NHTSA Complaint #10560464 — 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX

WHEN STARTING THE CAR IT WOULD HESITATE BEFORE TURNING OVER. LATER IT BEGAN TO STRUGGLE TO TURN OVER. NOW ITS STRUGGLING TO TURN OVER BUT WON'T. I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY AT FIRESTONE LESS THAN A MONTH AGO AND THE CAR HAS PLENTY OF GAS. I ALSO TOOK THE CAR INTO FIRESTONE FOR A VEHICLE INSPECTION THE DAY BEFORE I BOUGHT THE BATTERY. IF THE CAUSE IS A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP, THE PUMP MAY SEIZE STOPPING THE FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE CREATING A STALLING CONDITION. A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL WHILE IN USE. MANY CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS FOUND THAT THE ALARM OR ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM HAD THE FUEL SYSTEM LOCKED AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND AT THE MOST INCONVENIENT TIMES. THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAID TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY TO THE ON POSITION LEAVE IT ON FOR 10 MINUTES, THEN TURN IT OFF FOR 5 SECONDS AND THEN IT STARTED UP. I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS YET BUT I WILL IN THE MORNING. *TR