2011 Chevrolet Malibu Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
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The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35–40 MPH, the vehicle experienced transmission failure. The contact stated that the RPM was elevated while driving, and the transmission shifted abnormally rough. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the transmission was rebuilt. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the local dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.
The transmission has a rough shift in third and fifth. It won't down shift when slowing down. It was confirmed from a independent service center. There was no warning when it did it the check engine light came on. There is many people with the same complaint with the transmission being faulty. My safety and others was at risk because the car would not down shift and come to a stop.
While driving down a highway at 60mph, the transmission failed, at just over 118,000. It started surging without moving forward any faster, and reverse doesn't work at all anymore. My son was in the car, and we were miles from home. I was lucky to be able to get off the highway fairly quickly before we got run over, or hit along the side of the road. This particular transmission failure is a well known issue for GM, it is covered for older vehicles up to 2010, and fixed in newer vehicles in 2012, but dealership (Paul Richard's Peru, IN) said "these things happen" and it could cost $3000-$5000 to replace. They will do nothing to help, because they won't acknowledge that this model year needs extended coverage, too. (Actually a recall!) This is completely unacceptable, I've only put 30,000 miles on this car. I had the fluids lab tested when purchased, and it in no way indicated any failure imminent! In fact, it said everything was in fantastic condition for the mileage. We also flushed and filled the transmission ~25,000 miles ago, as recommended by the maintenance schedule. We shouldn't be on the hook for thousands of dollars, when we in no way caused this failure, especially after it could have killed my son and I. Our old 2005 Malibu has 170,000 miles on the original drivetrain, and it's still going. There is no acceptable reason that our 2011 should only last 118,000 miles before needing major repairs, or the transmission replaced already, 100% on our dime.
On busy city 3 lane highway transmission failed to engage. I managed to drift right to immediate side street, emergency blinkers on, horns blowing. Turned corner and stopped. No warnings, lights, sounds. 59,908 mileage! Insurance co towed to transmission shop. Mechanic had to completely rebuild $2,132. Insisted not normal problem for such low mileage. I will be contacting Chevy dealer, ect. This car is available for any inspection. I have 0 confidence in the safety of this car. When I picked up the owner of shop pointed out an identical vehicle in his lot, yes, waiting for another transmission replace/repair.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON A RAMP AND ATTEMPTING TO ENTER HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT ALSO WANTED TO STATE THAT PREVIOUSLY THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO ENGAGE IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ROY ROBINSON CHEVROLET (6616 35TH AVENUE NE, MARYSVILLE, WA, 98271, (360) 659-6236) WHERE THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,632.
CAR QUIT SHIFTING INTO 3RD, 4TH OR 5TH GEAR AND REVERSE. EXITING THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT DOWNSHIFTED VERY SUDDENLY AND VERY HARD. FROM THERE STOPPED AT RED LIGHT. WENT TO TAKE OFF AND IT SLIPPED IN 2ND GEAR. FROM THERE PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE. NEXT TIME I TRIED REVERSE IT WOULD NOT GO AT ALL. LEADS ME TO BELIEVE IT'S THE TRANSMISSION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED, THE RPMS REVVED, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, AND A SPEED SENSOR FOR THE ENGINE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE A CODE FOR THE SPEED SENSOR WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH PRIORITY CHEVROLET (1495 S MILITARY HWY, CHESAPEAKE, VA 23320, (757) 424-1811) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND FOUND A LOT OF THE SAME MODEL VEHICLES THAT WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURES EVEN WITH THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AROUND 90,000 TO 95,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
81K MILES ON VEHICLE. DRIVING AT RESIDENTIAL SPEEDS (~ 30 MPH), VEHICLE STARTED SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTING, ENGINE REVVING, THEN REFUSING TO GET OUT OF 1ST GEAR. I WOULD HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY OR CROWDED CITY STREET!
I WAS DRIVING IN THE CITY. STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, AND WHEN I ACCELERATED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK, REV LOUDLY, AND SEEMED TO KICK INTO HIGH GEAR WHILE ONLY GOING ABOUT 20 MILES AN HOUR. I GOT TO A PLACE WHERE I COULD STOP, AND TRIED TO PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE, BUT THIS GEAR DID NOT WORK. I HAD IT TOWED AND MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REBUILT. I TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD RECOMMEND A REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION.
ONLY 115K MILES AND TRANSMISSION IS OUT, THIS CAR GETS ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, REVERSE WON'T ENGAGE AND TRANSMISSION MAKES NOISES IN FORWARD. HELP PLEASE
TAKATA RECALL*** AT 80000 MILES I WAS DRIVING AND THEN MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE TRIED REVERSE WITH NO LUCK ENDED UP HAVING TO CALL TOW COMPANY TO GET ME OUT OF TRAFFIC WITH ALMOST BEING HIT SEVERAL TIMES . WITH RESEARCH FOUND OUT THIS IS COMMON AND GM REFUSES TO FIX PROBLEM WITCH IS NOT RIGHT SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING AND PUTTING FAULTY TRANSMISSION IN 2010 AND 2011 MALIBU'S
TAKATA RECALL WE WERE IN MOTION GOING DOWN A HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR JUST STOP, WE PUT IT IN REVERSE IT MOVED WHEN WE PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE WOULD NOT MOVE.THE CAR IS NINE YRS OLD I WAS SCARE TO DEATH.
TRANSMISSION COMPUTER (TCM) FAILED AT 87,700 MILES. PART HAD TO BE REPLACED AND REPROGRAMMED.
THE VEHICLE STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS IN 2016 AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF RANDOMLY AND WOULD NOT COMPLETELY STAY ON TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE CORRECTLY AND WHEN IT WOULD COME ON IT KEPT SAYING IT WAS DIFFERENT SENSORS. AFTER REPLACING SEVERAL SENSORS THAT WERE DIAGNOSED TO BE INCORRECT AND CHANGING SPARK PLUGS AND ALL FILTERS AND FLUSHING SEVERAL PARTS OUT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE AS MUCH POWER AS IT DID IN THE PAST AND SEEMED TO BE SHIFTING DIFFERENTLY. THE CAR PROGRESSIVELY KEPT GETTING WORSE AND LOOSING POWER AND NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. I HAD TAKEN IT TO 3 MECHANICS IN THE NASHVILLE AREA AND EACH OF THEM COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM ALSO BUT ALL HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THE ISSUE AND HAD RELAYED THAT THEY BELIEVED IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN FROM PREVIOUS CLIENTS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES. I THEN TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALER BECAUSE IT HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE SEEMED UNSAFE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY AND I WOULD BE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND WHEN I WENT TO TAKE OFF THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE UNTIL CATCHING AND IT WOULD SIT THERE IDLING AND ALMOST STALL OUT AND THEN AFTER 60-160 SECONDS THE VEHICLE WOULD FINALLY CATCH AND TAKE OFF. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED WITH THE REST OF THE TRAFFIC. ANYTIME THE VEHICLE REALLY NEEDED TO SHIFT IT TENDED TO JUST SIT AND IDLE UNTIL THE CHAIN CAUGHT EXACTLY WHERE IT NEEDED TO WHICH IS WHAT CAUSED THE SAFETY ISSUE. THE CHAIN WAS MISSING IN CERTAIN SPOTS SO ONCE IT FINALLY CAUGHT THE CORRECT SPOT IT WOULD TAKE OFF BUT MADE IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AS YOU NEVER KNEW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO CATCH ON AND TAKE OFF OR IF IT WAS GOING TO COMPLETELY BREAK AT SOME POINT AND JUST NOT MOVE AT ALL. THE VEHICLE ALSO DID NOT WANT TO START KEPT ROLLING OVER MULTIPLE TIMES BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO CHEVY TO FIX IT.
BROKEN PART IN TRANSMISSION THAT CLOGGED THE FILTER. CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 85,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF SINCE THE DAY PURCHASED NEW ON 10/23/2010. CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT QUIT MOVING. WAS STILL RUNNING BUT I WAS STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY AND HIGHWAY, TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING, AS THOUGH IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN WITH NO BREAKS IN BETWEEN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR. TRIED TURNING CAR ON AND OFF. CHECKED ALL FLUID LEVELS. TRIED DRIVING IN MANUAL MODE, NO CHANGE. AFTER DRIVING FOR 10 MINUTES, CONDITIONS WORSENED. WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO CAR REDUCING POWER WHILE STUCK IN "NEUTRAL" MODE AS WELL AS JERKING FORWARD OUT OF NO WHERE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS NOT EVEN BEING PUSHED.
I HAVE A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU WITH 91963 THAT HASNT MOVED SINCE APRIL 26 2018. THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE 3-5-R WAVE PLATE IN CHEVY MALIBUS FROM 2009-10 THAT THEY FIX IN 2012 BUT DID NOTHING FOR 2011. MULITPLE REPAIR SHOPS HAVE TOLD ME THEY HAVE SEEN ALOT OF 2011 MALIBUS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. GM WILL NOT AKNOWLEDGE THIS DEFECT. I NEED HELP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO REVERSE, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CASPER TOYOTA (904 STRUB RD, SANDUSKY, OH 44870, (888) 864-2057) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST. THE CONTACT LATER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A WAVE PLATE WAS DETACHED AND A THREE FIVE PISTON FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-3962773200 AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.
DRIVING DOWN CITY STREET, ENGINE SPEED INCREASED AND VEHICLE SLOWED TO STOP. WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR REVERSE. AS TRAFFIC BACKED UP BEHIND ME, SHUT VEHICLE OFF FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND RESTARTED. VEHICLE THEN MOVED ENOUGH TO GET OFF ROADWAY THEN STOPPED MOVING AGAIN. TOWED TO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, THEY DIAGNOSED WITH MAJOR INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE, TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACED. VEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 90,000 MILES, COST TO REPAIR, ABOUT $4200
I BOUGHT MY CAR LAST OCTOBER WITH 88505 MILES AND MONTH AFTER MY SPEAKER WENT OUT AND IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER MY CAR DIED ON ME THREE TIMES AND MY GRANDMOTHER HAD TO FORCE THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE WARRANTY ALLOWED ME TO GET A NEW BATTERY AND IN MARCH MY CAR WOULD JUMP WHEN I SHIFT TO REVERSE. THEN I TOLD IT TO A AUTO SHOP THEY CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID . FINALLY ON APRIL 26 'MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR GO IN REVERSE . I HAD IT TOWED TO MY DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY CHARGED ME $108 TO DIAGNOSE IT AND TOLD ME MY 3-5-R WAVE PLATE WAS DONE AND I NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. MY GRANDMOTHER DID HER RESEARCH MD COULD THAT BETWEEN 2009-2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU TRANSMISSION HAD A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION WITH THE 35R WAVE PLATE AND THEY HAD MADE THE CHANGE THE 2012 MODELS BUT NEVER DID ANYTHING WITH THE 2010 MODELS AND I DID RESEARCH TO AN SAW THAT SOME CARS COULD HAVE PARTS FROM OLDER MODELS AND BE IN NEWER CARS. I WENT TO A TRANSMISSION PLACE AND THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO THE CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCY WITH THE STATES ATTORNEY. DEPENDING ON MY VIN I COULD FIND OUT IF MY 2011 CAR WAS MADE WITH 2010 PARTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEARS WERE GRINDING AND MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE GEARS FAILED TO SHIFT AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER (GORDON CHEVROLET, 1506, 31850 FORD RD, GARDEN CITY, MI 48135, (734) 427-6200). THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS 190 DAYS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD COVER 50% OF THE COST TO REPLACE THE PART, BUT REFUSED TO COMPLETELY COVER THE REPAIR FROM THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. *TT
I AM REPORTING THIS INCIDENT ALTHOUGH IT IS A LITTLE OVER 3 YEARS OLD, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS WEBSITE WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS RELATED TO THE COMPLAINT I RECENTLY SUBMITTED, COMPLAINT NUMBER: 11045010, PLUS CHEVROLET NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. ON OCTOBER 6TH, 2014 AT ABOUT 2PM I AM GETTING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AS I AM ABOUT TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC AND START TO ACCELERATION I FEEL A SURGE AND THAN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. WHEN I AM ABLE TO I PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND CONTACT THE SHOP WHERE I TAKE MY CAR TO BE SERVICED AND SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING MY CAR IN THE NEXT MORNING. BRACH'S AUTO RUNS A ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS TEST AND THE CODES ARE P0700 AND P2714. THE MANAGER ASKS IF MY CAR IS STILL UNDER ANY WARRANTY AND IT WAS STILL UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY SO HE SUGGESTS I CONTACT CHEVROLET. I FIRST CONTACT WEBB CHEVY OAK LAWN WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO GIVE ME AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL 2 WEEKS AWAY SO I CONTACTED THE CHEVROLET CUSTOMER CARE AND SPOKE WITH A REP WHO HELPED ME TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH KINGDOM CHEVROLET AND TO RECEIVE A GM RENTAL. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE LICENSED SHOP WHERE I HAVE MY CAR SERVICED AND THEY REFUSED TO PAY THE ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS FEE I HAD ALREADY HAD COMPLETED. KINGDOM CHEVROLET CAME UP WITH THE SAME DIAGNOSTIC CODES AS BRACH'S AUTO AND SUGGESTED A THROTTLE BODY SERVICE AND FUEL INJECTION SERVICE FOR RUNNING ISSUES. AFTER THE WORK WAS COMPLETED I TOOK IT BACK TO BRACH'S AUTO TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT AND IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I DO THE THROTTLE BODY SERVICE WHICH I HAD COMPLETED.
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED, CAR "SQUEALED", CAR STARTED SHAKING, AND TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT. I COULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST FIRST GEAR. IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, HAD TO COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY TO SAFETY. NO PRIOR NOTIFICATION (LIGHTS, WARNINGS, NOISES) THAT THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. CAR JUST RECENTLY EXCEEDED THE 100000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. WAS NOTIFIED IT WAS THE WAKE PLATE THAT FAILED. CONSIDERING ALL OF THE OTHER CHEVY OWNERS HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE, I THINK CHEVY SHOULD AT THE VERY LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WYMER CHEVROLET IN CUMBERLAND, MD WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,654.
TRANSMISSION, THE CAR JERKS AT ALL SPEEDS, SLOWS DOWN AND SPEEDS UP .THE LONGER YOU DRIVE IT THE WORSE IT GETS.WHEN YOU GO TO TAKE OFF AND PUSH THE GAS IT'S LIKE YOU PUSHED THE GAS AND LET OFF AND THEN ALL THE SUDDEN TAKES OFF . IT'D LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS CONSTANTLY SLIPPING AND THEN GRABBING .
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The 2011 Chevrolet Malibu has 67 Power Train complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.