2010 Chevrolet Malibu: doors won't lock, open or latch

Filed Aug 8, 2024 · FL

The front doors on the car lock and unlock them selves and often you have to climb into the backseat from the front seat to exit the car. This is a serious danger if you were in an accident or the car was on fire. Hi I am [XXX] and it’s almost impossible for me to climb over the seats the way the cockpit is made. When the car locks itself it’s impossible to unlock the car using the door locks inside by pulling them up or using the key in the drivers door nothing works. The car can be completely locked and hours later maybe the next day the drivers door will be open on its own. This is happened several times in the rain soaking the driver seat. The only way to unlock the doors if they lock on their own it’s to play with a key fob pressing lock unlock maybe 100 times and you might get lucky and it unlocks. I spent three days once before I could enter my car using the key fob as I explained earlier. The door came open one time while the car was going forward and luckily I was in a Walmart parking lot or there’s no telling what would’ve happened. When the car was shifted into drive the door locks clicked down but that still did not stop the door from opening. I purchased the car two months ago for $7000 and the dealer is going to do nothing they stressed as is. I have read online there are thousands of these complaints for the same thing and GM has not acknowledged the problem to date. Complaints I have read also stated they have done different repairs to the doors which are quite costly but they were to no avail. This seems like a very serious and dangerous problem being trapped inside a car especially in Florida where I live and the temperatures in a car can reach 140 degrees. If the car is running you can’t even exit the back doors once you crawl over the seats it has to be shut off. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Mar 17, 2023 · Locks · MI

Front Driver and Passenger door can not be opened from the inside or outside. Locking mechanism doesn't work. I've tried Unlocking the door with remote, button in the car, manually in the car and sticking the key in the actual door itself. When I pull on the handles nothing happens. You can hear the actuator working inside the doors, and the manual door lock knob goes up and down, but neither front door can be opened. The passenger side had the issue first, but I rarely have passengers in my car so I left it alone. Now, the driver side does the same thing. I've tried everything I can think of to get the door opened, but it does not work. I can not even get the inside of the door panel off to look and see what's wrong because the door is closed. This is a serious safety issue because I would not be able to get out of the car in an emergency. As of right now, the only way to get into and out of the car is climbing out through a back door.

Filed Jul 20, 2021 · Locks · 196,000 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the front driver’s side door would not open from inside or outside the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 196,000. The VIN was not provided.

Filed May 5, 2020 · Driver assistance, Lights · 35,000 miles · TX

In 2012, we were driving along and attempted to back into a parking spot, when the car refused to reverse. It started going slower than the usual speed limit, so I didn't know what to do. I pulled out to head home, but the car didn't get much speed, nor would it reverse at all. I had it towed and the transmission was burned out. I'd only had the car less than 30,000 miles. Chevrolet repaired or rebuilt the transmission. A year later, I was pulled over due to the tail lights not working. 2016 the car wouldn't pick up speed again. I had it towed and the transmission had burned out again. We got it rebuilt a second time and now the lights, wipers, door locks, and windows aren't working again either. Obviously there's a manufacturer issue that needs reviewing on this year malibu.

Filed Jan 31, 2020 · Body · 100,000 miles · NJ

Front passenger side door won't open. The door will not open using either the interior or exterior door handles. This has happened before and I can usually get it working by opening the door window and manually locking and unlocking the door while simultaneously pulling and releasing the exterior door handle. Somehow this reestablishes the electrical connection and it will open. It is a safety hazard.

Filed Jan 22, 2020 · Body · 88,000 miles · MI

Front door locks mechanism seizes preventing them from opening either from inside or outside. In case of an accident, occupants will be trapped. I had to change both front doors at 5 years of life and then again at 8 (drivers). Both times original oem parts. Invoices are available upon request.

Filed May 30, 2019 · Body · 78,000 miles · MI

Driver side front door failed to open back in august 2015, front passenger side door will now not open as of 5/30/19. So as of right now, neither front door will open. Pulled into a parking garage and tried exiting thru the passenger side ( like I have the last 3+ years) and door would not open. Had to climb out thru the backseat.

Filed May 13, 2019 · Electrical · WI

The door lock gets stuck. The doors will lock by themselves. If you are in the car when this happens you will get stuck in your car for hours or you will have to crawl threw the window to get out. You can use the key to unlock the door, the lock does show in the "upright" position showing that it is unlocked, but the latch in the door does not unhook. This has happened about a half a dozen times in the last year, you never know when its going to happen either making this awful situation even worse.

Filed Feb 24, 2019 · Electrical · 156,000 miles · NY · 1 injury

Door locks not working right , people inside vehicle unable to exit unless they climb out the windows as doors seem to unlock but wont open from inside or outside the vehicle . This is a issue because in the event of the crash you wouldn't be able to open the doors to escape . Dealership says my car is fine but I have to climb in and out of the window each day for work .

Filed Oct 31, 2018 · Body · 87,000 miles · NJ

Door locks don't unlock the doors trapping occupants inside the car. Manual or electrical don't work. Modules are defective, and manual lock pull does not work either. Vehicle could be running or not running-still does not work. If you roll down the window and try the outside handle, still does not work. Solenoid, in the doors make a sound like the doors unlock, but they don't. Maybe one in the back will work, but very difficult to get out of the car. Your stuck with no options to get out. This is a very sever safty issue and needs to be address. Tried to but the car in drive, and back into park and turn off the car multiple times with no luck. Tried to rock the door lock switch does not help. Believe the modules are defective. Door pulls for unlocking the doors should still work, even if the power was lost. They do not. Tried while the vehicle was moving and stationary. Because I was stuck in the car, I went around the block wondering if it was a charging problem. It's not, after going around the block and pulling back into the drive way, they still did not work. When car was turned off and tried to unlock the doors still did not work. Had to check the back door and found it finally worked. Had to crawl over the front seat and crawled out that way. Was stuck in the car for 25 min. Could not do anything.

Filed May 8, 2018 · 88,649 miles · PA

So I'm putting the car in park the driver side door would not unlock you can't use the key fob you also can't use it inside handle to open it or the outside and it'll stay lost 4 days and then unlock itself it'll be okay for a few days and then the same thing happens all over again this is a safety issue if you can't get out of your car in a hurry when there is an accident or you need to to me this is a safety issue you never know when it's going to happen it can be working fine you can go into the store you can come out you can't get in the car or you can get in the car to come home and I can't get out of the car yes I bought my car used from tregembo motors and of course that part's not under warranty I've looked at all the reviews this is a been a known problem for years and gm is aware of it they need to fix it this isn't the first time I've been locked in or out of my car this has been going on for over a month

Filed Apr 16, 2018 · Body · 99,300 miles · MI

At random occasions, the front door latches will not work. Last november, the front passenger door did not open even after attempting to open it manually and using the power door lock switch. This morning, I had two issues with the driver door. First, it would not shut until after I used the button to manually lock the door ("used" meaning I pulled it up and pushed it down several times in quick succession). Then, after I parked my car, the driver door would not open until after pushing the button up and down several times, using the remote a couple times, rolling the window up and down, and pushing the button up and down again. I wonder if humidity and/or moisture may be affecting the doors' ability to function, as it had rained and/or snowed on both occasions; however, the weather has not affected the doors on other cars I have used to such an extent. The issue with doors not opening/shutting as expected has been documented by other 2008-12 malibu owners on various websites and should be investigated immediately.