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2008 Chevrolet Malibu: hesitation when accelerating

6 of the 989 complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu describe hesitation when accelerating.

owner complaints
6
of this car's complaints
1%
typical mileage
87,000
recalls
2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls and 75 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Hesitation when accelerating by model year

What owners say

Filed Sep 3, 2018 · Fuel system · 87,000 miles · FL

Strong gas smell from rear of vehicle (interior/exterior). Leak confirmed from fuel pump when in motion. Also, vehicle hesitates when accelerated, usually after vehicle sits for an extended period of time.

Filed Dec 9, 2015 · Acceleration, Brakes · 159,734 miles · WI

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that when the ignition key was turned to the start position, the vehicle failed to start intermittently. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. While driving at various speeds, when the brake pedal was depressed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle and the brake pedal vibrated and hesitated to respond without warning. On a separate occasion, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked forward independently without warning. The contact mentioned that the failure recurred several times intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure was unable to be determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 159,734. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed Mar 23, 2015 · Transmission · 90,000 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. While driving approximately 50 MPH, there was extreme hesitation without warning. The vehicle eventually stalled. The vehicle restarted and resumed normal operation. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the transmission would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

Filed Jun 5, 2011 · Transmission · 46,700 miles · NJ

My 2008 chevy malibu ltz 4 cylinder has a very serious design flaw which gm/chevy refuse to acknowledge. It is putting my family and I and possible danger. The vehicle experiences very severe lags and hesitation at variable intervals while driving either stop and go or on a highway. Last month while driving on rt. 95 in connecticut, our vehicle acted up and it would not accelerate and shift between gears properly. The serious lags where the vehicle is inbetween gears with no engine/trans. Engagement, left us close to being run over by a tractor trailer.

Filed Jan 20, 2011 · Lights, Transmission · 33,000 miles · MD

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu ltz (na). While driving approximately 55-60 MPH, the contact applied the accelerator pedal and the vehicle hesitated. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated that the vehicle was performing as normal. The failure continued. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer several times where the dealer performed a front end alignment. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer as the failure occurred again. The dealer replaced the transmission line. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop but had not been repaired. The headlights also did not function properly. The failure mileage was 33,000 and the current mileage was 36,300.

Filed Mar 3, 2010 · Steering · 20,000 miles · PA

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. While attempting to turn the steering wheel in either direction, there was a hesitation in the vehicle responding to driver input. The dealer replaced the power steering motor in an attempt to correct the failure. Later, while turning the vehicle in either direction, he heard a clanking noise coming from the steering wheel. The dealer added grease to the steering wheel to correct the failure, however the repairs would only last temporarily and he would have to continue having grease added in order for it to function. The dealer stated that the failure would persist for the life of the vehicle and once the vehicle reached 32,000, the repairs would be at the owner's expense. The failure mileage was 20,000 and the current mileage was approximately 32,000. The VIN was not available. Updated 08/13/10. *lj updated 08/23/10

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Power train: automatic transmissionReported April 30, 2014 · 1,131,113 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.
Risk
If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the ‘PARK’ position, the transmission may not be in ‘PARK.’ If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1‑800‑553‑6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.

Recall number 14V224000 · Recall details

Power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (PRNDL)Reported September 18, 2012 · 426,240 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.
Risk
If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1‑800‑521‑7300.

Recall number 12V460000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu hesitation

Is hesitation when accelerating a common problem on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu?

6 of 989 owner complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu (1%) mention hesitation when accelerating. The model year with the most reports is 2010.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu?

There are 2 recalls and 75 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu

Power steering loss 100Door locks 92Check engine light 57Jerking 56Headlights 49Steering lock-up 43Loss of power 41Airbag light 31Stalling 26Engine failure 23Won't start 23Adaptive cruise 22Fuel leak 19Steering noise 18Fuel pump 15Pulling 15Fuel smell 14Key fob 13Won't shift 13ABS 11No deployment 10Harsh shifting 10Grinding brakes 9Knocking 9Fuel gauge 8Ball joint 7Fire or smoke 6Warning lights 6Transmission failure 5

All model years of the Chevrolet Malibu

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