Caitlyn Maloney

I bought my '07 Chevy Malibu in October 2016 with 68,000 miles on it. I don't really know anything about cars but the people I brought along with me told me the car checked out.

After I took it home only then did I realize that the side power mirrors do not work, the pull down overhead mirror lights do not work, and you cannot lock the car doors from the passenger side. Now I'm having periodic problems with my power windows. They were working until all of the sudden now when they go down, you can't roll them back up and if you try to push down all you hear is this buzzing sound. No other switches for the windows work on any of the doors either when it's doing this- but the locks on the driver side still do. This is the 3rd time it's happened and the first 2 times they eventually just rolled up. And I don't know if this is relevant but the seatbelt dinger, even when all the seat belts are buckled, CONSTANTLY dings- I swear it's maddening. Also, I have come to realize that when I turn on my back window defroster, the radio gets extremely staticy until you turn it off, but also I don't know if that is relevant either.

I really would appreciate if someone could give me advice as to what to do. I had the car checked out at Jack Williams where they put it on the diagnostic computer and checked the car out fully and they claimed there was nothing wrong with the car as far as they could tell but clearly something is wrong. Thank you so much in advance!

Update: I tried to roll up the window while the door was open and to my amazement, all the windows began to work. But when I closed the door, they once again stopped working- I'm so confused.

Gravydog316

My guess (only a guess,) but maybe it had water damage (?); with a bunch of electrical issues like that. i don't think you should spend money on it.

Gravydog316

i had a 2005 malibu, but the only problem i had was that the rear doors wouldn't latch & stat closed in the cold; i traded it for a 2008 'bu.
I would suggest you drive it for the rest of winter, then trade it.

Caitlyn Maloney

One of my friends has brought up that possibility too, but I never thought much into it or had it checked out but maybe I should. There's just so many things wrong with this car including things I didn't list but even that's just constant front end/ steering issues. So I think I probably am going to look into that possibility.

tech2

its a stretch to say the car has water damage due to some electric faults.

When you take it to a shop...the faults must be active. If the fault is intermittent, they will not be able to find a fault.

the window issue sounds like broken wires in the a-pillar. the wires flex when the door opens; over time the stranded wires break. opening the door moved the wires into contact.

Gravydog316

yeah, get rid of it in the spring.
Don't waste any money on it.
the money you spend could be used for payments on a newer vehicle

Gravydog316

Yeah, but thats a lot of problems at one time.
must have been something major, i would say

tech2

the windows, locks and mirrors all work though the master switch on the drivers door which all pass though the a-pillar....one fix for all of these

that leaves:
- the seat belt buzzer may be a bad switch in the buckle or bad grd?
-the buzzing from the rear defroster could be a bad radio suppresion condenser....more info needed.
-not sure what a pull down overhead light is referring to...sunvisor light?

Really??? scrap it for 3 most likely simple fixes?

buying something else will cost a whole lot more. If the trans, engine and body are in good shape and the problems posted here are the only issues; you'll be fine.

Gravydog316

Yes, but the key word is "if..."

tech2

better than scrap the car its under water

never seen anyone on the side of the road from a bad interior light, seat belt switch or buzzy radio.