2009 Chevrolet Malibu Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS AND THE HAZARD LIGHTS WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE HAZARD SWITCH UNIT AND THE RELAY HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHERE THE TURN SIGNAL UNIT AND IGNITION WERE REPLACED BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING BUT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

SINCE THE 1ST OF MARCH THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN BURNING OUT. I HAVE BEEN REPLACING THE HEADLIGHTS WITH REGULAR OEM REPLACEMENTS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE PLUGS ARE MELTING ON THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS A GREAT SAFETY CONCERN IN MY OPINION. I CAN UNDERSTAND NORMAL LIFE OF THE BULB, BUT TO HAVE 4 SETS OF LIGHTS GO OUT IN JUST OVER A MONTH IS AN ISSUE. I THINK THIS MAY BE HAPPENING DUE TO NO VENTILATION BEHIND THE HEADLIGHT CAUSING EXCESSIVE HEAT THEREFORE CAUSING A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT DURING NIGHT DRIVING. PLEASE CONSIDER LOOKING INTO THIS AS A POSSIBLE RECALL. *JS

REAR BRAKE LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON. THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A REASON AS TO WHEN OR WHY IT TURNS ON. DEALERSHIP SHRUGS THEIR SHOULDERS AS THEY 'FIX' THE CAR 'HOPING THAT WHAT THEY DO FIXES THE PROBLEM'. DRIVER DOESN'T KNOW THAT REAR BRAKES ARE ON UNLESS DRIVING AT NIGHT OR ATTEMPTING TO USE CRUISE CONTROL. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I NOTICED LATELY ON GM VEHICLES, THAT THE BACK UP LAMPS ARE COMING ON ALTHOUGH NOBODY IS IN THE VEHICLE. RECENTLY I WAS TRYING TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. IT WAS DARK AND COULD NOT SEE, THAT NOBODY WAS IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES I REALIZED, THAT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS JUST WALKING UP TO THE VEHICLE. WHILE THE WHOLE TIME I COULD HAVE BACKED OUT SAFELY. I WAS VERY IRRITATED ABOUT THIS AND THINK THIS WILL CAUSE PEOPLE TO START IGNORING THE BACK UP LIGHTS ON VEHICLES. DOWN THE ROAD THIS WILL LEAD TO ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IN PARKING LOTS. *TR

ALTHOUGH THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN ACCIDENT YET, DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE CARS HEADLIGHTS, AND TAIL LIGHTS, (AND THE REMOVAL OF THE SIDE REPEATER LAMP FOR TURN SIGNAL INDICATION ON THE 2009 MODEL YEAR MALIBU), THERE IS NO VISIBLE TURN INDICATOR FOR OTHER DRIVERS TO SEE INDICATION OF A SIGNAL FROM THE CAR UNLESS OTHER DRIVERS ARE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF, OR BEHIND THE CAR. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A DRIVER IS SITTING AT A 4 WAY STOP, OR LIKEWISE, BECAUSE THE TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT WRAP AROUND THE FRONT OR BACK OF THE CAR, DRIVERS TO THE LEFT, AND RIGHT OF THE CAR, CANNOT SEE THE TURN SIGNAL, WHICH POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. ON THE 2008 MALIBU, THERE WAS A SIDE MARKER REPEATER LAMP ON THE FRONT QUARTER PANEL, AND IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE 2009 MY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A LARGE SAFETY CONCERN, AND THEY SHOULD BE PUT BACK ONTO THE CARS, OR A REDESIGN OF THE HEADLAMP ASSY. *TR