Water leaking and running into spare tire compartment in truck. Due to no recall alert and dealership won't do anything, now my dome light shorts out and water stain on ceiling liner by rear window.
Chevrolet Malibu water leak problems
71 of the 19,367 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Malibu describe water leaks into the cabin, most of them for the 2016 model year.
- owner complaints
- 71
- worst model year
- 2016
- typical repair cost reported
- $695
- typical mileage
- 51,796
By model year
Often reported together
Stalling 4Won't start 3Loss of power 3Headlights 3Door locks 2Check engine light 2Steering lock-up 1Slipping 1
Trouble codes mentioned
P0317 1
What owners say
My car should be included as part of special coverage since my car is leaking also: GLOBAL SAFETY FIELD INVESTIGATIONS DCS5111 URGENT - DISTRIBUTE IMMEDIATELY Date: August 7, 2019 Subject: N192210570 - Special Coverage Center High Mount Stop Lamp Water Leak Models: 2016 – 2017 Chevrolet Malibu To: All General Motors Dealers General Motors is releasing Special Coverage N192210570 today. The total number of U.S. vehicles involved is approximately 252,825. Please see the attached bulletin for details. Customer Letter Mailing The customer letter mailing will begin on August 21, 2019. Global Warranty Management (GWM) The Applicable Warranties section on the Investigate Vehicle History (IVH) screen will be updated August 7, 2019. Please hold all warranty transactions until IVH has been updated. END OF MESSAGE GLOBAL SAFETY FIELD INVESTIGATIONS
Water was leaking through the center high mount stop lamp and pooling into the spare tire well. Water was also soaking through the rear headliner. Condensation was building up inside the vehicle due to the pooled water and water soaked headliner. Condensation buildup inside the vehicle with numerous electrical components is not safe. The vehicle has been taken to the Galleria Chevrolet dealership in Dallas, Texas for repairs. Galleria Chevrolet failed to repair the issue even after giving them notice of the service bulletin [XXX] Center High Mount Stop Lamp Water Leak. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that she became aware that the trunk was damp and wet. The contact stated that after having a flat tire, she noticed mold on the rear windshield. There was half-inch of water in the trunk. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the third brake light was leaking, and water was leaking into the vehicle. The mechanic informed the contact that the headliner and rear seat was wet. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.
I noticed some staining in my vehicle head liner and a nasty musky smell about an hour after I washed my vehicle. I do know there is a recall on the third brake high stop lamp for same model different Vin associated. My vehicle has the same problem and this can cause malfunctioning to the rear of the vehicle due to the water leaking into the car and on the wiring ov the vehicle. Seats get wet, headliner is stained and gets wet, rear deck gets soaked as well. 3 of my bolt fasteners have broken and I have a temporary fix on it.
I notice water leaking inside the trunk and roof, after carefully checking the outside car i have found a cracked 3rd brake light( rear), no accident , no impact nothing happened.
I purchased a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu LT for my son Memorial Day weekend in 2019. The first night we got the vehicle home it rained overnight. We checked the trunk and found water in the trunk. After a search online we found that this was a known issue for the Malibu yet Chevrolet/GM did not issue a recall. After putting pressure on the dealership that sold the vehicle to us they agreed to send us to a Chevrolet dealership to have the issue fixed at no charge. Last Monday, April 24, 2023, my son was driving his vehicle and the StabiliTrak came on and his car would not accelerate. He took the car into the dealership and they determined his pistons were cracked and it would be $6,900.00 to repair the pistons/engine. After doing an internet search I found a letter on a commercial attorney's website and on the GM website that was sent to Malibu and Cruz customer's in 2017. The piston damage was a known issue. The letter from 2017 stated it was a misfiring of an ECM module that could lead to piston damage. Owners of the Malibu and the Chevy Cruz were given to March 31, 2019, to come in and have the module reprogrammed and new oil placed in the vehicle. We bought the care at the end of May 2019 so there was no way to know of this issue. There was no recall so the information was not readily found. I did not find out this was a known issue until I did the Google search last week. I have reached out to Chevrolet and filed a claim. Chevrolet at first said they could maybe pay 20% for the repairs. They should be paying 100% due to the fact they knew of the issue and should have issued a recall.
Battery charging system is faulty. Drains battery and alternator shuts off. Car and other components shut off. Third brake light brakes when car is lifted or jacked, causes safety issue and concern. Worst part is cause expensive property damage to interior of vehicle from water leaking in.
I purchased my car a lil over a year ago with carmax and as of this winter time & all the rain storms my car has recently starting leaking water from the top of my car to back from the backseats to my trunk to the point I had to take everything out of my backseats and trunk because it’s soaked with water….I have to vacuum water out of my trunk in the spare tire cabin because it’s full of water & now my car is starting to smell mildew due to all the water. I’ve noticed this issue a couple weeks ago but now since it’s been constantly raining I’m having water inside my car every single day.
The contact called on behalf of his daughter who owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that his daughter informed him that she had noticed moisture on the inside of the windows and the front and rear windshields. Additionally, the contact stated that the third brake light was not properly secured in place. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the third brake light needed to be replaced. The contact also stated that there was water leaking into the trunk. The contact stated that upon investigating the cause of the failure, he determined that the water leak might have originated from the third brake light. The contact stated that the failure had caused mold to develop inside the vehicle. The contact related the failure to GM Technical Service Bulletin Numbers: 20-NA-126 (Water Leak in Rear Compartment) and PIC5822E (Water on Front Floor and/or Carpet). The dealer informed the contact that the owner was responsible for the cost of the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
Related recalls
Structure: frame and members
- What is wrong
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The front impact bar, a structural portion of the vehicle frame, may not be properly welded to the front frame rail.
- Risk
- An improperly welded front impact bar may result in the front crash sensors not performing correctly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the right-hand and left-hand side of the vehicle's motor rail for an incomplete weld. If the condition is found, the vehicle will be repurchased by GM. Owner notification letters were mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020.
Recall number 22V923000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Malibu water leak
Which Chevrolet Malibu years have water leaks into the cabin problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2016 (18 complaints), 2017 (14 complaints) and 1998 (5 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix water leaks into the cabin on the Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $695 (median of 6 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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