NHTSA Complaint #10669059 — 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD OF THE 2008 HAS A SEVERE CRACK WHICH ALLOWS EXHAUST FUMES INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. I CANNOT KEEP THE FAN ON WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, IDLING, OR IN SLOW TRAFFIC AS THE FUMES ARE SO STRONG THAT IT CAUSES HEADACHES AND NAUSEA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT CHEVROLET DEALERSHIPS TO PINPOINT THE SOURCE OF THE EXHAUST FUMES AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. AFTERWARDS, IT TOOK MY HUSBAND LESS THAN 10 MINUTES TO LOCATE AND PHOTOGRAPH THE EXHAUST LEAK ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. TWO OTHER CLOSE FRIENDS ALSO HAVE 2008 MALIBU'S AND BOTH OF THEIR CARS HAVE THE SAME DANGEROUS ISSUE OF EXHAUST FUMES LEAKING INTO THE CABIN. ONE HAS HAD THIS REPLACED AT CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WITH OEM PARTS AT A COST OF $1500 WITH THE EXPLANATION OF THE HIGH COST FOR THE REPAIR BEING THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS CONNECTED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE WHOLE UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. ONE YEAR AFTER THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR, HER EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS CRACKED AGAIN. ANOTHER FRIEND GOT A QUOTE OF $1300 BUT CANNOT AFFORD THE REPAIR. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS REPAIR EITHER AND IT BAFFLES ME THAT CHEVROLET WILL ISSUE A SERVICE BULLETIN TO REPLACE MY CHROME WHEEL COVERS BUT WHEN I CALLED TO ASK ABOUT THE WELL KNOWN ISSUE OF CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLDS, TOLD ME THAT THEY HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE ISSUE AND SIMPLY PASSED ME OFF TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO MAKE A REPAIR APPOINTMENT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND ONE THAT IS COMMON AND WELL DOCUMENTED WITH A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH ON EXHAUST CRACKS ON CHEVROLET MALIBU'S AND COBALT'S IN THE 2007-2009 YEARS. GIVEN THE DANGEROUS NATURE, THE HIGH COST OF THE REPAIR THAT MANY CANNOT AFFORD, AND THE COMMON OCCURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM, CHEVROLET SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *JS