by itself. i could not get it to engage and noticed the tail lights were illuminated. the only way they would go off was to apply a little pressure to the brake pedal. the cruise control will still not work and the brake lights are staying illuminated. also when braking at high speeds the entire car occasionally shakes and does not brake properly. i have been fortunate enough that i have not needed to apply the brakes in such a manner to avoid an accident. *tr

the vehicle transmission- car is moving when not supposed to or car gets stuck in place awhile shifting gears. car drives sluggish not shifting to the proper gear. light bulb- lights go out and come back on at later dates. electrical-radio speakers go in and out locks don't operate neither dies alarm. *tr

Turn signal isn't operating correctly, it no longer cuts off automatically, three of my four door latches aren't working--don't respond to key fob (the one that works), have to lock all three doors manually. check engine light comes on after filling up car and has been on for about 7 months with no one at the dealership knowing why. also have a problem with water settling in my car every time it rains. key fobs both went out also but only one is now working at 75%. all of these problems have been going on since i first got the car with the dealership either pretending as if i did it or that they do not have enough staff to correct the problem. i know this was only done because i am a female and the car was under warranty. i am so disappointed!!! i bought this car brand new with only 100 miles on it and it seems as if gm wants their dealerships to do this. i know so many people with the same problems from the same parent manufacturer (tahoe, enclave, impala, malibus) this car seems to have a lot of minor/major problems that all rear their ugly heads at various times of ownership..thinking about getting rid of it even though it was my dream car and almost paid for!!!! gm needs to get on the ball!!! *tr

This has happened twice in the last 2 months. when i turn off ignition, my key will get stuck and will not come out without jerking the steering wheel around. *tr