2001 Chevrolet Malibu Powertrain & Transmission Problems

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN VEHICLE IS TRAVELING UPWARD ON AN INCLINE, THE TRANSMISSION CAUSES "LUNGING" OF THE VEHICLE. CAR WOULD LUNGE THAN BACK OFF TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT SPEED IF THE VEHICLE. I COULD OBSERVE THE SURGES ON THE RPM GAUGE, AS IT WOULD FLUCTUATE UP AND DOWN BETWEEN 2200 AND 2400 RPM WHILE LUNGING WAS TAKING PLACE. THEN SUDDENLY THE GAUGE WOULD JUMP UP TO AROUND 3200-3400 RPM, AND THE LUNGING STOPPED AND CAR REGAINED REGULAR SPEED. THIS OCCURRENCE HAPPENS ON EVERY INCLINE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE WHETHER OPERATING MANUALLY OR WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL OPERATING. PROBLEM IS NOT SO NOTICEABLE ON INCLINES AT LOWER SPEEDS WHILE CITY DRIVING (MILDER LUNGING I GUESS) BUT STILL OCCURS ON STEEP INCLINES ONLY THEN; ON HIGHWAY IT OCCURS ON ALL INCLINES. (I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS CAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW, BUT IT IS EXTREMELY WORRISOME, AND I WAS SURPRISED TO NOT FIND ANY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, AS A MECHANIC I MET SAID HIS MALIBU HAS BEEN DOING THAT FOR THE PAST 7 YEARS AND INDICATED THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL FOR IT; YET I FOUND NONE LISTED.

CAR WAS FORCED OFF ROAD THEN ROLLED OVER INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF. HER THREE YEAR OLD CHILD WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE SHIFTER FROM PARK TO NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO ROLL AWAY INTO HEAVY TRAFFIC. A CRASH DID NOT OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 28,500.

I PURCHASED MY CAR AT ROBBINS CHEVROLET IN HOUSTON, TX IN 2001. I ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAD BEEN HAVING ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR FROM THE START. LAST MONTH THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I TOOK IT TO ROBBINS AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE PCM MODULE, WHICH IS UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SAID THE PCM THAT WAS IN MY VEHICLE WAS NOT FOR A CHEVY MALIBU. ROBBINS SAID THE PCM WAS FOR A PONTIAC, WHICH IS A GM PRODUCT. WE HAVE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT ROBBINS & LANDMARK CHEVY. ROBBINS WANTS US TO PAY FOR THE PCM WHICH IS UNDER WARRANTY. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A PART THAT IS UNDER WARRANTY. THE PART COULD HAVE CAME FROM THE FACTORY OR SWITCHED AT THE DEALERSHIP. DO I NEED TO TAKE LEAGAL ACTION TO GET THIS PROBLEM SOLVED??? THE SERVICE DIRECTOR IS TOMMY MORTON

THE PCM LIGHT ILLUMINATED.*JB

WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND WITH NO WARNING GEARS JUMP INTO REVERSE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

PROBLEM FIRST REPORTED ON 5 JUNE. CAR SPENT ALL DAY 6 JUNE AT THE DEALER THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM.JUNE 9 TRANSMISSION HAD PROBLEMS SHIFTING. JUNE 14 TRANSMISSON AT LOW SPEEDS IN HEAVY SHIFTED IN AND OUT OF GEAR.JUNE 14 CAR WENT TO THE DEALER AND AT THIS TIME IT IS STILL AT STAN ROBERTS CHEVROLET. I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH LESS THAN 3000 MILES ON THE CAR. *AK

VEHICLE DEFECTS OF CHEVROLET MALIBU.*MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *NM

AUTOMATIC WENT FROM PARK TO REVERSE AS I WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. DRAGGED ME SOME 30 FEET BEFORE CROSSING I-8 EAST OF SAN DIEGO, CA. I HAD A CHEST CONTUSION, BROKEN TOE ON RIGHT FOOT, AND SEVERE BRUISING WITH BLEEDING.*AK

THE TRANSAXLE WAS STUCK IN PARK. THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT THIS VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO TORQUE LOCK IF YOU HAPPEN TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK INCORRECTLY, THERE MAY BE DIFFICULTY GETTING IT OUT. THIS LOCKING OF THE TORQUE HAPPEND TWO MORE TIMES DURING CONSUMERS TRIP. *JG *SCC

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND TRANSMISSION HAD PROBLEMS SHIFTING. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM.*AK