Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated while driving at 60 MPH, the steering wheel seized not allowing the contact to have control of the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle ran into a side bearing. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed. The contact sustained some back soreness. The vehicle was able to start back up and the contact drove the vehicle back home. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of failure. The failure mileage was 255,450.
2004 Chevrolet Malibu: airbags did not deploy in a crash
14 of the 1,148 complaints about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu describe airbags did not deploy in a crash.
- owner complaints
- 14
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- typical mileage
- 153,000
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 1 service bulletin covers this area of the car. See below
Airbags did not deploy in a crash by model year
What owners say
I was stopped at a red light and was rear-ended by a car going 15-20 MPH (the at-fault driver was distracted by their phone). I was knocked unconscious and had a bump over my left eye from hitting something. I had a concussion. The airbags did not deploy. A policy report was filed. I still suffer mid and lower back pain (disc bulges and fissures). After the wreck, I started to get a warning about needing to service the airbags.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. While driving approximately 45 MPH, another vehicle sped into the contact's lane and crashed into the driver's side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact was shaken up, but was uninjured. The contact's vehicle was damaged, but drivable. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. While driving approximately 23 MPH in the rain, the vehicle spun out of control and crashed into a cement barrier. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. Two days later, the interior of the vehicle caught fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. The fire department informed the contact that the fire was due to the electrical wiring in the dashboard. The vehicle was not towed or taken to the dealer. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 153,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, the transmission shift cable failed. As a result, the contact lost braking and steering functions. The failure resulted in a front end collision. The air bags did not deploy. Prior to this failure, the vehicle was repaired under the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v224000 (power train). A police report was filed. There were no injuries sustained that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed but it was unknown if it was diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 315,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that gears failed to shift properly and the transmission slipped. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, he lost control of the vehicle as the gear slipped from drive and upon turning the steering wheel to the right, the vehicle went to the left and crashed into a barrier. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was included in the federal safety agency campaign id number: 14v224000 (power train) however, the part was not available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 154,000.
My daughter purchased this car about a year ago, she stated the drivers side seat would not adjust. I assumed a bad adjustment motor. When I examined the seat I discovered that the welds on the front cross-bar and the rear cross bar were separated between the seat and lower adjustment frame, this causes the drivers seat to lean toward the center console and rear of the vehicle. Upon first examination I thought the welds had broken, but on closer examination it appears that the weld did not penetrate the metal far enough as the weld and bar were both intact, except for some superficial scaring on the tubing. This results in a major safety problem as the seat belt is attached to the seat at the right side of the drivers seat, not to the floor of the vehicle. Should this vehicle be involved in a frontal crash these broken welds render the seat belt ineffective at best or useless, depending on the weight of the driver. If the air bags do not deploy the driver will be thrown foreword along with the seat with the appearance that the drivers weight broke the seat, when in-fact the seat was either broken already or severely weakened by inadequate welds. A cursory on line search revealed that this defect exists in the chevy malibu, monta carlo, pontiac grand prix, pontiac g6, saturn aura and ion. Model years 1999 through 2009. I contacted gm ref#[xxx] and as with many other on line complaints were told in essence too bad out of warranty your problem not ours. I am fully capable of welding this frame my self, and will do so however, gm dealers charge app $1000. For the repair and if using the same stock frames, will install a faulty frame. In my opinion these faulty welds expose people without a passing familiarity to mechanics, to unnecessary expense as well as an unnecessary safety hazard. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
2004 chevrolet malibu experiencing power steering problems, ABS and shift cable, all replaced. *cw the consumer stated the vehicle was taken to the repair shop seven times, due to power steering failure, which resulted in the steering locking up. The consumer was involved in two accidents, in which the air bags failed to deploy. The consumer received a transmission, steering and brake recall. However, the parts were not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. As a result, the contact crashed into a tree stump and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a chest injury that did not require medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed however, the body damage was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 chevrolet malibu. While traveling through a stop sign at an unknown speed, another vehicle crashed into the passenger side of the contact's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated that there were additional items on the key ring at the time of the crash. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a bruised knee. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while stop in a parking lot, another vehicle crashed into contact vehicle and the horn malfunctioned. As result, the contact was unable to alert the other vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. In addition, the contact stated the brake lights became inoperable intermittently. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The manufacturer was not notified about the failures. The failures recurred numerous times. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnose or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.
Consumer's vehicle was involved in a collision, where it struck another vehicle at 25 MPH dead center, and the air bags did not deploy. Consumers sustained neck injuries. *ak the vehicle was totaled. *bf
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu no deployment
Is airbags did not deploy in a crash a common problem on the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu?
14 of 1,148 owner complaints about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu (1%) mention airbags did not deploy in a crash. The model year with the most reports is 2010.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu?
There are 0 recalls and 1 service bulletin for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
Power steering loss 280Loss of power 98Steering lock-up 98Check engine light 64Engine failure 36Headlights 36Harsh shifting 32Stalling 31Jerking 29Steering noise 27Adaptive cruise 22Won't start 20ABS 17Pulling 16Knocking 12Overheating 12Grinding brakes 11Fuel gauge 11Airbag light 9Ball joint 8Fuel pump 8Won't shift 6Warning lights 6Fire or smoke 5
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