2004 Chevrolet Malibu Classic

I OWN A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU. THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE CONTINUALLY CAUSES MY CAR TO HAVE A DELAYED START. I HAVE HAD TO PUT SO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS VEHICLE THAT FIXING IT TO THE TUNE OF $500 IS OUT OF THE QUESTION. MY DEALER TOLD ME THAT EVEN FIXING THE VEHICLE DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WILL NOT BE DEFECTIVE. MY CAR RECENTLY STALLED IN A DARK PARKING LOT AND I HAD MY TWO YEAR OLD BABY WITH ME. DOES CHEVY HAVE NO SHAME FOR SELLING PRODUCTS THAT THEY KNOW ARE DANGEROUS? IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN ATTACKED AND MY LITTLE GIRL HURT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THEIR FAULT. IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE TO HAVE A DEFECTIVE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE DOES IT? WILL IT TAKE A WRONGFUL DEATH SUIT TO MAKE THEM BE MORE RESPONSIBLE? I KNOW THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE A CO-WORKER OF MINE HAS A 2002 CHEVY MALIBU AND SHE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, TWO YEARS LATER THEY ARE STILL SELLING THE SAME CRAP. IF I CAN AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER CAR AGAIN IT WILL DEFINITELY BE A FOREIGN CAR. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS GENERAL BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, NOT JUST ON ONE DATE!!!! *TR

WHILE COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY, I NOTICED I NO LONGER HAVE POWER STEERING. THE ENTIRE REST OF THE WAY HOME, NO POWER STEERING. I SEARCHED ON LINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RESERVOIR TO PUT MORE POWER STEERING FLUID IN, AND THERE APPEARS TO BE NONE AND I WILL HAVE TO FORK OUT OVER $500 FOR A NEW STEERING COLUMN. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU AND A POWER STEERING PROBLEM. *TR

MY CAR SUDDENLY WOULDN'T START THIS MORNING WHILE TRYING TO GET TO WORK. AFTER RESEARCHING A LITTLE BIT ON THE INTERNET I CAME TO REALIZE THAT THIS HAS TO DO WITH THAT ANNOYING ANTI-THEFT LIGHT THAT IS ALWAYS LIT UP IN THE CORNER. SO I GO BACK OUT TO MY CAR, HOPING THAT THE 10 MINUTE PROCEDURE WILL WORK FOR ME AS WELL. BUT AS I AM SITTING THERE WITH MY CAR IN THE "ON" POSITION MY BATTERY DIES ON ME. SO NOW I AM STUCK HERE WITH A CAR THAT WONT TURN ON, AND NO WAY TO GET TO WORK! I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS AS WELL RELATED BUT ABOUT 2 MONTHS PRIOR MY POWER STEERING HAD GONE OUT. MECHANICS THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD FUEL PUMP AND HAD TO HAVE THAT FIXED. *TR

2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU TIMING CHAIN FALLING APART DUE TO ROTATING COLLARS ON THE CHAIN WHICH GO BETWEEN GEAR TEETH FALLING OFF. MECHANIC SAID I PROBABLY HAVE 30 - 40 PIECES IN MY OIL PAN. THIS WERE MADE WITH A SLIT INSTEAD OF SOLID WITH JUST A HOLE TO SLIDE A PIN THROUGH FOR ATTACHMENT. GM HAD A RECALL OF THE SATURN WITH THE SAME ENGINE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BUT GM CLAIMS THAT ALL RECALLS ARE VIN SPECIFIC AND MY CAR DIDN'T FALL UNDER THE RECALL. I'VE READ OF OTHER INCIDENTS WHERE THIS HAS CAUSED BREAKAGE, RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE ENGINE STOPPING AND BEING DESTROYED. *TR

WE WERE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 84 WESTBOUND AT CASCADE LOCKS WHERE THERE IS CONSTRUCTION. WE HAD A SIDEWATT BLOWOUT ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM LES SCWAB TIRES IN PORTLAND OREGON. WE ARE TAKING THE CAR THERE TOMORROW MARCH 8, 2010 FOR THE TIRE TO BE REPLACED. THE INFORMATION OFF OF THE INVOICE IS A FOLLOWS. 205/65R-15 94T TOUREVO ALL SEASONS BLACKWALL. WE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED ON JUNE 9, 2008 JUST PRIOR TO A VACATION. WE DID NOT SEE ANYTHING HIT THE CAR OR THE TIRE, AND THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY CUTS ON THE TIRE PRIOR TO THE TRIP. THE TREAD THAT IS LEFT ON THE TIRE IS ABOUT 3/16TH OF AN INCH OR MORE. THE TREAD LOOKS FAIRLY GOOD. *TR

STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHIMMY WHILE IN MOTION, OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY KNOCKING THAT IS HEARD AND ALSO FELT THROUGH THE STEERINGWHEEL WHILE APPLYING BRAKES, AND WOULD STOP ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO AN NEAR OR COMPLETE STOP. OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS INCLUDE A ROUGH VIBRATION WITH AN AUDIBLE REPETITIVE THUMPING THAT WAS FELT FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL THAT WOULD SLIP ON REGULAR INTERVALS WHILE APPLYING BRAKES. THE FAILURE HAPPENED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING MY 2 SPECIAL NEEDS BOYS TO SCHOOL. THE FAILURE STARTED WITH LITTLE WARNING IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL WHICH IS LOCATED RIGHT OFF THE BOULEVARD. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR SAFELY TO A STOP DUE TO THE 25MPH SCHOOL ZONE RULE. THE MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT IS 35 DURING NON SCHOOL HOURS AND 40 MPH FURTHER DOWN THE BOULEVARD. THE POWER STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER WITH IN SECONDS BEFORE THE SERVICE (WRENCH) LIGHT CAME ON. I PARKED MY VEHICLE, AND CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO AN REPUTABLE CARE REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE CAR WASN'T SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE. AFTER 50 MINUTES THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED AND WHEN THE DRIVER STARTED MY CAR, THE CAR WAS AGAIN STEER-ABLE AND THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON. THE MECHANICS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN REPRODUCING THE STEERING MALFUNCTION. SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2009 , THE SAME FAILURE REPEATED ITSELF, SAME LOCATION SAME TIME AS BEFORE, THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THEN UNLIKE THE FIRST EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, THE RADIO DISPLAYED AN POWERSTEERING FAILURE MESSAGE ON ITS' SCREEN. THE MECHANIC AT THE AUTO SHOP TOOK A LOOK AT MY CAR IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE SAW THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT, AND THE POWERSTEERING FAILURE MESSAGE. AFTER THE POWERSTEERING PART FROM BOB STALL CHEVROLET WAS DELIVERED, THE PART WAS THEN INSTALLED. I PAID OUT OF POCKET, AND DIDN'T FIND OUT UNTIL AFTER SERVICE WAS RENDERED, THAT A DISCOVERY WAS MADE BY THE SHOP WHILE SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT MY CAR, THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL. I NEVER RECEIVED GM'S NOTICE. I HAVE THE OLD PART. PART INSTALLED IS NEW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER UNIT IN THE VEHICLE BURNED INTO PIECES. SHE USED THE LIGHTER REGULARLY AND WHEN THE LIGHTER POPPED BACKED OUT TO BE USED, THE ENTIRE UNIT OVERHEATED AND BURNED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OR ISSUES WITH THE LIGHTER UNIT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SCARRING FROM THE FAILURE. SHE STATED THAT HER VEHICLE MAY BE AT RISK OF CATCHING FIRE OR EXPERIENCING OTHER ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.