NHTSA Complaint #10251780 — 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX

MY 2005 MALIBU MAXX LT HAS HAD A RECURRING PROBLEM BESIDES THE "ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILURE" WHICH HAS SO FAR NOT FAILED AGAIN (DID TWICE ONCE WHEN BRAND NEW, AND AGAIN AT ABOUT 20,000 KM. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 45,000 KM ON IT NOW! WE LIVE IN WINNIPEG WHERE WINTER TEMPERATURES OFTEN ARE BELOW FREEZING FROM MID NOVEMBER TO MID APRIL. TODAY IT IS -25 C WITH WINDCHILL OF -44 C. EVERY WINTER WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.....THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF ITS SLOT...TRY WIGGLING IT AND AT THE SAME TIME WIGGLING THE SHIFT LEVER IN PARK....SOMETIMES IT WORKS SOMETIMES NOT. THE GM DEALER (VICKARS COMMUNITY CHEVROLET) WHERE WE GO FOR SERVICE HAS TRIED TO FIX IT TWICE, BUT IT ALWAYS RECURS WHEN IT IS VERY COLD. WE HAVE HAD TO REMOVE THE "REMOTE DOOR UNLOCK AND LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AT TIMES. THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING IN THE CANADIAN CITY WITH THE HIGHEST CAR THEFT RATE! WE THINK IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ANTI-THEFT PASS LOCK SYSTEM. BY THE WAY ALL CARS IN MANITOBA MUST HAVE AN APPROVED ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM TO BE INSURED OR REGISTERED. THE MANITOBA PUBLIC INSURANCE CORP. DOES APPROVE THE FACTORY SYSTEM ON THE MALIBU MAXX. IT IS JUST TOO FINICKY AND INCONVENIENT. BUT AT LEAST WE WERE NOT FORCED TO PUT IN A "THIRD PARTY" FOB WHICH MANY PEOPLE HAVE FOUND CAUSES ALL KINDS OF OTHER PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY WITH "COMMAND START" SYSTEMS (MALIBU HAS A FACTORY COMMAND START.) WONDER IF OTHERS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEM?? *TR