Takata recall my 2004 malibu does not have working cruise control , my wiring is barely working as in my locks won't work , my heat we only blows cold air on defrost my defrost barely clears my windows , my t\c light is the only light that stays on all the time and i barely have traction while driving if i'm trying to accelerate getting on the highway my wheel will lock or barely move and i have to let completely off the gas to free the wheel i get any alerts on my speedometer. *tr
Front drivers power seat frame weld broke right side causing the seat to drop and wobble. not safe with a seat not properly attached to seat track
Had been noticing progressively worsening sag in seat over past week. got in car this evening and felt seat kind of pop. seat now sags to back and to right. found broken bracket on right front of driver seat frame; partly broken weld and partly "ripped" metal.
Power drivers seat frame weld broke causing the seat to wobble and not attached to mounts. crash would not be safe because seat could separate. a real safety issue that needs a recall. seat broke lose entering car
Side of the seat frame is broken. happened while car was in motion.
The front driver electric seat sags to down and to the right. bar across the bottom of front seat near motor as broken right near the weld.right before where it bolts down. car was purchased and they this issue was found.
Noticed driver seat was tilted to the right when sitting on it recently. inspected underneath and saw a weld that looks broken. broken metal bar (image attached). looked online and see many others have complained. http://www.automotiveforums.com/t919217-discuss2004_chevy_malibu_maxx_broken_power_seat.html http://www.carcomplaints.com/chevrolet/malibu_maxx/2004/accessories-interior/seats-4.shtml dealer says it will cost about $1000 but this seems like a safety issue if i'm in a crash and the seat is not properly fastened to the car.
The driver's seat is broken and dips down in front and to the right. it's like a bracket under the seat is broken. it's dangerous because every time i lean forward, my seat drops down in the front which could affect my driving. i have read online that there are many malibus with the same exact issue. *tr
Driver's seat rail broke. seat tilts towards console, not allowing proper seat positioning and rocks back and forth.
Underneath the front seat where a small pipe connecting the seat to the rails broke off at the weld. this made the driver seat to lean to the right and moves from side to side while driving. it's very unstable! it will be a cause of death or injury since the seat belt is part of the system. upon closer look, it appears the job was not done properly. poor welding and poor workmanship is very obvious upon inspection. a quick search in the internet shows it's a common problem on chevy malibu. this needs to be recalled as it poses danger to the driving public.
While driving i5 north i adjusted my electronic front seat for more comfort, and when i did i found the seat moving closer to the dash board, i couldn't stop it or reverse it so i frantically went from the fast lane to the shoulder of the road almost crashing into someone. when i stopped i found myself almost trapped between the steering wheel and the seat my legs were almost jammed into the underside of the dash board and the electronic seat non responsive. what i found out was that the switch had come off the control knobs and when that happens the seat went all the way forward and you have no control over it. somebody should look into this matter. there is no recalls for this but there should be.
I sat down in the vehicle and found that the drivers seat was leaning. i looked on line to see if i could fix it myself. i found a lot of complaints that the welds break and this is a common problem with these vehicles. i contacted chevrolet and they told me i had to have the vehicle checked by a chevy dealer. i brought the vehicle in and they told me that the seat welds did break. i am not an overly heavy person, so i thought that even though the vehicle was older, that this is a design problem, and not an age or neglect problem by the owner. chevrolet told me that since the car was too old, i was responsible for getting it fixed. this is a safety issue, as if i get in an accident with the vehicle, the fact that the seat belt is attached to the seat, and the seat is not secured, i can be hurt badly. if i were the only person with the problem, i could see why i should fix it. since this is a known problem with these vehicles, it appears that it is a design flaw, and poor quality workmanship from chevrolet. i have attached the web site that i saw the complaints on. it is: http://www.carcomplaints.com/chevrolet/malibu/2004/accessories-interior/seats.shtml. some of those complaints state that they filed complaints with you. please check on this as this is a very serious problem and could cause lives lost. i would appreciate a reply to tell me how i go about getting this problem resolved. thank you *tr
Driver seat rail broke... i barley move the seat.. i'm 5'3" and my daughter is 5'2" she just started driving and tried to move the seat up just a little then we heard a loud screeching sound the seat did move up, but it was slow.. that's when i check to see what was wrong and the rail the seat is on was broke. there are several complaint about this same problem, so clearly it's not our fault. and why does it cost so much to get fixed? http://www.automotiveforums.com/t919217-discuss2004_chevy_malibu_maxx_broken_power_seat.html. *tr
my daughter purchased this car about a year ago, she stated the drivers side seat would not adjust. i assumed a bad adjustment motor. when i examined the seat i discovered that the welds on the front cross-bar and the rear cross bar were separated between the seat and lower adjustment frame, this causes the drivers seat to lean toward the center console and rear of the vehicle. upon first examination i thought the welds had broken, but on closer examination it appears that the weld did not penetrate the metal far enough as the weld and bar were both intact, except for some superficial scaring on the tubing. this results in a major safety problem as the seat belt is attached to the seat at the right side of the drivers seat, not to the floor of the vehicle. should this vehicle be involved in a frontal crash these broken welds render the seat belt ineffective at best or useless, depending on the weight of the driver. if the air bags do not deploy the driver will be thrown foreword along with the seat with the appearance that the drivers weight broke the seat, when in-fact the seat was either broken already or severely weakened by inadequate welds. a cursory on line search revealed that this defect exists in the chevy malibu, monta carlo, pontiac grand prix, pontiac g6, saturn aura and ion. model years 1999 through 2009. i contacted gm ref#[xxx] and as with many other on line complaints were told in essence too bad out of warranty your problem not ours. i am fully capable of welding this frame my self, and will do so however, gm dealers charge app $1000. for the repair and if using the same stock frames, will install a faulty frame. in my opinion these faulty welds expose people without a passing familiarity to mechanics, to unnecessary expense as well as an unnecessary safety hazard. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. while driving at various speeds, an abnormal noise emitted from the driver side seat. the contact also stated the driver side seat moved intermittently and leaned to the right. the vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the frame section needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000. updated 5/29/15*cn the consumer stated an inspection revealed two welds within the driver's seat frame broke away causing the seat to wobble. updated 06/04/15*jb
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the front driver's seat wobbled and was unstable while operating the vehicle. the failure occurred constantly. an independent mechanic stated that the brackets needed to be welded and re-mounted on the frame to fully secure the seat. the mechanic stated that the frame and brackets were entirely rusted and the seat needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Upon entering the vehicle, the driver's side power seat collapsed, leaving the seat leaning backward and to the right. there appear to be broken frame welds on the right side where the up and down motor is located. as the seat is no longer attached to the frame, this is an extreme safety risk were there to be an accident; the driver would not be secure in the vehicle even with a seat belt engaged. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the driver's seat moved back and forth independently. the contact mentioned that after inspecting the vehicle, it was found that drivers seat only had three metal brackets instead of the standard four. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the defect and did not offer any assistance. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 120,000.
Frame on drivers seat failed while adjusting seat. seat no longer firmly attached to frame, risk of going through windshield in front end crash since seat no longer attached.
Something in the support brackets of the front seat snapped, and the seat now tilts to the side and rocks when turning in corners. *tr
My wife's 2004 chevy malibu driver's seat is broken and bobbles up and down and toward the right. according to info i've been reading on websites, many other drivers have had this problem. it appears that the welding has broken loose and causes the seat to bobble. this is a major safety hazard and needs to be addressed by gm. the following link will show all the complaints about this model malibu. http://www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2004/chevrolet/malibu/seat
The driver's seat is broken and rocks to the rear right. it appears the weld broke in the seat frame. i have read multiple complaints of this in the chevy malibu and wonder why a recall hasn't been issued. *tr
Driver seats tilts to the right and can not adjust forward or backward. had it repaired at my local mechanic (re-weld) at a cost of $214.00. now it is broken again. *js
The driver's seat is broken and rocks to the rear right. it appears the weld broke in the seat frame. this is the 2nd time the seat has broken. the first time, it was covered by warranty. i have read numerous complaints of this in the chevy malibu and am requesting that gm issue a recall. this is a significant safety hazard as the seat is not stable, especially during turning maneuvers. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that an unknown bar that was under the driver's seat became fractured and caused the seat to become unstable and wobble while the contact was driving at unknown speeds. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown. updated 05/28/14*lj the consumer stated the seat bracket broke. updated 06/30/14
Electric power seats frame broke. seats won't adjust, and leans to the side. *tr
I had spun out on a turn the day after xmas doing a 180 degree turn. i saw a road sign to my left which was directly inline with my drivers door. i should of hit the sign and rolled my car but as fate would have it, the car turned and just backed into the road ditch....however i did slide sideways for a few feet. my two year old was in the back seat.....she hit her head on a water bottle, so once we came to a stop i got out to access the damage. my left front tire was off the car and laying sideways under it. my back driver tire was going flat. we missed the road sign but stopped only five feet from a light pole that would of killed my daughter. behind that pole was a set of rr tracks. the garage fixed my car and all seemed well but i kept having back problems....i was released a month ago but have relapsed. turns out my seat frame in my drivers seat is broke but insurance won't cover cause its been nine months. i was quoted 750 for part alone and 300 some for labor. its not safe and it should of been caught. they didn't hesitate replacing a car seat. now i see many people having same issues and question gms safety. i am a single mom, anything happens to me who takes care of my girl? *tr
The weld on the seat broke and the seat leans right and back, very uncomfortable and a real safety hazard if you ask me. the seat does not move up and down correctly or front to back either.we had fixed at todd wenzel in hudsonville mi a used seat cost us $472.95 we feel this was a defective seat and a safety hazard. *tr
While driving went to put on the brakes and the driver seat made a loud thump and shifted forward to the right i had to grip the steering wheel and pull over because the seat was leaning forward to the right and made it hard for me to drive. i got out and the bar under the seat that guides the seat was broken had to manuever it to drive after puttting a block of wood under it to stabalize the seat so i could drive. had new tires, lugs and nuts put on car in june along with entire suspension system fornt and back and wheel alignment and on two occasions my lugs had to be changed due to breakage or lugs coming unscrewed and dropping off on front driverside and back passenger had car checked and there appears to several mechanic shops nothing visibly wrong but this is a sure safety hazard.
I recently encounter an incident with my 2004 chevy malibu driver side front seat, out of no wear the steel welded bar under the seat broke on the right side cause the seat to tilt to the right, making it very difficult to drive the cars in a safe manner. to the nhtsa team this problem is dangerous and unsafe something should be done to correct this problem before it resort in a life and death situation. *tr
Upon entering the vehicle, the driver's side power seat collapsed, leaving the seat leaning backward and to the right. there appear to be broken frame welds. as the seat is no longer attached to the frame, this is an extreme safety risk were there to be an accident; the driver would not be secure in the vehicle even with a seatbelt engaged. *tr
Power drivers seat frame broke at a weld. this occurred while i was travelling at 65mph on the highway. i startled me and i swerved almost hitting another car. i have seen many people complain of the seat frame breaking in the exact same spot at a weld. this is obviously a manufacturing defect and because this can be a safety issue a recall should be issued. also - i believe the seatbelt is connected to the seat. definitely a safety issue. i have seen complaints from many people of varying sizes/weights. even a smaller, 125lb woman had the same thing happen.
i purchased this vehicle in 2006 with 17,000 miles at the carmax superstore in naperville illinois and have had several serious issues since. the leaking sunroof with the innumerable failed attempts at repair. the leak has never been resolved and i have resorted to covering the vehicle with a tarp during inclement weather. the constant clicking noise in the steering when moving the steering wheel back and forth and the severe stiffness in the steering wheel when curb side parking between parked vehicles. the intermittent ignition failure, the vehicle will not turn over unless you depress the accelerator slightly. there were countless futile attempts at repair for all these defects through out the years of warranty and extended warranty coverage. the failed attempts of correctly diagnosing and properly repairing these defects by the englewwood auto group in englewood new jersey have left me unsatisfied and super frustrated. today i am writing because the operators seat has now tilted to the right and is leaning against the center console. there was nothing of significance that occurred while driving that immediately alerted me of this problem, i was simply adjusting the seat when i noticed that the seat was rubbing against the center console. upon inspecting underneath the seat i observed that the right rear corner does not rise when engaging the electric seat controls. the angle of the lean is so bad that it affects my posture and pains my lower back. i am also afraid that the seat will completely collapse while i am driving. when the seat is lowered all the way down it does level to its acceptable norm, but at 5 feet 4 inches tall i cannot operate safely that low to the floor. for a vehicle that is driven on average once a week it is plagued with some serious manufacturer defects that the dealerships' service department is unable or unwilling to repair. *tr
Sliding & leaning back to adapt to a comfortable position in the drivers seat, the very comfortable and electrically adjustable drivers seat listed to the right and slightly rotated to the right. now, sitting on an angle as if the car is on a hill i continue driving. i eventually got a flashlight and while parked and resting my head on the floor mat i could see the rusted bar that runs horizontal to the seat and welded on the left side next to the drivers door, is hanging on the right side dropped below where the weld was holding it; i imagine in a circular pattern since i see half a circumference remaining behind the dropped bar. i can lift the bar back to the remaining half weld, and when i let go it drops back down moving the seat snug with the center console. i was told by a company that welding it would not be wise and would put them in jeopardy if an accident occurred. a new frame would be about $600, then add labor; we're looking at approx. $900+. yes, as others have said on www.automotiveforums.com it's a shame no recall, but after 140k miles... guess i'll ask if i should use wd-40 on the bar after install. since this is the only electric seat in the car i don't expect the other seats to be effected. *tr
As i sat down in drivers seat the seat seemed to lean to the right and tilted back slightly. i looked under seat to see what was wrong and noticed a bar across front side of seat was broke away from it's original welded position. after removing seat i noticed that the bar had indeed broken free from weld. not only was the weld broken but the bar which wasn't really a bar but a pipe slightly thicker walled than a piece of type m copper piping broke off with a piece missing. also noticed same problem with the pipe that encases the bar at rear of the seat that allows the seat back to tilt back or forward. the pipe has also broken the weld and missing a piece of the pipe.we bought this car brand new and my wife is the primary driver .weight average 155 lbs. so i don't believe weight plays a part of this poorly designed work of failure. mileage is less than 10,000 per year owned. this is extremely upsetting. is chevrolet responsible or since warranty is over they can get away with this poor design and safety issue? *tr
I got into my car and sat down and something under the driver side power seat broke. looks like a support bar weld cracked. now the seat is tipped to the right. if i raise or lower the seat, only the left side goes up and down. i'm not sure if there is enough strength holding the rest of the seat together. i've been waiting for a recall, since i believe this is a safety issue. i can find many complaints on line, so my case is far from isolated. *js
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the driver seat leaned to the side when the driving. the contact stated that the bracket that held the seat to the frame was fractured and caused the seat to lean. the contact did not take the vehicle to a dealer or call the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 151,000.
Safety issue with driver's seat. tilts and leans, broken weld. this is a safety warranty and should be fixed by the manufacturer. *tr
Front driver's seat is completely loose on right side. not secured down, cannot adjust and tilts when you make a turn or go around a curve. have to drive with seat all the way down which is hard because i am a short person. when i get out of the car the whole seat acts like it is just connected on left side and comes up on right side. i had someone lift the seat while i looked underneath. something is broke. bracket will not hold seat up, just falls back down and seat will not stay in place. also a safety issue with seat moving and not secure. in reading other complaints, i feel that i have the same issue of a broken frame which is a definite defect. i am not real heavy and that seat should not have broke. i have had this car for over three years and this has been my personal vehicle. however, i do not feel it is safe to drive like this, but have no choice! oh! these are power seats. thank you. *tr
Was backing out of parking space and heard a metallic clank from under the driver seat. the seat tipped back and to the right, as if the right rear corner of the seat is no longer supported. the car is not safe to drive, as the seat moves around freely and would not be as safe in an accident. after a very short internet search, i found this is a very common problem to this model and year. *tr
As i turned my 04 malibu to the lt my drivers side front seat broke on rt side causing me to lean hard to the rt and rearward almost loosing control of car. i have 81371 mi. on car. appears to me to be a safety issue. i thought gm stood by their products. looking at all the other complaints about this same issue and gm refusing to fix this safety issue,i am worried about how safe this car really is. i also had my heated seats come on all by their over 300 documented times while under warranty and said there was nothing wrong with it. the seats came on even when no one was sitting in the seat. *tr
Drivers seat unstable. dealer reports that two welds on seat rail are broken. right side of seat tilts back when seat is raised above lowest position. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated while driving 65 mph the drivers seat snapped out of place and leaned to the right. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test and stated the failure was caused by the drivers seat brackets. the vin was unknown. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 102,000.
When seat was moved, it became very loose and rocks back and forth as well as side to side. dealer tech said there was an inferior weld which connects the seat to the base and it is broken. told me if we weld it back together it cancels the warranty on it as we're putting a new weld on top of an inferior one and it may not hold. have not done anything to fix it. cost is too much and not guaranteed. i have the seat propped up with wooden blocks and it is always moving so needs continual adjusting which is difficult to get just right. this is a serious safety issue as this seat will move in a sudden stop or sharp turn. only seat belt will hold me and seat in place. could cause serious injury to me. i listed the part above but it wouldn't stay there. i believe it is the driver seat assembly. this change is urgent - don't know why gm won't fix it since it was a mistake in the assembly process and is extremely dangerous to drive with the seat constantly moving. it's like sitting on a ball. *js
Drivers seat broken. appears a metal weld under the seat broke and causes the seat to lean back and to the right. *tr
The driver's seat broke causing me to fall/rotate to my right and to the rear of the car. seat failure was caused by a structural failure of 2 welds on the bottom seat frame. welds located at the right bottom rear and right bottom front of the main support members. the seat frame has been replaced by a local service repair shop. i kept the frame after seeing what caused the seat to fail. i can provide pictures if you need them. *kb
The drivers seat frame welds broke, leaving the seat unstable and leaning to the right. the vehicle had 50,000 miles on it and was driven primarily by one person and maintained well. the primary driver was @ 200 lbs. *tr
Bought my 2004 chevy malibu in june of 2010 and just recently the support beam on the right side of the seat gave way. i don't jerk around in my seat i just get in and drive my car. never had this happen before and i was heavier when i bought the car! i have a warranty which i hope covers it. however, i have noticed other people have made complaints about this very same thing happening on the right side of the seat and documented it online. i want it to be checked out as a safety issue for possible recall by chevy. *tr
One day, i was adjusting the power seat while sitting in it and the seat suddenly dropped down on the right side, so that i was tilting back and right. the frame weld had broken, so now adjusting the seat up/down only affects the left side. since the seatbelt is attached to this frame, it strikes me as a serious safety hazard; in a crash, more stress would be put on the intact left weld and if it failed then the seat would come free from the rest of the car... i have not sought to get this fixed yet as i am weighing my options on a potential $1,000+ repair/replacement. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. while driving 75 mph the right drivers seat detached from the metal base. the vehicle will be taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. the manufacturer filed report 71937106775 but would not assist with the repair cost, because of the age of the vehicle and since the warranty expired. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 131,000. updated 07/08/11*lj the consumer stated the weld broke on the driver's side seat while driving 75 mph. the seat tilted back to the right rear. updated 07/20/11