2004 Chevrolet Malibu Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTAC STATED THAT THE WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND WAIT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MINUTES BEFORE BEING ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR AT LEAST ONCE DAILY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUSE, IGNITION SWITCH AND THE COMPUTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT HE COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE REPAIR WOULD REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AT TIMES AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO SUDDENLY STOP WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED SEVERAL TIMES AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE A PASSLOCK SENSOR WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000. UPDATED 01/06/11*LJ

2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS, THE LEFT TURN, PARKING, & DRL BULB OVERHEATED AND CAUSED A FIRE THAT MELTED THE AMBER PLASTIC LENS INSIDE IF THE HEADLIGHT ASSY CAUSING IT TO SCORCH THE INSIDE OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSY AROUND THE AMBER PART. THE RIGHT SIDE HAD PREVIOUSLY JUST MELTED THE TOP OF THE AMBER LENS. THESE WERE THE ORIGINAL HEADLIGHT ASSYS WITH 3157 BULBS THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE VERY BRIGHT ALL THE TIME. THE BULB CAUSED A FIRE THAT WENT OUT BY ITSELF THAT IS THE SAFETY PROBLEM. BOUGHT CERTIFIED REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT ASSYS. *TR

SOMETIMES MY 2004 CHEVY MALIBU CLASSIC WILL NOT START, DUE TO THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM, I THINK IT'S NOT RECONIZING MY KEY. IT OCCURS LIKE 4 TIMES IN A WEEK IF I'M LUCKY, I FEEL LIKE IM PLAYING A GAME OF CHANCE EVERYTIME I START MY CAR. SO NOW I PRAY TO THE CAR GODS EVERYTIME I GET IN MY CAR, RIGHT BEFORE I START MY CAR, IT SEEMS TO WORK MOST OF THE TIME(PRAYING MAY NOT WORK FOR MOST PEOPLE). *TR

I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU & IM HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM. THIS CAUSES MY CAR NOT TO START & TO SHUT OFF ON ME WHILE DRIVING. I HAD THIS HAPPEN WHILE GOING DOWN A MOUNTAIN WITH MY 7 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE BACKSEAT!!! I CAN NOT BELIEVE CHEVY HAS NOT DONE A RECALL ON THIS YET!!! EVERYDAY MY CAR DOESN'T WANT TO START & I HAVE TO TURN THE IGNITION ON & SIT AND WAIT FOR THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM TO RESET! BY THE WAY ITS ALMOST 100 DEGREES THIS SUMMER!!! *TR

2004 CHEVY MALIBU THEFT SYSTEM FAILURE. *TR

PROBLEMS STARTED OVER 3 YEARS AGO. ELECTRICAL PROBLEM INVOLVING INTERIOR ELECTRONICS, SOMETIMES RADIO AND CLIMATE ELECTRONICS WILL TURN OFF AND AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHT WILL TURN OFF, USUALLY RIGHT AFTER STARTING, BUT SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. RECENTLY THE CAR ENGINE STALLED ON THE INTERSTATE IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE ISSUES AND THE SECURITY LIGHT CAME ON. THEN THE NEXT WEEK THE CAR STALLED ON A STREET WITHOUT LIGHTING THE SECURITY LIGHT AND WOULDN'T RESTART, AFTER BEING TOWED THE CAR DID RESTART. *TR

INTERMITTENT TURN SIGNALS AND HORN CONTINUALLY GOES OFF HAVING TO REMOVE FUSE. *TR

THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON FOR 2004 CHEVY MALIBU FOR ONE DAY. CAR WOULD NOT START THE NEXT DAY. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED OVER 33,000 COMPLAINTS FOR THEFT SEARCH. ON CHEVY CARS. FOR $616 PLUS TAX, TIM LALLY CHEVROLET IS CHARGING ME FOR: IGNITION CYLINDER, WIRING AND CONNECTOR. *TR

MY CAR SUDDENLY WOULDN'T START THIS MORNING WHILE TRYING TO GET TO WORK. AFTER RESEARCHING A LITTLE BIT ON THE INTERNET I CAME TO REALIZE THAT THIS HAS TO DO WITH THAT ANNOYING ANTI-THEFT LIGHT THAT IS ALWAYS LIT UP IN THE CORNER. SO I GO BACK OUT TO MY CAR, HOPING THAT THE 10 MINUTE PROCEDURE WILL WORK FOR ME AS WELL. BUT AS I AM SITTING THERE WITH MY CAR IN THE "ON" POSITION MY BATTERY DIES ON ME. SO NOW I AM STUCK HERE WITH A CAR THAT WONT TURN ON, AND NO WAY TO GET TO WORK! I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS AS WELL RELATED BUT ABOUT 2 MONTHS PRIOR MY POWER STEERING HAD GONE OUT. MECHANICS THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD FUEL PUMP AND HAD TO HAVE THAT FIXED. *TR

THE THEFT SYSTEM COMES ON IN MY CAR ABOUT EVERY 3 TIMES I USE IT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS I NEED TO WAIT TEN MINUTES BEFORE STARTING ME CAR. IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT IN MY PARKING DECK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER UNIT IN THE VEHICLE BURNED INTO PIECES. SHE USED THE LIGHTER REGULARLY AND WHEN THE LIGHTER POPPED BACKED OUT TO BE USED, THE ENTIRE UNIT OVERHEATED AND BURNED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OR ISSUES WITH THE LIGHTER UNIT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SCARRING FROM THE FAILURE. SHE STATED THAT HER VEHICLE MAY BE AT RISK OF CATCHING FIRE OR EXPERIENCING OTHER ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THEFT SYSTEM IN HER VEHICLE WOULD ACTIVATE AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE NOT TO START. THE FAILURE WORSENED AND RECENTLY BEGAN TO OCCUR EVERY TWO DAYS. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PLACE THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND TURN IT SO THAT IT WOULD RESET AND THE THEFT DETERRENT LIGHT WOULD DIM. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE CENTER, BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,450 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,000.

AFTER RADIO WAS REPLACED I EXPERIENCED MY BLINKERS DO NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY. I HAD A WARRANTY AT THAT TIME TOOK IT TO DEALER THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM TOLD ME COME BACK WHEN IT STARTED AGAIN, HOWEVER THE DEALER SAID THAT IF I JIGGLED THE HAZARD BUTTON THE BLINKERS WOULD WORK THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES AND THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A RECALL MATTER. OF COURSE THE SITUATION CONTINUED MY WARRANTY RAN OUT AND I'M STUCK WITH THIS DANGEROUS ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE A/C IS ALSO AFFECTED, IT COMES ON AND OFF AND IT SEEMS THE HAZARD BUTTON SOMEHOW HELPS TO RESET THE PROBLEM SOMETIMES SO IT COMES BACK ON JUST LIKE THE BLINKERS WILL STAY ON IF I HOLD THE LEFT CORNER OF THE HAZARD BUTTON. IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW IT WAS CORRECTED. HELP! *TR

CAR WOULDN'T START SO TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND REMOVED BATTERY AND THEN REPLACED IT AND CAR STARTED. INFORMED US HE HAS WORKED ON OTHERS THAT HAD SAME PROBLEM AND IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE THAT HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. THE CAR STARTED AND RAN FOR 3 DAYS THEN IT WON'T START AGAIN. SO HAD IT TOWED TO THE CHEVY DEALER. MECHANIC TALKED TO ON THE PHONE INSTANTLY KNEW THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE HAD TO REPAIR IT ON MANY CARS. TOLD US IT WAS THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE AND THE ONLY WAY AROUND IT WAS TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CAR IS STILL CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERS SO CANT GIVE A TOTAL ACCOUNT YET OF WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I'VE HAD TO MISS DAYS AT WORK BECAUSE OF THIS AND WONDERING IF IT IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM WHY SOMETHING ISN'T BEING DONE ABOUT IT. HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE BEFORE BUT CAUSED A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. IT WENT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND DIDN'T LET ME USE CRUISE CONTROL, AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. IT ALSO WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES. THEN IT STARTED BACK UP AND HAD NO PROBLEMS TILL NOW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL BULBS OFTEN BLOW OUT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE BULB AND SOME WIRES. RECENTLY, HE NOTICED THAT THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL COVERING BURNED. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,900. UPDATED 10/03/08 *BF THE DEALER STATED THE WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED. UPDATED 10/07/08.*JB

THE 2004 CHEVY MALIBU CLASSIC WILL NO START FOR 10 MINUTES EVERYTIME I GET IN THE CAR. I WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT WAS TOLD BY A CHEVY DEALER THAT IT WOULD COST $400.00 BUT IT IS A HIT OR MISS SITUATION. I WOULD LOVE IF GM RECALLED IT. I WORK IN CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND CHILDREN LIVES CAN BE AT RISK IF I CAN'T GET TO A FAMILY IN TIME. IF GM WILL NOT RECALL THE CAR COULD THEY PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAT WILL HAVE MONEY AND LIVES. *TR

MY PROBLEM IS WITH A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU CLASSIC...SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT THIS CAR I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION CYLINDER THREE TIMES BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT START IN THE COLD WEATHER..AND NOW I MY CAR IS NOT STARTING BECAUSE OF A THEFT PASSLOCK MODULE ISSUE...THIS CAR HAS LEFT ME STRANDED EVERYWHERE AND IM A SINGLE MOTHER AND NEED TO GO TO WORK AND THIS CAR IS UNDEPENDABLE DUE TO THE FAULTY THEFT SYSTEM..I HAVE SPENT OVER 2000 DOLLARS ALREADY FOR NOTHING, BECAUSE THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS ALL OVER AGAIN...PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION...THERE IS A NEED TO FOR A RECALL.... *TR

I TRIED TO START THE CAR AND, WHILE THE STARTER MOTOR OPERATED, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. EVENTUALLY I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED, AND THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. IF HAD KNOW, I COULD HAVE LEFT THE KEY ON FOR 10 MINUTES AND PERHAPS IT WOULD HAVE STARTED. BUT THIS INFO WAS BURIED IN THE OWNER?S MANUAL UNDER THE HEADING PASSLOCK AND NOT FOUND UNTIL AFTER THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. I WOULD HAVE BEEN AFRAID TO SIT IN AN UNLOCKED CAR FOR 10 MINUTES IN ANY EVENT. *TR

SOME TIME IN DECEMBER OF 2007 THE SPEEDOMETER OF MY 2004 CHEVY IMPALA BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. IT IS VERY ERRATIC IN THAT SOMETIMES THE NEEDLE DOESN'T MOVE, SOMETIMES IT SHOWS 100+MPH, SOMETIMES IT APPEARS TO BE ACCURATE, AND SOMETIMES IT JUST STAYS FIXED ON A SPEED AND DOESN'T MOVE. WE HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HE SAID ONLY A DEALER COULD FIX IT AND IT WOULD MOST LIKELY COST OVER $1,000 TO DO SO. WE HAVE CHOSEN TO LIVE WITH IT IN HOPES THAT CHEVROLET WILL PUT OUT A RECALL. *TR

TRYING TO START THE CAR, THE CAR SOMETIMES DOESN'T START. YOU CAN HEAR IT TURNING OVER BUT IT JUST DOESN'T START. YOU CAN TRY AND TRY AND THEN, MAGICALLY, IT JUST STARTS. THEN, YOU TRY LATER AND IT STARTS AS IF THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM. IT IS INCREDIBLY UNRELIABLE, UNPREDICTABLE AND FRUSTRATING AS THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A PATTERN FOR THE CAR NOT STARTING. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU WITH THE FACTORY THEFT SYSTEM. THIS THEFT SYSTEM HAS CAUSED THE CAR TO NOT START AND THUS MAKING ME LATE FOR MANY APPOINTMENTS. THE SYSTEM WILL RESET AFTER 10 MINUTES, BUT I FEEL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING GENERAL MOTORS NEEDS TO LOOK AT AND MAYBE ISSUE A RECALL. THANK YOU *TR

THE HORN ON MY VEHICLE FAILED. THIS LED TO A NEAR COLLISION AS I WAS UNABLE TO UTILIZE THE HORN TO ALERT THE OTHER DRIVER TO MY PRESENCE. I TOOK MY 2004 MALIBU TO MY MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FUSE. THE HORN WORKED FOR ABOUT A DAY AND THEN WHEN BEING OPERATED BY ANOTHER DRIVER, HE TRIED TO USE THE HORN WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT AND THE HORN DID NOT WORK. PER THE MECHANIC THE FUSE BLEW AGAIN. HE RAN A CHECK ON SERVICE NOTICES FOR THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT CONDENSATION FORMS IN THE LOCATION OF THE HORN DUE TO A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE LOCATION. GM IS AWARE OF THIS, BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL EVEN THOUGH THE MECHANIC STATES THAT IT CAUSES THE HORN TO QUIT SUDDENLY AND THE AVERAGE CONSUMER WILL BELIEVE IT IS THE FUSE, REPAIR THAT ONLY TO HAVE THE HORN FAIL AGAIN WITHIN DAYS. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A SHORT CIRCUIT CAUSED ALL OF THE VEHICLE'S LIGHTS TO BLINK AT THE SAME TIME VERY RAPIDLY. ALSO, THE HORN SOUNDED RAPIDLY, THEN THE VEHICLE POWERED DOWN CAUSING ALL OF THE LIGHTS TO DIM AND THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A COASTING MODE. UNTIL THE VEHICLE POWERED BACK UP AGAIN, AND THE COMPUTERS OVERRODE EACH OTHER, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALL OF THE LIGHTS THREE TIMES. THIS INCLUDED TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS AND ANY OTHER LIGHTS TO TRY AND REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE FUEL PUMP WAS CHANGED BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP THOUGHT THE FUEL PUMP MAY BE OVERRIDING THE MAIN COMPUTER. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ALSO REPLACED BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP THOUGHT MAYBE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATING THE SYSTEM, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT IN USE WHEN THE SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURRED. UPDATED 10/4/2006 - *NM

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH REMOTE START, WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO START THE VEHICLE FROM THE KEY REMOTE. ON FRIDAY 8-19 THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT" CAME ON BRIEFLY WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED BUT DID NOT COME BACK ON AFTER I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY 8-22-05 AFTER MAKING A STOP, SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE, AND GETTING OFF THE CAR THE ENGINE STARTED ON ITS OWN AND STAYED ON FOR APPX A MINUTE, IT THEN SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. THIS CYCLE REPEATED FOR ABOUT 8 MINS OR SO ON ITS OWN. I GOT BACK ON THE CAR AFTER DROPPING MY CHILD OFF AT SCHOOL AND DROVE AT HWY SPEEDS WITH THE CRUISE ON, AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF HWY SPEEDS THE CRUISE CONTROL SHUT OFF AND WAS NON RESPONSIVE. I GOT OFF THE HWY PARKED AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. AGAIN THE ENGINE STARTED ON ITS OWN, THIS TIME STAYING ON FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE DEPT REPLACED THE KEYLESS ENTRY MODULE AND REPROGRAMMED THE BRAKE ECU AS THEY SAID THE KEYLESS MODULE WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND CAUSING THE ENGINE TO START USING THE REMOTE START FEATURE. THEY ALSO SAID THE BRAKE MODULE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO BE NON RESPONSIVE. THIS MALFUNCTION CONCERNED ME GREATLY AS THE VEHICLE WAS GARAGED KEPT UNTIL THIS HAPPENED AND I NO LONGER TRUST TO PUT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE IN FEAR OF POSSIBLE CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING FROM THE ENGINE STARTING ON ITS OWN WHILE IN THE GARAGE, SPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHILE ASLEEP.