3.8
definitely annoying- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 32,747 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
I noticed some staining in my vehicle head liner and a nasty musky smell about an hour after I washed my vehicle. I do know there is a recall on the third brake high stop lamp for same model different Vin associated. My vehicle has the same problem and this can cause malfunctioning to the rear of the vehicle due to the water leaking into the car and on the wiring ov the vehicle. Seats get wet, headliner is stained and gets wet, rear deck gets soaked as well. 3 of my bolt fasteners have broken and I have a temporary fix on it.
- Chandler, AZ, USA
I notice water leaking inside the trunk and roof, after carefully checking the outside car i have found a cracked 3rd brake light( rear), no accident, no impact nothing happened.
- Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Battery charging system is faulty. Drains battery and alternator shuts off. Car and other components shut off. Third brake light brakes when car is lifted or jacked, causes safety issue and concern. Worst part is cause expensive property damage to interior of vehicle from water leaking in.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
There needs to be a recall on the third brake light on the Chevy Malibu. Everyone that I speak with that has a Malibu has had to replace the third brake light because of it breaking and when it rains water leaks into the car.
- Antioch, TN, USA
On 03/10/21, I was driving North on a busy highway. I approached the stop light and reduced speed. I came to a full stop and the car shut off completely. The check engine light came on briefly, then lost all electrical power. I had no hazard lights, no radio, no dashboard, nothing. After being stranded for 5 min like that at a very dangerous left lane stop, the car finally restarted. Called onstar immediately to scan the car for codes - they found none. The issue of the car intermittently shutting down like that has happened multiple times since October of 2020. Taken the car to Chevrolet dealership multiple times and was told they cannot find anything wrong. I currently have it at the dealership and am being told they can find nothing wrong despite four different people in my car witnessing it happen to me more than once and my providing a log of every time it's happened.
- Murfreesboro, TN, USA
Going to work on a city street car completely shut off. It blacked out. No hazards no lights and this was at 3:30 in the morning. And it's happening more and more. It happened to my husband on a busy street. All we can do is wait and try to start it until luckily it did. But before this started, the car kept on shutting off on me when I come to a stop. It's happened at least 6 times in the last 3 weeks. And today it stated on the dashboard that it was reducing its speed. What's next?! it's dangerous because I have my kids with me and I'm afraid someone might rear end me one day. Or if it completely blacks out on me on my way to work and I have no one to help me and I get stranded. I wish they would do a recall. I've seen online how it's been happening to a lot of people.
- La Puente, CA, USA
The third brake light cracked in three places and now water is in the car and trunk. I saw special coverage for the car just for this issue but the dealership states it isnt covered for my VIN.. also, there is a popping noise under the car when I take off, turn curves, get out of the car etc. Seems to be bushings wearing out and is a well known problem. Again, my car is not covered.
- Leicester, NC, USA
I bought the 2017 Malibu premeir with 5 miles on it in Sept 2017 and have had problems from the start. 2018 while riding on interstate my car just stopped went straight to dealer they said nothing was wrong after keeping car for 2 days. Went to leave dealer ship and car stopped in parking lot, sensors went out on front of car. Fixed 2019.next my car kept getting water in tire well and I went to dealer and they told me it was not a recall. So I kept bailing out water and parking in garages. Three months later recall.I was without car for 4 weeks as carpet, headliner and complete trunk carpet and molding had to be replaced because of mold,2020.my car tells me to shift to park when car is in park and I have to turn car off and on nd move from D to P to get it to work. Tells me when 'I'm driving no key found in vehicle or put key fob in pocket.,yesterday Sept 5.2020 went to get inspection sticker and attendent told me you have no backup lights. Never noticed it. So went to auto zone and bought light and went to mechanic shop to have put in. While sitting in car went to open sunroof, it wasn't working and it had been months since I remember opening it, so 'I'm reading owners manual and went to turn on map lights. No lights. So mechanic comes and says there is nothing wrong with your bulbs. Let me check fuses, usually when both light go out at same time its a fuse problem told him about sun roof and map light, he checked every fuse inside and out. There is nothing wrong with my fuses or the lights. They just wont come on. Neither will sunroof open. My car has 56000 miles on it and I've had problems since 25000 miles. I thought I would keep this car for at least ten years as it cost a pretty penny for the car
- Baton Rouge, LA, USA
There is water coming into the trunk. Upon looking online this is a common problem caused by the loosening of the nuts securing the 3rd break light.
- Warren, MI, USA
The nuts used to fasten 3rd brake light are not locking nuts therefor loosen causing the 3rd break light to filter to loosen and break. This also causes flooding in the trunk of the vehicle. I had 2 inches of water in the spare tire compartment along with a soaked trunk which caused a terrible smell. You will see in the pictures I have tried to repair the broken plastic on the break light with an epoxy mix. Replacement would be better. I think breakage is caused because the nuts loosen.
- St. Peters, MO, USA
The back rear window leaks around the top/third brake light. The drivers side lower fog light/daytime running light doesn't work randomly and there is condensation in the inside of the lens.
- Beech Grove, IN, USA
I have noticed a funky smell on several occasions since I bought the car in August 2017. The smell would go away so I never looked into it. After a bad rain storm, the interior smelled again. I went into the trunk a day later and the tire well cover was wet. I found water under the cover and saw that it ran in from under the driver side rear window area. I also found water trails down the rear window side plastic casing inside the car. I researched and found many many complaints from 2016 thru 2019 vehicles about the 3rd break light leaking due to loose screws. Sounds to this is a huge issue that needs to be addressed by GM. A simple fix of tightening the screws or using lock type screws. Why do I have to pay for diagnostics and repair for something GM is not doing
- Midland, NC, USA
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact noticed water entering the vehicle and the interior of the vehicle was wet. The vehicle was taken to autonation Chevrolet northpoint (2175 mansell rd, alpharetta, ga 30009, (678) 601-2485) where it was diagnosed that water was entering the vehicle from the rear tail lights and the dome light inside the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired, but the moisture caused the windows to fog. The vehicle was taken back to autonation Chevrolet northpoint, but the cause of the failure was undetermined. In addition, the gear shifter failed to engage in park and the contact had to force the shifter into park. In addition, there was an abnormal noise coming from the gear shifter. While the vehicle was at the dealer, the technician replaced the instrument cluster with a 2018 part that was not compatible with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 145,300.
- Cumming, GA, USA
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. While operating the vehicle, the driver's side turn signal failed to work, the windows would intermittently operate, and the headlights shut off. The cause of the failures was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer (hefner motors in batesville, ms) was notified of the failures. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 20,000.
- Courtland, MS, USA
The headlights are very poor and even unsafe on dark wet nights. As purchased the lights were too high. With the lights aimed lower, it is barely ok on most nights but unsafe on wet, dark nights. I have purchased aftermarket bulbs but they were only slightly improved. The high beams are still too high to light the road, but they do illuminate the trees. A european cutoff beam pattern would help too.
- Bay City, MI, USA
- Medway, MA, USA