Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | ||||||||||||||||
| 09E012000 | SABERSPORT | E (Equipment) | 16270 | 05/11/2009 | OVSC | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 04/07/2009 | 04/07/2009 | 571 | 108 | ||||||
| Defect Summary | Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. these headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment. these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. the safety recall began on may 11, 2009. owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | This recall only pertains to aftermarket replacement equipment and has no relation to any original equipment installed on vehicles produced by the vehicle manufacturer.in order to determine if your aftermarket lamp assembly is affected by this noncompliance, please review the list of model numbers provided to us by sabersport.the list can be found under document search located at the bottom of your screen.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov . | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||||
| 060842004 | 09/01/2007 | 060842004C | 10019834 | Front park/turn/drl or rear stop/turn/tail lamp inoperative. (replace bulb and inspect socket) *tt updated. *kb updated 11/02/07 *nj | 05/05/2006 |
| 3393 | 10017222 | Backlighting is inoperative during daylight conditions (headlight switch turned on manually). *tt | 10/28/2005 | ||
| 3393A | 10017006 | Backlighting is inop during daylight conditions (headlight switch turned on manually) *sc | 10/20/2005 | ||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS | |||||
| SB-08-05-22-009A | 06/01/2009 | 10032206 | Chevrolet/pontiac/saturn: intermittently brake lights (stop lamps) do not function correctly, extended travel to shift out of park, cruise control inoperative, dtcs c0161/c0277 set (perform repair as outlined). *pe | 02/17/2010 | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | |||||
| 3170E | 10019186 | Ipc, interior lights and/or headlamps flicker. *ak fb2 | 02/16/2006 | ||
| 3159 | 10011816 | Sir light on with codes b00120e and b00130e. *eh | 02/01/2005 | ||
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS | ||||||
| EA09004 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 03/20/2009 | 08/12/2010 | Turn Signal Lamps | ||
| Gm designed the my 2004 and 2005 chevrolet malibu and malibu maxx vehicles with a daytime running lamp (drl) system that uses the same filament (the high power filament of a dual filament bulb) as the front turn signals.the high power filament operates at full battery voltage when functioning as a drl.the drl is illuminated whenever the headlamps are off, increasing the duty cycle of the front turn signal bulb.the my 2003 and earlier malibu vehicles (malibu maxx was not manufactured for sale in the u.s. prior to my 2004) used a headlamp based design, operated at a reduced voltage, for the drl function; gm reverted back to this design on the my 2006 and later malibu and malibu maxx vehicles. filament based bulbs have a finite life (hours of illumination) for any given operating voltage.as a result, increasing the duty cycle of a bulb typically decreases the life span of the bulb.gm identified and addressed two front turn signal/drl and rear turn signal bulb quality issues early in my 2004 production, however vehicle warranty claims for failed bulbs continued to occur.to address the high warranty levels of bulb failures (90% of the warranty claims submitted to odi by gm were bulb failures and 10% were socket failures), gm issued a technical service bulletin in march 2006 advising dealers to use a new specification of bulb when addressing service failures, and to also inspect the electrical sockets for thermal damage and replace if necessary.in june 2006 (after subject vehicle production ended) gm changed the turn signal bulb specification to that of the tsb bulb in vehicle production also.to date, odi has not identified any allegations of crash, injury, or fire related to the alleged defect even though the subject vehicles have experienced 5 - 6 years of field exposure.odi's analysis of consumer complaints, both voq and manufacturer, shows a declining trend.the warranty rate for turn signal bulb replacement is high however statistical analysis of the warranty data suggests that the majority of the original equipment bulbs have already been replaced.gm conducted a safety recall (06v-263) for my 2004-2005 cadillac xlr to replace the front turn signal/drl bulbs and the electrical sockets.however gm advised that the turn signal/drl bulbs/sockets on the subject vehicles differ from those on the recalled xlrs in several respects, including using bulb sockets with four electrical terminals as opposed to three, which improves the electrical connection, allows the bulb to operate at a lower temperature, and adds stability to the bulb in the socket; operating at a lower voltage, which increases vehicle bulb life; using vented headlamps, which allows bulbs to run cooler than those installed in a non-vented xlr headlamp; and using a clear bulb, which runs cooler than the amber bulbs installed on the xlr.additionally, the warranty claim level related to subject vehicle sockets is unremarkable compared to other defect investigations into defective socket assemblies.a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached report for further information. | ||||||
| EA09004 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 03/20/2009 | PARK/TURN/STOP/DRL LAMPS | |||
| The subject vehicles may experience loss of function of one or more of the park, turn, stop or drl lamps.failure of the bulb may also include discoloration (heat damage) to the bulb socket.general motors (gm) technical service bulletin (tsb) number 06-08-42-004c instructs technicians to examine the lamp housing for signs of discoloration and to replace the bulbs and or sockets depending on the severity of the discoloration and the condition of the bulbs and sockets.the scope of investigation in the preliminary evaluation (pe08-062) was the 2004 malibu/maxx.however, the agency evaluated gm's warranty data which indicates that the 2005 model year (my) malibu and malibu maxx vehicles are also affected by this condition.this ea covers both model years.gm reports design and production improvement changes for model year 2006 malibu and malibu maxx vehicles. | ||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | ||||||
| EA09004 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 03/20/2009 | 08/12/2010 | Turn Signal Lamps | ||
| Gm designed the my 2004 and 2005 chevrolet malibu and malibu maxx vehicles with a daytime running lamp (drl) system that uses the same filament (the high power filament of a dual filament bulb) as the front turn signals.the high power filament operates at full battery voltage when functioning as a drl.the drl is illuminated whenever the headlamps are off, increasing the duty cycle of the front turn signal bulb.the my 2003 and earlier malibu vehicles (malibu maxx was not manufactured for sale in the u.s. prior to my 2004) used a headlamp based design, operated at a reduced voltage, for the drl function; gm reverted back to this design on the my 2006 and later malibu and malibu maxx vehicles. filament based bulbs have a finite life (hours of illumination) for any given operating voltage.as a result, increasing the duty cycle of a bulb typically decreases the life span of the bulb.gm identified and addressed two front turn signal/drl and rear turn signal bulb quality issues early in my 2004 production, however vehicle warranty claims for failed bulbs continued to occur.to address the high warranty levels of bulb failures (90% of the warranty claims submitted to odi by gm were bulb failures and 10% were socket failures), gm issued a technical service bulletin in march 2006 advising dealers to use a new specification of bulb when addressing service failures, and to also inspect the electrical sockets for thermal damage and replace if necessary.in june 2006 (after subject vehicle production ended) gm changed the turn signal bulb specification to that of the tsb bulb in vehicle production also.to date, odi has not identified any allegations of crash, injury, or fire related to the alleged defect even though the subject vehicles have experienced 5 - 6 years of field exposure.odi's analysis of consumer complaints, both voq and manufacturer, shows a declining trend.the warranty rate for turn signal bulb replacement is high however statistical analysis of the warranty data suggests that the majority of the original equipment bulbs have already been replaced.gm conducted a safety recall (06v-263) for my 2004-2005 cadillac xlr to replace the front turn signal/drl bulbs and the electrical sockets.however gm advised that the turn signal/drl bulbs/sockets on the subject vehicles differ from those on the recalled xlrs in several respects, including using bulb sockets with four electrical terminals as opposed to three, which improves the electrical connection, allows the bulb to operate at a lower temperature, and adds stability to the bulb in the socket; operating at a lower voltage, which increases vehicle bulb life; using vented headlamps, which allows bulbs to run cooler than those installed in a non-vented xlr headlamp; and using a clear bulb, which runs cooler than the amber bulbs installed on the xlr.additionally, the warranty claim level related to subject vehicle sockets is unremarkable compared to other defect investigations into defective socket assemblies.a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached report for further information. | ||||||
| EA09004 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 03/20/2009 | PARK/TURN/STOP/DRL LAMPS | |||
| The subject vehicles may experience loss of function of one or more of the park, turn, stop or drl lamps.failure of the bulb may also include discoloration (heat damage) to the bulb socket.general motors (gm) technical service bulletin (tsb) number 06-08-42-004c instructs technicians to examine the lamp housing for signs of discoloration and to replace the bulbs and or sockets depending on the severity of the discoloration and the condition of the bulbs and sockets.the scope of investigation in the preliminary evaluation (pe08-062) was the 2004 malibu/maxx.however, the agency evaluated gm's warranty data which indicates that the 2005 model year (my) malibu and malibu maxx vehicles are also affected by this condition.this ea covers both model years.gm reports design and production improvement changes for model year 2006 malibu and malibu maxx vehicles. | ||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS | ||||||
| EA09004 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 03/20/2009 | 08/12/2010 | Turn Signal Lamps | ||
| Gm designed the my 2004 and 2005 chevrolet malibu and malibu maxx vehicles with a daytime running lamp (drl) system that uses the same filament (the high power filament of a dual filament bulb) as the front turn signals.the high power filament operates at full battery voltage when functioning as a drl.the drl is illuminated whenever the headlamps are off, increasing the duty cycle of the front turn signal bulb.the my 2003 and earlier malibu vehicles (malibu maxx was not manufactured for sale in the u.s. prior to my 2004) used a headlamp based design, operated at a reduced voltage, for the drl function; gm reverted back to this design on the my 2006 and later malibu and malibu maxx vehicles. filament based bulbs have a finite life (hours of illumination) for any given operating voltage.as a result, increasing the duty cycle of a bulb typically decreases the life span of the bulb.gm identified and addressed two front turn signal/drl and rear turn signal bulb quality issues early in my 2004 production, however vehicle warranty claims for failed bulbs continued to occur.to address the high warranty levels of bulb failures (90% of the warranty claims submitted to odi by gm were bulb failures and 10% were socket failures), gm issued a technical service bulletin in march 2006 advising dealers to use a new specification of bulb when addressing service failures, and to also inspect the electrical sockets for thermal damage and replace if necessary.in june 2006 (after subject vehicle production ended) gm changed the turn signal bulb specification to that of the tsb bulb in vehicle production also.to date, odi has not identified any allegations of crash, injury, or fire related to the alleged defect even though the subject vehicles have experienced 5 - 6 years of field exposure.odi's analysis of consumer complaints, both voq and manufacturer, shows a declining trend.the warranty rate for turn signal bulb replacement is high however statistical analysis of the warranty data suggests that the majority of the original equipment bulbs have already been replaced.gm conducted a safety recall (06v-263) for my 2004-2005 cadillac xlr to replace the front turn signal/drl bulbs and the electrical sockets.however gm advised that the turn signal/drl bulbs/sockets on the subject vehicles differ from those on the recalled xlrs in several respects, including using bulb sockets with four electrical terminals as opposed to three, which improves the electrical connection, allows the bulb to operate at a lower temperature, and adds stability to the bulb in the socket; operating at a lower voltage, which increases vehicle bulb life; using vented headlamps, which allows bulbs to run cooler than those installed in a non-vented xlr headlamp; and using a clear bulb, which runs cooler than the amber bulbs installed on the xlr.additionally, the warranty claim level related to subject vehicle sockets is unremarkable compared to other defect investigations into defective socket assemblies.a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached report for further information. | ||||||
| EA09004 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 03/20/2009 | PARK/TURN/STOP/DRL LAMPS | |||
| The subject vehicles may experience loss of function of one or more of the park, turn, stop or drl lamps.failure of the bulb may also include discoloration (heat damage) to the bulb socket.general motors (gm) technical service bulletin (tsb) number 06-08-42-004c instructs technicians to examine the lamp housing for signs of discoloration and to replace the bulbs and or sockets depending on the severity of the discoloration and the condition of the bulbs and sockets.the scope of investigation in the preliminary evaluation (pe08-062) was the 2004 malibu/maxx.however, the agency evaluated gm's warranty data which indicates that the 2005 model year (my) malibu and malibu maxx vehicles are also affected by this condition.this ea covers both model years.gm reports design and production improvement changes for model year 2006 malibu and malibu maxx vehicles. | ||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TURN SIGNAL | ||||||
| EA09004 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 03/20/2009 | 08/12/2010 | Turn Signal Lamps | ||
| Gm designed the my 2004 and 2005 chevrolet malibu and malibu maxx vehicles with a daytime running lamp (drl) system that uses the same filament (the high power filament of a dual filament bulb) as the front turn signals.the high power filament operates at full battery voltage when functioning as a drl.the drl is illuminated whenever the headlamps are off, increasing the duty cycle of the front turn signal bulb.the my 2003 and earlier malibu vehicles (malibu maxx was not manufactured for sale in the u.s. prior to my 2004) used a headlamp based design, operated at a reduced voltage, for the drl function; gm reverted back to this design on the my 2006 and later malibu and malibu maxx vehicles. filament based bulbs have a finite life (hours of illumination) for any given operating voltage.as a result, increasing the duty cycle of a bulb typically decreases the life span of the bulb.gm identified and addressed two front turn signal/drl and rear turn signal bulb quality issues early in my 2004 production, however vehicle warranty claims for failed bulbs continued to occur.to address the high warranty levels of bulb failures (90% of the warranty claims submitted to odi by gm were bulb failures and 10% were socket failures), gm issued a technical service bulletin in march 2006 advising dealers to use a new specification of bulb when addressing service failures, and to also inspect the electrical sockets for thermal damage and replace if necessary.in june 2006 (after subject vehicle production ended) gm changed the turn signal bulb specification to that of the tsb bulb in vehicle production also.to date, odi has not identified any allegations of crash, injury, or fire related to the alleged defect even though the subject vehicles have experienced 5 - 6 years of field exposure.odi's analysis of consumer complaints, both voq and manufacturer, shows a declining trend.the warranty rate for turn signal bulb replacement is high however statistical analysis of the warranty data suggests that the majority of the original equipment bulbs have already been replaced.gm conducted a safety recall (06v-263) for my 2004-2005 cadillac xlr to replace the front turn signal/drl bulbs and the electrical sockets.however gm advised that the turn signal/drl bulbs/sockets on the subject vehicles differ from those on the recalled xlrs in several respects, including using bulb sockets with four electrical terminals as opposed to three, which improves the electrical connection, allows the bulb to operate at a lower temperature, and adds stability to the bulb in the socket; operating at a lower voltage, which increases vehicle bulb life; using vented headlamps, which allows bulbs to run cooler than those installed in a non-vented xlr headlamp; and using a clear bulb, which runs cooler than the amber bulbs installed on the xlr.additionally, the warranty claim level related to subject vehicle sockets is unremarkable compared to other defect investigations into defective socket assemblies.a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached report for further information. | ||||||
| EA09004 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 03/20/2009 | PARK/TURN/STOP/DRL LAMPS | |||
| The subject vehicles may experience loss of function of one or more of the park, turn, stop or drl lamps.failure of the bulb may also include discoloration (heat damage) to the bulb socket.general motors (gm) technical service bulletin (tsb) number 06-08-42-004c instructs technicians to examine the lamp housing for signs of discoloration and to replace the bulbs and or sockets depending on the severity of the discoloration and the condition of the bulbs and sockets.the scope of investigation in the preliminary evaluation (pe08-062) was the 2004 malibu/maxx.however, the agency evaluated gm's warranty data which indicates that the 2005 model year (my) malibu and malibu maxx vehicles are also affected by this condition.this ea covers both model years.gm reports design and production improvement changes for model year 2006 malibu and malibu maxx vehicles. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||
| 02/01/2013 | 1 | ||
| I can't go a week without both headlight assemblies burning turn-signal bulbs. after replacing the bulbs no more than a week will go by and the bulb will turn black and sometimes blow up inside the headlight. recently the bulbs are not burning out but what seems to be a bad connection to the socket, i will press the bulbs into the socket and within 5 minutes the turn-signals will not work again. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2013 | |||
| I can't go a week without both headlight assemblies burning turn-signal bulbs. after replacing the bulbs no more than a week will go by and the bulb will turn black and sometimes blow up inside the headlight. recently the bulbs are not burning out but what seems to be a bad connection to the socket, i will press the bulbs into the socket and within 5 minutes the turn-signals will not work again. | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 60000 | 1 | |
| I have had my car since 2009 and in 2010 i started have to change my turn signals out at least once a month for burning out. there are time that the bulb will get so hot that it blows the inside of the bulb up and around the plug where the bulb goes in has dark marks has to if they are burn marks. i called chevrolet and they said that there was nothing they could do because there was no recall on them. the back turn signals do the same and there have been many times that i would almost get hit due to this problem. i have done research and have found that my car is not the only one having the same problem that alot of 2005 malibus are. i am afraid at this point that it is going to cause an electrical fire in my car. i feel that gm should have a recall on the problem before someone really gets hurt. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 60000 | ||
| I have had my car since 2009 and in 2010 i started have to change my turn signals out at least once a month for burning out. there are time that the bulb will get so hot that it blows the inside of the buld up and around the plug where the buld goes in has dark marks has to if they are burn marks. i called chevrolet and they said that there was nothing they could do because there was no recall on them. the back turn signals do the same and there have been many times that i would almost get hit due to this problem. i have done research and have found that my car is not the only one having the same problem that alot of 2005 malibus are. i am afraid at this point that it is going to cause an electrical fire in my car. i feel that gm should have a recall on the the problem before someone really gets hurt. | |||
| 08/29/2008 | 1 | ||
| We bought this car 4 yrs ago in aug 2008 at only a few yrs old we were very optimistic that the $ we were spending on it would be worth the less upkeep than that of the 1994 crown vic that we traded in (& my husbands 78 olds that has always required more work than it put out since he purchased it when we met back in 06). since it was a few yrs old we thought that even though there was no warranty on our new used car, we would be ok. we were wrong. the first problem we noticed was the alignment which makes the car shake/vibrate at speeds 60+ & our first vacation we took it on which we only drove 4-5 hrs there & we ended up with 2 flat tires on the way. then the headlights & blinkers had to be replaced (full units) bc both of them kept giving out & the bulbs weren't the problems & i kept getting traffic tickets bc i wasn't always aware when one would go out. our 2 biggest problems to date have been our fuel sensor/electrical problems which quit working after 1 yr & i have run out of gas 10 times bc it isn't easy to keep up with miles/dates & i have kids so filling up every day isn't easy either as well as the locks/buttons on the drivers door that do not work & i have to open my trunk with a key & had to pay $ to get auto lock so that i don't have to manually lock the doors w/ the keys & the transmission/motor we had to pay $2750 to replace bc the last one completely gave out resulting in the car not being able to run whatsoever & my husband having to literally push my neutral car with his bc we didn't have the $ at the time to fix it.. besides these problems there are the seats (plastic panels) falling/cracking apart, we had to replace the windshield bc anytime it rained our seats would be completely soaked.. & many other problems i still deal with. keep in mind for the 4 yrs i have owned this car i haven't wrecked it & my husband keeps it up (changes oil, brakes,etc). *tr | |||
| 08/29/2008 | |||
| We bought this car 4 yrs ago in aug 2008 at only a few yrs old we were very optimistic that the $ we were spending on it would be worth the less upkeep than that of the 1994 crown vic that we traded in (& my husbands 78 olds that has always required more work than it put out since he purchased it when we met back in 06). since it was a few yrs old we thought that even though there was no warranty on our new used car, we would be ok. we were wrong. the first problem we noticed was the alignment which makes the car shake/vibrate at speeds 60+ & our first vacation we took it on which we only drove 4-5 hrs there & we ended up with 2 flat tires on the way. then the headlights & blinkers had to be replaced (full units) bc both of them kept giving out & the bulbs weren't the problems & i kept getting traffic tickets bc i wasnt always aware when one would go out. our 2 biggest problems to date have been our fuel sensor/electrical problems which quit working after 1 yr & i have run out of gas 10 times bc it isn't easy to keep up with miles/dates & i have kids so filling up every day isn't easy either as well as the locks/buttons on the drivers door that do not work & i have to open my trunk with a key & had to pay $ to get auto lock so that i don't have to manually lock the doors w/ the keys & the transmission/motor we had to pay $2750 to replace bc the last one completely gave out resulting in the car not being able to run whatsoever & my husband having to literally push my neutral car with his bc we didn't have the $ at the time to fix it.. besides these problems there are the seats (plastic panels) falling/cracking apart, we had to replace the windshield bc anytime it rained our seats would be completely soaked.. & many other problems i still deal with. keep in mind for the 4 yrs i have owned this car i haven't wrecked it & my husband keeps it up (changes oil, breaks,etc) | |||
| 01/02/2012 | 102000 | ||
| Brake lights remain on with no contact with brake pedal. when pedal is depressed the brake lights go off. this has caused numerous 'road rage' incidents and near-miss rear-end collisions. | |||
| 02/23/2012 | |||
| Front turn signal bulbs (left and right) have melted the plastic housing surrounding them. bulbs burnout easily. evidence of melted plastic is a concern for other electrical problems. | |||
| 10/11/2011 | 147000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the headlights were constantly overheating and burning out, causing their plastic covers to melt. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 147,000. sm. | |||
| 10/11/2011 | 147000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle head lights were continually over heating and burning out causing the the plastic cover to melt. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 147,000. pm | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 90000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the front driver side turn signal was not functioning. the contact replaced the headlight bulb approximately five times. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the bulb became extremely hot, causing the amber housing unit wires to melt. the contact replaced the amber housing unit. after the repair, the failure recurred. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 90000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the front driver side turn signal was not functioning. the contact replaced the headlight bulb approximately five times. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the bulb became extremely hot, causing the amber housing unit wires to melt. the contact replaced the amber housing unit. after the repair, the failure recurred. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. kmj | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 90000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. while stopped at a stop light the contact noticed the front drivers side turn signal was not functioning. the contact replaced the headlight bulb approximately five different times. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed the bulb became extremely hot causing the amber housing unit wires to melt. the contact replaced the amber housing unit. after the repair the failure occurred a second time. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. ds | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 46000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the front driver side turn signal had malfunctioned and would not activate when engaged. the contact changed the bulb but the failure was not repaired. the contact stated the wiring was faulty and needed to be diagnosed. the contact did not take the vehicle to the dealer for diagnosis or repairs. the failure mileage was 46,000. | |||
| 10/01/2011 | 55000 | ||
| In both front headlight assemblies, there is an amber plastic cover which covers the bulb that is always on, as part of the regular running lights, and also for turn signals. the light has burned a hole, about 1 1/4 inch in diameter, in the top of the amber lens. the edge of the lens is black all around from the burning. is my car unique? have there been any other complaints? and most important, is there any danger of a fire starting? | |||
| 12/20/2010 | 60000 | ||
| I purchased this 2005 chevy malibu used.shortly after had the right turn signal bulb blow, then left turn and both headlights at the same time. while replacing the bulbs, i noticed that the plastic surrounding the turn signal bulb had a large hole in it from melting. the other assembly had the same hole burnt in the turn signal light bulb cover. i have replaced the bulbs at least 2 more times this year. the problems with bulbs failing seems to happen in wet weather more frequently than dry weather. so i believe water is getting into the headlamps through these holes. the extreme heat is causing the headlight to become extremely cloudy. replacing the headlight assembly does not fix the problem because others have said it soon starts to melt again. please nhtsa these lighting systems that are failing are vital for nighttime driving, please get chevy to do the right thing and fix this dangerous issue. | |||
| 10/05/2010 | 50000 | ||
| I had my first problem when i purchased the car. it would jerk & felt it was moving on it's own. then the lamps would go out and i was replacing the bulbs every month. then my key starter has failed two times after replacing them. the driver seat has calapsed on the left hand side. the rear seat handle to raise the seats up and down has broken on both passenger side. my lights have burned out on the front driver's side you can see the residue on the cover. the chairs was not scotch guard protected as stated they are very stained even when i tried to was them. in ready some of the others it appear as though mu care had all the defects of my counter parts. | |||
| 12/20/2010 | 60000 | ||
| I purchased this 2005 chevy malibu used.shortly after had the right turn signal bulb blow, then left turn and both headlights at the same time. while replacing the bulbs, i noticed that the plastic surrounding the turn signal bulb had a large hole in it from melting. the other assembly had the same hole burnt in the turn signal light bulb cover. i have replaced the bulbs at least 2 more times this year. the problems with bulbs failing seems to happen in wet weather more frequently than dry weather. so i believe water is getting into the headlamps through these holes. the extreme heat is causing the headlight to become extremely cloudy. replacing the headlight assembly does not fix the problem because others have said it soon starts to melt again. please nhtsa these lighting systems that are failing are vital for nighttime driving, please get chevy to do the right thing and fix this dangerous issue. | |||
| 10/05/2010 | 50000 | ||
| I had my first problem when i purchased the car. it would jerk & felt it was moving on it's own. then the lamps would go out and i was replacing the bulbs every month. then my key starter has failed two times after replacing them. the driver seat has calapsed on the left hand side. the rear seat handle to raise the seats up and down has broken on both passenger side. my lights have burned out on the front driver's side you can see the residue on the cover. the chairs was not scotch guard protected as stated they are very stained even when i tried to was them. in ready some of the others it appear as though mu care had all the defects of my counter parts. | |||
| 12/20/2010 | 60000 | ||
| I purchased this 2005 chevy malibu used.shortly after had the right turn signal bulb blow, then left turn and both headlights at the same time. while replacing the bulbs, i noticed that the plastic surrounding the turn signal bulb had a large hole in it from melting. the other assembly had the same hole burnt in the turn signal light bulb cover. i have replaced the bulbs at least 2 more times this year. the problems with bulbs failing seems to happen in wet weather more frequently than dry weather. so i believe water is getting into the headlamps through these holes. the extreme heat is causing the headlight to become extremely cloudy. replacing the headlight assembly does not fix the problem because others have said it soon starts to melt again. please nhtsa these lighting systems that are failing are vital for nighttime driving, please get chevy to do the right thing and fix this dangerous issue. | |||
| 10/05/2010 | 50000 | ||
| I had my first problem when i purchased the car. it would jerk & felt it was moving on it's own. then the lamps would go out and i was replacing the bulbs every month. then my key starter has failed two times after replacing them. the driver seat has calapsed on the left hand side. the rear seat handle to raise the seats up and down has broken on both passenger side. my lights have burned out on the front driver's side you can see the residue on the cover. the chairs was not scotch guard protected as stated they are very stained even when i tried to was them. in ready some of the others it appear as though mu care had all the defects of my counter parts. | |||
| 09/01/2008 | 70000 | ||
| Front left turn signal repeatedly burns out, amber casing has melted hole, changing bulbs does not fix problem. | |||
| 10/05/2010 | 50000 | ||
| I had my first problem when i purchased the car. it would jerk & felt it was moving on it's own. then the lamps would go out and i was replacing the bulbs every month. then my key starter has failed two times after replacing them. the driver seat has calapsed on the left hand side. the rear seat handle to raise the seats up and down has broken on both passenger side. my lights have burned out on the front driver's side you can see the residue on the cover. the chairs was not scotch guard protected as stated they are very stained even when i tried to was them. in ready some of the others it appear as though mu care had all the defects of my counter parts. | |||
| 09/01/2008 | 70000 | ||
| Front left turn signal repeatedly burns out, amber casing has melted hole, changing bulbs does not fix problem. | |||
| 09/27/2011 | |||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the turn signals were in operative. the wires also began to melt the bulb, causing the left and right turn signals to fail. the dealer was notified but denied any assistance with repairing the failure. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was unavailable. the vin was unavailable. rvk | |||
| 09/01/2008 | 70000 | ||
| Front left turn signal repeatedly burns out, amber casing has melted hole, changing bulbs does not fix problem. | |||
| 09/27/2011 | |||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the turn signals were in operative. the wires also began to melt the bulb, causing the left and right turn signals to fail. the dealer was notified but denied any assistance with repairing the failure. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was unavailable. the vin was unavailable. rvk | |||
| 09/01/2008 | 70000 | ||
| Front left turn signal repeatedly burns out, amber casing has melted hole, changing bulbs does not fix problem. | |||
| 09/27/2011 | |||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the turn signals were in operative. the wires also began to melt the bulb, causing the left and right turn signals to fail. the dealer was notified but denied any assistance with repairing the failure. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was unavailable. the vin was unavailable. rvk | |||
| 03/07/2011 | 74323 | ||
| The left front turn signal lamp continues to burn out. have replaced the lamp now 4 times since march 2011. the amber cover seems to be melting due to the extreme heat as the bulb is also the running lights when the car is put into drive on the transmission. i have replaced with the recommended bulb and also the long life bulb. the recommend bulb will last about 2 weeks, the long life i get about 2 or 3 months on it. this is only happening on the left front, not on the right front. | |||
| 09/27/2011 | |||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the turn signals were in operative. the wires would melt the bulb, causing the two front turn signals and the drivers side turn signal to not work. the dealer was contacted, but denied any assistance with repair. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was unavailable. the vin was unavailable. nw | |||
| 03/07/2011 | 74323 | ||
| The left front turn signal lamp continues to burn out. have replaced the lamp now 4 times since march 2011. the amber cover seems to be melting due to the extreme heat as the bulb is also the running lights when the car is put into drive on the transmission. i have replaced with the recommended bulb and also the long life bulb. the recommend bulb will last about 2 weeks, the long life i get about 2 or 3 months on it. this is only happening on the left front, not on the right front. | |||
| 07/01/2011 | 78000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle front signal indicator was malfunctioning. the contact mentioned that he change the bulbs and that failed to remedy the problem. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 78,000 and the current mileage was 80,000. pm | |||
| 08/15/2006 | |||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated they have had to replace the head lights and turning signal lights on this vehicle. the contact stated the turning lights burn out and has caused the headlights to burn out as well. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told this is a known problem with this year model. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 140,000.rl | |||
| 07/20/2010 | 119291 | ||
| The turn signal bulb gets too hot and melts the orange plastic covering the ts bulb. i replaced the headlamp assemblies because the orange plastic coverings had holes melted into them, and were unrepairable. i also replaced the ts bulb with the bulb specified in tsb #06-08-42-004b which specifies use the the osram 3157 lcp bulb, gm part number 13502322. this did not correct the problem, and i am scheduled to have the headlamps replaced again for a second time, because the orange plastic covering the ts bulbs has holes in it again. i first had my headlamps replaced on 07/20/2010, and today is 07/18/2011, so it has been less that a year and the problem is reoccurring. | |||
| 06/27/2011 | 99950 | ||
| My problem is with my 2005 chevorlet malibu front parking lights. the parking lights bulb socket has melted through the socket and melted the plastic orange relfector around the bulb. this is a huge fire hazard that was luckily found early enough before any major accident occured. this has caused my light housing to become discolored and has made my headlights less bright. this has occured on both driver and passenger sides. i have tried different brands of bulbs and i have now replaced both headlight assemblies. i do still have the driver side headlight as well to show for reference of how much the light has melted the socket and the plastic orange housing around the bulb. | |||
| 03/30/2011 | 44500 | ||
| 2005 chevy malibu front parking light lens melt onto bulb, probably caused by parking lights used as daytime running lights. also shows heat discoloration on reflective material in light assembly. i've personally inspected over 15 2005 chevy malibu, all have same issue. vehicles with more miles showed more damage. possible fire hazard and once melted enough violates lighting requirements. tried working with chevy customer service who refused to acknowledge the problem. | |||
| 04/26/2011 | 111000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the headlights had overheated and burned through the plastic because of the bulbs becoming too hot. the vehicle was not inspected or repaired for the failure. the failure and current mileage was 111,000. | |||
| 04/26/2011 | 111000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated the headlights are burnt through at the top. the plastic is burned because of the bulbs being to hot or the wring type of plastic used. the vehicle had not been inspected at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage and current mileages were 111,000.rl | |||
| 03/25/2011 | 59850 | ||
| While cleaning plastic head/daytime running light cover on left and right side, i noticed both amber daytime running light/turn signal lens are melted at the top and burned from the heat of the bulbs, which may lead to a fire. | |||
| 12/12/2010 | 75000 | ||
| Head lights are dull. passenger blinker does not work. changed the bulb a couple times. amber cover inside the headlight is melted. hardly any light while driving at night. this is an accident waiting to happen. went to dealer and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. told me to go see someone who knows about head lights! really? | |||
| 01/17/2011 | 87095 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu ls. while the vehicle was been driven approximately 10 mph he noticed the rear brake lights were not working. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for the failure. the dealer replaced two rear brake bulbs. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 87,095 and the current mileage was 87,180. vwb | |||
| 11/23/2009 | 50000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu lt. the contact stated that the headlight socket has burnt. the contact also stated that the turn signal housing is melted. the dealer had not been notified. the manufacturer had been contacted, who stated that they would contact the dealer on her behalf. the vehicle had not been repaired. the current mileage was approximately 93,000. the failure mileage was approximately 50,000. bw | |||
| 10/14/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Front blinkers on 2005 chevy malibu, one of the bulbs blow about once a month. i have to replace bulb every time. | |||
| 06/01/2010 | 75000 | ||
| Front right drl bulb keeps going out.. when replaced i noticed the socket appears to be bad and the amber casing is melted. the light has been replaced 3 times in the last 3 months. | |||
| 08/29/2008 | 64400 | ||
| Front turn signals and headlights burn our regularly have replace approximatley 18 to date. the amber lens are metled. gm states estimated $700 to repair. please note numours complaints post on several web sites. this does not appear to isolated incident ian is a safety concern. i noticed may be on other recall for same issue, different model year?? tired of replacing bulbs may be a socket failure and circuit board failure. gm reportedly has issued tech. bulliten but, have not recieved notice of its publication. again other owners having same issue reportedly. reportedly, gm is aware of the issue. this issue started just out of warranty. on my way to the store to buy more bulbs. tired of buying bulbs. | |||
| 08/18/2010 | 82000 | ||
| Since the new purchase of my 2005 chevrolet malibu, the turn-signal and brake-light bulbs have failed 30+ times. most failures have been at the base of bulb where wires contact bulb socket conductors. when the dealer was asked to repair this problem, they said it was not covered under warranty and had no service bulletin pertaining to this problem! i have been stopped by police multiple times and have had near-miss incidents due to other drivers not seeing my turn signal or brake light. upon approaching my vehicle after using remote unlock, there were flames visible in the headlamp housing at the amber lens area. two years ago i found an obscure gm service notice pertaining to replacing the turn signal bulb socket. i purchaced the specified parts and replaced them as instructed in this bulletin. ( i am a certified master mechanic) i currently carry the necessary tools and bulbs to replace these bulbs as it is a regular occurrence, but my wife is the primary driver of this vehicle. | |||
| 08/13/2010 | 70000 | ||
| Brake lights are reversed. they come on and stay on then when you brake the light go out. safety issue for sure. this has happened 4 times about one year apart each time, | |||
| 08/18/2010 | 82000 | ||
| Since the new purchase of my 2005 chevrolet malibu, the turn-signal and brake-light bulbs have failed 30+ times. most failures have been at the base of bulb where wires contact bulb socket conductors. when the dealer was asked to repair this problem, they said it was not covered under warranty and had no service bulletin pertaining to this problem! i have been stopped by police multiple times and have had near-miss incidents due to other drivers not seeing my turn signal or brake light. upon approaching my vehicle after using remote unlock, there were flames visible in the headlamp housing at the amber lens area. two years ago i found an obscure gm service notice pertaining to replacing the turn signal bulb socket. i purchaced the specified parts and replaced them as instructed in this bulletin. ( i am a certified master mechanic) i currently carry the necessary tools and bulbs to replace these bulbs as it is a regular occurrence, but my wife is the primary driver of this vehicle. | |||
| 08/13/2010 | 70000 | ||
| Brake lights are reversed. they come on and stay on then when you brake the light go out. safety issue for sure. this has happened 4 times about one year apart each time, | |||
| 07/23/2010 | 110000 | ||
| Purchased 2005 chevrolet malibu in may, 2009. ongoing problems with brake and turn signal lights not working. attempted replacement and repair by mechanic. lights remained inoperable as did fuel gauge by 80,000 miles. while parked, car ignited from under center console, door locks engaged, and interior burned. total loss of auto and contents. | |||
| 08/13/2010 | 70000 | ||
| Brake lights are reversed. they come on and stay on then when you brake the light go out. safety issue for sure. this has happened 4 times about one year apart each time, | |||
| 07/23/2010 | 110000 | ||
| Purchased 2005 chevrolet malibu in may, 2009. ongoing problems with brake and turn signal lights not working. attempted replacement and repair by mechanic. lights remained inoperable as did fuel gauge by 80,000 miles. while parked, car ignited from under center console, door locks engaged, and interior burned. total loss of auto and contents. | |||
| 05/16/2010 | 72500 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the running lights and blinker lights are blowing out on the vehicle every15 days. the contact is worried about the vehicle catching fire because the bulbs blowing out is starting to burn the cover for the lights. the dealer stated that this a design flaw on the vehicle. the failure mileage 72500 and current mileage was 75600.rl | |||
| 06/28/2010 | 87000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. while driving at approximately 30 mph the steering wheel got very stiff and a power steering service light illuminated on the dashboard. the vehicle was pulled over and upon restart the vehicle operated as normal for approximately 1/2 mile before the failure recurred. the vehicle was towed to the contacts home and has not been examined for the cause of failure. the contact also stated that she has been experiencing a recurring failure in which her front blinkers will stop working and she has to replace the bulbs about once a month. sm. the failure and current mileages were 87,000. sm. | |||
| 05/27/2010 | |||
| Car blows through fuses every time i turn around. mechanic states he had mailbu that did same thing, i have replaced fuses about 4 times a year, that its abnormal. rt. signal then lt,signal, back and forth | |||
| 05/15/2010 | 101000 | ||
| Turn signal housing melted, dripping on turn signals making them less effective and eventually caused them to fail. | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 55000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the turn signals overheated and burned, causing the plastic around the bulb to melt. the contact called the dealership but was informed that he would be charged to have the vehicle inspected. the failure mileage was approximately 55,000. the current mileage was approximately 65,000. | |||
| 05/01/2009 | 68000 | ||
| 2005 chevrolet malibu headlights get too hot and have melted with a hole in the orange plastic. this causes the bulbs to burn out frequently. the problem didn't happen originally, but has started happening within the past 9-12 months. we have brought the car to the chevrolet dealership today to see about replacing the headlights. i have read on the internet that others have had the same problem, but there is not yet a recall. the heat of the headlights burning out the plastic is a major concern to me. | |||
| 09/02/2007 | 40000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2005 chevy malibu. at about 40,000 miles i began to notice a burning smell. it smelled like hot, burning plastic. while trying to find the source of the smell, i noticed my daytime running lights (drl) were melting and charred. the housing also appeared to have smoke damage and was very hazy. in the time since i noticed the problem, visibility has gone done significantly. the problem seems to be on-going rather than a one time occurrence. i went to a chevrolet dealer and they no idea what would cause the problem. i have not had it repaired since, because after doing internet research, it seems to be a problem with many '05 malibus. i then called the gm help line where they asked a bunch of questions about where i had it repaired. they then told they were not going to do anything about it. i decided after that ( at about 120,000) i would replace the whole headlight assembly, hoping this would solve the problem. one day after installing the new assembly, the same melting and charring began to occur. at this point, i am unsure as to what to do next. it is obviously more than just a problem with the headlight since it happened after replacing the whole assembly. it also seems to be more than just an isolated incident with my vehicle since it took no time to find many malibus with the same problem. i believe this is an issue that gm needs to investigate greater and provide a desirable solution for all malibu owners. *tr | |||
| 02/09/2009 | 1 | ||
| This is ridiculous. i have been reading about all these incidents where people's headlights are melting. i have replaced my driver's side headlight twice now! the turn signals are getting so hot they are melting the base, causing the bulbs to burn out and the casing around the bulbs to melt. i also have people flash their brights at me every night because my headlights burn so brightly. i'm afraid my headlight will eventually catch fire. the entire assembly is starting to fog and melt now...and i can't keep spending the money to buy a new headlight! *tr | |||
| 11/11/2006 | 30000 | 1 | |
| Left directional light bulb burns out, because the sockets that hold the bulb overheat and melt the bulbs. occurs because the day time running lights overheat. have burned out 4 bulbs in the last 12 months. overheating is starting to affect the right directional as well. will need to replace both sockets. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 80000 | 1 | |
| The headlight covers are showing fogging and discoloration due to heat damage as a result of what appears to be the front turn signal covers melting inside the headlight covers. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2008 | 60000 | 1 | |
| About every two weeks i have to change the light bulbs in my headlights because it is becoming so warm that it is melting the plastic around the light bulb. it is becoming so warm that it is starting to melt to headlight cover! *tr | |||
| 07/01/2009 | 85000 | 1 | |
| My headlights, signal lights and parking lights work as they want. i have replaced the bulbs many times. the light covers get really hot and i am assuming that it is a defective part. there is no reason that my bulbs should have burned out 8 times in the last three months. i have seen four malibus just like mine in the last two weeks with the same lighting problem as i have which leads me to believe that this is a problem with many of the malibus. i am going to get a ticket soon if a recall is not placed on this problem. i do see it's an open investigation. *tr | |||
| 06/21/2008 | 60000 | 1 | |
| My 2005 chevrolet malibu ls turning signal light does not seem to work properly at times considering the fact that i actually change the bulb about 4 times in one year. to my knowledge i am not the only one going through this problem with this vehicle. *tr | |||
| 08/27/2009 | 108400 | 1 | |
| Bought the 2005 malibu used in august 2007. i have replaced the both front directional bulbs at least 10 times since buying the car. the lights work intermittently or not at all. the right bulb was out for about 3 months then the left bulb went out. i went to replace the bulbs again yesterday. i jimmied the socket they go into and now they both appear to be working. however, i noticed the amber plastic covering on the left bulb was burned, there was a large burn hole in it, and the melted plastic was dripping into the bottom of the covering. i am also noticing, and have been noticing, a loud thumping sound when i hit the gas as if something has to roll into place. lately it also seems as though the anti-lock brakes very, very slightly kick in when i am braking and go over a bump. after reading the other comments i am going to my mechanic to have him look at the issues as safety is a large concern. *tr | |||
| 07/16/2009 | 1 | ||
| Headlight lens melted and tail lights went out. *tr | |||
| 04/07/2006 | 15000 | 1 | |
| Exterior lighting on 2005 chevrolet malibu fails intermittently. *tr | |||
| 08/03/2009 | 61216 | 1 | |
| 2005 malibu purchased new. daytime running light/park/turn signal melting the amber bulb surround and discoloring and cracking the outer headlight lenses. this car has not been in any accident to date. i have replaced the left rear turn signal bulb twice over the life of the car. all front lights are original as purchased. i'm concerned that the lights will catch fire and so now i try to remember to disengage the drl feature while driving. i feel this is a manufacturing design problem and should be replaced with no cost to the consumer. i started to replace the lights on my own with eagle eyes replacements units but i have found that these are subject to a nhtsa recall as well. i will hold out to se if a recall is issued by nhtsa for this safety issue. *tr | |||
| 06/19/2005 | 93000 | 1 | |
| Front daytime running lights are getting hot melting them. this is causing turn signals to burn out and not work properly. got pulled over by a state trooper today because of this. *tr | |||
| 05/10/2009 | 1 | ||
| I am writing to complain about the exterior headlights melting. it could cause a fire. it seems that the amber lights have melted the casing. this problem should be a recall and the dealers should replace the housing free of charge. *tr | |||
| 11/10/2008 | 1 | ||
| The bulb in the front left turn signal became too hot and burned out while melting the amber cover around it. after replacing the bulb, the turn signal and high level running light function would not work but the low level light still operates when the headlights are on. i replaced the bulb twice and cleaned the connector and get intermittent use of the turn signal, but i never know if it's going to work or not. *tr | |||
| 12/01/2008 | 53514 | 1 | |
| Loss of function of headlights, brake lights, turn signals and tail lights on 2005 chevy malibu ls model. the light bulbs in the signal are constantly blowing out. i have the change the bulbs at least every month. i have no use of my tail lights and turn signals as a result of this. failure of the bulb has not resulted in heat damage to the bulb socket. *tr | |||
| 08/15/1995 | 1000 | 1 | |
| As of this date, feb. 17, 2009, the part in question has not failed, causing any crashes or injuries. shortly after i purchased the vehicle, i noticed a thumping whenever the steering wheel was turned sharply to the right or to the left. while under manufacturer's warranty, i had it checked out at least 3 times, and each time the dealership service department assured me there was no recall on the part, the boot of joint somehow connected to the steering. since that time, i have had my personal mechanic check out the problem and he has diligently checked for a recall or a corrective measure from chevrolet, but there has been none. the mechanic has greased this joint several times, and it helps the thumping, but eventually it returns over time. i have read where others have experienced their steering totally going out because of this issue. i am afraid for my family's safety due to this problem that chevrolet has constantly refused to address. component #2: i was constantly having to replace the front turn signals as the bulbs were constantly burning out. component #3 the fan which controls the inside air flow has constantly rattled unless the fan is turned on the highest setting. the dealership even replaced that fan, telling me a broken part had fallen down into it. i returned the car to the dealership at least 3 times, but they finally said they could not find anything else. it still rattles horribly. *tr | |||
| 04/20/2005 | 1 | ||
| On our 2005 chevy malibu we have changed the front turn signal lamp numerous times since we purchased it new in 2005, the first time being only a month after we purchased the car. in nov. 2006 at our expense we had to change the turn signal lamp sockets because the dealer said the reason for the lamps burning out was due to the sockets being corroded. after that we have still had to change the lamps as frequent. i would say in all we have replaced either the left or right lamp about 12 times since the purchase date of march 2005. recently we have noticed that the lamp housing has actually melted above where the lamps are located. we currently have the local dealer looking into the problem again. every time i see a chevy malibu from the year model of 2005 to 2007, most often one of the front park/signal lamps is burned out. i think this is a safety hazard due to not having a properly working turn signal could cause an accident. also if the housing is melting, then it could result in the car catching on fire i believe. *tr | |||
| 11/30/2008 | 69000 | 3 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. the contact previously experienced failure with the driver's side headlight bulb constantly burning out. six months later, the plastic headlight covers burned. the steering shaft has been replaced three times. the dealer stated that the plastic cover failure was a factory defect; therefore, they were unable to correct the failure. the failure mileage was 69,000 and current mileage was 78,400. updated 02-23-09 *bf updated 02/24/09. *jb | |||
| 12/20/2008 | 52000 | 1 | |
| On a 2005 chevy malibu our brake lights, on the rear of the vehicle, often work in reverse. in other words, the brake lights are on when you aren't hitting the brakes, and they are off when you are hitting the brakes. this seems to pose a safety concern since vehicles behind you do not know when you are hitting the brakes. i am reporting this because i have seen on many forums that other people have the same problem so this should be a factory recall instead of something we have to pay for to get it fixed. here are some links that prove this problem isn't isolated: http://www.fixya.com/cars/t822542-brake_lights_wont_go_off http://www.2carpros.com/forum/2005-chevy-malibu--brake-lights-will-not-go-off-vt181519.html http://www.carcomplaints.com/chevrolet/malibu/2004/lights/brake_lights_blink_on_by_themselves.shtml http://www.cardealercheck.com/forum/thread15599.html. *tr | |||
| 10/11/2008 | 101000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. while driving at an unknown speed, the contact smelled something burning. he noticed a v-shaped burnt pattern in the front driver's side headlight. approximately one month ago, the front passenger side headlight failed. the current mileage was 102,000 and failure mileage was 101,000. | |||
| 05/15/2005 | 6 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. within a series of months, both the front and rear turn signal bulbs have all needed to be replaced. the dealer found the vehicle to be operating normally. the failure has occurred ever since the vehicle was purchased. the current mileage was 27,000 and failure mileage was 6. | |||
| 02/28/2006 | 1 | ||
| Headlights and taillights keep burning out on my 2005 chevy malibu at the base of the bulb. this is an 05 and the dealers keep telling me it is the bulb i use - that i need to use an oem bulb, when i let them change it they used the same bulb and the base of the bulbs turn black and only last about a week or so. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2008 | 51000 | 1 | |
| Noticed both front turn signals/daytime running lamps yellow covers were melted. it had discolored light lens due to apparent extreme heat. *tr | |||
| 12/15/2007 | 40000 | 1 | |
| The blinker will always fail to work. the bulbs are just fine and intact, but the blinker will stop working. there is some electrical problem with the headlights. this has caused other vehicles to get in close contact with me, and almost in crashes. i have heard many different cases of this problem with other 2005 chevy malibu's as well. *tr | |||
| 05/06/2008 | 45000 | 1 | |
| I just replaced the front driver's side flasher light in my 2005 chevy malibu and the plastic base of the bulb was melted. this appears to be a possible fire hazard. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2006 | 1 | 03/07/2005 | |
| Email (in) requesting an investigation of general motors re their dangerous & defective products. *ts *nm updated 2/15/2007 - the consumer smelled antifreeze coming through the air vents. the driver's side headlight had to be replaced. problem with brakes. a steering gear associated with the rack and pinion was replaced. the transmission hesitated. the consumer heard a knocking noise when turning the steering wheel. passenger side front turn signal failed. the dash light and tail light failed. *nm | |||
| 08/08/2006 | 1 | 10/07/2004 | |
| Since purchase of 05 malibu i have had breaking vibration and vibration in turns to the right. have had 2 sets of pads and rotors turned once. i am on the third set of tires with rotations every 6000 miles but still get uneven wear. 43,000+ miles and the dealer says there is nothing wrong with the breaking or wheels. drivers side daytime running light and turn signal has blown 3 times. *nm | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS | |||
| 03/01/2007 | 42000 | 2 | 10/15/2005 |
| Front struts are fractured and apparently have been est. $400+ to fix, can't afford to fix! have seen several complaints online regarding front end rattles, i also complained soon after purchasing my car w/25k on it, nothing was done then! rear left taillight & brake light keep failing even after replacing bulbs. *jb | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS - SWITCH | |||
| 09/08/2005 | 100 | 1 | 09/01/2005 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. since purchasing the vehicle, the anti theft device has failed repeatedly, the engine makes a ticking sound, the steering wheel is slipping or loose, and oil leaks from the engine. while driving 45 mph, the dashboard . vibrates. the contact hears a noise in the radio when the vehicle is turned on, the engine service light is illuminated on the instrument panel, the interior lights failed, the remote start would not start the vehicle, and the engine shakes roughly. the current mileage was 12,030 and failure mileage was 100. updated 09/24/08. *lj the consumer stated there was a problem with the entire suspension. the shocks and bearings made a noisy. the hazard lights failed. updated 09/30/08.*jb | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | |||
| 02/17/2010 | 93000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu maxx. the vehicle was parked in a carport. the contact observed that both head lamps exhibited heat damage with a black discoloration. the exterior head lamp housing completely burned out which resulted in a hole. the cold weather temperatures were not a factor. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the mechanic stated that the bulbs in the head lamps required replacement at the owners expense. the failure mileage was 93,000. the current mileage was 93,000. | |||
| 04/02/2008 | 35500 | 1 | 11/17/2005 |
| Noticed haze in drivers side headlight , looked further found that turn signals on both driver and passenger side where stating to melt , have been smelling something burning when i get out of car for a week , noticed this when about to wash car , taking to dealer tomorrow , glad i noticed it now , when it was not to late. *tr | |||
| 09/05/2007 | 79000 | 3 | 12/15/2005 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. while driving 35 mph, the headlight area began smoking. the failure occurred on three occasions. when the contact shut the engine and headlights off, the smoking ceased. no fire occurred. the chevrolet service department advised her to have the dealer diagnose the failure. the dealer stated that they would replace both lights for $275 each at her expense. the bulbs have melted the headlight lens, but the dealer did not recommend changing the bulbs. the tail lights were operating normally. the fender area is much hotter than normal due to the headlights overheating. the warning lights illuminated on the dashboard to indicate the failure. the vehicle has not been repaired. the powertrain was unknown. the failure mileage was 79,000 and current mileage was 81,000. | |||
| 05/01/2007 | 1 | 07/01/2005 | |
| I own a 2005 chevrolet malibu that just went out of warranty when i happened to be following my husband who was driving another vehicle. for 150 miles my husband complained that the headlights vibrated constantly causing a distraction for anyone driving in front of me. until that time i had no way of knowing that the headlights had a problem. he checked them when we got home and found that there was no way to tighten them. i have checked for recalls on this problem and found none. i need to know what could be done to rectify this problem without cost to me since i was sure this problem has been there since i got the vehicle because there was no way to fix it.ak | |||
| 07/09/2006 | 35720 | 1 | 12/31/2004 |
| Vehicle purchased dec 31, 2004 and it is now july and guess what? the 2005 malibu cruise control stopped working plus 1 daytime driving light!!! too early for the cruise control to quit working, never had this problem in any vehicle i have had and everyone said same thing! this should be a recall of all malibu 2005's with cruise control problems because of speed sensor or some electricial problem in the car that gm should be the responsiblity of paying for not customers because earlier i had to take car in for problems with the doors not unlocking and unlocking because of the remote not working and even a new battery did not solve the problem. they had to fix the problem. *nm | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - CONCEALMENT DEVICES | |||
| 12/19/2007 | 59707 | 1 | 01/22/2005 |
| My car's lights are melting,smoke even comes out of them.i've seen this on other 2005 chevy malibus and they are all doing the same thing,which means its a manufactures defect.no one at gm wants to help me,and if my car doesn't get fixed its going to cause a fire.it has burned out my bulbs very quickly and often.i took my car in to a gm goodwrench service shop at american chevrolet in modesto,ca.the service consultant there seen my car and said that it was not normal,he brought out another 2005 chevy malibu that they had there and its doing the same thing.he tried to put me in contact with the gm,but i got told i was a liar,by a representative.i need help becuase there has to be a recall on the lights,before it causes a fire.check and see any 2005 chevy malibus and you'll see that its true.thank you for your time. *cn | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TURN SIGNAL | |||
| 12/19/2007 | 59707 | 1 | 01/22/2005 |
| My car's lights are melting,smoke even comes out of them.i've seen this on other 2005 chevy malibus and they are all doing the same thing,which means its a manufactures defect.no one at gm wants to help me,and if my car doesn't get fixed its going to cause a fire.it has burned out my bulbs very quickly and often.i took my car in to a gm goodwrench service shop at american chevrolet in modesto,ca.the service consultant there seen my car and said that it was not normal,he brought out another 2005 chevy malibu that they had there and its doing the same thing.he tried to put me in contact with the gm,but i got told i was a liar,by a representative.i need help becuase there has to be a recall on the lights,before it causes a fire.check and see any 2005 chevy malibus and you'll see that its true.thank you for your time. *cn | |||
| 11/26/2007 | 50000 | 2 | 04/29/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. both of the front turn signal lenses have a one half inch hole burned into the top of the plastic. the plastic has completely melted and turned brown. the shiny material has turned a dull white. the dealer stated that nothing could be done because the vehicle was out of warranty. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 64,000 and failure mileage was 50,000. updated 02-14-08. *kb the consumer stated the dealer informed him the repairs would not be covered by the dealer. the consumer stated would have to pay out of pocket for repairs. updated 02/14/08 *tr | |||
| 07/02/2007 | 3 | 11/09/2006 | |
| I own a 2005 chevy malibu that for approximately a year and a half. during this time i have need to replace the bulbs in the right front turn signal twice and the rear right turn signal once. *tr | |||
| 06/17/2007 | 7 | ||
| I owned the 2005 chevrolet malibu for almost 2 years. during that time i had to replace the rear turn signal once, and the front turn signals about 3 times each. somethingwas definitely wrong with the electrical part of this vehicle. the warranty has now expired, so i can get nothing done about it from gm or chevrolet. *ak a second complaint concerns the fan for the airconditioner/heater. it rattles constantly. before the warranty expired i took it in twice to the dealership and had repairs done on the vehicle. once the motor was replaced . . . was told their was something lodged in the fan. a week later the same noise. nothing has been resolved. | |||
| 03/01/2007 | 25000 | 2 | 10/15/2005 |
| Pulls to the left, broken struts, broken brake calipers, rear turn signal broke! anytime i mess with tires or brakes the car pulls more and more to the left, haven't had steering checked but its driving me nuts. i thought it was from the front right strut being cracked and broken but the dealership says it shouldn't effect the pull to the left. got new tires last week and new brakes, still pulls. tail light quit working, changed bulbs then quit again. car is driving me nuts, worried about driving it across country this summer! recall it soon - please!!! *jb | |||