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2009 Chevrolet Malibu

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Malibu years

Owner complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu are substantially higher than the model-year median of 310.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

1,200 reports with mileage · 309 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Steering. Review the 768 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 368 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 255 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

41 crash reports9 fire reports31 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

368 reports
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Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2023
Electrical SystemSteeringWheels

My steering wheel shakes and jerks while driving and when I start the car. Also, my car steers and pulls to the left while I’m driving until the electric power steering light comes on and then the steering locks up and I am unable to turn the steering wheel to make a turn which can lead to a crash because I have to force the whe…

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My steering wheel shakes and jerks while driving and when I start the car. Also, my car steers and pulls to the left while I’m driving until the electric power steering light comes on and then the steering locks up and I am unable to turn the steering wheel to make a turn which can lead to a crash because I have to force the wheel in order to turn. I was driving on the highway and my steering locked and I pulled over safely and tried turning the car off and on. This has turned the electric power steering light off and I was able to turn the wheel but my steering wheel still shakes and jerks and the car pulls to the left. To add, a few minutes later my steering locks up and the electric power steering light comes on again and I am unable to turn the steering wheel. A couple of days ago I was coming off of an exit and the power steering light came on and I could turn the wheel to make the turn, almost causing an accident. Fortunately, I was able to force the steering to make the turn. *This has been a reoccurring issue. I will post the date below for the latest occurrence.

NHTSA ODI #11516256

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 2023
Electrical SystemSteering

Electric power steering failure, while driving service ESC and power steering came up on the dash along with a traction control indicator. The only symptom prior was a Shakey steering wheel which was assumed to be mechanical. Problem persists on and off even with resetting system powering off and then back on.

NHTSA ODI #11509468

193,000 miles · Jan 17, 2023
Electrical SystemInjury

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while exiting a parking lot, the contact smelled a burning odor and felt her leg burning. When the contact exited the vehicle, she became aware that her sweater was burned, and the driver’s seat was burned. The contact was not severely injured. The contact had not soug…

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The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while exiting a parking lot, the contact smelled a burning odor and felt her leg burning. When the contact exited the vehicle, she became aware that her sweater was burned, and the driver’s seat was burned. The contact was not severely injured. The contact had not sought medical attention. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the fuse for the seat warmer was removed, but the seat was not replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 193,000.

NHTSA ODI #11502238

Mileage unknown · Jan 2, 2023
Electrical SystemSteering

The power steering just stopped working. Not really safe to drive. I did research and found that many GM cars have had this problem. No warning messages came on prior to the problem happening. I think this is a sensor problem with this car.

NHTSA ODI #11499745

Mileage unknown · Dec 22, 2022
Electrical SystemSteeringVehicle Speed Control

Bought a 2009 Malibu (2.4 engine with electric power steering) a few weeks ago. Pulled into my driveway today and the power steering goes out and the traction control light comes on and service ESC message comes across the message center. Turn the car off and back on and the light goes out, power steering comes back for a second…

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Bought a 2009 Malibu (2.4 engine with electric power steering) a few weeks ago. Pulled into my driveway today and the power steering goes out and the traction control light comes on and service ESC message comes across the message center. Turn the car off and back on and the light goes out, power steering comes back for a second then the light trips again and it's out again as soon as I turn the wheel. It’s absolutely insane and I can’t even drive it half the time. I’m a nurse and a mother of two. This is the same recall in many of the same year and vehicle type, and we have snow. Severe snow. It can kill me. The ESC LIGHT TRACTION CONTROL ABS POWER STEERING AND CHECK ENGINE LOGHT ARE ALL ON BECAUSE OF THIS DEATHTRAP OF AN electronic steering system you have

NHTSA ODI #11498605

104,000 miles · Nov 7, 2022
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVehicle Speed Control

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control). The contact stated that after the repair, the failure persisted. The contact took t…

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The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control). The contact stated that after the repair, the failure persisted. The contact took the vehicle back to the dealer where the starter and PCV hose were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 104,000.

NHTSA ODI #11492633

Mileage unknown · Oct 27, 2022
Electrical SystemSteeringUnknown Or Other

my transmission is slipping when there was a recall and my car went in to get fixed for both my power steering and my transmission and my power steering does not work and my transmission is slipping.

NHTSA ODI #11491102

104,000 miles · Oct 25, 2022
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior Lighting

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that in 2017 the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control) however, the brake lights would illuminate randomly without the brake pedal being depressed. The con…

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The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that in 2017 the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control) however, the brake lights would illuminate randomly without the brake pedal being depressed. The contact stated that the brake lights would fail to illuminate whenever the brake pedal was depressed. The failure recurred at various speeds. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who added di-electric grease to the harness, replaced the brake harness, replaced the position sensor, and inspected the brake light. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer approximately 7 times since the recall repair was performed; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.

NHTSA ODI #11490852

Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 2022
Electrical SystemSteering

when It gets colder my cars power steering goes out and my no traction light turns on, I can’t turn my vehicle properly and have no traction it’s dangerous in the winter time. I have noticed other malibu’s from 2009 were recalled for the same exact issue yet mine was not. If i can’t turn or break properly it puts others on the r…

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when It gets colder my cars power steering goes out and my no traction light turns on, I can’t turn my vehicle properly and have no traction it’s dangerous in the winter time. I have noticed other malibu’s from 2009 were recalled for the same exact issue yet mine was not. If i can’t turn or break properly it puts others on the road in risk especially in the snow. The problem always appears when it is cold.

NHTSA ODI #11490288

Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2022
Electrical SystemService Brakes

There is a recall that was preformed on my vehicle before I bought it for brake light issues NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000. The issue has come back I just bought the car. I called the dealer and they said it had been fixed in 2014 but it has started doing the same thing and they said that they can fix it but I will have to pa…

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There is a recall that was preformed on my vehicle before I bought it for brake light issues NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000. The issue has come back I just bought the car. I called the dealer and they said it had been fixed in 2014 but it has started doing the same thing and they said that they can fix it but I will have to pay. I have tried to call the corporate gm office but keep getting sent back to the dealer near me

NHTSA ODI #11479904

Official recalls

5

14V252000 · Electrical System:wiring; Electronic Stability Control (esc); Exterior Lighting:brake Lights; Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch; Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control

May 14, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Additional source detail variants (5)

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Electrical System:wiring

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

14V153000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

Mar 31, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.

12V460000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Sep 18, 2012

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

09V073000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift

Mar 6, 2009

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 276,729 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET COBALT, HHR, MALIBU, TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, PONTIAC G5, G6 AND SATURN AURA AND OUTLOOK PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT POSITION SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT", AND FMVSS 114, "THEFT PROTECTION AND ROLLAWAY PREVENTION". ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTMENT CLIP MAY NOT BE FULLY ENGAGED. IF THE CLIP IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED, THE SHIFT LEVER AND THE ACTUAL POSITION OF THE TRANSMISSION GEAR MAY NOT MATCH. WITH THIS CONDITION, THE DRIVE COULD MOVE THE SHIFTER TO "PARK" AND REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR MAY NOT BE IN "PARK".

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AWAY AFTER THE DRIVER HAS EXITED THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND ENSURE THAT THE SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTMENT CLIP IS FULLY ENGAGED. IN THE EVENT THAT THE CLIP DOES NOT ENGAGE, THE SHIFT CABLE WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 24, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 AND SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

08V634000 · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System

Dec 2, 2008

GM IS RECALLING 77 MY 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 103, "WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEM." THE HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIRCONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEM MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE BLOWER WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND THE MODE SELECTOR WOULD REMAIN IN THE LAST KNOWN SETTING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO FOG OR FROST, THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH AIRFLOW TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD, RESULTING IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE HVAC CONTROL HEAD MODULE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON DECEMBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM>HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM</A> .

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

AQ10001 · Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit

Opened Nov 18, 2010 · Closed Dec 28, 2015

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other

On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three (3) major motor vehicle manufacturers (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors) and requested data regarding completion figures for fifteen (15) discreet safety recalls.Analysis of this data demonstrated that rental car recalls completion was neither complete nor consistent.The rental car companies representing the largest market share in the industry were then queried as to their respective policies for the rental, lease, and sale of vehicles with open recalls.The data and responses from the manufacturers and the rental car companies can be found in the document repository by accessing the ?Associated Documents link above.In December 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.One section of the Act prohibits rental car companies from renting, leasing, or selling motor vehicles subject to open safety recalls.With the passage of the FAST Act and its prohibition, there is no continuing need for the agency to investigate rental car recall completions.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The agency reserves the right to open any future investigations, including audits of individual recalls, or groups of recalls, or rental car companies, to examine more closely safety recalls performance and completion issues in this area.