IllustrationSMELL OF GAS IN THE CAR WHEN TURNED ON. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, THE SMELL GOES AWAY. MY MECHANIC LOOKED ALLOVER THE CAR AND CANT FIND THE ISSUE. NO WARNING SIGNS ON THE DASHBOARD.
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Malibu years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
870–25K
9825–50K
19350–75K
21775–100K
373100–150K
232150K+
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
Unknown Or Other complaints
53 reportsDRIVING THE MALIBU DOWN THE COUNTRY ROAD AND SOME CODE FLASHED ON THE DASH AND THEN SAID POWER REDUCTION AND NOW ITS MAKING A WEIRD NOISE AND CAR ONLY DRIVES SLOW, IF THIS HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY THEIR WILL BE A CRASH AS WHEN THE POWER REDUCTION KICKED ON IT TURNED OFF TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING MAKING IT HARD TO MOVE THE …
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DRIVING THE MALIBU DOWN THE COUNTRY ROAD AND SOME CODE FLASHED ON THE DASH AND THEN SAID POWER REDUCTION AND NOW ITS MAKING A WEIRD NOISE AND CAR ONLY DRIVES SLOW, IF THIS HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY THEIR WILL BE A CRASH AS WHEN THE POWER REDUCTION KICKED ON IT TURNED OFF TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING MAKING IT HARD TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL THANK GOODNESS I WAS IN THE COUNTRY WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC.
WHEN FIRST GOT CAR DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED WITH REMOTE FOR APPS 1 WEEK. THEN OVER APPX MONTH STOPPED WORKING 1 DOOR AT A TIME. AT THIS POINT THE POWER LOCKS INSIDE (ON DOOR) DO NOT WORK AND LOCK/ UNLOCK INTERMITTENTLY AND EVEN IF I CAN UNLOCK MANUALLY MY DRIVERS DOOR IT STILL STAYS LOCKED EVEN WHEN LOCK IS IN FULLY UNLOCKED PO…
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WHEN FIRST GOT CAR DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED WITH REMOTE FOR APPS 1 WEEK. THEN OVER APPX MONTH STOPPED WORKING 1 DOOR AT A TIME. AT THIS POINT THE POWER LOCKS INSIDE (ON DOOR) DO NOT WORK AND LOCK/ UNLOCK INTERMITTENTLY AND EVEN IF I CAN UNLOCK MANUALLY MY DRIVERS DOOR IT STILL STAYS LOCKED EVEN WHEN LOCK IS IN FULLY UNLOCKED POSITION. QUITE SCARY FOR SOMEONE THAT DRIVES ALONE AT NIGHT AND MY DOORS ARE UNLOCKING THEMSELVES. GOD FORBID I DO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND NEED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY. ALSO THIS MAKES IT SO MY PANIC DOES NOT WORK ON MY FOB. YES I'VE CHANGED BATTERIES MULTIPLE TIMES. ALSO MY POWER STEERING HAS BEEN CUTTING IN AND OUT WHILE MOVING MOST OFTEN DURING TURNS. WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM MOVING ON A HIGHWAY AND I CANNOT STEER CORRECTLY? FEELING VERY UNSURE OF MY SAFETY AT THIS POINT.
A FEW MINUTES AFTER I START DRIVING THE ESC OFF/SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT WILL COME ON AND IT KEEPS FLASHING BACK AND FOURTH BETWEEN ERROR MESSAGES. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT ON, BUT WHEN I GO TO ACCELERATE MY CAR JUMPS KIND OF. AND IF I LET MY FOOT OFF THE GAS IT FEELS LIKE I'M SHIFTING GEARS AND MY CAR WILL START GOING SLOW. I…
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A FEW MINUTES AFTER I START DRIVING THE ESC OFF/SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT WILL COME ON AND IT KEEPS FLASHING BACK AND FOURTH BETWEEN ERROR MESSAGES. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT ON, BUT WHEN I GO TO ACCELERATE MY CAR JUMPS KIND OF. AND IF I LET MY FOOT OFF THE GAS IT FEELS LIKE I'M SHIFTING GEARS AND MY CAR WILL START GOING SLOW. I'LL PUSH BACK DOWN ON THE GAS AND I WILL SEEM LIKE IT'S TRYING TO GET SPEED BUT TAKES A MIN. THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY I DON'T HAVE A RECALL BUT SOMETHING IS WRONG CLEARLY. THE ERROR LIGHTS WILL GO ON NO MATTER IF I'M DRIVING OR PARKED.
I MADE A COMPLAINT ON AROUND L/17/17 COMPLAINING ABOUT MY CAR HAVE SERVICE ESC SERVICE TRACTION AND TRYING TO STALL OUT WITH BRAKE LIGHTS BEING ON> SINCE THAT TIME IT HAS BEEN AT DEALERSHIP MORE THAN BEING DRIVEN. IT IS THERE NOW, MAKING THIS THE 7TH TRIP TO DEALERSHIP AND ONCE TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM W…
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I MADE A COMPLAINT ON AROUND L/17/17 COMPLAINING ABOUT MY CAR HAVE SERVICE ESC SERVICE TRACTION AND TRYING TO STALL OUT WITH BRAKE LIGHTS BEING ON> SINCE THAT TIME IT HAS BEEN AT DEALERSHIP MORE THAN BEING DRIVEN. IT IS THERE NOW, MAKING THIS THE 7TH TRIP TO DEALERSHIP AND ONCE TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MALIBU AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED BY GENERAL MOTORS-NOT ME. YOU ASK FOR A DATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED-THE SPACE ONLY ALLOWS FOR 1 DATE. IT HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER 1 & 1/2 YEARS.
DOOR LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK AT RANDOM BUTTONS ON DOORS AND FOB INOPERABLE THIS IS A VERY LARGE SAFETY HAZZARD I HAVE COME OUTSIDE TO FIND MY CAR UNLOCKED IN THE MORNING AFTER LOCKING IT THE NIGHT BEFORE AND HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A NORMAL PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE MEANING IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFEAT THAT SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE MAN…
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DOOR LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK AT RANDOM BUTTONS ON DOORS AND FOB INOPERABLE THIS IS A VERY LARGE SAFETY HAZZARD I HAVE COME OUTSIDE TO FIND MY CAR UNLOCKED IN THE MORNING AFTER LOCKING IT THE NIGHT BEFORE AND HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A NORMAL PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE MEANING IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFEAT THAT SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER THE PROBLEM EVEN HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION UNLOCKING AND LOCKING AT RANDOM A CHILD COULD FALL OUT AT ANY SPEED WHEN DOOR UNLOCKS PLUS I COULD COME OUT TO SOMEONE IN MY CAR IN THE MORNING WITH THESE INOPERABLE
POWER LOCKS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY ON MY 2009 CHEVY MALIBU. I CAN SOMETIMES GET DRIVER'S DOOR TO UNLOCK WITH REMOTE, BUT RARELY THE PASSENGER OR BACK DOORS. THE SWITCHES INSIDE ARE OF NO HELP EITHER. WE HAVE TO MANUALLY PULL UP ON EACH LOCK AND THEN PUSH THEM DOWN WHEN WE EXIT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME AND MY PASS…
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POWER LOCKS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY ON MY 2009 CHEVY MALIBU. I CAN SOMETIMES GET DRIVER'S DOOR TO UNLOCK WITH REMOTE, BUT RARELY THE PASSENGER OR BACK DOORS. THE SWITCHES INSIDE ARE OF NO HELP EITHER. WE HAVE TO MANUALLY PULL UP ON EACH LOCK AND THEN PUSH THEM DOWN WHEN WE EXIT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME AND MY PASSENGERS IN THE CASE WE HAVE TO ENTER OR EXIT THE VEHICLE QUICKLY. THE LOCKS DO OCCASIONALLY LOCK WHEN PUT IN GEAR, BUT DO NOT ALWAYS WHEN IN PARK OR WHEN THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF. WITH SMALL CHILDREN, THIS IS DANGEROUS. I HAVE CHANGED REMOTE BATTERIES, REPROGRAMMED REMOTES, AND HAVE CHANGED THE FUSE FOR THE LOCKS. NOTHING HAS CHANGED. WHEN TROUBLESHOOTING ONLINE, I SAW DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT CHEVROLET NEEDS TO FIX. THEY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL IMMEDIATELY AND TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE. CUSTOMERS BUY VEHICLES IN GOOD FAITH THAT THE MAKERS WILL TAKE CARE OF THESE KNOWN DEFECTS. I CAN UNDERSTAND THE ORDINARY REPAIRS, BUT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE MAKER IS AWARE OF AND CONTINUES TO MAKE NO CHANGES.
THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT IS ON AND I'M NOT ABLE TO START MY CAR. THE RADIO STILL WORKS AND ALL THE LIGHTS AND HEATER AND A/C. I TRY TO START THE CAR A FEW TIMES AND SOMETIMES IT TAKE SEVERAL TRYS TO GET THE CAR TO START. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING QUITE A BIT
MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. I CAN'T OPEN IT FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. IT IS IN PARK AND I HAVE TO CLIMB THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THIS IS SO DANGEROUS!
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE SERVICE TRACTION/ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND STARTES JERKING THE RPMS SHOOT UP TO 4000 AND MAKES A RATTLE NOISE. WHEN DOING THIS THE SPEED DOES NOT CHANGE TO REFLECT THE RPMS. WHEN AT A IDLE THE RPMS REST AT ABOUT 2200. THE CAR DOESNT FULLY WANT TO STOP WHEN COMING TO RED LIGHT OR WHEN BREAKING. I HAVE HAD…
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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE SERVICE TRACTION/ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND STARTES JERKING THE RPMS SHOOT UP TO 4000 AND MAKES A RATTLE NOISE. WHEN DOING THIS THE SPEED DOES NOT CHANGE TO REFLECT THE RPMS. WHEN AT A IDLE THE RPMS REST AT ABOUT 2200. THE CAR DOESNT FULLY WANT TO STOP WHEN COMING TO RED LIGHT OR WHEN BREAKING. I HAVE HAD THE CAR A DIFFRENT SPEEDS AND TENDS TO STALL AND SHACK NO MATTER WHAT.
Official recalls
514V252000 · 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
1AQ10001 · 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.