Kelley Blue Book
HomeChevroletMalibu2004
Recall
Advertisement

2004 Chevrolet Malibu Edit

Recalls

Near Columbus, OH
43085

5 Safety Recalls Found for Cars Like Yours

Recalls may not affect every vehicle of the same year, make and model. Use your VIN or plate to find out if your specific car has open recalls.

Where do I find my VIN?

2004 Chevrolet Malibu Recalls

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID:
04V188000

Report Date:
04/16/2004

Vehicles Affected:
84,474

Consequence:

IF THIS OCCURRED IN A CRASH, THE DRIVER COULD RECEIVE GREATER INJURIES.

What You Should Do:
DEALERS WILL INSERT A RETAINER ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S BELT ANCHORAGES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

Summary:
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, ANALYSIS OF AN A SIDE IMPACT CRASH TEST CONDUCTED BY THE NHTSA'S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) INDICATED THAT THE OUTBOARD ANCHORAGE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT COULD DISCONNECT BECAUSE OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE SEAT TRIM AND THE ANCHORAGE CONNECTOR WHEN THE SEAT WAS ADJUSTED TO ITS LOWEST POSITION.

To see if your specific vehicle is affected

Tip: Recalls don’t affect every vehicle of the same year, make and model. You’ll need your car’s 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to know for sure.

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID:
04V190000

Report Date:
04/16/2004

Vehicles Affected:
65,439

Consequence:

UNEXPECTED ABS ACTIVIATION COULD INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE UP TO ABOUT 11 FEET DPENDING ON THE GRADE OF THE ROAD, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

What You Should Do:
DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ABS CONTROLLER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

Summary:
SOME OF THESE PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) THAT MAY CALCULATE A HIGHER THAN ACTUAL VEHICLE SPEED BECAUSE OF AN ERRATIC REAR-WHEEL SPEED SENSOR SIGNAL, AND CAUSE ABS ACTIVATION WHERE IT IS NOT NEEDED OR NEEDED ABS ACTIVATION TO BE EXTENDED DURING BRAKING AS THE VEHICLE SPEED DROPS TO ABOUT 3 MPH.

To see if your specific vehicle is affected

Tip: Recalls don’t affect every vehicle of the same year, make and model. You’ll need your car’s 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to know for sure.

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID:
04V094000

Report Date:
02/23/2004

Vehicles Affected:
51,715

What You Should Do:
OWNERS WILL BE SENT REPLACEMENT LABELS WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO INSTALL THEM. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

Summary:
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD (FMVSS) NO. 208, OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES THAT WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM (AORS) HAVE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISORS WITH AORS LABELS. THE AORS LABELS DO NOT INCLUDE STATEMENTS AND THE ILLUSTRATION REQUIRED BY FMVSS NO. 208 FOR VEHICLES WITHOUT AORS.

To see if your specific vehicle is affected

Tip: Recalls don’t affect every vehicle of the same year, make and model. You’ll need your car’s 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to know for sure.

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID:
14V153000

Report Date:
MAR 31, 2014

Vehicles Affected:
1,340,447

Consequence:

If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

What You Should Do:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from O...

Summary:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

To see if your specific vehicle is affected

Tip: Recalls don’t affect every vehicle of the same year, make and model. You’ll need your car’s 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to know for sure.

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID:
14V252000

Report Date:
MAY 14, 2014

Vehicles Affected:
2,440,524

Consequence:

Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

What You Should Do:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Summary:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assi...

To see if your specific vehicle is affected

Tip: Recalls don’t affect every vehicle of the same year, make and model. You’ll need your car’s 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to know for sure.

Recall information provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Chevrolet Recall Service Centers

Near Columbus, OH
43085

View:

2004 Malibu Recall Q&A

Car Recall Questions


What do I do if I've gotten a recall notice?

First: Read the notice carefully and don’t ignore it. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, only 75% of vehicles involved in a recall are actually repaired. So be sure to pay attention when you see an envelope in the mail labelled “Safety Recall Notice”.

The notice will tell you what the defect is, possible warning signs and what to do next. And while a recall notice might dredge up feelings of fear and anxiety, focus on two bits of good news:

  • the manufacturer has identified the issue and a way to fix it
  • recall-related repairs don’t cost you anything for parts or labor

Second: Bring your vehicle to the dealer.

Next, make a service appointment with an authorized dealer who sells that brand. It doesn’t have to be the same place where you bought it, and it doesn’t matter if you bought the car new or used. But you DO need to take it to an authorized dealer. If your family mechanic does the recall repairs, you’ll probably be responsible for the cost.

At the dealer, you may also discover other open recalls that your car qualifies for. The dealer is obligated to complete these repairs too – also at no cost to you.

Third: The dealer makes the repairs.

For many people, the hardest part is finding a convenient time for the recall-related repairs. Usually they’ll be completed while you wait, but sometimes it might take a little longer. Ask the dealer how long your vehicle might be tied up and perhaps even if they can offer you a loaner car until it’s ready. Or if you have a little more time to plan, find out what services and amenities your local dealer offers.

Learn more about what to do in a recall.

How do I check for a recall on my car?

In most cases, the automaker will send you a notice in the mail to announce a recall. But if you’re the proactive type – or if you bought the car used – you might want to check for a recall yourself.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 100 million new and used vehicles were involved in some sort of safety-related recall in 2014-15. Recalls vary in severity, but they all relate to the safety of the vehicle, so they’re all worth paying attention to.

Start by looking up the year, make and model of your vehicle on a site like KBB.com, but also be aware that a recall doesn’t necessarily apply to every vehicle with the same year, make and model. Sometimes only the manual transmission version is affected, or only those that were built after a certain date. The best way to know for sure is to call the phone number that we provide on your vehicle’s recall page or go to the government NHTSA site and look up your specific car by its 17-character VIN number.

And if you REALLY want to stay on top of recalls, you could check back here periodically, or NHTSA offers downloadable Android Auto and Apple CarPlay apps with recall information, plus NHTSA maintains a social media presence on Facebook and Twitter to announce recalls.

Learn more about how to stay current on recalls.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

Once the manufacturer (or NHTSA) has discovered that a safety recall is necessary on your vehicle, you won’t have to pay anything for recall-related repairs. All the parts and labor necessary to complete the repair are paid for by the manufacturer (who reimburses the dealer). This is true even if you bought the car used or bought it from a private party.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • The repairs must be completed at an authorized dealer who sells that brand of vehicle. If you choose to use your own mechanic, you might end up paying the bill.
  • If you received a recall letter in the mail, bring it to the dealer. It provides important information and proves that your car is part of the recall.
  • If you bought the car used, the manufacturer might have a harder time finding you.

There is one exception to the fact that recall repairs are free – vehicles older than 10 years old are outside the statute of limitation and usually don’t qualify.

Why is a vehicle recalled?

A recall occurs when a manufacturer or NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) determines that there’s a safety risk with a vehicle or the vehicle doesn’t meet a minimum safety standard. Usually, a recall covers only certain parts or equipment on a vehicle; it’s rare for the whole vehicle to be recalled.

Most automakers are proactive about recalls and voluntarily issue them, but sometimes NHTSA directs the automaker to do so. Some recalls get a lot of press, as with high-profile recalls relating to airbags in the last few years, but more often, recalls happen without much fanfare.
Recalls are only issued in cases where the vehicle’s safety is in question, but that doesn’t mean you’re in immediate danger. Even so, you should have the repairs done as soon as you can. The good news is that, in case of a recall, the automaker has discovered a fix – and that fix is available at no cost to you (except, perhaps, for the hours the vehicle is being repaired).

Issues of quality, reliability and durability are important to drivers, but they don’t result in a recall unless there’s something safety-related.

Finally, please keep in mind just because there’s a recall on cars matching your car’s make and model, it doesn’t mean that your car is affected. To know for sure, we provide a number you can call to check if your car is part of the recall. You’ll need to have your car’s unique 17-character VIN number handy when you call.

Pricing for Common 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Repairs & Services

  • Battery Replacement
  • Brake Repair
  • Oil Change
  • Spark Plug Replacement
  • Wheel Alignment
  • Check Engine Light
  • Coolant Flush
  • Fuel Filter Replacement
  • Fuel Pump Replacement
  • Timing Belt Replacement
  • Transmission Fluid Change
  • Transmission Repair and Replacement
  • Water Pump Replacement
  • Wheel Bearing Replacement

Pricing for all 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Repairs & Services