7.4

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$600
Average Mileage:
57,450 miles
Total Complaints:
31 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (17 reports)
  2. manually operate locks (8 reports)
  3. replaced actuators (4 reports)
  4. gm needs to fix this immediately (1 reports)
  5. think it is a faulty BCM or harness (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Chevrolet dealer.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #11

Dec 012012

Malibu

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

driver side door lock wont release have to fold front side all the way down to reach lock. While my granddaughter is in her seat it sometimes pinches her leg. I cannot hear solenoid even actuate inside door. I heard the other doors upon actuating the door lock and unlock.Occasionally the driver side back door lock will come up high enough to unlock.

- David S., Greenwood, IN, US

problem #10

Mar 102012

Malibu LS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 93,000 miles

Less than 6 months after I had my Malibu the remote broke and I have yet to replace it. I thought it was the battery but everyone in the parts department said, "Once you open it up it's not going to work", I was past pissed. Next, the wiring on the driver side headlight shorted and burned the wires. The bright lights worked, but not the dim. So I spent close to $200 on a headlight. I had problems at the dealership so I called the General Manager, it was a mess. Since then, I had to replace the other headlight so I found it online and found someone to put it in. It's all plastic! Oops, I forgot, the radio had to be replaced when I bought it. Next, the rear brake light is on while driving, but goes off when I stop, WTF! While driving down the road the door locks, lock and unlock at random and now I can't lock the doors unless I walk around to all 4 and lock them. The button on the driver side stopped working so I had to reach over to the passenger side now it doesn't work. I bought this car because I loved the look and to help my neighbors and friends whose lives depend on this Company. But then I realized, whoever assembled the plastic light fixtures, didn't care about me. The worker at GM who installed the headlight assembly, didn't care if it caught on fire and hurt me or my children. The employee who does the electrical wiring doesn't care if the wiring lasts 6 days or 6 months. I'm sorry GM, but I pay a carnote and insurance and try to take care of my home, but I don't have money to constantly put into a new car. You push us to buy these cars but no one's pushing you to build a quality vehicle, something has to change. Before this and you can check with the DMV, I owned a 1990 Honda Accord and 2000 Infiniti I30. The battery in the Infiniti lasted close to 4 years. The Honda ran for 19 years until the timing chain broke. This is what working class people need, more value for our dollar. This is what's real, but then again, who am I?

- mcculloch71, Shreveport, LA, US

problem #9

Apr 172012

Malibu LT V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 19,000 miles

I bought this 2009 Malibu LT at almost 19,000 miles and everything looks like it work but as soon as 1 week goes by the both the back doors quit locking and unlocking. Sometimes it will unlock on one side but than it won't lock and sometime it just won't do anything. I always have to roll down the windows just to open the door for my kids or anyone who is going in the back. Its very annoying and I just about had it with the Malibu even though the car drives nice it getting irritated. I don't have money to fix this problem.

- halvaei, Riverside, CA, US

problem #8

Dec 102011

Malibu

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,000 miles

I bought this beautiful 2009 Chevy Malibu used w 47,000 miles, I had it only 2 months before problems started with the locks, the keyless entry wouldn't open the locks it sounded like they were unlocking but I had to still use the key and manually open the other doors to let the kids in, then keypad quit working and now when I push the unlock switch from the front doors will not unlock, this is a real pain I have to roll down all the windows , because the locks are located at the farside of the door you cannot reach thru the front to unlock the doors,,the the doors randomly lock and unlock themselves I am constantly checking and rechecking to make sure they are locked it's not a pleasure owning this car, this is my first Chevy and unfortunately my last!

- jamieg, Orlando, FL, US

problem #7

May 092012

Malibu LT 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 37,500 miles

My wife and I could not unlock the power doors from inside the vechile! We had to crawl out the driver side and passenger side windows to get out. I tried shifting the the transmission into drive and back into park, pulled up and down on the lock to open the door manually, tried the power lock switch and even tried the key to no avail. Luckily our entrapment did not involve a life or death situation. Funny thing is after playing with the key and remote I got the drivers side door to unlock. Then the door would not latch when closed. Can you imagine what could happen if the door swung open while on the road or going through traffic? This problem needs to be reported to the NTC. IT'S UNSAFE. The car is going to the dealer in the morning. Question is who pays for the repair? And what is causing the problem?

- rolandnh, Berlin, NH, US

problem #6

Nov 012011

Malibu LS 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

Locks won't work!!! Haven't for a couple of months!!!

- sherriar, Little Rock, AR, US

problem #5

Jul 212011

Malibu LT2 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,000 miles

ever since we bought the car we have had this same problem. the rear drivers door wont lock. not to mention a service airbag soon light, dash lights dimming, and problems with the keyless entry/ remote start. This car has only 45,000 miles on it now and it has had more problems than my mid 90's chevy pickup with 245,000 miles on it. I am chevy all the way but this thing is a pile.

- Tyler A., Inwood, IA, US

problem #4

Jul 012011

Malibu ES V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 44,000 miles

at 44000 miles my door locks started to lock and unlock by themselves? the switch on the remotes would not work and even when i got out of the car you could hear the locks trying to lock or unlock? I finally had to pull the fuse for door locks which is located by the center console on the passanger side. now my auto locks cant work and neither will the auto start, but at least when i pull the car in the garage it wont lock itself or unlock itself at the mall! today my wife said the seatbelt wont come loose so you cant use it?? also on the door locks from 19000 miles the key remote would not unlock one of the rear door locks? Im sorry, I have always been a chevy person..........never again!!! they are nothing but junk. I also have a chevy tahoe, many electrical problems, too many to mention. can u say lemon???????????

- Mike E., Peculiar, MO, US

problem #3

Aug 162011

Malibu LT 2.4L, 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,846 miles

Not too reassuring. Have had 2 door locks malfunction (you think it's locked but it's not) in less that 3 years/36,000 miles.

- Barbara A., DeLand, FL, US

problem #2

May 062011

Malibu LT 2.4L, 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 32,544 miles

A safety issue. You hear the "lock" sound but the driver side rear door doesn't lock. I'm not sure how long it was broken before I noticed it.

- Barbara A., DeLand, FL, US

problem #1

Mar 052011

Malibu LS 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles

I decided to buy a chevy after owning hondas to "buy american". At around the 50,000 mile mark the door locks started messing up. When you put the car in park it sounds like they unlock, but a lot of times they don't and you have to pull up manually on lock to open the door. Also when you try to lock doors with the key fob, the locks go down appearing to be locked and even sounds like it's locking, when you pull on the door handle it's not locked! I'm afraid to leave anything of value in the car. Who knows if it's locked or not. I know someone else who has a 2009 Chevy Malibu with the same problem. There has to be many more complaints on this.

- pacman, Litchfield, IL, US