The driver seat on this car has come off the rails on right side causing it to tilt. if the seat is not moved to the lowest setting the tilts with the movement of the car. i had the seat repaired once; it failed again after about 6 months. at the same time i had the emergency brake repaired. when setting the brake, i heard a loud bang. the repair failed about 2 months ago for the second time. i am also going through new brakes on this car at an alarming rate - three brake replacements already and the car has 90,000 miles. the car is again beginning to shimmy/shudder when going down steep hills and the brakes are applied. the car seems not to slow down at all (i.e. shifting gears) when going down hill other than by the brakes - it feels like a free fall. the signals, headlights, taillights and brake lights also need frequent replacement. i typically have to replace at least one of these at each oil change and have on several occasions needed to make replacements between oil changes. i would estimate the headlights/blinkers have been replaced at least a dozen times. the rear lights have been replaced perhaps ten times. currently the third brake light is out and cannot be repaired without taking off the interior cover of the car to access the wiring - the bulb is not the problem. *tr
The driver's seat frame failed at a weld joint. the seat rocks backward to the right. dealer says entire frame must be replaced at a cost of $1200. *kb
While sitting in the driveway was adjusting the seat for me to drive then the seat dropped down and now leans to the right and rocks back and forth when going over any bumps at any speed. front weld of the driver seat broke, causing the seat to sometimes lean towards the front right. we took it to chevy, asked them to check the seat and do a state inspection. they said that they didnt know what it was and had to pull the seat out. they then told me that it would be $1,000 to repair the seat, then told me it would not pass inspection without repairing the seat. when i picked up the car, more welds had broken and the seat wobbled a lot. they told me that if i put the seat in the totally down position that it would not wobble. now i am looking online and see that there are a lot of complaints about broken welds on the seat. i hope that there will be an investigation into this issue. i believe this is a safety issue and could cause serious damage to the driver if car was in an accident. jm
Driver's side seat suddenly shifted forward and down while driving. inspection revealed broken weld on seat frame. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact stated that his drivers side seat was defective. the dealer repaired the seat previously, but the failure recurred. the current failure was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 45,000 and the current mileage was 85,000.
My 2004 malibu maxx has a broken weld of the seat component. the car is out of warranty, has approximately 55,000 miles on it, and the repair is close to $1000 as the entire seat frame has to be replaced. there are numerous complaints by others on the same car, same year, same model, same make. see http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2005/chevrolet/malibu_maxx/seats/problem.aspx. *tr
I noticed the driver seat was "rocking" to the right when i sat down. when i looked under the seat i noticed that the crossbar was broken at the weld joint on the right side of the seat. *tr
Date: 11/15/10. 2004 malibu maxx lt. while exiting a limited access highway at 25 mph, the driver's seat suddenly dropped two or three inches down and to the right, nearly causing the operator to crash into the safety barrier. once the vehicle was stopped, an inspection revealed the seat frame weld had separated. research shows this is a problem that has been reported to the nhtsa on a number of occasions without corrective action. the dealer has inspected the damage and claims this is a recurring issue. repair is over $1,000. the resulting litigation will run in the 10's of millions as the dealership notes that in a collision the seat may not stay anchored. the safety restraint is also attached to the seat, so it will be ineffective as well. investigate and issue the recall! *tr
Out of the blue one day i noticed that i could not elevate the driver's seat height on the right side. (the left side continued to work as it should.) i took it in to the chevy dealer for repair and it cost me $120.00 for them to weld the front edge of the seat frame back together. on feb 28, 2012, the same problem occurred again. my local repairman examined the seat and said the front edge of the seat frame had broken in a different spot. the cost to replace the seat (the only way to fix it) will be approximately $850 plus taxes, etc. i'm looking for a replacement at a local salvage yard but, thus far, i have been unsuccessful in locating a seat. *tr
First noticed driver seat woul lean to one side in 2005, dealer welded seat bracket to repair bracket. noticed same problem in 2007. dealer replaced bracket. noticed problem again in 2010. with warranty expired we've been driving ever since. bracket is now completely off track and will not adjust, finally decided to see what it would cost too replace. am now finding out its a common problem with this model. looks like buying a new bracket would only be a temporary fix.
Front weld of the driver seat broke, causing the seat to sometimes lean towards the front right. we took it to chevy, asked them to check the seat and do a state inspection. they said that they didn't know what it was and had to pull the seat out. they then told me that it would be $1,000 to repair the seat, then told me it would not pass inspection without repairing the seat. when i picked up the car, more welds had broken and the seat wobbled a lot. they told me that if i put the seat in the totally down position that it would not wobble. we complained to the manager, and he has agreed to call gm to see about getting an allowance to get it repaired. now i am looking online and see that there are a lot of complaints about broken welds on the seat. i hope that there will be an investigation into this issue. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. while driving approximately 10 mph over a speed bump, the front driver seat collapsed three to four inches into a tilted position. the contact adjusted the power seat to the lowest level to secure the seat and the contact was able to resume driving the vehicle with caution. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the dealer where they informed the contact that the driver seat mounting bracket was fractured. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown.
2004 chevy malibu maxx - 55k miles, driven by small woman in her 70's. crossmembers in the driver's seat frame failed, along with welds on both sides of the rear crossmember. the seat tilted significantly to the right, preventing the driver from sitting properly & safely. after failure, the seat would shift noticeably in turns, and the repair shop said in the event of an accident, it was highly unlikely the seat would remain anchored. the fact that the driver's seat belt was anchored to the seat caused further concern, as it would not stop a driver from being thrown forward in the event of an accident. cost to repair is $1000 - outrageous for what is clearly a manufacturer defect, given it is such a common problem. chevy should be recalling these vehicles or offering to repair the problem at no cost to the vehicle owner. *tr
2004 malibu maxx driver's seat weld broken making the seat rock during vehicle operation. *tr
Front drivers seat. 2004 malibu maxx. seat became 'pitched' to the right. dislodged of assembly. we took to dealership and were told that it was 'broken' and needed to be replaced.....this happened 2 times totaling 1200.00. upon research this appears to be an all to common problem with the malibu seat assembly. *tr
The support rail under my drivers seat in a 2004 chevy malibu maxx broke. the weld completely separated. *tr
Front and rear crossmembers in the driver's seat frame failed, along with welds on both sides of the rear crossmember. the seat tilted significantly to the right, interfering with the opening of the rear seat entertainment unit and placing a strain on the seat adjustment motor. after failure, the seat would shift noticeably in turns, and the repair shop said in the event of an accident, it was highly unlikely the seat would remain anchored. the fact that the driver's seat belt was anchored to the seat caused further concern, as it would not stop a driver from being thrown forward in the event of an accident. several local gm dealers said that they have no recourse and that the seat is no longer available. i had to have the seat completely stripped down and have several parts and welds replaced at a local metal shop. *tr
2004 chevrolet malibu max - the driver's seat frame has failed at the bottom resulting in the seat leaning to the right, moving around during cornering, and the seat generally being not anchored entirely to the floor of the car. the vehicle has less than 41000 miles and this failure was not due to any incident other than normal driving. currently awaiting backordered parts from the dealer at significant cost. continuing to drive car in unsafe condition. other owners report similar issues on several websites. this appears to be a manufacturers defect. *tr
My 2004 malibu maxx front power drivers seat suddenly tilted to the right causing an uncomfortable uneven drivers position. if you raise the seat it tilts more to the right & gets mostly even when all the way lowered, from reading other peoples description i believe my right front drivers seat mounting brackets weld broke. which will require a seat replacement instead of a part. hearing this is a $1,000 repair is distressing to say the least. appears there is a defective weld on this vehicle that gm should fix. thank goodness it didn't break while i was driving. *tr
My 2004 malibu - the frame to the drivers seat came unwelded so the seat tilts to the right. this caused strain on the motor that moves the seat back and forth so now that is out as well. i have seen many similar complaints online for this exact issue. i'm very surprised there has not been a recall. chevy wants $500 just for parts!!!! insane. *tr
Broken drivers side car seat frame to a 2004 chevy malibu. broken frame causes seat to rock up and down and lean to one side.this frame broke under normal use. to repair this you need to buy a new seat for one thousand dollars from a chevy dealer or you can try to weld the frame back together. the main problem is the poor design and engineering of the size of metal used to build the frame. *tr
2004 malibu maxx driver seat frame breaks under normal use. *tr
The welds on the driver seat frame break. i first noticed this in february 2010 when my seat would raise at an angle. recently i was cleaning my car and i noticed the seat belt was not attached securely. the weld holding the seat belt to the seat frame had cracked and broken free. i found a used seat and when it was delivered, this seat had the same exact problems, multiple welds on the seat frame that are cracked and broke. this frame is critical to the safety of the driver. this website shows that there are many more complaints of regarding the same defect. http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2005/chevrolet/malibu_maxx/seats/problem.aspx there are more places online talking about this very issue. my car has 55000 miles on it. i am 150lbs. these welds should not be breaking so easy, and so prematurely. *js
Power dirver seat on 2004 chevy malibu maxx broke causing the seat to lean to the right.
1. a support/adjustment bar for the driver's seat broke causing the drivers seat to suddenly drop to the right. 2. support/adjusting bar is broken and will require repair/replacement. can not adjust the seat correctly for comfortable and proper driving position. almost put the car into a guard rail in when it happened. good thing my 16 year old was not driving it at the time. 3. dealer wants $1000 for repair, no replacement part available, requires entire seat frame to be replaced at $400+. *tr
Bought a certified used 2004 malibu maxx in august 2007 with 19000 miles. currently have 68000 miles. drivers seat frame cracked. was not in any accident or any incident which could have caused the frame to crack. the driver seat is 4 way electric powered seat. *tr
Driver's seat frame broke at right front weld joint. seat then leaned to the right and moved forward and backward. this occurred under normal driving conditions at low speed. mechanic said this is a significant safety issue since during hard braking or impact the seat would not hold and would likely break entirely loose and slam the driver into the steering wheel. $850 to replace the seat frame. gm would not pay to fix this obvious design/manufacturing defect. *tr
Drivers seat frame broke at weld. seat was no longer attached to vehicle. almost caused me to have an accident. $843 to replace the frame. *tr
I was driving on the highway and all of a sudden the right side of my seat collapsed. i pulled off the road and tried the up and down switch to no avail. the right side of my seat would not raise and i have to drive in an akward position. went to the dealer and was quoted a price of $1050 which i could not afford. i am continuing to drive this way. i just recently looked on the computer and see that their are many, many compaints and i can't believe that you people, nhtsa, have not considered this a problem and issue a recall notice. is gm too big or do they offer a good spiff. terrible, terrible. because of you many people may get injured or die. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. the drivers seat frame that supports the seat was broken since 2008. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed him that it would cost him $1000 for repairs. the vehicle was never repaired. the manufacturer was never notified. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 100,000.
While making a left turn the right side of my driver power seat dropped and rocked in an unstable condition. i was unaware the problem is a common one and have attempted to have the weld repaired twice, however it would require for the seat to be totally removed and at great expense since the car is out of warranty. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. while driving approximately 60 mph, the driver's seat dropped approximately 3 to 4 inches on the right side. the contact arrived home and discovered that the bracket failed. the current mileage was 42,678 and failure mileage was 42,653. updated 09/10/08. *lj the seat frame weld broke. updated 09/12/08. *jb
Seat bracket broke while driving causing seat to suddenly drop to one side. as a result, driver nearly lost control of vehicle. inspection of the seat mount revealed two failed welds. contacted gm the next day, then brought vehicle to nearest dealer at gm's request. dealer initially reported that the problem was a clear factory defect and suggested that gm should repair it at no cost to us. after two weeks of "considering our request," gm denied the claim and suggested that we should have purchased an extended warranty. the problem has not been corrected at this time. *tr
Was driving on exit ramp on local expressway when drivers seat lurched to the left. when i got home and inspected the seat i observed that a weld had broken in the lower seat frame component associated with vertical height adjustment for power seat. *tr
Was driving when drivers seat lurched to the left. when i got home and inspected the seat i observed that a weld had broken in the lower seat frame component associated with vertical height adjustment for power seat. *tr
The drivers front seat leans to right when tilted have to keep all the way down so it doesn't wobble. the weld on the seat frame broke causing it to lean to the right and be unstable. also power steering will randomly stop working in the middle of driving. you have to shut the car off and turn it back on to get power steering back. dealer said they recalled the issue before we bought the car and it is back again same issue now its apparently not covered since they said they fixed it been happening for a few years now. *tr
The weld broke on the driver's seat mounting bracket. there was no abuse of the seat to cause this to fail. it did not cause crash or injury. the drivers seat mounting bracket was replaced. *tr
We needed the drivers seat air bag sensor re-set. after getting the car back from the service center we noticed the seat did not work properly. it would go back and forth but not up and down. the seat rocks while sitting in it. we told the service center and they said it couldn't have happened when they repaired the sensor and it would cost approx $700 to repair. it has not been repaired. *tr
I went to the dealership and traded my saturn vue for the 2004 malibu maxx. when i test drove the car, after the acceleration reached 4rpms, there was a high pitched whine from the engine closest to the tire. they looked at it and said that it was a loose belt. so i bought the car and they said to bring it the chevy dealership to get it fixed. i took it in and they said they couldn't duplicate the problem so i had to ride with them. also, my seat heaters were turning on automatically, car constintly pulls to the right, i have to turn the key over for a long time to get the car to fully start up. they couldn't duplicate any of the problems so i am still dealing with all of them. for the whining noise, they said it is a drive belt that needs to be replaced, but it is out of stock. how convienient. *jb
Driver's seat weld is broken causing seat to tilt to the right. *tr
Driver seat frame broke and severely leaned to the right. dealer fixed under warranty. march, 2008 - incident repeated - no warranty offered! *tr
What can i say i have been writing about this car for the longest. i just want to say the other complaints about the bulbs burning out, the driver's seat breaking at the weld and the seat belt light constantly coming on is an ongoing problem i'm sure gm knew about this. i have complained to deaf ears both to nhtsa and gm. the last time i made a complaint was in may 2014 to both of them about the steering. gm and nhtsa says there is nothing they can do since there was no recall. exactly 2 weeks later the ceo of gm comes out to say the malibu maxx is included in the recall! i paid to have my steering wheel replaced in 2007 because of power steering failure, the dealer said i needed the steering column replace and i did to the tune of almost $800. now a bulletin was sent out to dealers in 2005 about a key insert for any customer who came in to complain about power steering failure, but this was not given to me as a choice. they were sure i needed the steering column replaced, so i did. now that my car is included in the recall and i paid, perhaps, unnecessarily to have my steering column replaced as anyone know this defective part is part of the steering gm still does not want to reimburse me my money back. i bought the cadillac catera which was discontinued due to many recalls and because of all my complaints gm gave me $3000 toward a new gm car, which i applied to the malibu maxx. i won't put my money or given credit toward a gm again, i'm through and since nearly half of my family members are gm owners i am getting them to make their next purchase something other than american made cars. i make sure i tell everyone about my experience so they will think twice about a company who didn't want to invest 90 cents topossibly fix a problem per car. *tr
Bought 2004 malibu maxx brand new. switch in ac first to go at just under 10000 miles. 18000 miles brakes and rotors had to replace cost almost $800.00. headlights burned up replace wiring harness on both another $1000.00. replaced both head lights could not see through either of them another $385.00 check engine light kept coming on and come to find out there was not a fuse in the emission spot. replaced that another $400.00 when they found the problem. leaks in the hatch when it rains or car is being washed. check engine light on will not reset. driver seat supports are broken and everyone that i know that has this car has the same problem and no recall has been issued on this, guess when there is an accident and someone really gets hurt then something will be don. it is ashamed that you pay so much for a vehicle and this is what you go through. i am a firm believer in oil changes and general maintenance and no one from the company seems to care about problems that is fault of the manufacturing of this car and it seems that no one wants to replace what is wrong. *tr