2006 Chevrolet Malibu Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ,THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO A FAULTY SECURITY SYSTEM. DURING THE FAILURE THE "SECURITY LOCK" MESSAGE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DICK SMITH CHEVROLET (1601 US -52, MONCKS CORNER, SC) WHO UNLOCKED THE SECURITY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
MY 2006 CHEVY HAS BEEN HAVING SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE POWER LOCK DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK BY PRESSING THE BUTTON AND INSTEAD WILL ON THEIR OWN LOCK AND UNLOCK THEMSELVES WITHOUT THE BUTTONS OR CAR RUNNING FOR SOME INSTANCES OF 1 MINUTE UP TO 5 MINUTES. WE HAVE HAD TO PRY A WINDOW OPEN TO GET INSIDE THE VEHICLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. HOWEVER SOMETIMES YOU ARE UNABLE TO GET THE DOORS TO UNLOCK WITHOUT TURNING THE KEYS IN THE MANUAL CAR LOCK LOCATED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE LOCK PULSE WHEN SITTING STILL OR DRIVING THE CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FAILURES UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CHEVROLET OF HOMEWOOD (18033 HALSTED ST, HOMEWOOD, IL 60430, (708) 799-2000) FOR THREE MANUFACTURER RECALLS. WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
MY CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE LOW RPMS WILL FLUCTUATE AND THE POWER WILL TURN OFF.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. AFTER THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWENTY MINUTES. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER FAILED. THE STARTER WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000.
IF YOU THINK GM HAD A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCHES HERE IS A BIGGER ONE. I HAVE OWNED GM SINCE 1972 AND HAVE ALWAYS FOUND THAT THE DELCO BATTERIES ARE THE BEST. YOU COULD GO 8 TO 8 1/2 YEARS BEFORE YOU NEEDED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY BECAUSE AN INTERNAL PLATE WOULD SEPARATE FROM THE BANK OF PLATES. BUT SOMETHING CHANGED IN THE 1990S.I HAVE HAD TWO DELCO BATTERIES DO THIS AND I READ ABOUT A MAN IN FLORIDA THAT DIED IN HIS CAR BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO HIM. YOUR GET IN YOUR VEHICLE, START THE ENGINE, PUT THE CAR IN GEAR, THE DOOR LOCKS ACTIVATE, AND THE ENGINE QUITS. YOU PUT THE CAR BACK IN PARK, AND TRY STARTING THE VEHICLE AGAIN, NOTHING !! ALL ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS ARE DEAD. THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE AND POST HAVE SEPERATED FROM THE BATTERY. TO GET OUT OF THE CAR YOU HAVE TO TRIP THE MANUAL DOOR LOCKS. IF SOMEONE HOLDS THE POST BACK INTO THE BATTERY YOU WILL HAVE POWER BUT AS SOON AS THEY LET GO, ALL ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS DIE. THINK OF IT THIS WAY. YOU ARE HEADING HOME AFTER A HOLIDAY, ON AN EXPRESSWAY IN THE COUNTRY, DOING 70 MPH, IN THE DARK. BUMPER TO BUMPER. THE POSITIVE BATTERY POST BREAKS LOOSE. YOU NOW HAVE NO HEAD LIGHTS, NO HORN, NO TURN SIGNALS, NO BRAKE LIGHTS, NO BODY LIGHTS,NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER BRAKES, ALL ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS HAVE DIED. YOU ARE THE CAPTAIN OF A GHOST SHIP AND THAT DRIVER THAT YOU KNOW WAS BEHIND YOU WILL ONLY HAVE A SECOND TO REACT WHEN HIS HEADLIGHTS PICK YOU UP. GM NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE AND CORRECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE IDLING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE STARTED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,610.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
I CONTACTED CHEVROLET RECALL ABOUT MY IGNITION SWITCH. I COULD JUST PUT MY KEY IN THE SWITCH AND IT WOULD JUST TURN ON WITHOUT ME EVEN TURNING THE SWITCH AND IT WOULD KEEP TURNING OFF AND ON. NOW MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE SWITCH AND I CAN'T TURN MY CAR OFF. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY SO-CALLED FIXED IT BEFORE BUT NOW IT IS MESSED UP AGAIN AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME TO FIX IT AGAIN. *TR
THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AT A SPEED OF 30 MPH APPROXIMATELY TURNED OFF. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE IS NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE DIRECTION GETS STUCK AS WELL AS THE BRAKES. I HAVE RECEIVED TWO NOTIFICATIONS FROM YOU, ONE ON AUGUST 2014 & THE OTHER ONE ON JANUARY 2015. I HAVE GONE TO THE DEALER AND AS OF NOW THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE. THE DEALER I HAVE GONE IS THE NEAREST ONE: AUTONATION CHEVROLET DORAL LOCATED AT 1201 NW 89TH CT MIAMI, FL 33172. *JS
IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ACTIVATES. THE LIGHT FOR IT COMES ON, MY LOCKS, AND I CANNOT ACCELERATE. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF A MONTH AND IS NOW VERY FREQUENT. I LOOSE THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. IT HAPPENS WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE OR WHEN GOING SLOWER. ONCE I ALSO LOST POWER STEERING. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP JUST TO BE TOLD NO CODES WERE NOTED. FROM SPEAKING TO OTHER MALIBU OWNERS THIS IS ALL TO FREQUENT OF AN ISSUE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WOULD REMAIN IN THE START POSITION WHILE STILL IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN ORDER TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL, POWER, STEERING, ETC. THE CAR JUST TURNED OFF. PULLED OVER HIGHWAY TO RESTART ENGINE. IGNITION JUST SHUTOFF WITHOUT WARNING. *TR
ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO (2012) MY VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TROUBLE STARTING. WHEN MY CAR WOULD NOT START I WOULD WAIT FOR A MINUTE AND THEN TRY TO TURN VEHICLE ON AGAIN. SOMETIMES THIS 'WAITING' TECHNIQUE WOULD WORK, OTHER TIMES IT WOULD NOT. WHEN IT WOULD NOT WORK I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE MY CAR JUMPED AND ONLY THEN WOULD MY VEHICLE TURN ON. AFTER GOING TO COUNTLESS MECHANICS, INCLUDING THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, I HAD MY IGNITION KEYHOLE REPLACED A FEW MONTHS AFTER THIS INCIDENT BEGAN. THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE KEYHOLE ONLY DID SO BECAUSE HE-LIKE EVERY OTHER MECHANIC WHO LOOKED AT MY CAR- COULD NOT FIND ANY OTHER PROBLEMS THAT WOULD CAUSE MY CAR NOT TO START. HOWEVER, ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER THE KEYHOLE WAS REPLACED THE PROBLEM RE-APPEARED AND HAS PERSISTED EVER SINCE. THE MOST TROUBLE I HAVE HAD WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 2013 WHEN MY CAR HAD TO BE JUMPED 3 TIMES BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIME I LET THE CAR REST. I HAVE HAD MY BATTERY CHECKED TO SEE IF THAT WAS THE PROBLEM, BUT IT NEVER WAS. I FEEL LIKE MY CAR HAS THE MOST TROUBLE STARTING IN EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS (EXTREMELY HOT,COLD OR HUMID). THESE INCIDENTS HAPPEN AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH WITH THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT BEING JUST LAST WEEK. *TR
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. NO POWER TO ANYTHING. *TR
THE DRIVER DROVE INTO HER DRIVE WAY FROM A SHORT DRIVE. WHEN SHE PARKED IN HER DRIVEWAY, SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE UNDER THE DASH BOARD. SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE, RAN INTO HER HOME TO TELL HER MOTHER. WHEN THEY RAN BACK OUTSIDE, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THEY CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER. THE FIRE MARSHAL CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE AND HE CONCLUDED THAT THE FIRE COMBUSTED FROM WITHIN THE VEHICLE, LIKELY ELECTRICAL. NO ONE WAS INJURED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IS TOTALED AND THE DRIVEWAY IS STAINED FROM THE SMOKE AND FIRE. *TR
OCCASIONALLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR IT WILL MAKE A JERKING MOTION AND SOUND LIKE IT WANTS TO CUT OFF. I HAVE HAD TIMES WHEN IT WOULD CUT OFF RIGHT AFTER STARTING OR WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT. A FEW TIMES (PROBABLY A DOZEN) AFTER CUTTING OFF I HAD TO TRY A COUPLE OF TIMES TO RESTART THE CAR, THE OTHER TIMES I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT THE FIRST TIME. IT WILL DO THIS FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS OR WEEKS AND THEN BE FINE FOR A WHILE. *TR
MY VEHICLE PERIODICALLY STALLS DURING OPERATION. I HAVE NOTICED THIS OCCURRENCE FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS AS A RESULT OF THIS. HOWEVER, I AM READING THAT THERE MAY BE ISSUES WITH IGNITION SWITCHES OF THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOURS, BUT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS 85 MILES PER HOURS. *TR
I GOT IN MY CAR LAST NIGHT, COMING FROM OUT THE GROCERY STORE, AND IT WOULDN'T START!....ANTI THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT KEPT BLINKING. I LIVE IN MICHIGAN AND ITS JANUARY, I WAS FREEZING, CRYING AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THANK GOODNESS I DIDNT HAVE MY DAUGHTER WITH ME....I GOOGLED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND IT SEEMS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED????!!!!!...I TRIED THE 10 MINUTE FIX BUT WHILE DOING IT, IT DRAINED MY BATTERY. EVERY GM CAR I HAD, HAS GIVEN ME PROBLEMS. THEY DON'T WANT US TO BUY FOREIGN BUT I THINK NEXT TIME I GET A CAR THATS WHERE IM HEADING!...GM YOU ARE RIDICULOUS AND EVERY SITE I GET TO COMPLAIN ON ABOUT YOU, I WILL!!!!....GET THIS FIXED ASAP!! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU, INTERMITTENTLY WON'T START. WILL START WITH REMOTE START KEY FOB ONLY. STRANDS ME DAILY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. REPLACED STARTER LAST YEAR WITH NO RESOLVE, NOW OCCURS RANDOMLY WITH NO RHYME OR REASON. READ ONLINE FORUMS SEEMS TO BE THE ANTI THEFT PASSIVE LOCK SYSTEM FAILING TO ALLOW THE CAR TO START. *JS
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Quick Summary
The 2006 Chevrolet Malibu has 41 Electrical System complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.