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Chevrolet Malibu Electrical/Lighting

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Comments

  • beedublubeedublu Member Posts: 236
    Ouch! I think I'm going to live with the moisture for a while, until things get critical. So far, the light pattern doesn't seem to be affected too much, at least from what night driving I've done lately.
  • oly3oly3 Member Posts: 2
    I'm having the same problem on a 2005 Malibu. Did you every find out what caused it and how to fix it? thanks
  • yuryyury Member Posts: 146
    Are you guys talking about a fast blinker? I had that on 05 Malibu as well, it's quite simple actually. One of your turn signals burned out or about to. It happened to me once, I replaced the bulb and then it happen again pretty soon. I took out the bulb and looked at the socket. There was a bad connection due to one of the contact plates not being in good contact with the bulb (the plate had some black residue). I cleaned it and used a screwdriver to gently bend the plate into place. That solved it (at least for several months, I sold the car at some point).
    I also seem to remember that GM was replacing the turn signal housing (or some parts in it, can't remember) under warranty.
  • syb1syb1 Member Posts: 4
    after several attempts of cleaning the contacts the problem kept occuring...finally had my mechanic look at the issue when I had a lof done...He reccomed having the harness unit replaced...

    dealer wanted $ 20 for part plus labor...was quoted over $100...for repair...

    My mechanic told me to buy the harness and he would splice the job...

    total cost was $45.00

    no issues since...

    hope this helps
  • yuryyury Member Posts: 146
    did you try bending it ? worked for me....
  • oly3oly3 Member Posts: 2
    I haven't tried to do anything but replace the bulb yet since it just happened. I looked at the socket and I don't see any corrosion, but the plastic amber cover has a hole melted in it and the bulb was warm to the touch after the car had been sitting most of the day. Do you think replacing the socket will fix this?
  • gchinggching Member Posts: 2
    running lights never go off as well as the dash lights
    short somewhere or what? Help.....
    have to pull fuse to turn off and when i drive at night i have to
    put fuse back in lololol
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    the heat from the bulb tends to melt the amber covering.....simply pinch the contacts together to tighten them..should solve the problem....the contacts loosen over time...and that causes the bulb to short out..
  • gchinggching Member Posts: 2
    still waiting for a response can anyone help please
  • 04cad04cad Member Posts: 131
    We have a 2004 Malibu classic, the rubber hoses going to the headlight housings have been cut off. What purpose do these serve and where should they be hooked up? What issues can having them disconnected cause? Thanks
  • murphycmurphyc Member Posts: 8
    First time poster, not sure where to post this. I have an '05 Malibu Maxx LS with about 75K. Last night while driving home the check engine light and no TC light both came on, as did "engine power reduced" message on the DIC. Limped it to my office, died less than a block away when I turned but coasted in. Tried undoing and redoing the gas cap a few times and let it sit for a while. Driving home, only the check engine light was on. When I got to the street I live on, as soon as I turned the no TC light and engine power reduced message returned. By the time I coasted to a parking spot car had died.
    This morning just the check engine light on, got to Auto Zone with no problem and they pulled codes P1125 and P2138, both dealing with APP (Accelerator Pedal Position) sensor. Both codes show possible failed or defective APP sensor. P2138 shows poor electrical connection as possible problem, P1125 shows open or short circuit condition could be problem. Explanations for both deal with one or more APP/TP sensors not agreeing.
    About six months ago similar thing happened. I was leaving work (at my previous job), same three lights/messages came on and no power steering. Coasted to a nearby shop. Couple of hours later a friend suggested tightening gas cap. I did, problem didn't return until last night.
    For what it's worth, no light came on when drove from Auto Zone to my office this morning. I'm traveling Friday, don't want to pass it off as a fluke or faulty warning but also don't want to replace APP sensor if no reason to. Any ideas?
    Thanks,
    Craig
  • butch100butch100 Member Posts: 28
    I left off my gas cap and got the check engine light. replacing it turned off the light after 2 days, no other malfunction during that time, the car completely dying and the error codes suggests that you might deeper problems, time for a trip to the dealer..
  • murphycmurphyc Member Posts: 8
    As an update, I took the Maxx to a shop today. Apparently it spit a code related to a TSB from Nov. 2008 (of course I forgot to write down the number) about water getting into the kick panel and causing a leak, thus creating a short with a wire. The guy at the shop noted he hadn't seen something like this before, always such a great thing to hear. So now they'll have to diagnose where the water leak is coming from. It's somewhere on the engine side of the firewall since the interior floor is dry.
    Possibly related, back in 2007 when the suspension was making creaking noises, one place told us the steering shaft had been corroded due to moisture, don't know if there's a connection or not. And once a few months ago the turn signals all of a sudden stopped working for a couple of turns, then returned to normal. Weird.
  • murphycmurphyc Member Posts: 8
    Arrgghh! When it rains it pours, pun intended due to our current rainy weather. Shop called back, apparently there's a leak at the top left corner of the windshield. The molding has to be replaced. The leak is allowing water to run down the A-pillar, then it is shorting out the connector and setting off codes plus causing intermittent driveability issues. Their hope is the wire dries out and doesn't have to be replaced, since replacing would entail taking apart the dash which won't exactly be cheap. The windshield and molding would have to be taken out, new molding put in (hopefully not breaking the windshield in the process) and in theory that would solve the problem. Assuming no dashboard disassembly and no broken windshield, cost is around $500 between the diagnosis, parts and labor. And since we're in a rainy stretch right now, can't exactly ignore the problem.
    Add this on top of the usual Malibu starter and steering/suspension issues, I'm really wondering if getting our Maxx was a good choice. Great room, great flexibility, great mileage on trips but the reliability is starting to wear on me.
  • malibu12malibu12 Member Posts: 1
    I just bought my Malibu yesterday and everything worked fine. The a/c, the heat the blower, everything. All of a sudden today, the temperature control started acting funny, by not responding to my command. It was on cold and I turned it to hot but nothing happened until about 5 minutes later, then the heat came on. It also did by turning the knob back to cold. Now, it is stuck on hot. Everything else still works fine. No warning lights, the a/c goes and the blower still goes. I noticed that it uses vacuum lines to adjust and I was wondering if it's possible the little door is stuck or something. Would this be something hard to fix myself or how expensive could this be to get fixed. Either way it's driving me nuts!!!!
  • abfdriver120abfdriver120 Member Posts: 1
    I have the same problem on my 2005???
  • mjohns7861mjohns7861 Member Posts: 41
    I have a 99 Malibu LS with V6. Am original owner. Has 73K miles. This week for the first time I put down the drivers side window going through Arby's drive through. And driving home, it would NOT come up. After I came home, I played around with it for 10 minutes, almost gave up, and it finally came back up. I have never dealt with power window problems. I am now hesitant to roll the window down. Anybody had problems and I presume a local garage (vs. dealership) could work on something like this? Any thoughts are welcome...

    Magnus
  • 04cad04cad Member Posts: 131
    sounds like either dirty contacts on your switch or a bad switch. Easy to change, gently shove the switch housing either up or downward and lift it out. there will be clips on the top and bottom edge that will help keep it in place, try to not let them drop into the windo opening. Good luck.
  • kevin87kevin87 Member Posts: 1
    Hi - We have a 2001 Malibu w/ 90k miles - runs great ! - just recently while driving and also when car is off (but key is on) the indicator dash lights come on ,fuel gauge goes to E temp goes to standby - what would cause this electrical problem - has been happening intermitently , now does it all the time
    Thanks
  • dsaucierdsaucier Member Posts: 1
    MY 2000 Malibu will not start until I turn the switch several times, after it starts the A/C blower and windows will not work for several minutes. I suspect a bad ignition switch but I do not know how to remove it and clean or replace it.

    Can someone help?

    dsaucier
  • andyluduandyludu Member Posts: 1
    The battery to my 1998 Malibu dies in 1-2 days. It is a draw of current of 1.6 A with contact keys off.
    I pulled out, one by one, ALL fuses (not the relays cause I don't know how or if this is possible) and the current is still there. Moreover, if instead of the Amp-meter I plug in the battery circuit a control lamp, the filament turns red and I hear oscillation noises in the car computer (under the gloves compartment).
    When I pull out some of the fuses, this noise is slower or faster, or accompanied by sudden periodic moves of the instrument panel needles.

    The noise I hear in the computer may be from one relay there, and it is also simultaneous with oscillations of the red color of the short-circuit control bulb .

    I really do not know what else to do. Please help me, or advise me.

    Andy
  • ludimomludimom Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2000 Malibu with previous electric problems, now these symptoms are accompanied by a failure to start and no power to brakes.
    My mom had this care previously and she had the ignition replaced twice-- each time the symptoms were the A/C cutting in/out, flipping from recirc to fresh on its own, and the windows not working intermittently. Now I have the car and it has been doing the same A/C thing for awhile, once it died while my husband was driving it, and most recently about half the time I try to turn it on, it doesn't start or make a sound, I get all the warning lights, and most disturbingly, no power to the brakes (they just go soft and the car will roll, even in park). I wonder if this is also an electrical problem related to the ignition? I'm scared to try to drive it, and even scared to get it fixed since the ignition keeps going bad and the thought of the brakes going out suddenly due to an electrical failure (if that is possible?)
  • gonogogonogo Member Posts: 879
    So many problems.

    AC would be dash unit, contacts get burnt. If you google the AC problem it will tell you a DIY fix for free.

    Should not roll in park, linkage out of adjustment or park pawl broke off.

    Brakes are vacuum powered, not electrical. If ABS that could be the problem, just pull the ABS fuse.

    No start? you mean the starter will not crank the engine or the engine will not run.
    Anyways the electrical system needs trouble shooting.
  • ludimomludimom Member Posts: 2
    Well, the no brake/rolling in park/no start problem is all part of the same issue, it all started at once, and it only happens half the time when I start the car. The other half of the time the car starts normally, brakes feel normal, transmission shifter works normally, doesn't roll. When the problem happens, I turn the ignition and get no cranking sound whatsoever. The warning lights all light up, and the brakes go soft and I can't move the auto transmission shifter and the car will roll.
    Because it doesn't do this consistently, I think it must be a power problem, and not a physical problem with the linkage, etc.
  • gonogogonogo Member Posts: 879
    I don't know of any park pawl that is electrically operated, they are all mechanical. I would checkout the shift linkage.

    Recently I had a recall on my 09 G6, shift linkage could slip and cause no park condition. They installed a kit.
  • scannerheadscannerhead Member Posts: 1
    Yesterday one of my back windows stopped working (with the window rolled down). What can I do to repair this problem? All of the other windows are working.

    I have a headlight that isn't working. I replaced the bulb with a new one and it still isn't working (on dim....brights work fine!). More electrical problems?

    Thanks for your suggestions...BTW, I'm new to this board...
  • murphycmurphyc Member Posts: 8
    On Thursday our '05 Maxx had the issue with the LF turn signal. Replaced the bulb Friday, no dice. Only thing I accomplished was dropping the 10mm socket on some shelf under the radiator. Had a friend look at it today, plus another person told me a guy to see on Monday. After reading this reply from yury, my wife and I went out to the car (two person job in the driveway at night). Tried cleaning and prying the contacts, nothing doing. Wife cleaned some more and voila, turn signal works. For now, at least.
    BTW, any way to find and retrieve the 10mm socket? I saw it when it dropped and tried pushing it onto the driveway with a stick, all that did was drop it somewhere into the abyss. As far as I can tell it's still down there somewhere.
  • sgtarmysgtarmy Member Posts: 1
    Horn activated by it self at 12am 3/13, had to disconect the relay fuse to turn it off.
    Bought a new relay and again the horn activated by it self on 3/15 4am..at this moment I have'nt substitued the relay..what should i be looking for to fix it? It may be an electrical problem? Copule months ago I eliminated the cars alarm that came with the car. I had the car since new from the dealer 1998 and no major probles since this..
  • erica1981erica1981 Member Posts: 1
    My AC will just go out randomly as will the radio and dashboard. The AC goes out more than anything else, and, now, the Service Engine Light is on. I just had my engine serviced by my trusted mechanic. I am not car-savvy so can anyone explain what is wrong to me, and how much the fix will possibly cost? My Malibu is a 2003 plain Jane model. No bells and whistles.
  • malibuowner79malibuowner79 Member Posts: 1
    can anyone help me? my 05 malibu is not getting power to the break switch and i can not locate a fuse for it. is there one? can there be another reason for this?
  • malexbumalexbu Member Posts: 169
    The user manual (also available online) has the charts for fuses' locations.
  • butch100butch100 Member Posts: 28
    Brake lights are not powered by the switch directly as in previous cars but driven by the BCM (body control module), there is a switch there though to let the BCM know when to actifiy the brake lights and if it's defective will cause problems, You should buy/borrow an inexpensive multimeter to help diagnose this issue..
  • mock2mock2 Member Posts: 11
    When I drive my 58 impala at LIGHTSPEED. Will the head lights work?
  • gonogogonogo Member Posts: 879
    If you go over 186K miles per second, the light will be behind you .
  • malexbumalexbu Member Posts: 169
    In Impala, no: the head lights gaskets will freeze up and shut down the photon compressor. In Malibu -- and remember, this is a Malibu board -- certainly, yes. Junk your junk and get a real car.
  • mock2mock2 Member Posts: 11
    Thanks for sheding a little lite on the subject.Slow poke malibu.
  • tjcishere1tjcishere1 Member Posts: 42
  • tjcishere1tjcishere1 Member Posts: 42
    Dimmer switch not working fog lights not working and the dome light wont come on with the dimmer switch knob
  • gusburggusburg Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2008 Chevrolet malibu with 160,000 miles. This car has been very good to me over the last 4 1/2 years but recently I have started having some issues with warning lights. It happens most often as soon as I fill my tank. My gas gauge shows no fuel and it tells me on the radio that I have low fuel. It also tells me that I need to service my tire monitor and service my air bags. These gauges/warning lights will randomly come on and off each time I re start my car. It seems though that when I get at or below a half a tank of gas, the warning lights come on less often. There has also been a few times that my ABS warning light has come on and also my daytime running lights have gone off and I had to manually turn them on. I took it to the dealership to have them look at it and their response was that I needed to replace the left and right front impact sensors and the sensor in my fuel tank. I do not understand how these sensors could be the problem with random and intermittent warning lights coming on. It sounds to me like it is a wiring problem. Can someone please help! I am a single parent and I cant afford to randomly replace things on my vehicle in hopes that it corrects the problem. Thank you for your time!!
  • bc60bc60 Member Posts: 17
    My wife's 2010 Malibu recently had an issue where the Traction control warning light and Engine operating at reduced power light came on 1 morning when she started the car up. It had rained heavily the day before and she has a sunroof on the car. Dealer said that one of the drains for the sunroof was clogged and was shorting out a wiring harness. He said the sunroof drain runs down each A-post and at some point within the A-post, the drain was clogged. The wiring harness was within this A-post. He cleaned out the drain lines, dried everything out and it seemed to solve the problem. I asked if there was anything I could do to prevent these drain lines from clogging in the future and he said no.

    Don't know if your car has a sunroof or not or even if this solution could apply to your case but just thought I would list it here.

    Good luck.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Glad your dealership was able to solve the problem, bc60! Keep us posted if anything should come up as we're available to do any follow-up.

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • gusburggusburg Member Posts: 2
    Thank you bc60 for your information. Unfortunately though I do not have a sun roof so I am not sure that this is the same thing. I greatly appreciate your time to respond to me though!
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