2003 Chevrolet Malibu

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED, THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE FUEL WAS NOT TRAVELING THROUGH THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS ABLE TO TURN TO THE ON POSITION IN THE IGNITION, BUT WOULD NOT TURN COMPLETELY TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT WAS LATER INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE REMEDY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. UPDATED 11/05/14*LJ *JS

THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER OF 2012 IN WASHINGTON. ON THE DRIVE FROM WASHINGTON TO MISSOURI, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER THE ENGINE WAS OFF. AFTER WAITING THREE DAYS FOR THE MECHANIC IN A SMALL SOUTH DAKOTA TOWN, HE "FIXED" IT IN TEN MINUTES. THE "SOLUTION" OF KEEPING THE ENGINE ON FOR TEN MINUTES, TURNING TO OFF, AND THEN STARTING IT AGAIN IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX TO A VERY REAL PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS SO REAL AND OBVIOUS THAT THE TEN MINUTE SOLUTION IS INCLUDED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL (WHY THAT INSTEAD OF FIXING IT, I'M NOT REALLY SURE...) THE PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO EIGHT TIMES A MONTH- UNTIL THIS LAST MONTH. I BEGAN KEEPING TRACK ON A CALENDAR THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE CAR WOULD FAIL TO WORK - 26 TIMES IN FIVE WEEKS. THIS IS BEYOND ANNOYING. THE PROBLEM WOULD BE EVEN WORSE IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE FACT THAT I AM A TEACHER AND THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL WAS THE FIRST WEEK IN THESE FIVE WEEKS. NOW THAT I AM OUT FOR THE SUMMER, MANY DAYS NOW I STAY AT HOME, THUS REDUCING THE CHANCE OF THE CAR FAILING TO WORK AS I AM NOT USING IT. THAT LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL, IT "STALLED" EVERY SINGLE DAY. TWO DAYS AGO, IT QUIT WORKING FOUR TIMES IN ONE DAY. I HAVE BEEN LATE FOR WORK, CHURCH, AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN DARK PARKING LOTS LATE AT NIGHT. ALONE. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM ANYONE SHOULD HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT. I DRIVE AS INFREQUENTLY AS I POSSIBLY CAN NOW, AND WAS FERVENTLY PRAYING THAT MY CAR WOULD START AFTER FILLING IT UP WITH GAS THIS MORNING. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. I WAS HOPING THE MOST RECENT RECALLS WOULD AFFECT THIS CAR AND WHEN TYPING "2003 MALIBU RECALLS," INTO A SEARCH ENGINE, WHILE NO RECALLS WERE SHOWN, WEB SITE AND FORUMS APLENTY ALL CAME UP, WITH MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SINGULAR PROBLEM OF THIS SINGULAR CAR. IT IS A KNOWN SAFETY PROBLEM. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL? *TR

CAR FAILED TO START. A LOCAL MECHANIC WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THAT GM WAS HAVING WITH THE MALIBU'S. HE SHOWED ME HOW TO TURN THE KEY TO ON FOR 10 MINUTES AND THEN THE THEFT LIGHT WOULD STOP BLINKING AND YOU COULD THEN START THE CAR. THIS PAST YEAR IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING ABOUT DAILY OR EVERY 5 TO 6 TIMES THAT YOU GO TO START THE CAR. MOSTLY ON SHORT TRIPS OF LESS THAN 2 MILES. I CONTACTED 2 LOCAL CHEVY DEALERS AND THEY CLAIM TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM! I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO BRING IT IN AND THEY WOULD CHECK IT OUT - AT A CHARGE. WHAT IF THIS HAPPENED IN AN AREA THAT WAS NOT SAFE FOR MY FAMILY OR ME - WE COULD NOT START THE CAR AND WOULD HAVE TO JUST SIT THERE FOR 10 MINUTES!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, THE ENGINE COOLANT WAS FOUND TO HAVE MIXED WITH THE ENGINE OIL WHEN THE DIP STICK WAS PULLED TO CHECK THE ENGINE OIL. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,126. UPDATED 01/28/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS DEFECTIVE. UPDATED 04/21/14 UPDATED 06/30/14

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT A MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE CONTACT'S PERSONAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS112,000.

PLEASE BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR COMPLAINT: I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY MALIBU THAT HAS BEEN LEAKING COOLANT SINCE THE DAY I HAVE BOUGHT IT. I HAVE TAKEN IT NUMEROUS MANIACS AND THEY HAVE ALL TOLD ME THE SAME THING THAT MY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS WERE LEAKING COOLANT AND THAT THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM. THESE MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT THE GASKETS FOR THIS CAR AND THE MANIFOLD ITSELF WERE NOT ENGINEERED CORRECTLY AND THAT'S THE REASON IT IS LEAKING COOLANT. I WAS ALSO TOLD GM DID HOWEVER FIX THIS PROBLEM BY DESIGNING NEW GASKETS WHICH THEY ARE USING TO REPLACE THE OLD ONES WHEN THESE PEOPLE BRING THERE CAR IN FOR THIS PROBLEM. OKAY ONE PROBLEM RIGHT THERE WHERE WAS THE RECALL ON THAT? THAT A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD RIGHT THERE BECAUSE OR GMS ENGINEERING. IM NOT SURE IF YOUR AWARE OF THIS BUT THE SMELL AND FUMES FROM THIS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE ARE DISGUSTING. ALSO I HAVE DONE ONLINE RESEARCH ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ALL YOU NEED TO TYPE IN IS PROBLEMS WITH CHEVY MALIBU INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET THOUSAND AND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS WHIT PEOPLE ALL OVER AMERICA HAVE THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE AND ITS NOT THAT THEY PAY THE $900.00 TO GET IT FIXED THE FIRST TIME THEN AGAIN ABOUT A YEAR TO A YEAR IN A HALF LATER THEY ALSO PAY THIS PRICE AGAIN BECAUSE THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED I AM ONE ANGRY AMERICAN AND I THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MORE I WILL NOT GIVE UP ON MY CASE FOR AS WELL AS MY FELL AMERICAS IN THIS COUNTRY WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. PLEASE HELP US!! THIS IS NOT FAR THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ON GM AND I WILL DO WHAT EVER IT TAKE TO GET TO THAT POINT. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

FOR YEARS, CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING AND CAN NOT BE RE-STARTED, OR MORE FREQUENTLY, JUST WON'T START. NO WARNING EXCEPT A FINE, DIM RED ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WHICH IS UNLIKELY TO BE NOTICED AT ALL, AND CERTAINLY NOT IMMEDIATELY. CAN HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES PER DAY, OR CAN GO TWO WEEKS WITHOUT A PROBLEM. SHORT TERM REMEDY IS RELIABLE IF INCONVENIENT AND IN SOME SITUATION, DANGEROUS; WITH CAR IN "PARK," TURN OFF ALL SYSTEM, TURN ON IGNITION SWITCH BUT DO NOT START, DO NOT DISTURB FOR AT LEAST EN MINUTES. SYSTEM WILL THEN BE RESET. THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD MULTIPLE CAUSES. GOT PARTIAL, TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENT (LESS FREQUENT FAILURE) BY REPLACING DEFECTIVE DS LOCK SWITCH, WHICH IS ALSO USED TO PROGRAM THAT LOCKING SYSTEM FEATURES. BECAUSE THE USERS IS SUPPOSED TO INITIATE LOCKING SYSTEM PROGRAMMING BY HOLDING THE SWITCH CLOSED, AND THE LOCK WAS STICKING CLOSED AND OPENING UNPREDICTABLY, IT WAS SURELY CREATING INPUTS NOT ANTICIPATED BY THE SYSTEM'S PROGRAMMERS. I BELIEVE THE IGNITION SWITCH SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE INTERFACE WITH THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR SYSTEM, IS STILL CAUSING THIS PROBLEM, AND FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE INCREASES. HAVE NOT FOUND SATISFACTORY SOLUTION. CAN'T AFFORD THE $400 DEALER SAYS IT WILL COST FOR (POSSIBLE) FIX, AMBIGUOUS EXPLANATIONS MAKE ME DOUBT THE DEALER REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE CAUSE. NO ACTUAL PROPERTY DAMAGE OR CRASH YET, BUT OBVIOUSLY RISK IS HIGH WHEN CAR SUDDENLY STALL IN TRAFFIC. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AT LEAST FIVE TO SIX TIMES A DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL MODULATOR AND COIL SPRINGS. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 47,000.