2008 Chevrolet Malibu Engine Problems

When I walk up to my car all I smell is gas and my gas tank doesn’t last as long as it should the first half of my tank is gone within 2-4 hours the second half last a couple days . I just had a child and I wanna make sure I can get these things fixed . I just purchased this car like 3 months ago from a dealership .. he’s been giving me the run around so I’m trying to see what I can do

AT 97000 MILES, FOLLOWING ALL SERVICE AND OIL CHANGES, ENGINE BLEW OUT. IT SHEARED OFF HEAD BOLTS, BROKE THE TIMING CHAIN, LARGE AMOUNTS OF METAL BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE OIL FILTER. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY MECHANICS, AS WELL HAVE TALKED TO NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT OWN THESE VEHICLES. THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING. THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE BUILD OF THESE ENGINES THAT IS CAUSING FAILURE. CAR WAS STATIONARY AFTER A 45 MINUTE DRIVE. THE NEXT DAY THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM TURNING THE KEY. CHEVY HAS BEEN GETTING AWAY WITH THESE TYPE OF ENGINE PROBLEMS FOR YEARS AND I BELIEVE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN THEIR QUALITY CONTROL DEPARTMENT. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THIS SHOULD HAPPEN WITH SUCH LOW MILES, LET ALONE ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLE.S.

ENGINE POWER FAILURE AND TRACTION CONTROL TURNS OFF, THE CARS POWER IMMEDIATELY REDUCES POWER AND SPEED WITHOUT NOTICE, CAR STALLS OUT. IT IS VERY RANDOM WITHOUT WARNING/NOTICE; QUITE DANGEROUS- IF THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND TURNED BACK ON IT RETURNS TO NORMAL ONLY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

2008 CHEVY MALIBU LIGHTS WILL COME ON BUT ENGINE WON'T CRANK. WE WHERE IN THE HIGHWAY AND TRYING TO JUMP A CAR AND IT JUST TURNED OFF AND WON'T START AT ALL.

TAKATA RECALL: TIMING CHAIN AND CRANKSHAFT ISSUE. CAR STARTED TO LOSE SPEED ALL OF A SUDDEN AND THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO START THE CAR, IT WOULDN'T START AT ALL. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO FIND OUT THAT MY TIMING CHAIN IS LOSE AND CRANKSHAFT SENSOR PIECE WAS MISSING OR BROKEN

FUEL TANK LEAKING SEEN SEVERAL CHEVYS WHERE RECALLED BUT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDING UNABLE TO DRIVE CARE AS DANGEROUS FUEL LEAK

ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGE APPEARS WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING AND THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY STOPS AND VEHICLE STALLS AFTER A VERY SHORT PERIOD BARELY ENOUGH TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IF THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND TURNED ON AGAIN, THE VEHICLE STARTS FINE. THIS PATTERN REPEATS RANDOMLY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND EVEN WHEN IT WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAYS. DEALER CHECK REVEALED THAT IT WAS ENGINE CONTROL MODULE THAT GOT SHORTED AND NEEDS A REPLACEMENT. THE PART IS BACK ORDERED, WHICH INDICATES THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE VEHICLES HAVING THE SAME ISSUE.

ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY REDUCES POWER, ENGINE LAMP COME ON OR BLINKS, RUNS ROUGH. THIS REDUCE POWER CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE AND ACCELERATOR DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY AND OCCURS WHEN MOVING IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND THEN IT ALL STOPS. MECHANICS CANNOT RECREATE IT. IT IS SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT HAD STRETCHED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACTUATOR SOLENOID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,208. ...UPDATED 03-10-16 *BF *JS

2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE POWER REDUCED AND TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGE LIGHT ISSUES. *SMD *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE LOW TRACTION, ESC, ENGINE POWER REDUCED, AND ENGINE DISABLED WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

MY ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND AFTER I REPAIRED THAT ISSUE, WAS TOLD THAT MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE MAINTENANCE GUY FOUND A LETTER STATING 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU WAS BEING RECALLED FOR FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTER. HOWEVER, WHEN I ENTERED MY VIN NUMBER ON GM'S RECALL SITE MY 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU WASN'T LISTED. THE LETTER IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE CONVERTER FOR 10 YEARS OR UP TO 120,000. I WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE IS SOMEONE AT GM THAT I CAN CONTACT DIRECTLY REGARDING THIS SITUATION. PLEASE ADVISE BEST REGARDS *TR

I DRIVE A CHEVROLET MALIBU 2008 WITH JUST A LITTLE OVER 56,000 MILES. I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND ALL THE SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE & THE CAR VIBRATED A LITTLE. ONE OF THE FANS COMPLETELY BROKE APART AND THE PIECES FLEW INTO THE RADIATOR EMBEDDING THEM INTO THE RADIATOR. SO FROM THIS I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY AND THEY HAD TO INSTALL A NEW RADIATOR & FAN. THE SERVICE TECH COULD NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAVE HAPPENED TO MY CAR. *TR

ONLY 3 OF 4 POWER LOCKS WORK, I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE TWICE SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE, THE FIRST TIME WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS ABLE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, THE SECOND WHILE NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND CANNOT AFFORD THE REPAIR. I EXPERIENCED THE EFFECTS OF THE BODY CONTROL MODULE RECALL ISSUES WHILE ON A ROAD TRIP TRAVELING AT 65 MPH WHEN MY CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED AND MY BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT STAY OFF OR ON. I'VE PAID TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AND I AM NOW AWAITING THE "OFFICIAL" RECALL NOTICE FROM CHEVROLET, DESPITE HAVING RECEIVED THE INTERIM NOTICE AND ALREADY HAVING HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A REFUND OF THE NEARLY $600 REPAIR. NOW, I'M WAITING TO GET IN TO THE DEALER FOR THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING RECALL REPAIRS AND I'VE BEGUN TO EXPERIENCE ISSUES WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH AND KEY MECHANISM. INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE WILL TURN EVERYTHING ON, BUT NOT TURN OVER OR START THE ENGINE. THE BATTERY IS NEW AND THIS ONLY HAPPENS SPORADICALLY. ALSO, WITH THE SAME INTERMITTENT THE KEY BECOMES STUCK IN THE IGNITION / KEY MECHANISM ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND IT WILL NOT COME OUT WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT WIGGLING AND FORCEFUL PULLING. I'VE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE EXHAUST CONVERTER, MANIFOLD AND GASKETS REPLACED, A NEARLY $800 REPAIR. NOT TO MENTION AN EARLIER RECALL IN 2012 DEALING WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION CABLES THAT I NOW SEE ARE BEING RECALLED ONCE AGAIN VIA YOUR SITE, HOWEVER I'VE NOT SEEN A NOTICE FROM CHEVROLET. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING ON ROUTE 15 FROM VA TO MD. I STOPPED FOR GAS, GOT BACK ON THE HIGHWAY GOING AROUND 45 AND THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHICH DESTROYED THE MOTOR. THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE MOTOR SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR MOTOR AND GM WAS AWARE OF IT, BUT HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL. THE MECHANIC SAID THE OIL NEEDED TO BE CHANGED REGULARLY OR THE ENGINE WAS MORE PRONE TO THIS PROBLEM. I DID CHANGE THE OIL REGULARLY AND HAVE RECORDS TO PROVE IT. *TR

MY VEHICLE LOOSES POWER AND ABILITY TO ACCELERATE SUDDENLY WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AROUND 65 MPH. THIS CAUSES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ME EACH TIME IT OCCURS BECAUSE I AM DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED AND MOST OF THE TIME ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. I HAVE TO TURN MY HAZARDS ON AND DO MY BEST TO GET OFF THE ROAD ALL WHILE THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO SLOW ITSELF DOWN AND LOOSE ALL POWER. I'VE COME SO VERY CLOSE TO BEING HIT OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. IT IS VERY FRIGHTENING. "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" IS THE MESSAGE THAT APPEARS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT IN A FEW DAYS LATER TO A MECHANIC WHO READ THE CODES. THERE WERE SEVERAL THAT CAME UP. I EXPLAINED EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED WITH THE CAR AND AFTER LOOKING OVER EVERYTHING DECIDED I NEEDED A NEW CAM SHAFT SENSOR. CAR DROVE WELL FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND THEN THE PROBLEM CAME BACK. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK IN TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY'RE UNSURE OF WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE NOW. THEY HAVE TOLD ME UNLESS I CAN GET THE VEHICLE TO THEM RIGHT WHEN THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING THEY'RE UNSURE WHAT COULD ACTUALLY BE THE SOURCE. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DRIVE TO A MECHANIC OR A DEALER AT A COASTING SPEED OF 10 MPH WITHOUT STOPPING BEFORE I GET THERE? I HAVE READ SEVERAL CHEVY FORUM THREADS AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONGST MALIBUS AND IMPALAS. MANY PEOPLE HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS MAKING REPAIRS THAT MECHANICS AND DEALERSHIPS SAY WILL CORRECT THE ISSUE YET HAVE STATED THE ISSUE STILL OCCURS IN THEIR VEHICLES. I REFUSE TO THROW MONEY INTO REPAIRS IF THERE ISN'T A KNOWN SOURCE AS I HAVE ALREADY MADE ONE REPAIR THAT DIS NOT FIX MY VEHICLES PROBLEM! WITH THE NUMBER OF CHEVY VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS, WHY ISN'T THIS A RECALL??? *TR

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD OF THE 2008 HAS A SEVERE CRACK WHICH ALLOWS EXHAUST FUMES INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. I CANNOT KEEP THE FAN ON WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, IDLING, OR IN SLOW TRAFFIC AS THE FUMES ARE SO STRONG THAT IT CAUSES HEADACHES AND NAUSEA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT CHEVROLET DEALERSHIPS TO PINPOINT THE SOURCE OF THE EXHAUST FUMES AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. AFTERWARDS, IT TOOK MY HUSBAND LESS THAN 10 MINUTES TO LOCATE AND PHOTOGRAPH THE EXHAUST LEAK ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. TWO OTHER CLOSE FRIENDS ALSO HAVE 2008 MALIBU'S AND BOTH OF THEIR CARS HAVE THE SAME DANGEROUS ISSUE OF EXHAUST FUMES LEAKING INTO THE CABIN. ONE HAS HAD THIS REPLACED AT CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WITH OEM PARTS AT A COST OF $1500 WITH THE EXPLANATION OF THE HIGH COST FOR THE REPAIR BEING THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS CONNECTED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE WHOLE UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. ONE YEAR AFTER THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR, HER EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS CRACKED AGAIN. ANOTHER FRIEND GOT A QUOTE OF $1300 BUT CANNOT AFFORD THE REPAIR. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS REPAIR EITHER AND IT BAFFLES ME THAT CHEVROLET WILL ISSUE A SERVICE BULLETIN TO REPLACE MY CHROME WHEEL COVERS BUT WHEN I CALLED TO ASK ABOUT THE WELL KNOWN ISSUE OF CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLDS, TOLD ME THAT THEY HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE ISSUE AND SIMPLY PASSED ME OFF TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO MAKE A REPAIR APPOINTMENT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND ONE THAT IS COMMON AND WELL DOCUMENTED WITH A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH ON EXHAUST CRACKS ON CHEVROLET MALIBU'S AND COBALT'S IN THE 2007-2009 YEARS. GIVEN THE DANGEROUS NATURE, THE HIGH COST OF THE REPAIR THAT MANY CANNOT AFFORD, AND THE COMMON OCCURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM, CHEVROLET SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE SPEED DECREASED AND ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

I AM HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES AS OTHERS WITH WIRING/ELECTRICAL. LATEST INCIDENT INVOLVED LOSS OF AC/DEFROST/LEVEL CONTROLS. PRIOR TO THIS LOSS, THERE WAS A VERY STRONG BURNING SMELL COMING THRU THE VENTS WHEN THE CONTROL LEVEL WAS SET TO 1-4. THERE WERE NO VISIBLE SPARKS OR FIRE; HOWEVER, THE WIRING UNDER THE GLOVE DEPARTMENT WAS EXTREMELY HOT. ALTHOUGH THERE WASN'T A FATALITY OR VISIBLE FIRE OTHER RISKS WERE INVOLVED. MY FAMILY WAS IN THE CAR (ADULTS & CHILDREN) & WE WERE 500 MILES FROM HOME (RETURNING FROM VACATION). BEING ON THE ROAD, NARROWED OPTIONS ON IDENTIFYING THE ROOT CAUSE. THE AIR REMAINED OFF & WINDOWS WERE DOWN FOR THE REMAINDER COMMUTE IN 90 DEGREE RAINY WEATHER. THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES OF CONCERN. THE ENGINE LIGHT IS NOW ON??? THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED IN NOV 2012 WITH THE HEATER. AT THIS TIME, WHEN THE WIRES WERE EXAMINED IT "MAGICALLY" STARTED WORKING. IN JANUARY 2012, THE DOOR CHIME BECAME VERY FAINT, THE SEATBELT CHIMES WHEN IN USE, & THE FRONT DOOR SPEAKERS DO NOT WORK. IN 2009, THE DOOR LOCKS BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. SOMETIMES THEY WILL LOCK SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT. I FIND IT VERY DISTURBING THAT A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED; IT IS VERY CLEAR THERE IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HOPE YOU TAKE THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE REFUELED THE VEHICLE AND ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE FUEL CAP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FUEL CAP WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000. UPDATED 1/15/13 *CN UPDATED 1/28/2013 *JS