2014 Chevrolet Malibu

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE DROVE INTO A NEARBY DITCH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A COLLISION CENTER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT END NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

THE ABS LIGHT SHOWED ON THE MESSAGE CENTER WHEN I STARTED MY CAR TO LEAVE FOR WORK ON A MONDAY MORNING SO I TOOK MY CAR TO GREEN CHEVROLET IN DERIDDER LA. THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE CAR AND SAID THE SENSOR WAS BAD SO THEY ORDERED ANOTHER. AFTER REPLACING IT THE LIGHT DID NOT GO OFF SO THEY SCHEDULED ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO CHECK INTO THE PROBLEM AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK AND THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A SENSOR AND WOULD BE CLOSE TO $ 400 TO REPLACE IT. I PAID $200 THE FIRST TIME. SO I CALLED GM TO ASK ABOUT THE RECALL THAT WAS IN PLACE ON THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL AS MY CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT WHILE THE RECALL WAS ACTIVE, IT DID NOT INCLUDE MY CAR BECAUSE IT CAME FROM A DIFFERENT PLANT. SO GM WORKED WITH THE REPAIR SHOP TO LOWER THE COST FOR THE SECOND REPAIR. I PAID $115. THAT AS IN FEBRUARY 2017. THE MECHANIC AT THE SERVICE CENTER SAID THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PART BEING REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE RECALLED. IN APRIL 2017 I WAS ON MY WAY TO MISSOURI FOR A FUNERAL AND MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD TO BRING MY CAR IN WHEN I RETURNED HOME. I CALLED GM AGAIN TO COMPLAIN THAT IT WAS ON AGAIN. I TOOK MY CAR BACK INTO THE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM BUT A DIFFERENT WHEEL. AGAIN THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE PART NEEDED TO BE RECALLED. SO NOW I HAVE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED AND PAY MORE MONEY. I AM WRITING TO ASK WHY THE PART HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED FOR ALL 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBUS. I AM PAYING FOR A PROBLEM THAT A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON WHILE OTHERS OWNERS ARE NOT. MY CAR HAS 47,000 MILES . IT IS MY PRIMARY VEHICLE. HOW MANY TIMES AM I GOING TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM? PLEASE EXPAND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE MORE VEHICLES. OBVIOUSLY IT IS NOT HAPPENING TO CARS FROM JUST ONE AREA. THANK YOU

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V247000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT, BUT MADE NO MENTION AS TO WHY THE REPAIR WAS NOT COMPLETED BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN AS TO WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

THE REASON FOR THIS COMPLAINT IS BECAUSE I BELIEVE CHEVROLET HAS DEFECTIVE ABS SENSOR EMBEDDED IN THE WHEEL HUB OF THIS VEHICLE. WE PURCHASED TWO OF THESE CHEVROLET MALIBU CARS A COUPLE MONTHS APART AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH EACH. ONE OF OUR VEHICLES WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (VIN [XXX]) AND REPAIRS COME AT A COST OF $450.00 PLUS PER OCCURRENCE WITH UNDER 65 THOUSAND MILES. WE HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME FAILURE TWICE WITH THE OUT OF WARRANTY VEHICLE LESS THAN 2 MONTHS AND 3 THOUSAND MILES APART. AFTER DOING MINIMAL RESEARCH AND COMMENTS MADE BY THE MECHANIC AT OUR SMALL DEALER I BELIEVE THIS IS A MUCH LARGER PROBLEM THAN A COINCIDENCE. PEOPLE PURCHASE THESE VEHICLES WITH THE ABS - TRACTION CONTROL AND EXPECT THEM TO FUNCTION PROPERLY WITHOUT EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AS REGULAR MAINTENANCE. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER. AS OF TODAY THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS DEFECT. I HAVE OPENED A SERVICE REQUEST WITH GM [XXX] THIS VEHICLE HAD A SENSOR FAILURE WHICH IS EMBEDDED IN THE HUB ASSEMBLY. THE SENSOR FAILURE DISABLES THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM OF THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE HUB ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS FAILURE HAPPENED WITHIN THE CHEVROLET BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY PERIOD CONSEQUENTLY IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAVE HAD ISSUE AFTER ISSUE WITH TRIM, ABS, STABILITY TRACK, HEATING SYSTEM, TRANSMISSION, AND WHEEL BEARINGS. I HAVE HAD THE STABILITY TRACK FIXED TWICE, TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING (COVERED UNDER A RECALL). WHEEL BEARINGS IN REAR BOTH SIDES HAVE BEEN REPLACED BEFORE 80000 MILES. WIRING HARNESS TO WHEELS, THE DEALER SHIP HAD TO SPLICE ( I STILL CANT SEE HOW WIRING HARNESS IS NOT A COVERED COMPONENT. FOR A MANUFACTURE BASED OUT OF A STATE THAT HAS SNOW, AND TO PROVIDE A VEHICLE THAT HAS A STABILITY SENSOR THAT GETS DIRTY BECAUSE OF SALT THAT WILL ERROR IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION. SAME FOR THE DEFAULT WHEEL BEARINGS ONE WINTER IN MICHIGAN AND THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED (ALSO NOT A COVERED FEATURE). TRIM THAT BLOWS OFF ON THE EXPRESS WAY. I LOST MY WINDOW TRIM AND THE FRONT BLACK COVER. FUNNY HOW THE 2015 MODELS HAVE A SCREW IN THEM BUT NOTHING FOR US POOR 2014 OWNERS THAT HAD AN ISSUE. I CAN PURCHASE A NEW ONE AT 60.00 (REALLY ITS PLASTIC). ABS COMES ON EVERY TIME I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE STABILITY TRACK, WHICH IS EVERY WINTER IT GETS DIRTY. ENGINE LIGHT ON NOW SO I CANT AUTO START THE CAR, MORE THAN LIKELY THAT WILL BE CAUSED BY THE GLAMOROUS AUX BATTERY THAT WAS ENGINEERED FOR THE LOVEY AUTO STOP FEATURE THAT I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. HAVE APPOINTMENT WITH DEALERSHIP TO BE RIPPED OFF SOME MORE.

BRAKING BEFORE POTENTIAL COLLISION, ESPECIALLY SMOOTH BRAKING, REVEALS THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS AN INHERENTLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY UNSAFE DESIGN. *TR THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT HAS DELAYED AND INCONSISTENT LOCKING, OFTEN NOT LOCKING IN BRAKING OR LOCKING LATE. EVEN WHEN IT DOES LOCK EARLIER, IT ALLOWS TOO MUCH TRAVEL, I.E. 1/3 DISTANCE TO WHEEL. UNDER MODERATE BRAKING, BEFORE ENOUGH DECELERATION OCCURS TO LOCK THE BELT, THE DRIVER CAN TRAVEL VERY FAR FORWARD AND IT'S HARD TO HOLD ONESELF BACK. EVEN WHEN READY FOR THAT, THE FORCE NEEDED IS A DISTRACTION FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE ROAD AND MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER. ALSO, EXPERTS HAVE SAID THAT BEING TENSE DURING A COLLISION MAKES INJURIES WORSE OR MORE LIKELY. THE COMPLAINANT HAS TESTED THIS MANY TIMES UNDER STRAIGHT BRAKING ON 25-45 MPH ROADS WITH THE SEAT AS FAR BACK AS IS DRIVABLE AND THE WHEEL AS FAR AWAY AS PRACTICAL FOR A SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE SIZE GUY. UNDER MODERATE BRAKING, THE BELT LOCKED WITH MY HEAD 1 INCH FROM THE WHEEL. IF A COLLISION FOLLOWED, MY HEAD WOULD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIR BAG WOULD DEPLOY AT NEARLY POINT-BLANK RANGE TO HEAD AND CHEST. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT HAS AN ALTERNATE MODE ACTIVATED BY PULLING THE BELT ALL THE WAY OUT, WHICH ACTIVATES A RETRACT-ONLY RATCHET SO IT WILL HOLD THE PASSENGER CLOSE TO THE SEAT UNTIL RELEASED. THE DRIVER'S BELT DOES NOT HAVE THAT FEATURE. SUGGEST CRASH TESTING WITH BRAKING FROM 70 TO 40 MPH JUST PRIOR TO COLLISION RATHER THAN CRUISING INTO THE BARRIER AT STEADY 40. WITH THE 2014 MALIBU'S RESTRAINTS, THE DUMMY COULD EASILY BE 1/3 TO FULLY AGAINST THE WHEEL AT MOMENT OF COLLISION. THE PERSON SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT DOES NOT FEEL AT ALL SAFE WHILE DRIVING WITH THIS DEFECT IN THE PRIMARY DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEM. THIS IS A 3-YEAR-OLD CAR THAT HAS NOT BEEN IN A COLLISION, GOING BY RECORDS AND PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION. *TR

WHEEL BEARINGS OR HUBS GOING BAD ON NUMEROUS MALIBU'S. MANY REPORTED BELOW 30K MILES. MY CAR IS AT 53K AND 2 &1/2 YEARS OLD AND JUST HAD MY FIRST WHEEL HUB GO! THE DEALER PAID BASICALLY FOR THE LABOR AND I PAID FOR THE FACTORY PART THAT WILL GO BAD AGAIN. THE PART BY ACDELCO HAS ONLY 1 SEAL AND THAT MAYBE GOOD FOR THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY BUT THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY USES SALT WHICH WE AS CONSUMERS CAN NOT CONTROL. I WASH AND CLEAN MY CAR REGULARLY TO KEEP SALT OFF IN WINTER.BUT THE SEAL IS STILL CORRODING WITH NO BACKUP PROTECTION. MOOG PROVIDES A WHEEL HUB AND USES 4 SEALS! HOW ARE WE AS CONSUMERS SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THE WHEEL HUB IS GOING TO GO. THE WHEEL HUB IS GETTING WATER AND DIRT INSIDE MEANING THAT 1 SEAL IS FAILING! ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. HELP US STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING. IF MY VEHICLE WAS 7 YEARS OR HAD 100K MILES ON IT AND A WHEEL HUB WENT BAD THEN I WOULD REPLACE ALL 4 TO BE PROACTIVE, BUT AT 50K MILES I OR WE AS CONSUMERS (HOWEVER YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT) SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE THAT PROACTIVE TO KEEP THE WHEELS ON THE CAR! ALSO WHEN I CONTACTED 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS AND ASKED THEM FOR A REPLACEMENT WHEEL HUB AND TOLD THEM IT WAS FOR A 2014 MALIBU, EACH ONE OF THEM RESPONDED BY SAYING "THAT'S NOT SURPRISING, WE GET A TON OF PART REQUESTS FOR THAT PARTICULAR PART ON THAT VEHICLE." 2 OF THEM EVEN CHUCKLED BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE WILL NEED 3 MORE AND THEY KNOW THE PROCESS WILL CONTINUE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN. LUCKILY FOR ME I DO MY RESEARCH AND WON'T BE PUTTING ANYMORE WHEEL HUBS BY GM OR ACDELCO ON MY VEHICLE. I WILL BE PUTTING ON MOOG! SADLY OTHER PEOPLE WON'T RESEARCH LIKE I DID AND WILL GET TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND IF THEY TRADE THEIRS CARS IN ALL THEY ARE DOING IS EVENTUALLY PASSING ON THEIR PROBLEM TO SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS UNSUSPECTING. THE BEARING SOUNDED LIKE EXTRA LOUD ROAD NOISE.

ON CLOUDLESS DAYS WHEN THE SUN IS ABOUT 30 DEGREES OR LOWER IN THE SKY THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS TURN ON AND THE VEHICLE DIMS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IT IS TOO BRIGHT OUTSIDE TO DRIVE WITHOUT SUNGLASSES AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE DIMMED GAUGES. MY OTHER VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS DO NOT TURN ON WHEN IT IS SO BRIGHT OUTSIDE.