I'm having the same problem on a 2003 Chevy Suburban. It started last year. At first the mechanic changed the throttle body wire harness. It happened again the same day I picked it up. Then he said it was an electrical problem and he re grounded a couple of things. The problem stopped for a few months and now it's back again. It is very scary when I'm driving with my kids and this happens. At first it seemed as if it only happened on the highway but now it's happening all the time. Sometimes 3 or 4 times when I drive it. It's very frustrating and I don't feel safe. If anyone finds an answer, please let me know

 

This Malibu has been undependable, unsafe, and a VERY DANGEROUS VEHICLE! Every Sensor, Module, Indicator Light, bell/whistle, has had issues, including both the Air Bag Sensors. now the ESC Engine Failure Reduced Power Issue, almost killed my family and I on the FREEWAY!!! This problem has persists for 2 weeks now, after the Courtesy Chevrolet Dealership insists that a "New Battery" would completely "FIX" all these Problems! $150.00 Battery, now the problem persists every time I start, drive, get on the street, and now the freeway. I was also instructed that once the new battery was installed to clear the "Engine" Light indicator, was to disconnect the battery cables for an hour, then reconnect. Yes the Engine Light indicator went off, for only a short while, then suddenly appeared again, with the ESC Engine Failure and Reduced Power issue, just idling in the bank ATM drive. I cannot drive this vehicle. I proceeded to try and reset the Engine Light, and that again failed, and that's when my Family and I where struck with this persistent problem on the FREEWAY! I cannot rely on this vehicle. I have to drive 19 miles to work and back and I have children I have to take to school!
i am paying $240.00 per month on a car that I cannot drive. What do I do? Along with all these other dissatisfied, terrified, and unhappy Chevy owners, who do we call to get assistance? I am printing this thread and taking with me to the Dealership today. I am disgusted and astonished that Chevy has not recalled this car and all vehicles that have this LIFE THREATENING, VERY DANGEROUS, ENGINE POWER ISSUE when this was first brought to their attention 2013!?

 

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Chevrolet 1,445 Chevrolet Malibu 70 Repairs & Maintenance 4,557 Engine 937 2011 8



This has happened to me 4 times in the past two weeks, and I am honestly lucky to be alive. I have a 2011 Chevy Malibu with 58,000 miles on it. My husband and I just moved from Dallas to Atlanta, so I have had to make several trips back and forth to handle things with our home in Dallas. The first time this happened, I was about 70 miles outside of Atlanta going 70 MPH on the highway surrounded by 18 wheelers. Suddenly my traction light and service engine light came on and the reduced power notification came on, the car slowed to about 10 miles an hour very suddenly and the car was shaking violently. The 18 wheeler behind me could not stop fast enough and the only reason I was not hit was because I was able to veer onto the shoulder. Terrified, I sat on the side of the road for several minutes after turning the car off. I started it again and it began driving normally, but the service engine light stayed on. Since I was pretty much in the middle of nowhere and it was extremely dark, I got back on the road again to get home. I made it to Atlanta, but the same thing happened again when I was entering the city on the loop. I basically coasted home. We took it to Goodyear the next day because that was the closest place. They told us it was the gas pedal sensor and charged us $265 to replace it. The car seemed to work normally until a week later I was back in Texas when the exact same thing occurred when I was going 60 MPH on the highway. Luckily, I was close enough to yet another Goodyear to coast in. They told me there was a frayed wire on the throttle body pigtail and they replaced that for $113.40. Again, the car seemed to work normally for a few days until I was again on the highway, this time in Jackson, MS and the same situation happened again. I was able to coast into a Chevy dealership this time. Here they told me that the problem was the Engine Control Module and they replaced it free of charge saying it was under warranty. Since I spent all day there, I was now faced with driving to Atlanta in the dark, not trusting that this would not happen again. Thank God I stopped in Birmingham and got a hotel room, because the whole thing happened yet again. I got it towed to a Chevy dealership the next morning, and because it was now Christmas Eve, no one would even look

 

I have a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu that I bought certified pre-owned a few years ago. The car now has 50k miles on it and it's falling apart! A few months ago my ESC light turns on so I take it to the dealer $800 later and a week in the shop I am relieved it's over, but nervous this will turn into a trend.

Fast forward a couple months, last weekend I was driving in STL about to merge onto the highway and as I accelerate the ESC and engine light appear and my car starts shaking violently. Luckily I make it to the side of the highway instead of getting run over by a semi; as I sit on the side of the road trying to catch my breath from my near death experience I see a message that says reduce engine power. Now I'm scared. I drive the 10 miles to my sisters place at 30mph because it wouldn't allow me to go faster (yes still on the highway).

It's the weekend so I can't get it into the shop until Monday. At 7 am I get the car in and they tell me they are busy but will work me in, and if they couldn't they would let me know. At 4:15 I get a call saying they didn't get it in but MAYBE tomorrow. After an hour on the phone upset with the service I recieved I borrowed a car and drive the 4 hours home.

I then get a call that the pedal accerator needs to be replaced and it would cost $600. So for the second time in the last 3k miles my car is in the shop and I'm left high and dry! I went on to Chevrolet's website to chat with customer service and I had good initial contact. He opened a case and contacted the dealership and I was under the impression I would know the outcome of Chevrolet assisting in the repairs that day. I never heard back and so I contacted them. This time it was a different representative and she notified me that my application for assistance with repairs was denied. She couldn't explain why and after chatting for a while she abruptly, and without my consent, closed the case and ended the chat!

So here I am again. Extremely disappointed in the customer service I have recieved, and stuck with a car that keeps falling apart. A car that is three years old and had 50k miles.

Chevreolet you are about to lose a customer.

 

While on my way to work, suddenly my traction light and service engine light came on and the reduced power notification came on moments later, the car slowed to about 10-20 mph(like it almost died but still running) and the car was shaking. I could not accelerate, I coasted into a parking lot and it was idling rough. I shut it off, waited a few moments and started it like nothing happened. I was scared and just wanted to get home and borrow another car to get to work. I was less than a mile away from home, and managed to get it home. While returning home it did the same thing but, it added a new code disabled engine. I have read these forums, and I don't have extra money to waist on replacing parts that do not fix the problem. It seems to be a common issue with Gm, I don't want to be giving the run around with BS reason, I want to fix my car.

 

I have the same issue with my 2001 Malibu. It only happens when the temps are under 25 degrees. I do not know what to do. I am a single mother with one vehicle. My car does not start anymore since this morning! My child is at day care and I am at work. No family anywhere in the near vicinity. I called the dealer that I purchased it from and NO help at all. Engine Power Reduced/ESC Off/traction

 

It could be 1 of many things, but like the other guy who has been posting - it might the electrical connections to the computers.

 

I have a 2011 malibu and
I had the same thing happen to me, but one thing before it happen was different from you. I had replaced a fuse for my rear defroster the morning befor it happen, the fuse had burnt so bad that it melted the plastic, I thought wow ok now I have a rear defroster yay!!! Well not yay! That evening I was driving and it happened! yes all the bells and whistles lo ding ding, message after message.. I called my brother and he said take out the fuse for the rear defroster, I was like huh! Um ok so I did, and that fixed my problem. It appears that the throttle body is connected to the fuse box and I have a short in the one to the rear defroster, that's why the fuse was melted! When I put the new fuse in it sent the bad signals and stopped my car! I hope this helps anyone having this issue

What a relief because I just spent 1200$ for a new fuel pump last month. New cars are made cheap and don't last as long as they used to.

 

I was driving home from work last night in my 2008 Chevy Uplander and this happened. I live in Wisconsin and we just had a snow storm. I was on the freeway and the roads hadn't been plowed yet, so wasn't a great time for this to happen! I couldn't go any faster than 20mph, and still had two miles to go before reaching the next exit. I did make it off the freeway and pulled into a parking lot to call my husband. He told me to take side streets home and put my hazard lights on. I tried turning the car off and re-starting it. I couldn't leave it off too long because it's been bitterly cold (below zero, windchills of -30!), so I started to get cold. After re-starting, the check engine light remained on and I couldn't accelerate. That was the scariest ride home I've ever had.
This isn't the only issue I've had. I've had constant issues with wheel hub sensors on TWO different cars. This disables ABS & traction control as well. It happened 4 times on my last car, and 4 times on my van. Every time I take it in, they tell me I must have run over a stick or something and it snapped the wire. I've run over sticks 8 times? Really? I'm not buying it anymore. It's not like I'm off-roading in my mini van.
I have been VERY disappointed in GM. I really don't understand how there haven't been recalls on vehicles for this issue with all these complaints. I had the dealership send me documentation of all my service appointments for that same issue, but not sure where to take the next step. One thing I do know is that I will never buy another Chevy/GM.

 

I replaced the throttle body yesterday. And it seems to be working just fine. Right now. I have power again