2005 Chevrolet Malibu: stuck in gear or won't shift

Filed Jan 20, 2015 · Transmission · 110,000 miles · MI

After daughter stopped at red traffic light car would not go forward. Only gear was reverse. Drove backwards to safe location. Car would not go into any other gear. I am on disability so I did assume my transmission went out. So I did replace. My ex-husband doing all work in my driveway, as I can't afford mechanic. Long and short of it still wouldn't go into park. Discover it was the shift cable. Order shift cable directly from dealership. Replaced and everything works fine. Nothing was even mentioned when I would call dealership to ask question about getting the right transmission for my car, because I guess there was three different ones. Nothing was even mentioned when I order my cable through the dealership that there was a recall. Problem is gm doesn't want to reimburse because I didn't have the work done by a licensed mechanic. I had talk to a senior advisor and this is the information she had given to me. I feel this is not fair just because of my financial situation. I received my recall letter in july 2014 about recall and another letter january 16, 2015 letting me know that work could be done. I am hoping you can help me with this issue or I can try legal aid. Thank you.

Filed May 15, 2014 · Brakes, Electrical · 79,000 miles · PA

Vehicles brake lights stick on while driving. Sometimes they flash when going aprox 65 and up. It appears the brake lights also flash when car is changing gears. The car once would not shift into drive while reversing and lost all power steering. Also the brakes or something at front of car shakes rapidly when accelerating and even worse when going down hills.

Filed May 23, 2013 · Transmission · 119,000 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while traveling 50 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated as the vehicle became unresponsive to acceleration attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was advised that the vehicle had engaged into limp mode. The dealer stated that the second and third shift cylinders had also failed, indicating that the transmission would require replacing. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 119,000.

Filed Nov 26, 2011 · Engine, Steering · 88,000 miles · NY

Check engine/power steering light came on when starting down the road. Rpms shot up to 4 and 5, car won't shift (automatic car), MPH stopped reading, all the info I get through my radio screen went blank, there is only an error sign where my mileage is.

Filed Jun 11, 2008 · Transmission · NJ

In november 2004 I leased a 2005 chevy malibu from a chevrolet dealer in new york. (dealer 1) in january 2006, I returned to this same dealer because the traction control light came on, the car would jump from 5 miles an hour to 40 miles an hour, then the engine would rev when I pushed down the accelerator but the car would not speed up. The diagnosis from dealer 1's mechanic was that there was almost no transmission fluid in the car and the gears burnt out. He told me there was no way this could be from a problem with the car and I had to pay for the new transmission; which I later learned was untrue. The mechanic stated that the transmission would slowly burn out (over months) with little/no fluid in it. From purchase, I complained many times to the dealer that the steering column would click when the steering wheel was turned and that the brakes did not feel right. The many times I brought my car in for service I would make these complaints and be told that everything was fine. April 2008 while driving on the highway, the engine started revving. The car had no power and started loosing speed. At my expense, it was towed to the nearest dealer. (dealer 2) the mechanic said they started opening the transmission but it was so badly damaged, did not finish. He had no explanation for the damage. Dealer 2 had already ordered yet another transmission and he told me the exact opposite of what the mechanic from dealer 1 had said. Dealer 2 and other mechanics I have talked to since, told me that without fluid the transmission would not shift, and with low fluid it would not be months before the transmission burnt out, it would be days or depending on the fluid level, even mere hours. The transmission was replaced again by dealer 2. I picked the car up and got 12 miles when the odometer and power steering failed and the transmission would not shift out of first gear. Dealer 2 told me that the speed sensor on the new transmission was bad and had to be replaced.