2013 Chevrolet Malibu

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM DID NOT WARN IF THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS LOW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE TWO POUNDS LOW AND THE SYSTEM DID NOT GIVE A WARNING. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE UNABLE TO CONFIRM THE AMOUNT OF LOW PRESSURE THAT WOULD SIGNAL THE WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY AND HAD JUST TAKEN AN EXIT THROUGH TOWN ABOUT A MILE WHEN HER REAR DRIVERS SIDE TIRE (GOODYEAR ASSURANCE) BLEW OUT ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. THE BLOWOUT WAS IN THE SIDEWALL NEAR THE RIM AND WAS ABOUT 3 INCHES LONG, WHICH I HAVE A PICTURE OF. SHE SAID SHE HEARD A "POP", LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN A RUMBLING NOISE. LUCKILY SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. THIS 2013 MALIBU ONLY HAD 12,000 MILES ON THE TIRES WHEN THIS HAPPENED. APPROXIMATELY 5 DAYS EARLIER I HAD JUST TAKEN THE CAR INTO A DEALERSHIP NEAR OUR HOME AND HAD THE OIL CHANGED AND TIRES ROTATED BUT NO ONE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED ANY PROBLEMS OR BULGES WITH ANY OF THE TIRES.. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR WOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE TIRE ISSUE. THEY STATED THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER TIRES AND WE WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH GOODYEAR OURSELVES. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I HAD DISCOVERED THAT MANY COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN MADE ON THESE PARTICULAR TIRES SUCH AS BULGES IN THE SIDEWALLS AND BLOWOUTS WITH VERY LOW MILEAGE. IT'S OBVIOUS THERE IS A DEFECT OF SOME KIND AND THESE TIRES NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. MY DAUGHTER SAID SHE NEVER RAN OVER ANYTHING, IT JUST POPPED ON ITS OWN. THANK GOD SHE HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE EXPRESSWAY AS THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. *TR

2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PURCHASED VEHICLE WITH NO SPARE TIRE IN THE TRUNK. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, SHE WAS NOT INFORMED THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A SPARE TIRE. WHEN SHE EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOW OUT ON THE FREEWAY. IT WAS THEN, SHE WAS TOLD BY AAA, THERE WAS ONLY AN AIR PUMP, WHICH WAS OF NO USE, SINCE THE TIRE HAS SHREDDED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD, THERE WAS NO SPARE TIRE, BECAUSE IT SAVED ON WEIGHT, THUS HAVING BETTER GAS MILEAGE. *JB

2013 CHEVY MALIBU 1LS MANUFACTURED 11/20/12, CURRENTLY LESS THAN 7,000 MI. 1) CHROME & RADIO GLASS - WHEN SUN SHINES ON CONSOLE IT BLINDS DRIVER & DRIVER MUST COVER AREA WITH A SCARF OR JACKET; CONSOLE IS BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT, BUT NOT PRACTICAL FROM A SAFETY VIEWPOINT SINCE THE DRIVER IS BLINDED & CANNOT SEE UNTIL THE AREA IS COVERED FROM THE SUN. 2) WHEN AIR CONDITIONING WAS TURNED ON, A BLAST OF VERY HOT AIR CAME OUT; IT TOOK A COUPLE OF TIMES OF TURNING THE SETTINGS OFF & ON (AT LEAST 60 SECONDS OR LONGER) BEFORE THE HOT AIR STOPPED & THE AIR CONDITIONING CAME ON. THE HOT AIR COULD NOT BE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF. HAPPENED ONLY ONCE. 3) PASSENGER SIDE FRONT FENDER/BUMPER LOOSE - MAKES NOISE, CAN POP IT BACK IN, BUT ON HOT DAYS, IT POPS OUT, VIBRATES AND MAKES LOUD NOISE UNTIL POPPED BACK IN. 4) REAR WINDOWS - WHEN DOWN 1/2, 3/4 OR FULLY, VIBRATES, MAKES VERY LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE TIRES ARE COMING APART, CAUSING DRIVER TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER TO CHECK TIRES, THE DISTRACTION & BEING ON SIDE OF ROAD COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. 5) NO SPARE TIRE - UNABLE TO LOCATE A TIRE & RIM (OR DONUT TIRE) FOR PURCHASE TO INSERT IN TRUNK TIRE AREA. NO CAN OF GOOP, ALSO GOOP ONLY LASTS FOR 6 MONTHS & MUST BE DISCARDED & NEW CAN PURCHASED. NOT GOOD WHEN STRANDED IN INCLEMENT SNOWY WEATHER OR OUT IN THE HOT DESERT & MUST WAIT FOR TOW TRUCK. I LIKE MY CHEVY MALIBU VERY MUCH, IT HAS BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE ROUGH GRAVEL/DIRT ROADS IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, SNOW, & HIGHWAY TRAVEL. I PLAN TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER SHORTLY FOR AN OIL CHANGE & TO TAKE CARE OF THESE ISSUES. WHAT I DON'T LIKE IS THAT I AM UNABLE TO TURN THE DRIVER AIRBAG OFF (I SIT LESS THAN 12 INCHES FROM THE WHEEL & AM CONCERNED THAT IF IT WERE TO DEPLOY I WOULD BE KILLED) & THAT THE VEHICLE IS FAIRLY LOW TO THE GROUND, MAKING SPEED BUMPS & GETTING OUT OF BUSINESSES WHERE THERE IS A DIP ONTO STREETS DIFFICULT. *TR

ON MY WAY TO WORK TODAY I HAD A FLAT TIRE, WHICH RESULTED IN ME HAVING TO CALL ONSTAR BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SPARE OR JACK IN THE TRUCK. ONCE I CALLED ON STAR IT TOOK THEM THREE TIMES CALLING ME BACK TO GET ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE ON THE PHONE. I WAS STUCK FOR TWO AND A HALF HOURS BEFORE THE TOW TRUCK EVEN ARRIVED. ONCE THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED I ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENED TO ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE HE TOLD ME THAT ON STAR JUST CALLED HIS OFFICE AND TOLD THEM THAT I NEEDED A TOW TRUCK TO TOW MY CAR THAT I ONLY HAD A FLAT TIRE. THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED IF I WOULD HAVE HAD A SPARE TIRE INSTEAD OF A CAN OF GOO AND A TIRE PUMP. ONCE THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER GOT MY CAR LOADED THAT IS WHEN I LEANED THAT I COULD NOT RIDE IN THE TOW TRUCK. SO AFTER BEING STRANDED ON SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR TWO HOURS HAD TO WAIT ON A RIDE HOME AND THE DEALERSHIP CLOSED AT 5 PM SO, I STILL CAN'T GET MY CAR UNTIL THE NEXT DAY BECAUSE OF A FLAT TIRE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD A SPARE TIRE. SO, I COULDN'T MAKE IT TO WORK AND I HAD TO THUMB A RIDE HOME BECAUSE OF GM WANTING TO SAVE .4 MPG OF GAS BY TAKING AWAY THE SPARE TIRE AND JACK. *TR

THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF A FLAT TIRE INCIDENT MY WIFE HAD ON I-75 AT DAVIDSON ON 6-18-2013. I HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THIS TO CHEVY.COM/WARRANTY, AND FELT THAT YOU TOO SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS OCCURRENCE. "HAD A FLAT TIRE, 6/18/13 ON MY 2 MONTH OLD MALIBU. CALLED ON-STAR, NO HELP AFTER 1&1/2 HOURS. CALLED ON-STAR AGAIN, NO HELP AFTER TOTAL OF ALMOST 3 HOURS. MICHIGAN DOT ROAD SERVICE CAME ON SCENE AND TRIED REPAIR WITH EMERGENCY REPAIR KIT. NO GOOD, TIRE DID NOT INFLATE. FINALLY CALLED AAA WHO RESPONDED IN 10 MINUTES. WANTED TOW TO DEALER, BUT DEALER (RINKE) WAS CLOSED AFTER 6:00PM. WAS TOWED HOME AT COST OF $84.00. NEXT DAY, 6/19/13, TOOK TIRE OFF VEHICLE AND BROUGHT TO (RINKE) SERVICE DEPT. FOR REPAIR AT COST OF $25.00. ASKED ABOUT REPAIR/REPLACEMENT OF CANISTER IN EMERGENCY REPAIR KIT. NO ONE AT DEALER SERVICE HAD EVER REPLACED THE CANISTER OR WERE FAMILIAR ON HOW TO REPAIR IT. WENT TO PARTS DEPT. TO PURCHASE A REPLACEMENT CANISTER - NONE AVAILABLE, WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED AT PRICE OF OVER $26.00. ASKED ABOUT PURCHASE OF DOUGHNUT EMERGENCY TIRE AND TOOL KIT - AGAIN, NONE AVAILABLE, WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED AT A PRICE OF OVER $400.00. WITH COMPLETE ABSENCE OF DEALER ASSISTANCE, I TOOK TIRE HOME AND INSTALLED ON VEHICLE. MY RESOLUTION TO AVOID A RECURRENCE OF THIS EVENT WAS TO GO TO OUR LOCAL BELL TIRE STORE AND PURCHASE A NEW WHEEL AND TIRE SO THAT MY HUSBAND (84 YEARS OLD) AND I (75 YEARS OLD) WOULD HAVE THE SECURITY OF A REPLACEMENT TIRE IF WE ENCOUNTERED A FLAT AGAIN. IN OUR OPINION, THE ELIMINATION OF THE EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE WAS A BAD MOVE, AND THE UNAVAILABILITY OF REPLACEMENT COMPONENTS IS A SAD AND DISCONCERTING CONDITION." *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, HE NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE THE TIRE WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A SPARE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT DUE TO FUEL ECONOMY, THEY DID NOT EQUIP VEHICLES WITH SPARE TIRES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000. *TR

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS NO SPARE TIRE. HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT ALLOW MANUFACTURERS TO SELL VEHICLES WITH NO SPARE TIRES? A COMPRESSOR AND TIRE SEALANT WILL NOT WORK WITH A SIDEWALL BLOWOUT, OR AN UNREPAIRABLE PUNCTURE. I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER ABOUT PURCHASING A SPARE WITH A JACK, AND THE COST WAS $500 - WHICH IS RIDICULOUS!! I YOU WANT TO MAKE HIGHWAYS SAFE, INSIST THAT MANUFACTURERS OFFER SPARE TIRES AND JACKS AT A REASONABLE PRICE, OR MAKE SPARE TIRES MANDATORY. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK. THANK YOU *TR