NHTSA Complaint #10510778 — 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2006 WITH 17,000 MILES AT THE CARMAX SUPERSTORE IN NAPERVILLE ILLINOIS AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL SERIOUS ISSUES SINCE. THE LEAKING SUNROOF WITH THE INNUMERABLE FAILED ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR. THE LEAK HAS NEVER BEEN RESOLVED AND I HAVE RESORTED TO COVERING THE VEHICLE WITH A TARP DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE CONSTANT CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEN MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH AND THE SEVERE STIFFNESS IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN CURB SIDE PARKING BETWEEN PARKED VEHICLES. THE INTERMITTENT IGNITION FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TURN OVER UNLESS YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR SLIGHTLY. THERE WERE COUNTLESS FUTILE ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR FOR ALL THESE DEFECTS THROUGH OUT THE YEARS OF WARRANTY AND EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. THE FAILED ATTEMPTS OF CORRECTLY DIAGNOSING AND PROPERLY REPAIRING THESE DEFECTS BY THE ENGLEWWOOD AUTO GROUP IN ENGLEWOOD NEW JERSEY HAVE LEFT ME UNSATISFIED AND SUPER FRUSTRATED. TODAY I AM WRITING BECAUSE THE OPERATORS SEAT HAS NOW TILTED TO THE RIGHT AND IS LEANING AGAINST THE CENTER CONSOLE. THERE WAS NOTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE THAT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING THAT IMMEDIATELY ALERTED ME OF THIS PROBLEM, I WAS SIMPLY ADJUSTING THE SEAT WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE SEAT WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE CENTER CONSOLE. UPON INSPECTING UNDERNEATH THE SEAT I OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT REAR CORNER DOES NOT RISE WHEN ENGAGING THE ELECTRIC SEAT CONTROLS. THE ANGLE OF THE LEAN IS SO BAD THAT IT AFFECTS MY POSTURE AND PAINS MY LOWER BACK. I AM ALSO AFRAID THAT THE SEAT WILL COMPLETELY COLLAPSE WHILE I AM DRIVING. WHEN THE SEAT IS LOWERED ALL THE WAY DOWN IT DOES LEVEL TO ITS ACCEPTABLE NORM, BUT AT 5 FEET 4 INCHES TALL I CANNOT OPERATE SAFELY THAT LOW TO THE FLOOR. FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS DRIVEN ON AVERAGE ONCE A WEEK IT IS PLAGUED WITH SOME SERIOUS MANUFACTURER DEFECTS THAT THE DEALERSHIPS' SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO REPAIR. *TR