2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx engine problems

ENGINE

STEERING OUT OF WHACK. I HAVE HAD MY CONTROL ARM ON BOTH SIDES CHANGED ALONG WITH AXLES AND A ALIGNMENT. NO LUCK ITS STILL ALL OVER ROAD. I DRIVE FROM SYLVESTER GA TO TIFTON GA EVERYDAY. IT DOES THE SAME THING EVERYTIME. ALSO I HAVE HAD MY LIGHTS REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. WHY ARENT THE LASTING. GAS CAP KEEPS READING ERROR. WHOLE CAR. I CAN LET SOMEONE DRIVE IT TO SEE WHAT I AM SAYING.

NHTSA complaint #11193420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CHECK ENGINE AND POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE INDICATORS WENT AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,972. *DT CONSUMER STATED MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND REPAIRS MADE. UPDATED 12/04/18

NHTSA complaint #11142267 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

THE VEHICLE CONTINUALLY GOES INTO "ENGINE LOW POWER MODE" WHILE ON THE HIGHWAYS. THIS IS NOW OCCURRING DAILY. I'VE TRIED TO GET IT FIXED BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT IT IS. I AM VERY FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE HAS HIT ME WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES FROM HIGH SPEEDS DOWN TO 20 MILES PER HOUR WITH NO RESPONSE BY PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE THINGS FAILING ON THIS CAR: PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW NO LONGER OPENS, CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT WORK, 2 OF THE 3 CHARGERS IN THE CAR DO NOT WORK (AFTER FIXING THOSE FUSES, THEY JUST BLEW IMMEDIATELY) POWER LOCKS WENT FROM BARELY WORKING TO NOT WORKING AT ALL, THE LATEST BEING THE LOW POWER MODE AND TRACTION CONTROL BEING ACTIVATED IN THE HEAT OF A TENNESSEE SPRING (ALREADY 80 DEGREES) - IT'S NOT A WATER ISSUE. THE FIRST FEW MONTHS I HAD THIS CAR IT WAS IN THE SHOP ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND. I'VE GOTTEN ALL THE RECALLS FIXED WHEN THEY REQUIRED IT AND I KEEP UP WITH MAINTENANCE ON THIS CAR. IT HAS THE USUAL BREAK DOWNS BUT THIS IS THE LEAST SAFE CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN (AND I HAVE DRIVEN AROUND TWENTY LONG TERM, TEN MORE SHORT TERM).

NHTSA complaint #10980567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

SINCE 1/2012, INTERMITTENT MALFUNCTION OF POWER STEERING AND ENGINE OPERATION AT HIGHWAY/STREET SPEEDS OCCURS. VEHICLE SINCE HAS BEEN INSPECTED FOR INCIDENTS BY CERTIFIED DEALERS/AUTO REPAIR SHOPS. PROBLEM CONTINUES FORCING THE DRIVER TO VEER OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT STEERING AND/OR POWER, PUTTING THE DRIVER AND ANYONE IN THE PATH AT RISK OF INJURY/DEATH. MY RESEARCH DUE TO THE MOST CURRENT INCIDENT LED ME TO INFORMATION RELEASED FROM THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION DATED APRIL 1, 2014 STATING THAT 1,340,447 CARS AFFECTED WITH THIS PROBLEM. NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 14V153000, GM RECALL #:N140115. GM KNEW THIS INFORMATION. ON 4/23/14 I SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT TO THE NHTSA, AND GM. 2 GM EMPLOYEES DENIED THE RECALL/SERVICES, YET EVENTUALLY ADMITTED THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE RECALL WHICH WOULD BE MADE PUBLIC 4/28/14, YET NOTICES TO VEHICLE OWNERS WILL GO OUT AFTER 4/28/14. GM CONTINUES THE PRACTICE OF NOT INFORMING THE PUBLIC.

NHTSA complaint #10584559 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

UPON ACCELERATION USING THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR LOSES TOTAL CONTROL OF ITS STEERING. ALL ENGINE LIGHTS AND FAILURE LIGHTS GO ON.SOMETIMES JUST MAKING A SIMPLE TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, THE CAR LOSES COMPLETE STEERING CAPABILITY. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, INCLUDING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH ACCELERATING OVER A SLIGHT INCLINE OR AT 10 MPH AT AN INTERSECTION WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. I NOTICED TROUBLE WITH THE STEERING WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY CAR UNDER WARRANTY BUT IT WASN'T AS SEVERE. JUST WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THE STEERING WAS TIGHT, BUT THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE SHORT RACK STEERING GEAR, STEERING RACK, INTERMEDIATE SHAFT, AND SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED BUT TO NO AVAIL. ON THE WEBSITE WWW.LEMONLAWCLAIMS.COM THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 42 STEERING COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR NATURE REGARDING THE SAME YEAR MAKE FOR THE MALIBU. AN NHTSA INVESTIGATION WAS PERFORMED PE04-031 BASED ON EIGHT REPORTS OF ALLEGED POWER STEERING FAILURES. THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS BASED ON THE REPORT I PRINTED UP IN 2010, HOWEVER I AM NOT CERTAIN OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THIS INVESTIGATION. I'M SURE THERE ARE A LOT MORE FAILURE REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN OPENED, THOUGH I CANNOT FIND A RECALL REGARDING THIS FAILURE. AS A SIDE NOTE, SOMETIMES THE CAR HAS TROUBLE STARTING - IT ALWAYS HAS AND THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETERMINE THE FAILURE. WHEN TRYING TO START IT UP, HITTING THE GAS PEDAL WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO KICK OVER AND NOT STALL. THERE IS ALWAYS THE SMELL OF FUEL. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS PART OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION WHEN THE STEERING FAILS OR THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS UPON ACCELERATION, A CLICKING SOUND CAN BE HEARD. THE ORIGIN OF THIS CLICKING IN UNKNOWN. I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL ON THIS OR BETTER YET A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

NHTSA complaint #10507382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX HAS A BURNT OIL SMELL. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALERSHIP CAN NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER HE CHANGED THE OIL, THE SMELL WOULD LINGER FOR 3-4 WEEKS AFTER TRAVELING HIGHWAY SPEED FOR MORE THAN 20 MILES OR MORE.

NHTSA complaint #10264550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TRADED MY SATURN VUE FOR THE 2004 MALIBU MAXX. WHEN I TEST DROVE THE CAR, AFTER THE ACCELERATION REACHED 4RPMS, THERE WAS A HIGH PITCHED WHINE FROM THE ENGINE CLOSEST TO THE TIRE. THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THAT IT WAS A LOOSE BELT. SO I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIXED. I TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO I HAD TO RIDE WITH THEM. ALSO, MY SEAT HEATERS WERE TURNING ON AUTOMATICALLY, CAR CONSTINTLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT, I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY OVER FOR A LONG TIME TO GET THE CAR TO FULLY START UP. THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE ANY OF THE PROBLEMS SO I AM STILL DEALING WITH ALL OF THEM. FOR THE WHINING NOISE, THEY SAID IT IS A DRIVE BELT THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, BUT IT IS OUT OF STOCK. HOW CONVIENIENT.

NHTSA complaint #10184577 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

BRAND NEW MONTE CARLO SS 2004 USEING EXSESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL.THIS PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 700 MILES AND CONTINUES TODAY,HAVE USED ABOUT 6 QUARTS SO FAR CAR HAS 5000 MILES ON IT NOW.

NHTSA complaint #10154862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT OWNERS BEING NOTIFIED BY DEALERSHIP ABOUT RECALLS. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF TWO RECALLS (04027 AND 04030) WHEN SHE CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT THE DIPSTICK BEING DIFFICULT TO REMOVE AND THE OWNERS MANUAL. THE RECALLS CAME OUT TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE CONSUMER PURCHASE HER VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10111444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 5 OCCASIONS, BUT DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *TC

NHTSA complaint #10106630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.