NHTSA Complaint #10444042 — 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU

FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS THE THEFT LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN TRYING TO START. THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO WAIT 10 MINUTES TO START. IN DECEMBER WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPS THE ENGINE STOPPED, POWER STEERING WAS LOST AND THE THEFT LIGHT WAS ON. AFTER 10 MINUTES THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. THEN TWO TIMES LATER THE ENGINE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60 & 65 MPH, POWER STEERING WAS LOST. ONE OF THESE TIMES THE CAR STARTED UP AGAIN AND POWER STEERING RECOVERED. I TOOK THE UNIT TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER IN EMPORIA, KANSAS. THEY SAID THE SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE FUEL PUMP CUTS OFF BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. BOTH NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $1,100 ACCORDING TO THEM. NORMALLY THE CAR OPERATES GREAT! I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY A PRODUCT IS ALLOWED ON THE MARKET WITH A FUEL PUMP THAT WORKS PART-TIME. PRIOR TO GOING TO THE EMPORIA CHEVROLET, I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE BURLINGTON, KANSAS CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT HAD TO DO THAT AT THE TIME THEY WERE CHECKING IT OR THEY COULD NOT FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. I AM GLAD THAT MY WIFE OF 4'11" WAS NOT DRIVING IT WHEN THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE STOPPING. *TR