NHTSA Complaint #10441046 — 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU

ON 11/15/2011 THE USA TODAY REPORTED THAT FEDERAL SAFETY REGULATORS WERE INVESTIGATING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC SHIFT LEVERS ON SEVERAL GENERAL MOTORS CARS. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION SAYS ON ITS WEBSITE THAT IT'S LOOKING INTO THE SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER GM CARS LIKE THE 2004-2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU WHICH HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AND CAN BE VERIFIED THROUGH CARFAX OR MAINTENANCE RECORDS. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT GORDON CHEVROLET IN TAMPA, FLORIDA. THE COST OF THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WAS $3,086.01. THE SYMPTOMS OF THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WERE THE EXACT SAME THING AS REPORTED IN THE USA TODAY ARTICLE. THE VEHICLE WASN'T FINDING THE RIGHT GEAR. THE SHIFT LEVER WOULD FEEL LIKE IT WAS IN-BETWEEN GEARS AND IT WOULDN'T CATCH IN A CERTAIN GEAR. THE RPM'S WOULD SURGE UP WHILE IT STILL WOULDN'T CATCH INTO GEAR. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN IT WAS PLACED IN REVERSE IT WOULD TRAVEL FORWARD AS SOON AS YOU TOOK YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, ALMOST LIKE ON A HILL BUT ON COMPLETELY FLAT GROUND. ON THE HIGHWAY I COULD BE DRIVING AT A CONSISTENT SPEED AND THE RPM'S WOULD BE JUMPING UP AND DOWN WHICH IT NEVER DID IN A PROPER GEAR. IT WOULD INCREASE RPM WITHIN SECONDS AND CONTINUE TO DO SO EVEN THOUGH I MAINTAINED SPEED AND THE ELEVATION ON THE ROAD REMAINED THE SAME. *TR