Chevrolet Malibu

Issue: On certain vehicles, the protective coating on the rear suspension toe links may chip away. If this happens, the metal can rust and the toe link could break. A broken toe link can affect vehicle stability and could cause a loss of directional control. Note: This recall is an expansion of Transport Canada recall 2020-615. This recall only affects vehicles that were originally sold or ever registered in areas of heavy road salt usage (Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador). Safety Risk: A loss of vehicle stability could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: General Motors will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners.

Issue: On certain vehicles, the start-stop accumulator in the transmission may be missing bolts. As a result, transmission fluid could leak and eventually cause the transmission to stop working. If this happens, there could be a loss of power to the wheels. Safety Risk: A transmission fluid leak onto a hot surface can create the risk of a fire. Additionally, a loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: General Motors will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the transmission start-stop accumulator. It will be replaced if any bolts are found missing.

Issue: This recall is for aftermarket replacement rear window glass produced by Vitro Automotriz. Certain rear window glass may not have been properly tempered. If the window breaks, the glass may separate into large pieces instead of very small ones. Note: This is a voluntary recall that is not being conducted under the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Safety Risk: Glass that breaks in to large pieces could create a risk of injury. Corrective Actions: The company will notify consumers by mail and instruct them to inspect the designation code marked on the rear window glass. Products affected by this recall have the designation “DOT 287” along with the lettering “VMR” (Replacement Market) and a date code that is before July 2019. This information is printed on the bottom corner of the glass. Consumers should contact Vitro's customer service at 1-412-995-6457 or argbacklites@vitro.com to arrange for replacement of the glass.

On certain vehicles, a problem with the rear brake system may cause gas bubbles to form in the brake fluid. This could cause a soft brake pedal feel and a reduction in brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will bleed the rear brakes.

On certain vehicles, a joint on the high-pressure fuel pump may have been improperly welded during the manufacturing process. Over time, this could cause the weld to crack and create a potential fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could increase the risk of fire, causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump and high-pressure fuel pipe.

Certain vehicles may fail to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 114 - Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention. The Electronic Park Lock (EPL) lever in the steering column electrical assembly may have been damaged during manufacturing. As a result, the ignition key could be removed when the vehicle’s transmission is in a position other than park. This could cause unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will inspect the vehicle and, if necessary, replace the key cylinder lock housing.

Certain vehicles may not comply with the side impact protection requirements of United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 214, which is voluntarily-adopted in Canada. The two weld studs that mount the front and rear side impact airbag (“SIAB”) inflators to the seat frame may fracture and separate during airbag deployment. If the vehicle is involved in a crash that warrants side airbag deployment, and both weld studs were to fracture, the inflated cushion may not remain in its intended position and may separate from the seat, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. Correction: Dealers will inspect and replace the affected side airbag modules as necessary, which may include any combination of left, right, front, and/or rear side airbag modules.

On certain vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seat belt to the vehicle structure at the front outboard seating positions can fatigue over time and could separate, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. Correction: Dealers will replace the outboard lap anchor mounting bracket to relocate the tensioner 30mm rearward and inspect and repair or replace the lap pretensioner, as necessary.

Certain vehicles equipped with electric power steering may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving. If the power steering assist is lost, a message is displayed on the Driver Information Centre and a chime sounds to inform the driver. Steering control can be maintained, as the vehicle will revert to a manual steering mode, but will require greater driver effort. The sudden change in steering may increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly with a redesigned one. Note: This recall is an expansion of recalls 2012-331 and 2014-104. Vehicles having already been repaired under the previous campaigns do not require re-inspection.

On certain vehicles, a defect in the ignition switch could allow the switch to move out of the "run" position if the key ring is carrying added weight or the vehicle goes off-road or is subjected to some other jarring event. If this were to occur, engine power, power steering and power braking would be affected, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. The timing of the key movement out of the “run” position, relative to the activation of the sensing algorithm of the crash event, may also result in the airbags not deploying in a subsequent collision, increasing the risk of injury. Correction: For each key, dealers will install two key rings and modify the key ring opening shape. Note: Until the correction is performed, all items should be removed from the key ring.

Certain vehicles equipped with a 2.5L engine and Auto Stop/Start fail to comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 135 - Light Vehicle Brake Systems. If the vehicle experiences a complete loss of brake vacuum assist, the hydraulic boost assist can be disabled, which would cause the vehicle to fail to meet the requirements of the standard. This would also increase brake pedal effort and vehicle's stopping distance, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will update recalibrate the electronic brake control module.

On certain vehicles equipped with 4 speed automatic transmissions, the shift cable could fracture without warning. If this occurs, the driver may not be able to select a different gear position, remove the key from the ignition, or place the transmission in the PARK position. If the driver cannot place the vehicle in the PARK position and exits the vehicle without applying the parking brake, the vehicle could roll away, which could result in a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will install a revised shift cable and mounting bracket.

Certain vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions may fail to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 102 - Transmission Control Functions and CMVSS 114 - Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention. The shift cable adjuster may have been damaged at time of assembly and could disengage, causing the transmission to remain in a gear position different from the one indicated in the instrument panel. If the shift cable were to disengage while driving, upon stopping the vehicle, a driver could move the transmission range selector lever to the PARK position and remove the key, without the transmission being in PARK. If the parking brake is not set, the vehicle could roll, potentially resulting in a crash increasing the risk of injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will inspect and install a revised adjuster and clip if necessary.

On certain vehicles equipped with 8-way power adjustable seats, the seat wiring may chafe against the seat frame and cause a short. This could result in unintended seat movement, inoperative seat adjustment, sparking under the seat, smoke and/or fire. These issues could increase the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect and repair wiring as necessary.

Certain vehicles fail to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 102 - Transmission Control Functions. The console shift indicator, in rare circumstances, may not illuminate the shift position selected and the positions in relation to each other during a key cycle. The illumination returns with a new key cycle. Correction: Since this non-compliance condition does not pose any safety risk, no corrective action is required.

Certain vehicles equipped with electric power steering may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving. If the power steering assist is lost, a message is displayed on the Driver Information Centre and a chime sounds to inform the driver. Steering control can be maintained, as the vehicle will revert to a manual steering mode, but requires greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds. Unless a driver compensates for this additional steering effort, loss of power steering assist may increase the risk of a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Vehicles will receive a special extended warranty coverage for a period of 10 years/240,000 km, whichever occurs first, from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, regardless of ownership. Under this special coverage program, for 2005 & 2006 model year vehicles, dealers will replace the steering column. For 2008 model year vehicles, dealers will replace the power steering motor control module.

Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 102 - Transmission Control Functions. The indicator light of the PRNDM provided to identify the transmission shift position is not activated under certain circumstances when the ignition key cylinder is in a zone between the ignition “OFF” detent and the accessory “ACC” detent when the engine is off. This condition can occur if the vehicle operator rotates the key cylinder toward the “OFF” detent while the engine is running and the shift lever is in a position other than “PARK”. This will result in the key cylinder hitting a stop which prevents it from being fully turned to the “OFF” detent position. At this key position, electrical power has been disconnected from the shift lever position indication light because the key cylinder has been rotated beyond “ACC” detent and the electrical switch contacts have opened. If this sequence of operator actions were to occur, the shift lever position indication light would not be illuminated and the vehicle transmission would not be in “PARK”. If this condition were present, the key cannot be removed from the vehicle because the transmission is not placed into “PARK”. If the operator exited the vehicle in the condition described above (leaving the key in the ignition), an audible warning to the driver would activate whenever the driver's door is unlocked and opened. Correction: A production change has been undertaken to remedy the technical non-compliance. No corrective recall action is required as the technical non-compliance is deemed to be non-safety related.

On certain vehicles, in hot ambient conditions, the accelerator pedal arm may stick at the attachment to the bracket and not return to the engine idle position when the operator removes the actuating force from the accelerator pedal. If the accelerator pedal does not return to the engine idle position, the throttle valve will not close, which may result in an increased stopping distance. Correction: Dealers will inspect the accelerator pedal arm and, if necessary, replace the accelerator and brake pedal assembly.

On certain vehicles, analysis of a side impact test indicated the outboard anchorage of the driver's seat belt could disconnect because of contact between the seat trim and the anchorage connector when the seat was adjusted to its lowest position. If this occurred in a crash, the driver could receive greater injuries. Correction: Dealer will install a retainer between the latch spring and the latch spring guard on the anchorage - driver and passenger side.

On certain vehicles, the hazard warning switch may experience solder joint cracking if subjected to rapid temperature transition. If solder joint cracking occurs and results in an open circuit, the turn signals/hazard lamps become intermittent or inoperative. Correction: Dealers will replace the hazard warning switch.

Certain vehicles do not comply with the requirements of CMVSS 208 - Occupant Restraint Systems in Frontal Impact. Vehicles were built with an English only sun visor air bag label. Correction: Dealers will install an English /French label over the existing English label.