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.
2004 Chevrolet Malibu: fire, smoke or burning smell
5 of the 1,148 complaints about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu describe fire, smoke or burning smell.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 0%
- typical mileage
- 100,000
- recalls
- 0
Fire, smoke or burning smell by model year
What owners say
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 chevrolet malibu. While driving at approximately 50 MPH, there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact noticed smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle and a door caught on fire. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. It was unknown who extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 118,000.
The contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu sedan. While driving 30 MPH, she crashed into a dirt mound and blacked out. When the driver side air bag deployed, the steering wheel was detached. There was smoke and some flames present around the steering wheel. The driver was able to regain consciousness, smelled smoke and stopped the vehicle by shifting the gear into park. The seat belt also broke, threw the contact into the rear seat and the vehicle flipped over into a field and was destroyed. The driver sustained a concussion, whiplash and the passenger had minor injuries. The passenger air bag deployed normally. Pictures and a police report and pictures are available. The fire department attempted to determine the cause of fire and was unsuccessful. The failure and current mileages were approximately 100,000. Rk updated 5/5/08
Dt*: the contact stated the right front turn signal stopped working without warning. Upon initial inspection, the amber lens inside the headlight housing had visible damage on the headlight assembly as though it had burned. There were no visible flames or smoke to indicate a fire. The dealer was alerted, but no repairs were made.
Steering wheel shakes all by itself and was replaced by dealer. Now there is a clunking noise when turning the wheel. Front rotors warped, replaced by dealer, now warped again. Front axle seal leaking on exhaust, replaced by dealer, now leaking again causing a foul oil burning smell in the car.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Electrical system
- Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles
- This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS)...
- This bulletin provides information for electrical ground repairs using new General Motors replacement...
- This informational bulletin provides information for the IPC odometer programming method quick reference...
- This service bulletin provides information on Module Harvesting.
- This service bulletin provides diagnostic tips/steps on testing for possible EVAP leaks in the system to...
- This SKU is an EGR Valve
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu fire or smoke
Is fire, smoke or burning smell a common problem on the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu?
5 of 1,148 owner complaints about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu (0%) mention fire, smoke or burning smell. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu?
There are 0 recalls and 119 service bulletins 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 16No deployment 14Knocking 12Overheating 12Grinding brakes 11Fuel gauge 11Airbag light 9Ball joint 8Fuel pump 8Won't shift 6Warning lights 6
VIN decoder
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