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Anonymous Posted on Oct 24, 2008

2005 Chevy Malibu Maxx - Electrical Problems?

I have a 2005 Chevy Malibu Maxx (87,000 miles) with what appears to be a ghost! My power door locks "go crazy" by locking and unlocking themselves continuously. This happens while driving, parked, and even with the car completely shut off. I have often locked the car at night, and come out in the morning to find it had unlocked itself. This is an intermittent problem that will occur for a few days, then not happen for a week or so... repeat.

Also, the power lock buttons on both driver and passenger side do not work - I have to manually lock all 4 doors. I can unlock the doors from outside using a key, but cannot lock them in this manner. This problem occurs consistently, whether the "crazy ghost" is at work or not.

I believe there may be a connection to another problem with my battery dying when the doors are left open or accessories are left on for 5-15 minutes without the car running. This happened consistently for a few weeks, but has "magically" stopped.

In addition, my front passenger turning signal lamp will not work. The bulb has been replaced twice. The first time it worked for 3 days, then blew again. The second replacement bulb never worked once.

Could all this be related? Hopefully a simple wiring problem or short somewhere?

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  • kalischr Jan 02, 2009

    I had the same ghost in my 2005 Malibu. I finally had enough and removed the fuse for the power door locks. After a few weeks of having to teach my teenagers how to lock and unlock a car door manually I just got fed up and put the fuse back in. The evil spirit has left my car for three months now and hasn't returned yet. Knock on wood.

  • Anonymous Jan 28, 2009

    My problem turned out to be a faulty power door lock in the passenger door. I got a new button (and a new battery) and the problems has gone away.

  • malowner Mar 03, 2009

    I have a similar problem, during the middle of the night the alarm with it's flashing lights and horn blasting would come on all by itself then reset itself and sometimes come on again a few hours later. Then another time the interior dome light would come on in the middle of the night and stay on until we relock the doors.

    Also we have replaced the front left drivers side blinker light twice and the right one once as well as both rear bulbs and the Left front head light.



    A cd is now stuck in our cd player and will not reject and everything is running hot and both the yellow plastic covers to the front parking lights have small holes burnt in the very top of them. Don't know what is causing this, but I will have to put the car into the shop sometime this week.

  • cookie30 Mar 25, 2009

    My problem is the same....I have appro 56000 miles but have has this problem for two years. It starts then stops all by itself...Is there a fix?? Thanks

  • chrissles Apr 22, 2009

    i will come out to a locked car when i didnt lock it the night before. the doors lock and unlock themselves while driving.



    yesterday when i started the car, the sound of the turn signals were on, but no lights flighing... then the horn would beep on its own, while driving!



    I have had MANY problems with this car. The usual theft system problem( the light is still always on!)



    this 2001 malibu will be the death of me

  • Marvin
    Marvin May 11, 2010

    I would suggest you use live chat, your problem is to complicated for any expert to answer correctly on this free forum

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  • Posted on Mar 27, 2009
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Hello I am not sure if this is the exact fix but I was having the same problem and I took my Malibu in to be checked and it appears to be a problem inside the steering column. When I turn the steering wheel it makes the door locks go crazy!! So although this is not a fix it may be a place to look for a frayed wire or a short in the wires. I am taking my Malibu in on Monday to be checked. Good luck to all having the same problem.

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  • Posted on Jan 23, 2009
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First I would check the fuse panel relays if one is bad it can maintanin a closed circuit when it should be open. I would check the main ground for corrosion as this may vary voltage input. The fact that your locks power off and on I believe is in relation with the computer module. This could explain alot to do with the things happening. Have your codes pulled at auto zone they do it for free or a local car parts place, this may help diagnosis.

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  • Posted on Nov 29, 2012
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I have the exact same problem as CountriGurl. I have a 2005 Chevy Malibu that I finally paid off at the beginning of the year. The gas guage went out on it about 2 years ago, but the price i was quoted to fix it was almost $1000.00 and I am a single parent, so I have had to make due without a gas guage. I run out of gas pretty regularly. The CD player no longer works. The automatic locks stopped working about a year ago, and about 2 months ago, the car's locks started going crazy clicking and clacking and unlocking and locking constantly while i am driving, and even while I am out of the car and in the house. My car is always unlocked now, because if I lock the doors, they will manually lock and unlock themselves for up to 30 minutes after I have shut the car off. It is so annoying. Once, it caused my battery to die. I dont know what to do, I dont have a lot of money to spend because I work two jobs to take care of my child and I am barely making ends meet as it is. I hope someone can offer a good solution. I am so tired of this car.

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  • Posted on Aug 12, 2010
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2005 Malibu same problems. When the unlocked doors are opened the alarm sounds. When the car is started and put into drive there is a single beep. The locks lock and unlock on their own both while driving and while the car is shut off. The lock buttons in the car do not work. Also my cd player will not eject cd's.

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Anonymous

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  • Posted on Mar 05, 2010

SOURCE: 2008 chevy malibu. cannot unlock doors from dirver

Intermittent door ajar switch contacts.

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Anonymous

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  • Posted on Apr 18, 2009

SOURCE: Power door locks won't unlock + tailgate won't open

your issue involves the master control switch panel on the drivers side and or the passenger side as well some how the contact inside the switch assembly has either shorted out or no longer makes contact for the unlock side of the circuit. replace the drivers side panel switchs it's either a series of switc hs or mostimes one sigle board of switchs. you are better off going to an auto parts store rather than a GM dealership this will save you quite a bit on cash on the parts. now as to the rear tailgate. if it is electronic controled and there is an issue with the master switch you can,t manually unlock it because of a safty issue built in the system. you can manually unlock the passenger compartment doors for thew same reasons of safety but doesn't apply to the tailgate. just replace the parts and this will take care of the problem

Anonymous

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  • Posted on Sep 19, 2011

SOURCE: 2008 chevrolet malibu door lock problem

My girlfriend has a 2008 Malibu. The door locks began to falter one by one until three of the locks had to be operated manually or by using a key. I checked the fuses, the BCM and the lubrication on the locks. The door lock actuators were the real problem. She was quoted about $1000 to fix the problem and replace all three of the bad actuator/ door lock assemblies through the dealer. I called and got a price of $125 for the front door and $105 for each of the back doors from the dealer. I was able to fix all three door locks in about three hours myself. It took a few star end bits, a 10 mm socket and a regular phillips screwdriver to get the job done. It has been two weeks now and she is ecstatic that the problem has been fixed and she saved about $750. This seems to be a common problem with this car, when ordering make sure you have the VIN number of the car you are working on to ensure you get the right part. Depending on the year of the vehicle there was a production date split for these parts.

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