2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU Service Brakes Problems

56 complaints about Service Brakes

56
Complaints
6
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Deaths

High Severity Issue

This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.

This Problem Across All Years

All Service Brakes Complaints (56)

Dec 26, 2025

Antilock Braking System

Dec 1, 2025 Crash

The brake booster unit, vacuum pump , brake light switch failed and malfunctioned and it is available. My safety and others on the road was at risk due to brakes being stiff and hard as a brick. Possibly nearly hit an other vehicles on the road. No warning lamps or other symptoms prior to the failure.

Nov 22, 2025

After diagnostic troubleshooting from DTCs on a check engine light, it was discovered that the brake vacuum pump connected to the engine was completely nonfunctional. Previous symptoms included stiff brake, loss of brake power at random brake periods which could have cause and accident with other drivers, and finally malfunctioning sensors attributed to the exhaust system. This also led the vehicle to be unable to pass state regulated Emissions testing because of the inability to maintain proper emissions levels. Brake Vacuum pump that was removed from vehicle to inspect and diagnose is still available for inspection. Recent findings show that Chevrolet/GM is aware of the issue in their vehicles but refuses to address or replace faulty brake vacuum pumps. It is a common problem amongst 2013-2022 Chevrolet Malibus. Vehicle that is in question was inspected by a certified mechanic shop with failed emissions test. Solid check engine light appeared once the brake had become harder to push and stop the car. OBD scans show DTC codes that were pertaining to MAF and MAP malfunctions in readouts and communications to the ECM. After further inspection, the ABS module had been acting as "backup" for hydrolic brakes system that had zero vacuum to power the brake booster, this could have caused the engine to stall, longer than normal stopping distances (stronger risk of rear ending other drivers), and multiple components and sensors to fail, requiring them to also be replaced.

Nov 17, 2025

The vacuum pump for the brake assist is made from bad metal which can break and screw up the camshaft, chevy knows of this problem they have a recall for the 2017 model but not the 2018 which they both have the same exact problem, they need to take care of this it is a major safety issue, I have no brakes and it could potentially ruin my engine.

Oct 7, 2025

SHIFT TO PARK

Oct 4, 2025

The rear knuckles on these cars are constantly going bad and the parts are expensive and so is the labor. So we have to pay a fortune to fix a common issue that GM should be recalling and fixing for the people who buy these vehicles. It's crazy how common this issue is and it's still not recalled. If you hear a clunking/rattling noise coming from the back of your car then it's almost certainly a knuckle problem.

Jul 28, 2025

I was informed the vacuum pump went bad and rendered the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle would lose acceleration, shut off during auto stop and caused me to block traffic. The brakes also locked up, which almost caused me to crash in a residential neighborhood. I tried to see if there was a recall on this but I was told the recalls were handled in January of 2020 but I started driving the vehicle between July and August of 2020. This incident I'm reporting just happend 3 weeks ago. I realized there are many other issues regarding this matter and need this addressed because this almost caused bodily harm. The dealership wants me to pay for repairs on a vehicle that seem to have defective parts that jeopardise customer safety and is not being rectified.

Jul 14, 2025

Vacuum pump stopped working and shattered into my engine. Breaks suddenly stopped working while driving.

Jul 2, 2025

[XXX] , hard brake vacuum pump something’s wrong car won’t push down break INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Jun 3, 2025

I am writing to formally report a serious safety concern with my 2018 Chevy Malibu related to the brake booster vacuum pump. My vehicle has exhibited dangerous symptoms, including a hard brake pedal and reduced braking power, which I’ve now learned may be connected to a known defect affecting 2013–2022 Malibu models. These issues have significantly compromised my safety and that of others on the road. I’ve had to deal with sudden braking difficulties, and the repairs have caused financial stress I was not prepared for. I am now aware of the pending class action lawsuit (Johnson v. General Motors LLC) that details this same problem.

May 1, 2025

loud knocking or banging noises, the check engine light turning on and/or other driving performance issues, such as reduced propulsion cranksaft

Apr 23, 2025

My breaks locked up on me pulling out of my driveway. The break pedal was hard to press down and I had to step on the braks really hard to stop .

Apr 10, 2025

I am filing a complaint regarding a brake vacuum pump failure in my 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The failure of the vacuum pump led to a complete loss of brake assist, making the brake pedal significantly harder to press. This issue directly resulted in a complete loss of braking ability, which posed a serious safety risk while driving. The vacuum pump in these models is camshaft driven, and its failure caused damage to the camshaft. This issue is documented under GM Technical Service Bulletin PIP5835 and is known to affect certain 2016-2022 Chevrolet Malibu models equipped with the 1.5L LFV engine. The brake failure due to this issue could have led to a life-threatening accident, and I am deeply concerned that other drivers may experience this same risk. Despite reaching out to GM and the dealership, goodwill assistance was denied for this known defect. I believe this is a major safety hazard that needs to be addressed immediately. Vehicle Mileage ~120,000 Repair Estimate: $2106 for camshaft, vacuum pump, and related components Incident: The brakes became unsafe leading to a dangerous life threatening driving situation

Mar 12, 2025

My car brakes kept locking up and it was hard to get my car to finally stop today. There was no brake sensor or warning light. Should there be a warning light or sensor on my desk board to tell me something is wrong with my brakes ?

Jan 19, 2025

Brake vacuum booster exploded into the engine.

Dec 20, 2024

I repeatedly get a “reduced power to engine” alert on my dash which causes my car to decelerate and I lose my power steering. This last time, the alert popped up on my dash, my car decelerated, and then my brakes would not work. I could not push the brake down to stop my car and ended up in a ditch. My brakes are now hard and I cannot start my car because of it. I have already had the recall for this issue fixed in the past but this will be the 3rd time I have brought my vehicle in for the same problem. I had diagnostic codes ran on my car soon after the accident happened and have attached the pictures to this form.

Sep 30, 2024

While driving the speed suddenly reduced and brakes locked up on me. I was lucky enough to be able to veer to the left and get off the busy street without crashing into anyone or anything. When I stopped the car cut off and would not start back up even with a jump. This happened to me twice before and they did a recall on the same part. I need ot fixed again. I also had to replace the battery every time including this time.

Sep 13, 2024

Defective vacuum pump damaged camshaft, reduced engine power, and caused loss of brakes while driving.

Sep 12, 2024

Brake pedal became hard to press down and could not stop car without having to jam down on the pedal. Per dealership the vacuum pump malfunctioned causing metal to enter engine

Aug 21, 2024

While driving th vehicle the component that ruptured was the vehicles vacuum brake booster pump which connected directly to the engine. The ruptured caused shards of metal to be launched into the engine resulting in no brake power and needs an engine swap. There was a recall on this model vehicle for the Pedal sensor malfunction that results in the cars engine going into a reduced power mode abruptly and suddenly while driving. This malfunction has occurred on this vehicle and I was not aware of this vehicle models recall history but it stated that the recall was successfully closed out in 2020. I purchased my 2018 Chevy Malibu in the year 2021 and the issue still persist. I am not confident that the recall on this vehicle was either fully completed or successfully fixed before purchasing. The car is now at the dealer and the repair team explains the vehicle needs a new engine. I questioned about the pedal sensor malfunction and asked if it was possible that this malfunction sending the vehicle into a reduced power mode so suddenly could have effected or cause wear and tear on brake booster pump connected to the engine. The dealers repair team wasn’t confident in saying it wasn’t possible. This is likely a design issue and if a recall was completed and I was sold a vehicle uninformed of this potential issue but the malfunction still persisted I do not believe I should have to cover the full cost of repairs for this chain of events. This malfunctioned put me at danger and if it had occurred while my wife and 3 children were in the car it could have been life threatening not only to us but the other drivers around as well. With the engine reduced you can’t accelerate and with the booster pump ruptures mid drive you lose all brake power. It is hard to understand the faulty design in this but I have read reviews that others have had the same issue so I do not believe I am alone in this.

Jun 17, 2024

Driving normal. Upon application of brakes, brake pedal became stiff and brakes did not function normal. Had to apply immense pressure to stop and it sounded like brakes kept locking up. Vacuum pump that supplies vacuum for engine with turbo to function, along with the brake booster to be able to apply normal braking power, was destroyed. The inside of the vacuum pump is in pieces and part of the bushing that connects into the engine was broken. Caused by faulty vacuum pump, or faulty cam shaft. If this had happened while in traffic, it is likely a crash would have happened. Damage caused to the vacuum pump resulted in metal pieces in the engine block as well.

Jun 15, 2024

Car does not recognize when the shift is on park. States to put car in park despite it being in park. Could take up to 10 minutes for the system to finally recognize the gear.

Apr 9, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the message "Engine Power Reduced" was displayed and the vehicle would not properly accelerate above 30 MPH. Additionally, while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to immediately stop, and the pedal was firm when depressed. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was unknown. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000.

Mileage: 50,000

Feb 12, 2024

I was driving down the highway and took the exit and went to hit the brake pedal and it was hard to push down. Took it into a shop for diagnosis/repair. Mechanic found that vacuum pump for brakes came apart. There is currently metal in the engine that I cannot afford to fix after already paying $500 for the new vacuum pump.

Feb 2, 2024

I was driving my small child to school and my car had a service message pop up that said engine power reduced and then my brake pedal became stiff to the point where I could not push it down at all to stop at a red light. Luckily by quick thinking I push down my emergency brake to avoid from hitting other cars. From doing research this is not the only complaint about this same similar situation on this car (2018 Chevy Malibu LS) It's ridiculous. It's going to cost me over $2000 for parts and for labor.

Nov 16, 2023

Vacuum Booster Pump failed while driving on the highway with my girlfriend and her small child in the car and this common problem for this specific Chevrolet motor and endangered our lives significantly. Over 500 complaints on NHTSA website. No recalls to date. $4,000 damage. Filed official complaint and requested that Chevrolet cover the costs.

Oct 31, 2023

Service Stabilitrak warning will pop up on my dash. The car loses power. Push on the gas and it sputters. Had it serviced by GMC 2 years ago and now it is happening again. More frequent in colder weather. There are thousands of reddit posts about this same issue from other 2018 Chevy Malibu owners. GMC refuses to acknowledge it is a quality or performance issue on their end.

Oct 27, 2023

I was driving the vehicle on a busy road and a message came up on the display above the steering column saying Engine Power Reduced. I went to brake and was unable to push the pedal in as it was extremely stiff. There were vehicles around me and I tried to use both feet and stand on the brakes and was able to get a little bit of movement but the car still didn't slow down. I had my significant other and brother-in-law in the car and we were all horrified we were going to get into an accident. I turned the hazard lights on and was able to steer to avoid hitting several vehicles and when traffic finally cleared I was able to get over and off the road into a gas station that was uphill and allowed us to slow down and finally stop because I put the vehicle in neutral tried the parking brake which got us to a complete stop and shut the vehicle off. There had been no previous issues with the brakes or messages such as the one that came up right before this issue occurred. The vehicle had to be towed and the repair shop told me the cam driven vacuum pump failed which caused the brake booster to not function. When this failure occurred, it damaged the intake and exhaust camshafts, crankshaft, and several other components. The cooling system and oil to be flushed out as I was told there was metal debris from the damaged parts caused by the vacuum pump failure in the fluids which had been all completely flushed and changed including cooling system, transmission fluid, and oil change The total cost of repairs as a result of the vacuum pump failure setting off a Domino effect of damage was $3536.40.

Sep 20, 2023

Just now getting to Walmart my shift to park message came on my 2018 Chevy Mailbu

Sep 19, 2023

Again today my shift to park message came on to some odd noise help me please

Sep 19, 2023

Today again shift to park message came on

Aug 24, 2023

When I put my car in park a notice comes up in my dashboard saying “shift to park” even though when I take my foot off the break it’s in parked. I took it to a Chevy dealer and said it will $500+ to fix. I have asked 5 other people with my same car (2018 or 2019) and they have the same issue. Now my car is having issues when shifting gears. There seems to be a delay in gear shifts when I go from drive to reverse or to park.

Aug 8, 2023

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 75 MPH AND I WENT TO HIT THE BRAKES AND THEY DIDNT WORK I HAD TO TAKE MY FEET OFF THE GAS AND LET IT STOP ON ITS ON AND IT WAS SCARY. I GLAD TO BE ALIVE. AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT STATED THE I NEEDED TO SHIFT TO PARK AND I COULDNT CUT THE CAR OFF SO AFTER CALLING SOMEONE TO COME GET ME FROM OFF OF THE SIDE OF THE RIDE. I HAD TO KEEP PUTTING THE GEAR IN PARK FOR IT TO GO IN PARK ANF THE MESSAGE WENT AWAY BUT IT KEEPS COMING ON.

Aug 2, 2023 Crash

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed with the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard, the vehicle failed to reduce speed. As a result, he collided with the vehicle in the right lane on the rear driver's side. No air bags were deployed. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed, but no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the engine vacuum pump, resulting in a lack of vacuum for the brake booster. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number 18V576000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.

Mileage: 75,000

Jul 11, 2023

My brake vacuum pump seized while driving in the far left lane on the freeway. My car began to lose power and my rpms dropped and rose back up quickly making my car lunge forward and back quickly multiple times. My check engine light came on and a warning saying my engine was losing power flashed across the dash.I exited the freeway and pulled over to a safe location, when attempting to stop my car I noticed that the breakes were stiff and would not move and I had to push the emergency break to stop the car completely. I had my car full of family members and all of us were extremely sacred and worried for our safety and those of others around us as the speed was no longer under my control.

Jul 3, 2023

While driving on the highway my dashboard displayed a warning of “reduced power steering “, engine light came off and on, loss of speed , and “stabilitracking” light came on. Brakes also vibrated badly as if they were unable to hold a grip. I was unable to accelerate and was really in danger. The car was taken immediately to the dealership where they replaced the battery and told me it was repaired. On my return from the airport the next morning at 4:30 the same lights and warnings displayed on the dash once again and I had it towed immediately to the dealership. We are now 3 days in and I have gotten no explanation as to what is going on with my vehicle.

Mar 9, 2023

Cam-driven Brake Booster Vacuum failure without warning. My engine died, my brake pedal and steering wheel stiffened, while in moderate traffic. I had use excessive brake force to slow my vehicle to a stop. Currently have 78,012 miles as it is sitting in the repairs shop. This is the first time it has happened, but I worry it may happen again because upon further research, it is a very common part failure.

Jan 16, 2023

While picking my kids up from school my car suddenly lost braking ability and I heard a weird noise under the hood. Like it needed an oil change. Tension from the brakes and couldn’t stop when tried. Definitely gained anxiety from this event. I did get the part replaced however I’m concerned for the engine and any possible damage that may have been caused. I still have the original part to the vehicle as well.

Nov 10, 2022

Brake Power Booster, vehicle not starting. Not catching, brakes when completely out couldn’t stop

Oct 11, 2022

12/27/2021 I started my car to leave work & noticed a loud tap. I've worked for dealerships in the past & was part owner of my own repair shop for many years. Popped the hood, checked the oil level which was good, & figured I'd be fine to drive it home to park it & then hook the scanner up. Mid-way home I received an engine performance notification on my dash, but other than that it seemed safe with no diminished speed. Less than 3 miles from home I went to stop at a red light & had the hardest brake pedal I've ever felt in my life. I was fortunate nobody was around me so I put all the weight of my body on the pedal to stop the car at the light. The engine was sputtering & the steering felt tight & it felt like it was stalling, with a green turn arrow I risked crossing the highway & was able to safely park in the community's rec center. I'm not one who is quick to take anything to the dealership because many times the techs are lazy, so I hit the web & found two things. One - there is an extended warranty on the TPS sensor which is the entire gas pedal itself. This could explain the engine performance notification, but not the lack of brakes. Upon hours & hours of additional reading I found the problem - the vacuum brake pump. We ordered it & replaced it but I can tell you my engine likely needs an additional camshaft replacement for it to ever be right again. Two codes remain: P0014 & P0017 - Exhaust camshaft/crankshaft position not plausible. What was the condition of the vacuum pump? It was SHATTERED & had spewed chunks of metal directly into my engine. I was lucky that day, had I gotten 1/4 mile down the road I could have wound up in a lake instead of a parking lot. GM should be ASHAMED of this design & it's continued failure to not only address the issue, but lie about it in the process. First owner, failure occurred at 54,500 miles - no warranty. What scares me the most, is how many times the same owner has had this pump fail again & again.

Oct 11, 2022

My car just stopped in the middle of the road , and would not start again for a few minutes. Then is was in low power mode , no brakes either after that , found that problem to be a bad Vaccum pump , which G M didn’t even have , and a faulty Accelerator Pedal sensor !

Oct 8, 2022

My car will stop and have no power now the heat shut off and won’t come back on it’s just doing some crazy stuff I looked up all the recalls for 2018 Malibu and it was a lot so why mines isn’t listed

Aug 26, 2022

8 months ago brakes failed, you could stop but they were hard and stretched stopping distance, vacuum pump failure was the cause, when it failed it broke apart and sent parts into the engine, (valve cover ). Replaced vacuum pump removed valve cover and fished out the broken pieces, was lucky on this occasion, fast forward 8 months later , the mother of my kids was on freeway and car completely died,, got it to dealer and was informed, vacuum pump failed again sending metal fragments into the valve cover but this time pieces destroyed the cam and caused the reluctor to slip thus causing ecm to shut down engine. I’m concerned with there not being some sort of housing inside the valve cover cupping the side of cam that meets vacuum pump to shield engine components from metal pieces incase vac pump broke into pieces since vacuum pump isn’t part of the engine itself and the torque of cam shaft up against the gear on vac pump is very high, the expectation of parts braking off is highly likely, and there nothing protecting your engine from those fragments.. I’m not the smartest but I would not think a $100 external part could destroy and engine and take your braking function without any warning. I guess if I happen once I wouldn’t think to much into it but for the third time and being extreamly lucky on the first two occasions and taking responsibility for repairs are totally uncalled for , so now I have to replace and engine, WOW... I hope this can be addressed before someone actually gets hurt, I’m so lucky that my kids mother was able to coast off the highway b/c it could have been bad..

Feb 15, 2022

The vacuum pump on my vehicle has gone out for the 3rd time in 2.5 years. This creates a safety issue as that the brakes stop working and it takes an extreme amount of pressure for the car to stop. This has occurred once on the freeway and twice in heavy traffic areas. This could cause an accident and potentially seriously hurt or kill someone. This has occurred once before the engine was replaced and twice since it's been replaced.

Mileage: 77,000

Dec 4, 2021

MY VEHICLE ACTS AS IF IT DOESNT WANT TO START AFTER BEING AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN WHEN MY FEET IS RELEASED OFF THE BREAK IT TAKES A FEW SECONDS TO START BACK UP. ALSO I HAVE ISSUES WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE AND THEY RECEIVED A CODE DEALING WITH THE WIRING ON THE BATTERY NOT THE ACTUAL BATTERY NEEDING TO BE REPLACED

Jul 14, 2021

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up. Additionally, the brake pedal was applied but was hard to depress. The engine power reduced message was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V642000 (Electrical System, Fuel System, Gasoline, engine) was completed. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

Mileage: 130,000

Dec 17, 2020

ON DECEMBER 2, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 545PM I WAS LEAVING THE BILOXI CSPIRE STORE AND AS I DROVE ABOUT HALF A MILE, THE CAR COMPLETELY WENT HAYWIRE. ALL THE INSTRUMENTS WENT CRAZY AND THEN I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL AND THE CAR HAD NO POWER.. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE CAR IN A SAFE SPOT AND MYSELF OUT OF DANGER SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD. I TRIED TO TURN AND GET OFF ROAD AND CAR HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL AND NO POWER. THEN ONCE I WAS ABLE TO GET IN A PARKING LOT THE CAR AND SAFE. I TRIED CRANKING THE CAR 2 OR THREE TIMES AND ALL IT WOULD DO IS TURN OVER ARE MAKING A STARTING NOISE AND WOULDNT STOP. THE BRAKES WERE HARD AS A ROCK AND WOULD NOT DEPRESS AT ALL.

Mileage: 83,000

Nov 5, 2020

CAR WENT BACK TO DEALERSHIP MONDAY BECAUSE OF PROBLEM I HAD LAST YEAR. LIGHTS COMES ON IN DASHBOARD : STABILTRACK, ENGINE ICON, REDUCED STEERING, LOW FUEL. ON MY WAY TO WORK MONDAY JUST MADE IT OUT MY DRIVEWAY AND STARTED UP THE HILL AND THE LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING. BRAKES HAD TO BE PUSHED ASK THE WAY TO THE FLOOR FOR IT TO STOP ROLLING BACK DOWN THE HILL. I LET IT ROLL BACK TO GET THE CAR OUT OF STREET. THE CAR WOULDN'T TURN OFF WHEN I PRESSED THE START/STOP BUTTON. PRESSED THE BUTTON AGAIN THE CAR TURNS OFF BUT ALL LIGHTS ARE ON IN THE DASH. PRESS BUTTON AGAIN AND LIGHTS GO OUT BUT THE START BUTTON IS LIT. SHIFT TO PARK COMES ON DASH. IT'S IN PARK. COULDN'T GET ENGINE TO TURN ON. COULDN'T MOVE GEAR SHIFT THAT HAS NO LIGHTS ON COLUMN OR DASH TO TELL WHAT GEAR IT'S IS IN. GOT CAR TOWED TO GREENWAY IN TUSCUMBIA, AL. HAD TO FIND A RIDE TO & FROM WORK BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LONER .PICKED CAR UP TUESDAY(THEY SAID THE BATTERY NEEDED TO CHARGED & THERE WAS A RECALL THEY FIXED) MADE IT HOME OK. WENT TO STORE, NO PROBLEM. GOT IN CAR TO GO TO WORK WEDNESDAY AND IT STARTS ACTING UP AGAIN. AND WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AT WORK, THERE WAS SMELL LIKE THE BRAKES WERE REALLY HOT. CALLED DEALERSHIP DIDN'T GET THROUGH TO SERVICE BUT GUY SAID HE WOULD GET MY NUMBER & HAVE SOMEONE CALL, NO ONE DID. GOT IN CAR TO LEAVE WORK THE LIGHTS STARTED AGAIN BUT I WAS ABLE TO COME HOME WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. THE ENGINE ICON WAS STILL ON THOUGH. I'M SICK OF THIS CAR! AND I'M TIRED OF GOING TO THE DEARSHIP EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS OR EVERY 2 WEEKS! BUY THIS LEMON BACK!

Mileage: 13,500

Jul 8, 2020

RECEIVE INTERMITTENT 'SHIFT TO PARK' LIGHT ON DASHBOARD ONCE CAR IS PLACED IN PARK AND WILL NOT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. DRIVER MUST PULL SHIFT BACK TO DRIVE, THEN NEUTRAL THEN REVERSE AND BACK TO PARK BEFORE THE 'SHIFT TO PARK NOTICE SHUTS OFF' . IF NOT REPAIRED THIS CAN ULTIMATELY DRAIN BATTERY OR EVEN DAMAGE BATTERY.

Mileage: 19,028

Feb 21, 2020

LOW FUEL, ENGINE LIGHT, SERVICE STABILITY TRACK, SHIFT TO PARK LIGHTS COME ON. THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON FIRST. THE NEXT DAY THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON SOMETIMES IT STAYS ON THEN GOES OFF. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING. I'VE HAD ALL THE RECALLS DONE. ECM REPLACED. 2 WEEKS LATER THE SAME THING. ALL DIALS GO TO ZERO. SLOW TAKE OFF AFTER I'VE STOPPED AT RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. IS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT. IF I PUT ON BRAKES THEY WILL THROW ME IN THE DASH LIKE I'VE CRASHED INTO SOMETHING. WHEN I TAKE IT DEALERSHIP-NO CODES ARE FOUND. TRYING TO TURN CAR OFF, IT SAYS SHIFT TO PARK. IT'S ALREADY PARKED. I'VE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS SAME PROBLEMS-NO CODES. I'VE GOTTEN A RENTAL (FOR A WEEK)SO THEY CAN KEEP THE CAR TO TRY AND RECREATE IT- THEY CAN'T. THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW IN AUGUST OF 2018.CHEVY MALIBULS 4DR SDN BLACK. THE DATE BELOW "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN" OUTS THE LATEST DATE.

Mileage: 10,000

Jan 14, 2020 Crash

WELL I GOT IN A WRECK YESTERDAY AROUND 4 PM IN CITY LIMITS IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC AND THE LADY HAD STOP SOMEWHAT ABRUPTLY SO I HAD TO STOP ABRUPTLY AND MY BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME AND THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME AT THESE BRAKES HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE JUST A SECOND WREAK I'VE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE IN EIGHT MONTHS AND I DON'T HAVE WRECKED VEHICLES THIS IS ALL NEW SO I WANT TO GET MY CAR CHECKED OUT SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING MALFUNCTIONING WITH MY BRAKES BECAUSE BOTH TIMES THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME WHEN THEY SHOULD'VE STOPPED BECAUSE I WASN'T GOING TO FAST

Mileage: 37,000

Oct 28, 2019 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED, BUT THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE IF A REPORT WAS GENERATED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE PELVIC AREA AND AROUND HER WAIST FROM THE SEAT BELT THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AWAITING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK WITH A REPRESENTATIVE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,500.

Mileage: 17,500

Oct 24, 2019 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT'S STUDENT ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO PARK; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, BUT IT CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND LOW POWER MODE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL AS THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND IT CRASHED INTO A BOULDER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH CRAIN CHEVROLET (9911 I-30, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72209, (501) 436-4484) AND WAS INFORMED TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS SENT TO THE COLLISION DEPARTMENT AND THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO HER APARTMENT FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT NOT TO TOUCH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED CHEVROLET DEALER SO THAT IT COULD BE ASSESSED BY AN INVESTIGATOR. AFTER SOME BACK AND FORTH WITH THE ORIGINAL DEALER, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GWATNEY CHEVROLET (1301 T P WHITE DR, JACKSONVILLE, AR 72076, (501) 295-4448) WHERE AN INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY FAULT WITH THE VEHICLE. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V642000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE) THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,196.

Mileage: 29,196

Aug 23, 2019

DURING OPERATIONS WHILE TURNING CAR LOCKED UP; LOST POWER, LOST STEERING. WITH ENGINE RUNNING THE RADIO AND AC SHUT OFF. DRIFTED TO SHOULDER OF ROAD. ILLUMINATED DASH LIGHTS: POWER STEERING DRIVE WITH CARE, TRACTION CONTROL, EMERGENCY BRAKE, ABS LIGHT, TEMP SHOWED COLD, NO GEAR INDICATOR LIGHT. OPERATED CAR LESS THAN 5MPH APPROX. 1/4 MILE AND SHUT ENGINE OFF. DURING OPERATIONS IT SOUNDED AS THOUGH BRAKES WERE ON (SCREECHING/CLANKING). ONCE ENGINE SHUTDOWN STABILITRAK LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY WITH POWER STEERING. DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK, WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO DOWN (TRAPPED IN VEHICLE 10 MIN). BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED, CAR WOULD NOT START. 45 MIN LATER CAR STARTED. ALL ILLUMINATED LIGHTS CLEARED, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP INVESTIGATED. SEVERAL FAULT CODES WERE PRESENT. EACH FAULT CODE PERTAINED TO VEHICLES COMMUNICATION. VEHICLE LOST COMMUNICATION WITH EVERYTHING. DEALERSHIP STATED DIFFICULT/IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW ANY SORT OF DIRECTION FOR FIX. DEALERSHIP DROVE CAR AND COULD NOT REPLICATE INCIDENT. ASKED ME TO DRIVE AND RECREATE PROBLEM THEN TO BRING BACK. CAR IS UNSAFE. INSTANTLY LOCKED UP DURING OPERATION, TRAPPED ME INSIDE, LEFT ME STRANDED AND SCARED ME. REFUSE TO DRIVE. GM WAS CONTACTED; AWAITING GUIDANCE.

Mileage: 16,467

Aug 20, 2019 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING AT A LOW SPEED INTO A DRIVEWAY THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED RIGHT FOOT, WHIPLASH, AND SEVERAL BRUISES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WEIL TOWING AND STORAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED OR NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V576000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. *TR

Mileage: 15,000

Apr 13, 2019

I WAS RECENTLY GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 2018 MALIBU AND HAD ABSOLUTELY NOOOO ENGINE POWER FOR ACCELERATION! LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET ONTO THE MEDIAN BEFORE I WAS REAR ENDED BY THE FAST MOVING CARS! SIMULTANEOUSLY THE 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED', 'SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL', AND 'THE 'TRANSMISSION' SERVICE LIGHTS CAME ON! THEN AS I WAS GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEXT EXIT, I WENT TO STOP AT THE LIGHT AND I HAD NOOOO BRAKES! LUCKILY I PUSHED AS HARD AS POSSIBLE AND GOT MY CAR TO STOP WITHOUT A SECOND TO SPARE! I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT 99% OF DRIVERS WOULD HAVE EITHER BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED, OR SERIOUSLY INJURED SOMEONE ELSE IN THE PROCESS OF CRASHING THEIR CAR! I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF CARS , FROM RACING MULTIPLE C5 AND C6 CORVETTES, BUT THIS PROBLEM HAD ME STUMPED FOR A WHILE. I TOOK THE MALIBU TO MULTIPLE GM SERVICE DEPARTMENTS, AND NONE OF THE MECHANICS COULD COME UP WITH A REASON WHY ALL THOSE SYSTEMS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND MULTIPLE MECHANICS ALL SAID IT WAS EITHER THE BRAKE BOOSTER OR THE MASTER CYLINDER. I JUST DIDN'T SEE EITHER OF THOSE PARTS BEING THE REASON FOR THAT MUCH OF AN EFFECT ON THE CAR, AND LUCKILY I REMEMBERED THAT GM TRUCKS WERE HAVING A MAJOR ISSUE LOSING BRAKES DUE TO THE VACUUM PUMP. SO AFTER AN INSPECTION I FELT PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT WAS MY BRAND NEW MALIBU'S PROBLEM, SO I WENT TO THE PARTS COUNTER AND DROPPED $330 ON MY WARRANTIED MALIBU, AND SURE ENOUGH THE CAR WAS FINE AFTER THAT! HOWEVER, A MAJOR CONCERN OF MINE IS THAT THE OE VACUUM PUMP WAS MISSING CHUNKS OF METAL, AND CLEARLY THOSE CHUNKS OF METAL ARE FLOATING AROUND IN MY ENGINE! SO DESPITE MY REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND EVEN EXTRA MAINTENANCE, MY CONFIDENCE IS NOT VERY HIGH, AND I'M CONSTANTLY WAITING FOR THE CAR TO HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE NEW VACUUM PUMP, ENGINE OR BRAKES!

Mileage: 15,000