Problems with 2008 Chevrolet Malibu ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Stereo system short circuits, and looses sound in some speakers. windows, and doors,along with the trunk get stuck and wont release 20% of the time. i see the problem being with a crash, and possible fire, the vehicle occupants not being able to escape the vehicle. the window situation has been present for several years,and the wiring or circuit issues shorted out a stereo after 2 years of ownership. *tr

Chevrolet malibu door locks / latches are failing to operate on three of four doors on the vehicle. remote lock and unlock cannot be completed due to actuator / latch failure. safety of vehicle is compromised as chevrolet malibu body control module is supposed to lock all doors as vehicle transmission is placed into drive and unlock all doors when vehilce is placed into park. however, due to apparent design / quality failure of door lock actuator / latch mechanism (as evidenced by failure on this vehicle and numerous other vehicles as reported in online owner forums http://www.chevymalibuforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7950) safety of passengers is impacted by inability to secure moving vehicle and unlock and open doors to retrieve small children when outside of vehicle. *js

Driver's door would not latch shut and door would freely open. after pulling the door shut multiple times it finally latched and i could drive. when trying to exit the vehicle the inside door handle would not open the door. i had to roll my power window down to open the door from the outside. after i got out the door would not latch when i tried to close it. after multiple attempts the door would still not latch shut and i had to physically hold the door shut the rest of the way home where it never would latch. research online indicates that there are numerous reports that the door latch/lock assemblies fail which doesn't seem safe if you can't exit the car or if it were to come unlatched while driving.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated while driving 35 mph, the check engine, dome light, door ajar sound, seat belt warning lights illuminated at the same time. the engine lost power after the above warning signals displayed. the failure recurred three times. the vehicle was taken to a dealer. the technician diagnosed that the body control module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the failure recurred with seat belt and service air bags light illuminated. the vehicle was not taken back to a dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the failure mileage was 88,845.

On numerous occasions the car will lock out and not start due to faulty anti-theft system. i have found jumping battery or disconnecting and reconnecting back will clear lock-out and allow car to start. also have had problem while driving, suddenly while driving all dashboard warning lights will begin flashing requiring emergency stopping.

While traveling down the highway with my car on cruise control going about 70mph, a car cut me off and i had to slam on my brakes to avoid a crash. in the process of braking, my knee hit a long key on my keychain and caused the key in the ignition to turn to the off position. i immediately lost all power including the ability to easily steer. luckily i was able to put on my hazards and get to the side of the rode. i then put the car in park and it was able to restart. *tr

While maintaining speeds around 35-40 mph. the engine seemed to try to cut out and lose power. the service esc service traction control light came on the dash. the engine was trying to cut out. later in the day starting out at a stop light the engine stopped completely and i was stuck in the intersection. i was able to get the car to the side of the road. it restarted after about 5 minutes. i took it to a dealership and they fixed a few things. a few days later the same thing happened again while on a side road. i could not get the car restarted again and had to get the car towed. the dealership replaced a few more parts and said it was ok. after it happened for a third time i told the dealership to keep it until they get it running properly. the car works but it still feels like the engine wants to cut out sometimes but not as bad. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic, who diagnosed that the computer chip failed. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 118, 122.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that when turning, the turn indicator switch automatically activated but failed to automatically disengage when the steering wheel returned to the normal position. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 21000.

The automatic door locks on the passenger side of my car stopped working (but occasionally start working off and on). i didn't realize this until a few days later. i feel like this is a huge safety issue knowing that at any moment a stranger could walk up to my car, at any stoplight or stop sign and be able to freely open my doors and enter my car with ease. the door locks will randomly work here and there without my knowing and this is not ok! this defect raises the probability of someone being able to get into my car freely without me ever knowing, or be able to get into my car while i'm sitting at a stoplight. i am very concerned for my safety in this matter and wish to have gm fix the issue considering the many online forums with thousands of people having the same issue on these cars at about 80000 miles. *tr

I was driving down a bridge when the vehicles in front of me came to a sudden stop, i hit my brakes and slid into the back of a dodge ram and then was rearended by a chevy tahoe. my airbags never deployed and a light flashed in the dash saying check airbags. i wasn't aware this could be a defect in my vehicle at the time, it has since be totaled. *tr

I was driving down interstate 85 and applied the brakes because the traffic had slowed and the ignition shut off causing the power steering to go out and the brakes stopped functioning. this has happens almost every single time you apply the brakes and it has been an ongoing issues since december of 2013. after almost being in 3 accidents i stopped driving the car for fear of my family's safety. this car should be a part of the gm ignition and power steering recalls but everytime i call gm/chevrolet i am given conflicting information. in one call my car is a part of the recall and the next call it is not. gm is not being fair or honest in their assessment of which vehicles need to be recalled. the car will not pass inspection because of these issues. i tried driving the car with the single key as i had heard on the news and for the 1 mile that i drove the car in that instance i had no problems but i was afraid to chance it any further. the ignition switch recall needs to be expanded to include more vehicles. *tr

My 2008 chevy malibu ltz 4 cylinder lost complete power to the power steering today while driving 10 mph. luckily i'm young and strong and was able to turn the car into a parking lot and safely exit it. i saw that this model does not have power steering fluid so now i need to contact the dealer and fix this problem as this was very scary. i saw that many many others have had this problem so a recall needs to be made. *tr

I was driving home from work at about 6 pm when my power steering went out and caused my steering wheel to turn by itself. when the steering wheel turned by itself i lost control of the vehicle and almost crashed into a stop sign and a curb in the incoming traffic lane. when i purchased the car i was so excited, it was my first car and i thought it was decent,i was wrong. since the power steering has gone out i have not drove my car i am scared to, this is a safety issue i was just lucky to have not been on the highway at the time of the incident. the power steering is all electrical, so everything has to be replaced. *tr

Everything everyone has been complaining about is wrong with my car. the alarm doesn't work. we have to manually lock the doors sometimes. brake lights comes on and off as it wants. just recently, 05/15/14 the car had been really slow at picking up. it was really hard to get the car to reach 60mph. but some days it'll pick up ok too? i hope they fix these issues sooner. really disappointed. *tr

i have a power door lock problem with my car. all door lock actuator seem to be working correctly when they get the correct voltage. at times they lock and other times just certain doors lock and the others remain unlocked i then press the lock button again and then come down about half ways but don't completely lock all the way now after the third try it acts as if its not sending enough voltage and will not work anymore until car has been ran for a minutes then it acts as if it was recharged. after the car is turned off its back to doing the same thing tried even with car still on and also loses power after a few try's.

After turning the car on while still in park, the wheel would jerk from left to right by itself. also occurred while driving at both low and high speeds. the power steering was failing without warning! it was particularly frightening at high speeds and would happen with no warning. this happened multiple times on many different occasions before the chime sounded and the words power steering appeared on my dash information. after bringing the car to the dealership they fixed it citing the problem as "code 0475 - power steering motor shorted internally, replaced power steering motor and set up new module". the total cost was $847.87. after doing further research i found out that many 2008 chevrolet malibus had been recalled for the same exact issue. in two different recall letters released by gm it was stated "2008 model year chevrolet malibu...equipped with electric power steering, may have a condition where there is a loss of power steering assist". the letter further stated "for 2008 model year vehicles, dealers will replace the power steering motor control module". which is exactly what needed to be replaced on my vehicle as per my dealership receipt. the letter said "if this condition occurs on your 2008 model year chevrolet malibu vehicle within 10 years of the date your vehicle was originally placed in service or 100,000 miles, the condition will be repaired for you at no charge". i contacted gm with my information attempting to be reimbursed. after multiple phone calls and everyone telling me my vin # was not included in the recall and there was nothing they could do i finally gave up. to add insult to injury chevrolet sent me a letter stating "please accept this letter worth up to $100 towards your next maintenance service or repair on your 2008 chevrolet malibu". i will never buy another car from gm and will spread the word about this issue. *tr

The brake light switch is faulty and corroded. the brake light does not come on when brake pedal is pressed. cruise control does not engage. this is a safety hazard as other drivers are not warned of braking. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that there was an electrical failure, which caused multiple failures with the headlights, the dimmer switch, the console lights, the brake lights, and the turn signals. the contact also stated that the front passenger side bulb failed several times and was replaced, but the failure recurred. in addition, the harness was replaced due to corrosion, but the repair failed to remedy the failure. the dealer further inspected the vehicle and found that the headlight assembly wires needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. additionally, there was a loose pin on one of the body control module connectors. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the bulbs, but the failure recurred. the dealer then replaced the body control module. in addition, the contact stated that the steering wheel shook excessively and the front passenger and driver side doors were inoperable. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where the power steering motor and both the driver and passenger side door latches were replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failures. the failure mileage was not available.

As i was driving the driver behind me told me that there was something wrong with my tail lights. i then noticed while driving that the brake lights stayed on and when i did press down on the brakes there was nothing. this poses a great problem in that i could have been rear ended due to the drivers behind be me not knowing if i was braking or not. this needs to be recalled. my family owns 3 chevy's, but i am unhappy with the problems i am having with this malibu. this may be our last chevy purchase. *tr

The brake lights come on without braking and go off when you brake. the cruise control shuts off when the brake lights come on without pushing the brake peddle. the traction control warning light on the dash comes on also when the brake lights luminates. *tr

2008 chevrolet malibu. consumer writes in regards to vehicle sudden acceleration issues. *smd the consumer stated as she attempted to accelerate, the vehicle did not move for several seconds. the engine kept revving and making a loud sound. the odometer went from 60 mph to 0 and the tachometer vacillated from two to five. suddenly, the vehicle accelerated. then the engine began revving again and the situation repeated itself. the vehicle was unable to maintain a steady speed and when it slowed down again, the consumer was nearly rear-ended. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test, which revealed the pressure control solenoid internally shorted out.

I am having similar issues as others with wiring/electrical. latest incident involved loss of ac/defrost/level controls. prior to this loss, there was a very strong burning smell coming thru the vents when the control level was set to 1-4. there were no visible sparks or fire; however, the wiring under the glove department was extremely hot. although there wasn't a fatality or visible fire other risks were involved. my family was in the car (adults & children) & we were 500 miles from home (returning from vacation). being on the road, narrowed options on identifying the root cause. the air remained off & windows were down for the remainder commute in 90 degree rainy weather. there are other issues of concern. the engine light is now on??? the same issue occurred in nov 2012 with the heater. at this time, when the wires were examined it "magically" started working. in january 2012, the door chime became very faint, the seatbelt chimes when in use, & the front door speakers do not work. in 2009, the door locks began to malfunction. sometimes they will lock sometimes they will not. i find it very disturbing that a recall has not been issued; it is very clear there is a safety hazard. i hope you take this issue seriously! *tr

Chevrolet malibu ltz 3.6l, as you drive down the street at any speed the traction control light comes on check engine light comes on and the display say check traction press esc i have had it checked at the chevy dealership where i purchased the car and the tech said the engine misfired that it was probably due to bad gas or a particle in the gas but it has happened about ten times with gas from several places and all grades regular to premium and know the check engine light has come on and am know taking the car back to the dealer to have them scan the car again i have had the car a little over a month, if the dealer decides it is no longer there problem i will report this problem and hassle i have gone through to gm management and will return the car back to the dealer or owner of dealership for a refund. *tr

Power locks not working.i believe this is a safety issue, for the reason that if in case of an emergency, you will not have exit access. *tr

Owners of chevy malibus have an issue with 2008 - 2010 power door locks that malfunction. this is a safety issue since the doors can lock and unlock at random times, and mine do not lock and unlock unless done manually, since there is only a key way to unlock the drivers door you have to crawl over the front seats to manually un lock the rear doors. please launch an investigation and order the manufacturer to recall the vehicles affected since its safety related. thank you *tr

The power door locks (their assemblies) on all doors have gone bad. this prevents the unlocking of any door from the outside and back doors from inside very difficult for people in the front seat which can trap infants or others inside. for all doors to go bad at such a low mileage and newer car is not normal. doors initially started going bad 3 years ago. other owners have the same issue and dealers appear to also know this issue is common as they check for it without request. gm should reimburse owners for previous repairs and fix any other non- functioning door locks as this is a safety issue. please note that all doors do not have keyed locks and all doors try to automatically lock when vehicle is placed in gear. *tr

The check engine light displays constantly. the fuel gauge will randomly drop down to low/empty even though there is a full tank of gas. also at random, the tire pressure system light and airbag safety light will randomly display on the car's dash board. there are 49 other similar complaints on repairpal.com http://repairpal.com/the-fuel-gauge-may-not-read-correctly-andor-check-engine-light-with-code-p0455p0461-730. *tr

Rear doors will not lock when put in gear or at highway speeds or unlock when put in park. only will lock or unlock manually. the dealer told me that there is no recall on this problem. the rear lock solenoids go bad. and that they have been selling and installing a lot of them. the solenoids are part of the rear door latch. i paid for two new solenoids and installed them .problem fixed. the parts number has been updated four times? i feel gm should have repaired this at no charge. why is this not a safety problem ? *tr

Three of my car doors do not lock unless manually locked. the electronics have failed on all three doors. i have to replace the motor in each door, at the cost of over $750. the cost is not the only problem. the motors that failed in each door will be replaced by the same faulty part. i can't believe it costs $300 to fix one door's locks alone. the drivers lock had greater problems than the others because sometimes it locks me in the car because it shifts the lock a little and the door gets jammed. this should be recalled. i filed a complaint with gm. *tr

The door locks do not work. how is this not a safety problem? sometimes the door locks work sometimes they don't. i have a newborn that rides in the backseat. if the doorlocks don't work, the only way to unlock the back door is to either roll down the rear window or crawl into the back seat from the front. if i had to get my child out of the car in an emergency, i don't know how i would do that without working door locks. i have researched this problem online and it appears this is a common problem with this car. *tr

The brake lights, including the third brake light, were observed on during normal operation, when the brakes were not being applied. this gives a false indication of intended operation. *tr

Automatic door lock failed to open when transmission was put in park. the only way to open the door was to pull up on lock knob which was almost impossible due to limited mobility (arthritis in shoulder). needed to remove seat belt, slide over and sit on console to reach lock knob. automatic locks still engage when car is put in drive but will not open when put back in park. i can not easily or quickly exit the car with this failure. gm says not a safety issue since automatic locks are only a convenience and older cars were not equipped with automatic locks. however, on older cars the door would unlock when the door handle was pulled. on the malibu pulling up on the lock knob is the only way to exit the car. cost to have dealer repair $300. an internet search reveals automatic door lock failures are very common. *tr

Whilst driving home one night i noticed that my brake lights were on, however i was not applying the brakes. i then pressed the brake pedal and the brake lights turned off. once i let go of the brake they came back on after a few seconds. at the same time, i received an error that read along the lines of: esc service traction. my husband and i found a forum where other malibu owners seemed to be having the same issue, so we removed the panel on the passenger side floor to check for any corrosion, then replaced the panel. the problem stopped, however this issue is re-occurring, and has occurred several other times since then. i always receive the same esc service traction error each time this happens and i am not able to use cruise control as the brake lights are being engaged without the pedal being pressed. *tr

The driver's side rear door lock no longer works when using the power lock button. it must be actuated manually- by manually lifting the knob up. the main problem is the knob is located to the rear of the door and is not accessible unless you are in the back seat- the knob cannot be raised from the front seat area of the vehicle in order to unlock the door to help occupants exit the vehicle, especially in case of emergency. the lock pull knob is located in a poor position. *tr

Tl* the contact owned a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving approximately 35 mph, the door lock switch operated independently without warning. after parking, the vehicle caught fire under the hood. the contact sustained a back injury attempting to put the fire out that did not require medical attention. a fire report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 89,000.

On several occasion i have notice that my brake lights come on without me even pressing the brakes. it also lights up and when i press the brakes it goes off. i have spoken with other malibu owner and they complain of this same brake failure. it is very frustrating and not safe. *tr

Recall: 14118 and 13036 due to these recalls i drive around holding on to the steering wheel so not to loose controll into another car or run off the road. my electrical system is faulty all the time. i am preventing this car from crashing while driving with family and friends. i have called the local gm dealer ship who in turn will not call me back regarding the recall parts. i have been driving like this for 2 years and have already put an extra over $900 in this car. i am telling you this so to have it documenting for feal of getting killed while driving. i have no other choice to drive this car.please help. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

All the dash board lights coming on and off then car would not start all the computers burnt out don't see how 1,400 dollars later she got it back some things don't work as they did.they said she did something to it. she's a 78 year old woman she can't even check oil. so u tale me what happen it. i think there was a problem and blamed it on her , i had to pay the bill she could not. this car dose not steer rite. this car steers from side to side never in the center. an when the wind blows its 5 times worse. they say its fine.it's a hard car drive u have to work the steer the car turn signals keep breaking.been this way since she bought it. *tr

Turn signal arm does not stay in place when signaling to turn. also the turn signal arm when it does stay in place it will not return to normal position/turn off signal by itself after making a turn. when turning the steering wheel it makes popping noises. door locks on all doors stay either in the "lock" or "unlock" position at all times. one of the rear passenger door lock has been replaced at the dealership for $300.00 and the door lock still fails. the only way to unlock the passenger doors is to do it manually and climb over the seats. the driver door has to be unlocked with the key and manually locked when exiting the vehicle. *tr

Brake lights come on without me pressing down the brake pedal. *tr

Key fob does not unlock or lock the front and back doors on the drivers side. if someone is in the back seat the driver can not get them out as the door lock will not open with the fob. when the car is put in drive the drivers door does not lock, so it is assummed that you are safely locked in the car, but the door needs to be locked manually after in the car is put in drive. when locked manually when in car, when the car is turned off the door will not open automatically and has to be manually opened by pulling the lock on door up on the driver door and the back passenger door. when trying to use the remote to lock the doors, the front and back doors do not lock unless done manually. when the fob is used to unlock the doors as i try to get into the car the fob does not work and i have to manually with the key unlock the door. when trying to remote start the car the remote start does not work, as the driver side door and back door will not lock, so remote start does not work. i had an incident with the back door when i needed to get an individual out of the back seat quickly and it was not possible. i had to run to the other side of the car and get the individual out by pulling them to the other side of the car. when i am approaching my car in an area that i feel unsafe in, such as a garage, i am not able to open my car door with the fob and have to again use the key. again then when i get in the car i am unsafe as the door does not lock, front or back if not locked manually. i feel very strongly that this is a safety issue, especially not being able to get someone out of the back seat or me out of the front should i encounter an emergency situation, or if i am in an accident, or if for any reason i have a fire in the car. *tr

I was driving, the car just stopped and turned off, i could not switch gears or take my key out of the ignition. car had to be towed and i paid $470.00 to gave the ignition switch replaced, *tr

Steering shakes violently,while driving or stopped,to the point of losing control. condition is intermitent. vehicle has been checked by dealer and diagnosed as needing a steering control module. so far chevrolet has not offered a fix ,except to replace it at a cost of 743 .00$ with the same part that is defective? engine light came on at 70000 miles and dealer replaced cat conv at no charge . the third issue is door locks stopped working at 74000 miles,and will only open manually. the steering is a very dangerous condition and i fear will cause a accident. *tr

Remote lock would not work on driver's door. *js

The right rear door lock no longer functions properly, and must be manually locked or unlocked. all doors in the vehicle are supposed to, and assumed to be, locked while the vehicle is in drive and when the lock is hit. having a door that does not function as it is assumed that it will presents a potential safety issue through vandalism/thieves or in the event of an emergency as the result of an accident. looking through the existing list of complaints here and also on model specific forums, this issue is without a doubt a widespread one that needs to be addressed by gm, considering the number of cars it affects not only for the malibu model, but also other vehicles that they sell. *tr

I have a 2008 chevrolet malibu 2lt with 111,000 km on it. i have been noticing a few things since i purchased this from brand new. overall my car has been ok with getting me from place a to place b. the issues i have had that are pretty serious flaws are the power steering column, the alignment, the automatic power transmission, and the door locks. i have been able to get by however recently i had to get the steering column replaced under a special warranty policy. i had to "kick and scream" however in the end the part was installed. that would have cost me about 900 dollars if it was not covered. now i am having an issue with the "check engine light" indicator. this came on for the first time yesterday and when i called to get a diagnostic i was told that there is an issue with the power transmission. it seems after looking on-line that there are a lot of people with the same care as mine having issues with the transmission. now i am getting nervous since i just paid 13,000 to buy out my lease. i have called gm customer service and they told me that they will work with me and the dealership to get this fixed. before i go to the dealership i want to have all my documentation that indicates that this is a special policy issue and not something that i have to pay for out of my own wallet. i have put about 38,000 into the purchase of this car and do not have any more room to dump tons of money to getting this fixed especially when other gm customers have paid out of their own pocket to realize a few weeks later that there is another issue on the transmission that needs fixing. i am going to do everything in my power to have this covered by gm. i have been a proud gm owner all my driving life and want to make this right. i dread needing to fix the car and selling it. that is not an option for me at this time. any help would be greatly appreciated. *tr

The power door locks do not work on 3 of the four doors. the doors do not automatically lock when car put into drive. you are unable to unlock drivers door or rear doors with drivers automatic controls or the key fob. have to lift the door lock manually from inside the car. the only way to unlock the rear doors is by climbing into the back seats. a safety hazard when young children are in the rear seats and you need to get them out of the car quickly!! had to have the door locks replaced on the three doors which cost $750.00. *tr

Passenger doors will not lock (or unlock ) with the remote or manual push button switch on drivers arm rest. the only way to lock (or unlock) rear doors is crawl over front seats to manually pull up lever on back side of door. or.......use the electric windows and lower rear windows to reach in from outside......which anyone that lives in a cold climate knows you don't lower an electric window in cold weather.....have been to the dealer numerous times and they refuse to cover anything.....what if i have my grandson strapped in a car seat in the back seat and an emergency arises ? how do i "quickly" get him out??? this is a very common situation with the chev. malibus. plus there are numerous issues with the front end and steering components. *tr

Electrical problems starting with the front speakers on drivers/passengers door work then stop, the door locks dis-engage at normal driving speeds, the door chime does not work normally in the morning, i hear dinging coming from the car when i manually push the lock button to engage the locks. what is weird is in the morning the speakers do not work, but as you blast the volume about fifty times while pressing on the break it seems to make all things work again. """ piece of junk"""" this is proof that 17 percent of gm cars at built in china. i will buy a donkey next time, at least all i need is some feed....... get rid of your gm's ....... *tr