Chevrolet Malibu: Problems & Solutions

kurtamaxxxguy

the Saab 9-3 actually has good suspension reliability, according to CU auto reports. So why the '04+ Malibu suspension, which was based on that saab/opel design, is so much less reliable, is a mystery.

Also what you describe, mfh1, appears similar to what I am having. Most of the noise does appear to come from the left front side. One dealer that tried "retightening" the rack only managed to kill road feel and make the steering stick. Replacing the rack (their next attempt) reduced the problem for a brief time, but it has now returned.

Given we are now well into 2nd quarter and they have no fix, whatever they tried apparently did not hold up, or they cannot get the supplier to make sufficient new parts until third quarter (just guesses here..).

I sincerely hope this is just a noise issue, and not an impending suspension failure.

lfarkash

I have an 04 Maxx and have had just about every common problem. Had the head liner replaced to fix the rear seat shades problem. Had the steering column recall. Had the rack replaced once and the front end clunking is back. The drivers seat was rebuilt after it broke.

Through all that, I was still loyal. But, now I have had my second fuel pump fail. The first one stranded my wife 100 mile from home. After just three months, that replacement failed,leaving me stuck in rush hour traffic, pushing the car to a safe place.

I have lost faith in this car's ability to get me to and from work. Has anyone else had a problem with the fuel pump? Is there any reasonable explanation as to why a fuel pump would fail after 3 months?

Thanks for letting me vent. I read these forums often and take some comfort in sharing a common experience.

3745

I would rather suspect the fuel pump relay. Fuel pumps are pretty reliable these days. I had a problem with my trunk release and found out that the relay used is the same type as was used on the fuel pump. I slipped the relay cover off and saw that the contacts were barely making. I was able to adjust the relay and it's working fine now.

Both the trunk release relay and fuel pump relay are mounted on the rear compartment fuse block inside the trunk. See user manual. Relay 37 is the fuel pump relay. I would get the dealer to replace that as well. Or if you are so inclined you could try swapping relays. Just be sure they are the same type and make a note of how they went in. Use the numbers on the relay as a reference.

maxxliberty

Just got a call from my efficient dealer telling me there is no word yet on when the new "quiet" rack will be available. His understanding is that the revised rack is now in production.

[Deleted User]

I also have an 04 Maxx. Have not had any problems with fuel pump. I've had many other things fixed under warranty, but car has never stranded me.

In other Malibu discussions somewhere in these forums, I believe it was mentioned that the new Malibu's do not have a fuel filter and there is no mention of changing a fuel filter as a maintenance item in the owners manual. The only filter is the screen in the gas tank at end of pick up arm. Could it be possible you got a bad tank of gas somewhere that plugged the pickup screen in the tank and the dealer just diagnosed it as a bad fuel pump.

Here is list of my warranty repairs.
.Recall to fix seat belt anchors.
.Recall to reprogram ABS module (unwanted activation).
.Reprogram PCM to fix hard starting, idle quality, 3-4 shift quality. (TSB 04-06-04-080)
.Resurfaced rotors two times to fix vibration.
.Replace chain & sprockets in trans to fix howling noise. (TSB 04-07-30-021A)
.Install stiffners in trim to fix rear seat shade problems. (TSB 04-08-110-004A, they would not replace my headliner)
.Several wheel alignments to fix chronic left lead / wander. (still leads to left on Parkway)
.Replaced front headrests with new design. (TSB 05-08-50-002)
.Install external wind deflector on sun roof to correct wind noise at highway speeds. (TSB 04-08-67-009)
.Replace sun visor mirror covers due to broken hinges. (TSB 05-08-110-005)
.Replaced steering column, it died. (TSB 04-02-35-009)
.Fix air baffle hanging down below front bumper.
.Replace top steering wheel cover, damaged when steering column replaced.
.Drive seat frame broke and had to be replaced.
.Lumbar adjuster in drive seat broke and had to be replaced.
.Exhaust noisy. Replaced resonator. (TSB 06-06-05-002).
.Left Upper Radiator bracket broken, missing rubber grommet. Bracket had to be replaced.

Even with all above problems, I still really like this car a lot and my dealer service is pretty decent.

kurtamaxxxguy

what was the build date of your Maxx? Mine has had many, but not all, of the problems you listed. With exception of rattly steering rack, the three dealers I have managed, more or less, to fix them.

mrbowtie

I've got a tad over 60,000 mi and the first hot day this spring my A/C just didn't push out the cold air like it did before. Anybody know anything about do-it-yourself recharging kits? Do they work?

gonogo

They do work, but just put in straight 134a or with dye. No oil unless you know it is right for your system. No sealers or boosters, if you do when it quits you will get a big bill, $1000+. I recommend you go to an A/C forum before you do anything.

01taurussel

Hi guys. Looking at buying a malibu soon....found a nice 04 Malibu maxx LT loaded up - heated seats, leather, etc. Has curtain airbags....IIHS's site says models after Feb 04 are safer due to some changes - is their info on the pre-feb 04 model? what is the difference?
Also, any worries about a model produced 11/03 (I know the steering has been for a while, I test drove one, and heard that infamous clunking at low speeds - sounds like my Taurus!)
has 23k miles on it- off lease. Very nice shape!!
They want 16k......14k acceptable?
Any suggestions would be helped

Mr_Shiftright

Try Edmunds appraisal software--it's good!

http://www.edmunds.com/used/index.html?tid=edmunds.g.home.header..2.*

01taurussel

Yeah, but thats where you start, not where you stop

chvysuxbad

WELL WHERE DO I START?
I AHVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 6 YEARS....BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW, AND HAVE HAD UNBELIEVABLE PROBLEMS WITH IT. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE GASKET 2 TIMES IN AS MANY YEARS AND NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND SERVICE VEHICLE SOON ARE ON, AFTER I SPENT 700 DOLLARS FIXING 2 SENSORS AND 2 VALVES AND THE INTAKE GASKET FOR THE SECOND TIME. AND WHEN I TURN ON THE CAR THE GAS GAGE AND TEMPERATURE GAGE DON'T GO UP IMMEDIATELY, AND THAT'S WHEN THE SERVICE VEHICLE SOON LIGHT COMES ON TOO....I AM FED UP WITH THIS FREAKIN CAR. ON TOP OF THAT THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR WON'T START. THIS PROBLEM STARTED WHEN I WAS PREGNANT AND HAS SNUCK UP AGAIN NOW AND I CANNOT DEAL WITH THIS WITH A BABY. WE TAKE CARE OF IT LIKE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO, SO I AM AT A LOSS. CHEVY MAKES ME SICK, THEY DON'T HELP YOU AT ALL AND WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN A LOYAL CHEVY OWNER THEY IGNORE YOU.
THEY HAVE LOST A CUSTOMER IN ME
I AM SO FRUSTRATED, IM THINKING ABOUT JUST TRADING IT IN!
:mad: :lemon: :confuse:

shadow5599

"site says models after Feb 04 are safer due to some changes - is their info on the pre-feb 04 model? what is the difference?"

The only difference I can think of possibly is the addition of the front seat torso air bags mounted in each front seat. You can tell they're there if you see a triangular shaped panel on the side of the seat back, and the "airbag" label of course.

As for the price on that 04, 16k seems a bit high. You should check around for an 05.

gonogo

The later ones had door reinforcements installed, can't be retro fitted.

wantamaxx

Hi everyone,

I have a 2005 maxx LS V6. I am not sure what is going on with it but the steering wheel seems to have some vibrations and shakiness when the breaks are applied. My maxx has about 45K on it at this time. Does anyone have any insight on this?? I have been reading about similar problems in this forum but I guess I'm just looking for some personal insight. :confuse:

Also my rear blinker has gone out twice replaced both times then the front blinker went out. Both on the left side of the car?? No big deal but it is a pain to have to keep replacing blinkers not to mention dangerous driving without one.

Thanks in advance for any insight on the steering wheel issue.

mr_bots

Vibration in the steering while braking is probably warped rotors. Take it to your local tire shop and have them turned (grinded down) or replaced. Also, the air impacts tire shops use have a tendency to over-torque the wheels, which will make them warp again fairly quickly. So after you get back home bust the lug nuts loose and tighten them with a torque wrench to their recommended pressure. Which if I recall is 100 lb-ft.

n0rseman

The problem is with your brake rotors. Put a set of aftermarket ones on and your problem will be fixed. Don't bother having them turned (ground down) the problem will come right back. GET NEW MADE IN USA AFTERMARKET PARTS (ex Wagner). O'ya and make sure your wheels are torqued to 100 lb-ft with a torque wrench!

01taurussel

How would the crash test performance of a pre feb 04 differ from the post feb 04 builds be then? i would assume the curtains are the same, just more protection in the torso region then?
The question that it comes down to is.....does this make a huge difference in terms of the results (even t hough pre 04 ones werent tested?)

kurtamaxxxguy

In Feb '04 the door trim was changed to make side impacts a little safer. I do not know if that affected the Maxx __and__ Malibu models.

gonogo

I don't think it would make much difference. Not sure why the reinforcement was installed, but not important enough to upgrade older builds.

wxman4

Anyone else seen a similar problem? '05 Malibu. If car is started in dark garage, etc., the auto headlights come on and stay on (usually) even when it is bright day outdoors. I can drive for 20 minutes with the lights staying on, shut car off and immediately restart and it illuminates DRLs like it should. Also, if I turn off the auto lights, then turn on headlights, then return to auto setting, the headlights stay on even in bright daylight. i.e. problem seems to be switching from headlights to DRLs.

Any ideas? I hate these 'almost always' problems.

Thanks
Wxman

e2helper

Likely the vehicle is working as intended. The important thing to take notice of is although you consider it a bright day is it in early morning or late afternoon when the sun is on the horizon and it is actually much darker straight up where the sensor is looking.

The other think is when you are driving are there a lot of trees, overpasses or other stuff that might cast a momentary shadow over the light sensor. In order for it to switch to daytime mode the sensor must see uninterrupted bright light for over 20 seconds

wxman4

Thanks, I will play with it some more. The lights, however, certainly stay on (don't switch to DRLs)considerably more than my '99 Malibu or '03 Trailblazer.

e2helper

Yes, I agree it is very "conservative" tending to go into nighttime mode. However that was how it was calibrated. They are always concerned about certain sky conditions (cloudy) fooling system into staying in day mode too long.

maxxind

I agree that the Maxx is quick to go into nighttime mode and can be persistent in staying there. Sometimes I just turn off the auto headlights if they won't turn off on their own.

The a/c will go out of the recirculate mode when you shut off the vehicle (when you re-start, it will be in fresh air mode). This is an attempt to keep the evaporator from getting moldy and foul-smelling from having no air circulation around it while you're parked. One other thing you can do that may help is turn off the a/c a minute or two before you shut off the car, put it in fresh air mode, and let the blower fan continue to run on a medium setting. This helps to dry the evaporator off and may help eliminate bad smells.

Smell problems can also come from a clogged a/c system drain. Do you see water dripping under the car from the a/c system five or ten minutes after you park? If not, the drain may be clogged.

e2helper

FYI the dealer has the ability to enable an "afterblow" feature on the new body style Malibus which turns on blower fan at high speed for several minutes after vehicle shut off.

wantamaxx

Thanks n0rseman and Mr_bots!!

I will make an appt today. Quick question do you think I can find a shop that can bust the lug nuts loose and tighten them with a torque wrench?? I don't have one and I have no idea how to tighten them to the recommended 100 lb-ft. Oh and norseman I will make sure to find a shop that uses US made rotors. Thanks again guys!!

Oh and I guess one more question-Do you think Sears could do this?

pao

dont think anyone mentioned the blinkers....mind kept blowing bulbs....the dealer changed out the socket and the wiring harness and it fixed the problem....and agree with the vibration problem....to me..all centered around bad torguing of the lug nuts......still have the OEM rotors..after almost 70K...just replaced the shoes and had the rotors turned at 63K...but always check the torque on the wheels.....

maxxind

Again, just guessing, but if it was running more or less okay one day and won't start at all the next, that does not sound like an injector problem. Even if they need to be cleaned, it should still start, because it's not going to affect all cylinders equally.

The Passlock system does cut off the fuel supply, so that could be a possibility.

hhmax

what kind of bike carrier can be installed on maxx LT?

malibugirl2001

To Every malibu owner!!! if your car wont start but turns over and the theft system light is blinking turh the key in the on postion and wait 10-20 minutes till the light stops blinking or goes off then turn off the key and then start your car it resets the theft system!!!!!

pao

there are several choices..roof m ount....hitch mount....or the ones that lean against the rear of the car...I perfer the hitch mount as it keeps the bikes off the back of the car....

maxxind

I disagree that vapor lock is no longer a problem on fuel injected vehicles. It is not the problem that it used to be, probably, but it still can and does occur.

The "one touch" starter on the new generation Malibus appears to be an attempt to deal with it. When the car is hot, it will crank over for quite a long time before starting.

wxman4

Had a tire going down so I just took it to dealer for the tire fix and mentioned the DRL issue. A new BCM under warranty seems to have made a very considerable difference. Maybe more 'conservative' than the older vehicles, but at least now they will change.

Wxman

tehuti

I've had my Maxx since 2004 and I neve bother to try to close the rear skylight shades anymore because they don't stay closed. Was there ever a retrofit or mod that came out to address this? I haven't really thought about it in a while until I had a passenger recently who was holding the shade and asked if they ever came up with a fix.

kurtamaxxxguy

Yes this was fixed with a service kit, which has been discussed earlier on this forum and/or the Problems and Solutions forum.

Mine has the kit, which requires partial removal of the headliner to install. It definitely helps the shades latch and stay put, but makes the shades a little harder to latch.

happyrenter

I leased this 2006 Malibu with the Drivers Information Center (DIC) -- no owners manual. I downloaded the one from GM, but -- I do not see how to reset the mileage, miles per gallon, all of those items that get displayed. So they just pile up :-) ... What's the magic trick to access the controls so I can reset the odometer on the DIC, start counting the avg speed, miles per gallon, etc.?

Help!

happyrenter

Boy it is frustrating!

hhmax

Hi Pao,

What make/model of hitch can fit maxx LT? Does it require drill holes in the maxx frame?

What kind of after market roof rack can be installed on the maxx?

Thanks!

shadow5599

With the item to be reset on the display, press & hold the enter button. It's the button that has a "to the left arrow" or it may be labelled "enter"

macken

I have a 2003 Malibu, Whenever, I turn off
my car, The Radio is still on and the Milesage light is
on too, I noticed when I turn off the ignition key
it isn't completely turn off, This problem started when
about month, ago, I took it to the dealer and they checks
it and they did some minor repairs, within 4 days, I'm still
having the same problems. What I have do is re-start my
car and wait 6 minutes, put the clutch to: Drive and park
then wait a couples of seconds,and turn the ignition key
off, sometime this will take between 15 mintues of more.
can anyone help me solve this problem. Thank You.

pao

there are several hitches out..none require drilling holes I beleive..but they do require removing or cutting one bolt head if memory serves me correctly here....

thule and yakima both have roof racks to fit the maxx as well..just do a search..google is your friend

e2helper

The only thing you aren't allowed to reset is the Fuel Range. Oil Life by the way can be reset but it is by a different menu. The owner manually does a good job of covering all these functions. Start reading on page 3-47 or page 175 if you have the PDF file for 2006 model year vehicle

cookieoo

I have a 2001 Malibu. 60,000 V6. Today it started beeping what appears to be a code from under the dash. 3 beeps then a few seconds later 4 beeps than 1 beep. Anyone have a clue to what this may be?
Thanks, cookie00 :confuse:

merrymaxx

Kistep-
Make sure your dealer has this noted. I originally started this post and I also got the service bulletin e2 mentioned. It does not in any way fit the pattern of the incorrect temperature display I was referring to. My temp problems continue--- now it will display 90 degrees, when the temp outside on the drive in started at 45 degrees and it sat all day in 55 degree temperature. This is not how it's "supposed to work". Keep an eye on it and have the dealer note it-- in my instance I believe they are just too lazy to change it.

maxx4me

hhmax: check out post #1818 on the Maxx board. It is from two years ago, when I got my hitch.

glennb

Wxman, did the dealer fix your tire going down? I've had a problem with a slow leaking tire on my '04 Maxx with the LS wheels and original Bridgestone tire. The local garage has tried twice to fix it, including cleaning the rim/tire interface, and said they can find no leaks. The Chev dealer said they cleaned the interface and re-sealed the tire, then moved the wheel from front to rear and called it fixed. I have heard of porous mags from a former GM mechanic that works with me; just wondering if your tire is fixed, or if anyone else has had any slow leak problems with their tires that hasn't been cured.

wxman4

Yes, tire is fixed. It was small puncture/screw. I took to dealer so they could look at a couple of other things was well. Everything is great now.

Wxman

kaosgrrl

Just bought my first Maxx yesterday and working through all of the features. One thing is driving me nuts. Where are the $%#^$ handles to lay down the rear seats!?? On the roof of the hatch? I have a LTZ, does this model not have them?

Thanks for any help!

e2helper

I don't have a Maxx but owner manual says that the lever is on side of each rear seat. You pull up lever and then the seatback can be pushed into down position