NHTSA Complaint #11428630 — 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU

Question: What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Answer: The drivers seat frame failed via a broken weld. The weld is located on the front and right hand side of the seat (assuming you are sitting in the seat). The seat became very unstable and I do not believe the seat is safe if a crash would occur. The seat is available for inspection. I am an average sized adult in terms of weight (<200 lbs). Question: How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Answer: The seat is no longer rigid and thus in the event of a crash I cannot believe the seat is safe. Question: Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Answer: It is clear the seat failed - see the picture. Searching online I found many people with the same problem and the pictures online of the failure matched what happened with my seat. Question: Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Answer: No, reading online people with the same problem were not happy with GM's lack of response so I did not bother to consult with GM on this broken seat. Question: Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Answer: No. The failure occurred this year. Picture: I am uploading a picture of the broken weld which I temporarily repaired using a hose clamp (I do not have a picture before I installed the hose clamp). In the picture you can clearly see the broken weld.