NHTSA Complaint #10615974 — 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC

2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS SEDAN PRESENTED HAS NOTICEABLY WEAK AND INEFFICIENT HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS POSING A SAFETY ISSUE. THE FOG LIGHTS ARE NOT EFFECTIVE IN MILDLY FOGGY DRIVING CONDITIONS AT ALL. IN FACT DUE TO SUCH POOR PERFORMANCE, IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO DISCERN WHETHER OR NOT THE FOG LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. HEADLIGHT PERFORMANCE IS POOR WITH MARKEDLY DECREASED LIGHTING EFFICIENCY IN CITY DRIVING AND ON WET ROADS. THE VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS DIM AND OR FLICKER WHEN THE DRIVER DEPRESSES THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE OR COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. CONCERN THAT ON COMING TRAFFIC CAN'T DISCERN BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW BEAMS OR A CONFUSION FROM THE UNINTENDED DIMMING/FLICKERING. VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN CHECKED WITH NO PROBLEMS FOUND. ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR CHECK OK, NEW BATTERY CHECK OK, SERPENTINE BELT AND PULLEYS CHECK OK, ALL BULBS, FUSES, AND FUSIBLE LINKS CHECK OK. NEW BULBS TRIED, BUT NO INCREASE IN LIGHTING OUTPUT. VEHICLE TAKEN TO GM SERVICE CENTER IN ZANESVILLE, OHIO. SERVICE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE WITH CUSTOMER PRESENT. SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE PERFORMANCE ISSUE WAS BASICALLY "NORMAL" AND A COMMON CONCERN AMONG MANY CUSTOMERS. SERVICE TECH. WENT ON TO SAY THAT BRAND NEW GM VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, IN FACT HE STATED THAT THEY ARE WORSE. 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS LIGHTING/ELECTRICAL PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. VEHICLE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT DUE TO THE LIGHTING. *TR