2008 Chevrolet Malibu Powertrain & Transmission Problems

I backed my car up, put the car in park, opened the door and got out. I walked a few feet away when I noticed the car rolling backwards. The open car door caught a fence which stopped the car from rolling any further. My door was bent backwards. I got into the car from the passenger side. The shifter indicated the car was still in park. Earlier in the day, I drove into my driveway, put the car in park and got out. The car continued to roll forward a few feet before I managed to get back in the car and apply the brake. Again the shifter indicated the car was in park.

The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the gear shifter could be moved without depressing the brake pedal. The contact then stated that the vehicle had failed to start up after several attempts with the traction control and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the gear shift indicator lights failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was initially towed to the dealer and was given a diagnostic fee; the vehicle was later towed back to the residence without a diagnostic test being performed. The contact stated that the front headlights and the horn failed to operate after replacing the battery. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V224000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 245,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE GEAR SHIFTER MOVED THROUGH THE GEARS AND WAS STUCK IN PARK. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TERRY MARXEN CHEVROLET CADILLAC (1118 W RTE 66, FLAGSTAFF, AZ 86001, (928) 302-2515) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V224000 (POWER TRAIN) AND WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FRACTURED SHIFTER CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000. INVALID VIN.

THIS VEHICLE THREW ITSELF INTO LIMP MODE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, AND AFTER SUPPOSSED REPAIRS DID THE SAME AGAIN WHEN SHE WAS IN A BAD SECTION OF THE CITY. IN THE FIRST CASE, SUDDENLY DROPPING TO 25MPH WHILE TRAFFIC IS GOING 70MPH IS AN UNACCEPTABLE RISK CONSIDERING THAT THE CAR WAS STILL MECHANICALLY ABLE TO FUNCTION NORMALLY, ITS JUST THAT THIS RIDICULOUS SENSOR SYSTEM WON'T LET IT. (WHEN TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC AND HE CLEARED THE CODE, THE CAR DROVE AND SHIFTED NORMALLY SO IT WAS MECHANICALLY ABLE FUNCTION. IN THE 2ND CASE MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER ARE AGAIN PUT AT RISK , AGAIN WHEN THE CAR WAS MECHANICALLY ABLE TO FUNCTION. I UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF NOT DOING DAMAGE TO YOUR CAR WHEN IT "SENSES" SOMETHING IS WRONG, BUT THE DECISION OF DRIVING IT ANYWAY SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY FROM THE OWNER WHO IS FAR MORE AWARE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAN A COMPUTER MODULE THAT DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE IT IS. THESE SYSTEMS ARE NOW SO INTERDEPENDENT THAT EVEN THE DEALERSHIPS CAN NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS WITHOUT JUST THROWING PARTS AT IT. THIS ALL NEEDS TO CHANGE!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE SHIFT CABLE SNAPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MONUMENT CHEVROLET (3940 PASADENA FWY, PASADENA, TX 77503) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT TRAM WAS FRACTURED AND ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V224000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILAGE WAS 139,000.

ESC WARNING LIGHT, SERVICE ESC, ESC OFF, SERVICE TRACTION, TRACTION OFF LIGHTS ARE CONTINUOUSLY COMING ON WHEN DRIVING, FRONT END SHUDDERS/SHAKES WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND I LOSE SPEED.

(ESC) TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM NEEDS REPAIRS COMES ON CAUSING THE CAR TO REDUCE ENGINE POWER IMMEDIATELY. NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU ARE DRIVING. I WAS LUCKY WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE ON A HWY AND HIT A SMALL BUMB IN IN ROAD WHEN IT HAPPENED TO ME. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO FIX THEY COMB THROUGH THE CAR THEY SAID AFTER RESETTING ESC THEY COULD NOT REPEAT ESC CODE AGAIN, BUT TOLD ME IF IT KEEPS HAPPENING JUST BRING BACK. LUCKILY THEY DIDN'T CHARGE ME THIS VISIT BUT WAS SECOND TIME TO TAKE TO THEM. FIRST TIME THEY SAID IT WAS SOME OTHER SENSORS AND CHANGED THEM WHICH DIDN'T FIX PROBLEM. THEY SAID I HAD RODENT DAMAGE BUT NOT ENOUGH TO CUT INTO THE WIRES TO CAUSE THE PROBLEM. THEY SEEMED CLUELESS AS TO WHY IT DOES THIS. I READ OTHER PEOPLE'S FORMS ON THERE CHEVY CARS AND IT'S NOT JUST MY MAILBU. I WAS TOLD PRETTY MUCH DON'T TRUST FOR A TWO TRIP I HAD PLANNED. THEY TAPED UP SOME OF MY WIRES AND HOPED IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE THE START TO A LARGER PROBLEM.

KEEP GETTING A MESSAGE SAYING 'ESC OFF' , 'TRACTION CONTROL OFF' COMES AND GOES. SOMETIMES SEEMS LIKE THE VEHICLE IS STUCK IN A GEAR MAKES A LOUD ROAR. STARTS TO VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING AT CERTAIN SPEEDS. HAVING A PROBLEM WITH BRAKE LIGHT STAYING ON A EVEN AFTER REPLACING SWITCH. I HAVE THE RECALL PROBLEMS FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL CAR BUT VIN DOESN'T SEEM TO MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT 2 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE SEIZED. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND THE VEHICLE SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V224000 (POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 8-4540543149. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY INCLUDED IN A RECALL REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO A GEAR, THE SHIFTER FAILED TO LOCK INTO THE DESIRED GEAR POSITION. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT, DUE TO THE RECALL REPAIR BEING COMPLETED, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ANOTHER REPAIR. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 81,728.

2008 CHEVY MALIBU POWER STEERING ASSIST IS LOST, A MESSAGE DISPLAYS ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER AND A CHIME SOUNDS TO INFORM THE DRIVER. WE WERE ADVISED THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE GM RECALL IN 2014, PER THE RECALL GENERAL MOTORS INFORMED THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION THAT IT WOULD RECALL MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION VEHICLES IN THE U.S. THAT MAY EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST. PER OUR DEALER THE 2008 CHEVY THAT WE OWN IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL HOWEVER, WE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT ISSUE LISTED IN THE RECALL. TO FIX THIS ISSUE THE DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING THE STEERING COUNCIL WHICH IS COSTING US $600.

WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE CAR WILL NOT GO -- IT SEEMS TO STALL. WHEN THE CAR TRIES TO SHIFT FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR, THE RPM'S INCREASE VERY HIGH AND THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT UNTIL I RELEASE MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR. ONCE IT SHIFTS, IT WILL MAINTAIN SPEED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE FROM PARK TO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION MODULE AND SOLENOID WERE UPDATED AND RESET; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V224000 (POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE FRACTURED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. WAS ABLE TO MOVE SHIFTER IN VEHICLE BUT GEARS DID NOT CHANGE TO THAT WHICH WAS INDICATED. GM HAD A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE BUT FOR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 16, 2003, THROUGH OCTOBER 5, 2007 (GM'S NUMBER FOR THIS RECALL IS 14152, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V224000). MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2008 (AS INDICATED FROM THE VIN) BUT I FEEL THE SAME ISSUE FROM THIS GM RECALL ALSO AFFECTED MY VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION, THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. IN ADDITION, THE GEARS SHIFTED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOCK CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V460000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,265.

TAKATA RECALL: HELLO MY NAME IS [XXX] I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING PROBLEM WITH MY CHEVY MALIBU 2008. MY CAR SHUT OFF WHILE STILL IN DRIVE ON MY WAY HOME ON THE STREET AND THEN MY GEAR SHIFTED TO PARK WHILE AGAIN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE. I HAVE BAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT I GOTTEN FIXED AND IT STILL ACTING UP BUT WHAT'S IS IMPORTANT IS THAT MY CAR IS NOT DRIVING AND I CANT START IT AT ALL. YES I GOT A NEW STARTER AND ITS STILL RESPONDING THE SAME. THESE PROBLEMS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I PURCHASED IT ALMOST 3 YEARS AGO. CAN YOU PLEASE CONTACT ME AND HELP ME. THANK YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON.ENGINE POWER REDUCED 99 %.SOMETIMES ENGINE DIES WHILE DRIVING 40-55 MPH.ENGINE CODE P2135 IS DISPLAYED ON MY CODE READER. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY AFTER CYCLING THE IGNITION SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES.CAR IS UN-RELIABLE.THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE YOU TO CRASH THE CAR.I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND CITY STREET WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

TIMING CHAIN ON V-6 MALIBU LTZ HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER ONLY 62,000 MILES AND COST $1,700. TRAVELING WHEN ENGINE LIGHT CAM ON AND ONSTAR SAID POWERTRAIN ISSUE AND GET TO SHOP IMMEDIATELY. OIL CHANGED AT DEALER AND GM VERIFIED RECORDS. ONLY USED 89 OCTANE GAS. GM SHOULD BUMP UP POWERTRAIN WARRANTY TO 10 YEARS AND 120,000 MILES. TIMING CHAIN DEFECT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WITH NO RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.