2004 Chevrolet Malibu engine and engine cooling problems

“VEHICLE'S ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM FREQUENTLY LOCKS UP, PREVENTING DRIVER FROM STARTING CAR FOR A MINIMUM OF 10-15 MINUTES. HAS FAILED ON AVERAGE ONCE PER TWO MONTHS SINCE 2005. HAVE HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES YET THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *TR”

“MY CAR HAS ALWAYS HAD LITTLE QUIRKS THAT DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT ABOUT IT SINCE I PURCHASED IT FROM MY CHEVY DEALER. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME SO MY LEVEL OF CONCERN WASN'T AS HIGH AS IT IS NOW. THINGS LIKE A SPORADIC START TO THE ENGINE WHILE TRYING TO CRANK THE CAR AND THE CAR SHIMMING OR QUIVERING WHEN DRIVEN FASTER THEN 70 MPH (HIGHWAY). I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ASSESSMENT WHICH ALL CAME BACK INCONCLUSIVE. THIS LAST EXPERIENCE MERITS THIS COMPLAINT. I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT TAKING MY HANDS OFF THE WHEEL TO ADJUST MY SEAT BELT. I GLANCED OVER TO MY STEERING WHEEL AND IT BEGIN TO DANCE/ROCK RIGHT TO LEFT AND LEFT TO RIGHT. MY HANDS WERE CLEAR OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND MY FOOT FIRM ON THE BRAKES. WHEN I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE ONCE THE LIGHT WAS GREEN, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS THAT IS WHEN MY WARNING SIGNAL CHIMED, AND THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE MESSAGE CENTER SCREEN. SIMULTANEOUSLY THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND IT BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I BEGIN TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. I REALIZED THAT TURNING THE VEHICLE TOOK A GREAT AMOUNT OF EFFORT. AFTER GETTING IN TO THE PARKING LOT AND TURNING…”

“A/C HOSES RUB THE FRAME AND CREATE A HOLE IN THE LINE THAT CAUSES FREON 134A TO BE RELEASED IN TO THE AIR AND THE EXPENSE IS OVER 500. TO REPAIR ON THE 2004 CHEVY MALIBU. *TR”

“ENGINE FAILURE AND INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU, ITS ENGINE CUT OUT WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL POWER CONTROLS IE. STEERING AND BRAKING. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE CAR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY NOT START FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS. AFTER THE 2 WEEKS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY PASSLOCK CYLINDER, WHICH IS PART OF THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ON GM CARS. THE PASSLOCK CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR”

“12/24/2010 WHILE DRIVING A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AND IT MADE A SUDDEN JERKING STOP. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED BUT IT SCARED BOTH MY DAUGHTER AND I. THEN IN ADDITION TO KEEP REPLACING MY HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS PRETTY MUCH EVERY OTHER MONTH THEY BLOW OUT AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. FOR BOTH INCIDENTS A LOCAL MECHANIC WAS CONSULTED AND HE RECOMMENDED THAT I CONTACT A GM DEALER SHIP TO CHECK FOR RECALLS. I DID THAT AND RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL FOR THE CURRENT SITUATIONS BUT THERE HAS BEEN MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR AND WAS REFERRED ME TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO BE CHECKED. *TR”

“I HAVE A 2004 MALIBU LS, WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR DURING THE WINTER OF 04 I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, I TOOK IT BACK EVERY WINTER FOR 4 YEARS AND THE DEALERSHIP ALWAYS REPAIRED THE CAR. IN 2010 MY POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST POWER TRYING TO TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT. THE NEXT TIME IT OCCURRED, I WAS DRIVING 50 MPH I WENT TO CHANGE LANES THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. I WAS PULLING OUT FROM A PARKING SPOT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR. THIS YEAR THE SEAT BELT LIGHT STAYS ON WHEN MY SEAT BELT IS ON. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY THE LIGHT STAYS ON. THE DEALER THAT I USE TO USE WENT OUT OF BUSINESS AND DID NOT NOTIFY THE CUSTOMERS. I FOUND OUT WHEN I WENT TO HAVE SOME WORK CORRECTED THAT THEY DID. THIS PROBLEM IS SCARY BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE POWER STEERING LIGHT IS GOING TO COME ON. THAT IS VERY VERY SCARY. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THEY CAN NEVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I RECENTLY HAD MY CAR INSPECTED THEY WOULD NOT PASS IT BECAUSE OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR 300 MILES AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND THEY PASSED IT FOR…”