2004 Chevrolet Malibu Seats

THE 6 WAY FRONT DRIVERS SEAT HAS FAILED 6 TIMES SINCE 2006. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WAS 3/15/2019. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS IN 2007. THE WELDS THAT SUPPORT THE FRAME BREAK AND I HAVE REPLACED THE SEAT 3 TIMES, WELDED 3 TIMES. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AS IT HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AFTER HITTING A BUMP AND CAUSED ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. I AM REPORTING THIS NOW AS THE DEALERS IGNORE THIS AS AN ISSUE AND JUST WANT OVER A $1000 TO REPLACE THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART WHICH WILL FAIL AGAIN. NHTSA IS MY LAST HOPE THAT LIVES WILL BE SAVED. THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM AS THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF THIS DEFECT.

THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS BROKEN AND DIPS DOWN IN FRONT AND TO THE RIGHT. IT'S LIKE A BRACKET UNDER THE SEAT IS BROKEN. IT'S DANGEROUS BECAUSE EVERY TIME I LEAN FORWARD, MY SEAT DROPS DOWN IN THE FRONT WHICH COULD AFFECT MY DRIVING. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THERE ARE MANY MALIBUS WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. *TR

POWER DRIVERS SEAT FRAME WELD BROKE CAUSING THE SEAT TO WOBBLE AND NOT ATTACHED TO MOUNTS. CRASH WOULD NOT BE SAFE BECAUSE SEAT COULD SEPARATE. A REAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS A RECALL. SEAT BROKE LOSE ENTERING CAR

HAD BEEN NOTICING PROGRESSIVELY WORSENING SAG IN SEAT OVER PAST WEEK. GOT IN CAR THIS EVENING AND FELT SEAT KIND OF POP. SEAT NOW SAGS TO BACK AND TO RIGHT. FOUND BROKEN BRACKET ON RIGHT FRONT OF DRIVER SEAT FRAME; PARTLY BROKEN WELD AND PARTLY "RIPPED" METAL.

SIDE OF THE SEAT FRAME IS BROKEN. HAPPENED WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION.

FRONT DRIVERS POWER SEAT FRAME WELD BROKE RIGHT SIDE CAUSING THE SEAT TO DROP AND WOBBLE. NOT SAFE WITH A SEAT NOT PROPERLY ATTACHED TO SEAT TRACK

THE DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME IS BROKEN. THE ADJUSTER ONLY RAISES THE LEFT SIDE. IN SPEAKING WITH OTHER MALIBU OWNERS, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN BOTH THE SEDAN AND MAXX VERSIONS OF THIS VEHICLE.

THE WELD ON THE DRIVERS SEAT BROKE.

FIRST NOTICED DRIVER SEAT WOUL LEAN TO ONE SIDE IN 2005, DEALER WELDED SEAT BRACKET TO REPAIR BRACKET. NOTICED SAME PROBLEM IN 2007. DEALER REPLACED BRACKET. NOTICED PROBLEM AGAIN IN 2010. WITH WARRANTY EXPIRED WE'VE BEEN DRIVING EVER SINCE. BRACKET IS NOW COMPLETELY OFF TRACK AND WILL NOT ADJUST, FINALLY DECIDED TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD COST TOO REPLACE. AM NOW FINDING OUT ITS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. LOOKS LIKE BUYING A NEW BRACKET WOULD ONLY BE A TEMPORARY FIX.

THE FRONT DRIVER ELECTRIC SEAT SAGS TO DOWN AND TO THE RIGHT. BAR ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF FRONT SEAT NEAR MOTOR AS BROKEN RIGHT NEAR THE WELD.RIGHT BEFORE WHERE IT BOLTS DOWN. CAR WAS PURCHASED AND THEY THIS ISSUE WAS FOUND.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT FRAME WELDS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN VERIFIED THE FAILURE AND REPLACED THE SEAT FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,360. UPDATED 02/26/16*LJ

NOTICED DRIVER SEAT WAS TILTED TO THE RIGHT WHEN SITTING ON IT RECENTLY. INSPECTED UNDERNEATH AND SAW A WELD THAT LOOKS BROKEN. BROKEN METAL BAR (IMAGE ATTACHED). LOOKED ONLINE AND SEE MANY OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED. HTTP://WWW.AUTOMOTIVEFORUMS.COM/T919217-DISCUSS2004_CHEVY_MALIBU_MAXX_BROKEN_POWER_SEAT.HTML HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/CHEVROLET/MALIBU_MAXX/2004/ACCESSORIES-INTERIOR/SEATS-4.SHTML DEALER SAYS IT WILL COST ABOUT $1000 BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE IF I'M IN A CRASH AND THE SEAT IS NOT PROPERLY FASTENED TO THE CAR.

ATTEMPTING TO ADJUST THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK IT SNAPPED AND DROPPED ON THE RIGHT SIDE, CLOSEST TO THE CENTER COLUMN. DRIVER;S SEAT NOW TILTS TOWARDS THE RIGHT. MECHANIC SAID IT WILL NOT PASS A SAFETY INSPECTION. UPON READING NHTSA REVIEWS BY OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL THERE ARE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE SAME INCIDENT. THIS REALLY SHOULD BE RECALLED.

NOTICED THE DRIVER'S SEAT NO LONGER ALIGNED PROPERLY: RIGHT SIDE IS DOWN AND BACK. INSPECTION SHOWS A SEAT FRAME WELD BROKEN AT THE FORWARD CROSS BAR WHERE IT IS WELDED TO THE SIDE FRAME. THE METAL CROSSBAR TUBE BROKE AWAY LEAVING THE WELD INTACT ON THE FRAME, INDICATING INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH IN THE DESIGN AND MATERIALS, BASED ON MY PROFESSIONAL MECHANICAL ENGINEERING BACKGROUND. INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATES BROKEN WELDS ON THESE DRIVER SEATS TO BE A GROWING PROBLEM, OFTEN LEAVING THE SEAT UNSTABLE, AND NEGATIVELY AFFECTING THE DRIVER'S CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A PRIME SAFETY RECALL ISSUE! *TR

I HAVE OWNED A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX FOR A COUPLE YEARS. RECENTLY THE DRIVERS SEAT STARTED WOBBLING AND NOW SITS UNCOMFORTABLY CROOKED LEANING TO THE RIGHT. I HAD MY MECHANIC TAKE THE WHOLE SEAT OUT TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND HE SAID THAT THE FRAME HOLDING THE SEAT TO THE FLOOR HAD BROKEN IN 2 PLACES. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO FIX IT SAFELY FOR SEVERAL REASONS. HE SAID THAT THE MATERIALS FOR THE FRAME WERE WEAK AND INADEQUATE. HE SAID THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO WELD BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WAY TO DO IT WITHOUT POSSIBLY STARTING THE SEAT ON FIRE. HE ALSO BROUGHT UP THE FACTS THAT IF A SEAT WASN'T SECURELY BOLTED TO THE FLOOR AND WAS LOOSE THAT IN A FRONT END CRASH THE SEAT WOULD THROW THE DRIVER FORWARD INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE AIR BAG "MIGHT" HELP SLIGHTLY. OR - IF YOU WERE HIT FROM THE REAR WITH THE SEAT LOOSE THE SEAT WOULD COLLAPSE BACKWARD AND THROW THE DRIVER TO THE REAR OF THE CAR OR POSSIBLY THROUGH THE REAR WINDSHIELD. EITHER SITUATION COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO A DRIVER WITH THIS SITUATION. MY MECHANIC SUGGESTED REPLACING THE WHOLE SEAT BUT WHY WOULD I SPEND THE POSSIBLE $900 AND END UP WITH A SEAT WITH THE SAME INADEQUATE, WEAK FRAME ONLY TO BREAK AGAIN. THE SEAT BROKE BECAUSE OF CHEAP, WEAK, INADEQUATE MATERIALS THAT WERE USED. IT DID NOT HAPPEN FROM WEAR AND TEAR OR ABUSE. IT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE THAT GM NEEDS TO RECALL AND FIX AT THEIR EXPENSE. I HOPE OTHERS READING THIS COMPLAINT WILL PURSUE THIS ISSUE WITH GM UNTIL A RECALL HAPPENS, AND BEFORE ANY OF US ARE KILLED!

I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT RECENTLY HAS STARTED UNCOMFORTABLY LEANING TO THE RIGHT AND SHIFTNG BACK AND FORTH. I WAS JUST INFORMED BY MY MECHANIC THAT THE FRAME ON THE FRONT SEAT DRIVERS SIDE IS BROKEN. HE DID NOT RECOMMEND TRYING TO FIX IT DUE TO THE FACT THAT BY BREAKING IT HAS AFFECTED THE WHOLE INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME. HE ADVISED ME TO GET A NEW SEAT DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES IF BEING IN ACCIDENT OR CRASH. HE SAID THE SEAT COULD COME ALL THE WAY LOOSE AND CAUSE THE DRIVER TO FLY FORWARD AND SUSTAIN SERIOUS INJURY. ALSO, IT COULD CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO INFLATE PREMATURELY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GM DO A RECALL DUE TO THIS BEING A SAFETY ISSUE. AND BY DOING RESEARCH ON THE COMPUTER I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF MALIBU OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THEIR CAR SEAT FRAMES BREAK. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT DUE TO ABUSE OR EXTENDED WEAR. IT IS DUE TO AN INADEQUATE, DEFECTIVE PART. I NEED ADVICE AS TO HOW TO PROCEED WITH ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WITH GM. THANK YOU.

POWER DRIVERS SEAT FRAME BROKE AT A WELD. THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS TRAVELLING AT 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. I STARTLED ME AND I SWERVED ALMOST HITTING ANOTHER CAR. I HAVE SEEN MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF THE SEAT FRAME BREAKING IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT AT A WELD. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND BECAUSE THIS CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. ALSO - I BELIEVE THE SEATBELT IS CONNECTED TO THE SEAT. DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE SEEN COMPLAINTS FROM MANY PEOPLE OF VARYING SIZES/WEIGHTS. EVEN A SMALLER, 125LB WOMAN HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN.

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH ON FLAT STRAIT ROAD WHEN THE DRIVERS SEAT SUDDENLY DROPPED DOWN, BACK AND TOWARD THE RIGHT. UPON INSPECTION I SEE THAT THE WELD ON THE BRACE/FRAME OF THE SEAT HAS BROKEN. THE SEAT IS NOW UNSTABLE AND SLOPING TO THE RIGHT. I FEAR THE OTHER SIDE MAY SNAP AS WELL. I SEE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEBODY IS SERIOUSLY HURT. *TR

NOTICED SEAT MOVED AND TENDED TO LEAN DRIVER TOWARD CENTER CONSOLE. UPON INSPECTION THE SEAT FRAME BROKE AT THE RIGHT REAR. WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATES THE SEAT ROCKS BACKWARD FOR SEVERAL INCHES. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM THE DEALER. *TR

WHEN SEAT WAS MOVED, IT BECAME VERY LOOSE AND ROCKS BACK AND FORTH AS WELL AS SIDE TO SIDE. DEALER TECH SAID THERE WAS AN INFERIOR WELD WHICH CONNECTS THE SEAT TO THE BASE AND IT IS BROKEN. TOLD ME IF WE WELD IT BACK TOGETHER IT CANCELS THE WARRANTY ON IT AS WE'RE PUTTING A NEW WELD ON TOP OF AN INFERIOR ONE AND IT MAY NOT HOLD. HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX IT. COST IS TOO MUCH AND NOT GUARANTEED. I HAVE THE SEAT PROPPED UP WITH WOODEN BLOCKS AND IT IS ALWAYS MOVING SO NEEDS CONTINUAL ADJUSTING WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO GET JUST RIGHT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THIS SEAT WILL MOVE IN A SUDDEN STOP OR SHARP TURN. ONLY SEAT BELT WILL HOLD ME AND SEAT IN PLACE. COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO ME. I LISTED THE PART ABOVE BUT IT WOULDN'T STAY THERE. I BELIEVE IT IS THE DRIVER SEAT ASSEMBLY. THIS CHANGE IS URGENT - DON'T KNOW WHY GM WON'T FIX IT SINCE IT WAS A MISTAKE IN THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH THE SEAT CONSTANTLY MOVING. IT'S LIKE SITTING ON A BALL. *JS

DRIVER'S SEAT RAIL BROKE. SEAT TILTS TOWARDS CONSOLE, NOT ALLOWING PROPER SEAT POSITIONING AND ROCKS BACK AND FORTH.

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT FELL DOWN OFF THE TRACK ON THE RIGHT SIDE. LIKE WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WELDED BETTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT MOVED INTERMITTENTLY AND LEANED TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME SECTION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 5/29/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED AN INSPECTION REVEALED TWO WELDS WITHIN THE DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME BROKE AWAY CAUSING THE SEAT TO WOBBLE. UPDATED 06/04/15*JB

FIRST OFF, EVERYWHERE I LOOK ONLINE SOMEONE HAS PROBLEMS REGARDING THE CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX'S SEATS. I WAS GOING ABOUT 30MPH AND I HEARD A POP CONE FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT FRAME WHEN I TURNED A CORNER. THE WELD ON ONE OF THE SUPPORTING BARS POPPED OFF AGAIN AFTER TRYING TO WELD IT AGAIN WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE METAL BAR THAT BROKE WAS TO WEAK AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT IN AT THE FACTORY.I BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY THAT THESE SEATS SHOULD BE FIXED BECAUSE IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AND A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THOSE SEEKING TO GET IT FIXED. THANK YOU FOR READING MY CONCERNS. *TR

THE TRACK WELD AND BRACE ON DRIVER SIDE POWER SEAT IS FRACTURED/BROKEN CAUSING EXTREME UNEVEN SLOPING IN SEAT. THE SEAT MOVES WHILE DRIVING. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE WITH THIS CAR, WHY NO RECALL ON A FAULTY FRAMING DESIGN? *TR