There are 41 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibuin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY, 8, 2019 MY 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU, VIN [XXX] HAD TO BE TOWED OFF OF THE ROAD AND HOME BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKES WERE LOCKING AND THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING FROM THE SAME ORIGINAL LOCATION. ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SOUTH CHARLOTTE CHEVROLET, THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019 KB FROM SOUTH CHARLOTTE CHEVROLET INFORMED ME THAT THE FRONT CALIPERS, BRAKES AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I EXPLAINED THAT THE WORK WAS DONE ONLY THREE AND A HALF MONTHS AGO BY LANCASTER MOTOR COMPANY. KB INFORMED ME THAT THE PREVIOUS TECHNICIAN AT LANCASTER MOTOR COMPANY INSTALLED THE PARTS INCORRECTLY AND AS A RESULT THE SAME PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING AND THAT I NEEDED TO CONTACT CHEVROLET/GMC REGARDING MY WARRANTY. CHEVROLET/GMC IS NOT HONORING THEIR WARRANTY AND THE FAILED ROTORS ALMOST CAUSED MY DAUGHTER TO BE IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON FEBRUARY 8, 2019. THE SAME VEHICLE WAS TAKE TO LANCASTER MOTOR COMPANY, SC FOR A FRONT BRAKE CONCERN; SMOKE AND SCREECHING ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2018. I RECEIVED A FOLLOW UP CALL FROM THE LANCASTER MOTOR COMPANY, SC SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON OCTOBER 6, 2018 THAT THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED AND THAT THEY COULD NOT RETURN IT ME BECAUSE IT WAS "UNSAFE TO DRIVE". THE TECHNICIAN; TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE KEEPING THE CAR AND THAT THEY WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH ME ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018. DURING A DISCUSSION WITH LANCASTER MOTOR COMPANY THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 8, 2018 I WAS INFORMED BY [XXX] THAT MY FRONT CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE BRAKES AND ROTORS. THE INVOICE NUMBER [XXX] TOTALED $1114.29 FOR THE 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR TWELVE (12) MONTHS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THERE WAS A RECALL ON FUEL SYSTEM MY ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND HAD IT DIAGNOSED AND ITS READING I NEED A FUEL PUMP CANT UNDERSTAND WHY WHEN WORK WAS ALREADY DONE SOMETIMES WHEN I ACCELERATE TO 25-30 STUTTERS AND PUTTS
BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKES ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC ANTI-LOCK CONTROL WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
ONE NIGHT WHEN IT WAS SNOWING, I WAS LEAVING WORK AND THREE LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN I WENT TO STOP MY VEHICLE. THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND I HAD TROUBLE STOPPING MY VEHICLE. AFTER THIS LITTLE INCIDENT I NOTICED THE BRAKES WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. TOOK THE CAR TO AUTO ZONE AND PUT IT ON THE CODE READER. A CODE POOPED UP, BUT COULD NOT BE TOLD WHAT IT WAS. THEY SAID YOU WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT THE DEALER FOR THEM TO TELL YOU WHAT THE CODE IS. I HAD TO GO TO WORK, SO DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TAKE IT THERE. WELL I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE LIGHTS POOPED BACK ON AND WHEN I WENT TO HIT MY BRAKES THERE WAS NONE. I HIT A TRUCK THAT STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. *TR
2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO GM RECALL #13036* LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL FIX, DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER STATED HE DID NOT KNOW, IF THE BRAKE LIGHTS WORKED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL RARELY WORKED. THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHT WAS ON. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER. AN INSPECTION REVEALED A PROBLEM WAS SPEED SENSOR ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL, WHICH WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE COST TO REPLACE THE SENSOR WAS $460. *JB
THE TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR LIGHT KEEPS GOING ON AND OFF. I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT IT IS WORKING AT ALL I HAVE A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS ISSUE BUT ONCE AGAIN NO ONE SEEMS TO HAVE ANY PARTS TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. *TR
WHEN I APPLY MY BRAKES TO STOP OR SLOW DOWN MY BRAKES SEEM TO GO OUT OR NOT WORK INTERMITTENTLY. MY HUSBAND THINKS IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ABS. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HIT THE VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME SO I MUST LEAVE A RATHER LARGE STOPPING DISTANCE BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE FRONT CAR WHICH IS FINE BUT WHEN I MUST MAKE A QUICK STOP TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT MY BRAKES CUT OUT. *TR
MY 2004 CHEVY MALIBU SKIPPING WHERE THE BRAKES ARE STICKING AT 65 MILES AND WHEN I LET OFF THE GAS IT SLOW DOWN FAST AND THAT UNSAFE TO HAVE MY DISK BRAKES CHANGED AND NEW CALIPER ON BOTH SIDES AND IT'S STILL MAKING A GRINDING NOISE THEIR SMOKING/ REALLY HOT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. *JS
I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH IN MY 2004 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX BUT GENERAL MOTORS SAYS THAT IT IS NOT A RECALL UNDER MY VIN ON MY VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THERE ARE MORE RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH MY CAR AND ALOT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S VEHICLES BUT UNFORTUNATELY GENERAL MOTORS WILL NOT OWN UP TO THE FACT THAT THERE ARE MORE RECALLS ON THEIR PRODUCTS. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH AN ATTORNEY ABOUT MY CASE AND HE STATED THE SAME THING I AM SAYING ABOUT GENERAL MOTORS. I HAVE BEEN HAVING ONE PROBLEMS AFTER THE ANOTHER WITH MY 2004 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND NONE OF THOSE ISSUES HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY DRIVING OR UPKEEP ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE MAINTAINED EVERYTHING ON MY VEHICLE AND REPLACED OVER $2,000 WORTH IN REPAIRS BECAUSE THERE WERE RECALLS OUT THERE ABOUT MY CAR AND I WASN'T NOTIFIED ABOUT THEM. GENERAL MOTORS DOES NOT WANT TO MAKE IT RIGHT THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE MONEY OFF THIS RECALL SITUATION! *TR
THE SEAT BELT DO NOT LOCK IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. THE DRIVERS SEAT ROCKS WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING AN ADJUSTS BY ITSELF YOU CAN NOT KEEP THE SEAT STILL. THE WELDING HAS COME APART FROM THE BASE. THE HEAD LIGHTS ARE MELTING THE BULBS FOR THE SIGNAL AND RUNNING LIGHT. I JUST CAUGHT THAT LAST WEEKEND THE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING WHEN I LOOK AT THE BULB IT WAS MELTED WHICH COULD HAVE STARTED AN FIRE. I AM WAITING FOR THE LETTER FOR THE RECALL ON THE STERN NOW. THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND TIME FOR IT. I KEEP MY CAR UP TO DATE WITH EVERYTHING OIL AND WHATEVER NEED TO BE DONE I AM ON TOP OF IT. BUT I HAVE TO MANY SAFETY ISSUE WITH IT RIGHT. SEAT BELT, STERN,DRIVERS SEAT, HEADLIGHTS. NOT ONLY THAT THE ROTOR WARPS EVERY SIX MONTHS. *TR
THE SEAT BELT DO NOT LOCK IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. THE DRIVERS SEAT ROCKS WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING AN ADJUSTS BY ITSELF YOU CAN NOT KEEP THE SEAT STILL. THE WELDING HAS COME APART FROM THE BASE. THE HEAD LIGHTS ARE MELTING THE BULBS FOR THE SIGNAL AND RUNNING LIGHT. I JUST CAUGHT THAT LAST WEEKEND THE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING WHEN I LOOK AT THE BULB IT WAS MELTED WHICH COULD HAVE STARTED AN FIRE. I AM WAITING FOR THE LETTER FOR THE RECALL ON THE STERN NOW. THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND TIME FOR IT. I KEEP MY CAR UP TO DATE WITH EVERYTHING OIL AND WHATEVER NEED TO BE DONE I AM ON TOP OF IT. BUT I HAVE TO MANY SAFETY ISSUE WITH IT RIGHT. SEAT BELT, STERN,DRIVERS SEAT, HEADLIGHTS. NOT ONLY THAT THE ROTOR WARPS EVERY SIX MONTHS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD BECOME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND THE WHEEL WOULD SPORADICALLY SHAKE WHEN DRIVING OVER 50 MPH. IN ADDITION THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE AND THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED IN 2007. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED FOR THE RECENT FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE MADE A CLUNKING, KNOCKING AND RATTLING SOUND WHEN DRIVEN AT A LOW GRADE SPEED AND WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE VEHICLE ALSO SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE DRIVER SEAT DIDN'T TO STAY ON TRACK AND WAS DIFFICULT TO ADJUST FORWARD AND BACKWARD. THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL WERE INOPERATIVE. THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS NO LONGER ADJUSTED. THE SAFETY LOCKS DID NOT LATCH AT TIMES WHEN THE BUTTON WAS PUSHED AND THE GAS CAP CONTINUED TO OPEN AFTER IT WAS LOCKED CAUSING THE ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. UPDATED 02/01/12
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WHEN THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHTS FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT HAD TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND WAIT FOR THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT TO STOP FLASHING IN ORDER TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER NOR NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE SAFETY ISSUE COULD CAUSE CRASH TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
I WAS DRIVING THE CHEVY MALIBU WHEN A CAR BEHIND ME ABOUT REAR END ME. I STOPPED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD A BREAK LIGHT OUT. I TRIED REPLACING BULBS AND THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY AND NOTHING WORKED. I TOOK THE PIG TAIL OUT OF THE PASSENGER LIGHT OFF AND NOTICED THAT THE PRONGS FOR THE LIGHTS WAS CORRODED. I BOUGHT A NEW ONE BUT THE PIG TAIL IS STILL RUINED. ( THE WIRING GOT WET IN A SEALED UNIT.) IT GOT SO WET THAT IT STARTED TO MELT THE OUTSIDE LENS COVER. IT IS A FIRE HAZARD AND AN ACCIDENT HAZARD. *TR
WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM STOP SIGN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES OR THE REGULAR BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND CAR BEGAN TO HALTINGLY BRAKE AND SLIGHTLY SLIDE WHILE I STEADILY HELD THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS CONTINUED RANDOMLY, REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND ALWAYS WHEN SLOWING FROM A SPEED OF 25 MPH OR LESS. EVENTUALLY REMOVAL OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FUSE RECTIFIED THE SITUATION, BUT NOW DO NOT HAVE THESE BRAKES WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POOR. *TR
ALL BRAKES SEEM TO ENGAGE WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT RELEASE UNTIL CAR SEATS FOR SEVERAL HOURS. BRAKES BECAME VERY HOT AND CAUSED STEERING PROBLEMS. *TR
AT 37500 MILES INSPECTION OF ALL (4) FOUR ROTORS AND RESPECTIVE BRAKE PADS FOLLOWED HEARING SCREECHING SCRAPING NOISES AND SLIGHT INCREASE IN BREAKING DISTANCE. EXCESSIVE WEAR WAS OBSERVED ON ROTOR DISCS. DRIVEN MILEAGE WAS CITY (35) THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT AND INTERSTATE (65) SIXTY-FIVE PERCENT. NON-DEALERSHIP TIRE/BRAKE SPECIALTY SHOP WITH KNOWN COMPETENT BUSINESS REPUTATION OF (25) TWENTY-FIVE YEARS STATED THE GM PRODUCT OF RECENT (2002-2004) MAKE HAVE EXHIBITED EARLY FAILURE RATES DUE TO 'SOFT ALLOY" USED IN THE OEM BRAKE DISCS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I LOST POWER STEERING IN MY VEHICLE ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS BEEN AN OCCURRING PROBLEM FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO BUT NEVER ON THE HIGHWAY. WE HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO A SERVICE STATION AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY THING WRONG. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN FROM 60 MPH, THE BRAKES WOULD APPLY AUTOMATICALLY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED A RECALL FOR THE ABS. IN MAY OF 2008, SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE ABS ACTIVATION MODULE IN REGARDS TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V190000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE).; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WORSENED A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. THE CONTACT FELT AS IF SHE WERE DRIVING ON FOUR FLAT TIRES. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY ASSISTANCE OR SATISFACTION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,318 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
Showing 1–20 of 41 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026