The defect
GM IS RECALLING 77 MY 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 103, "WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEM." THE HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIRCONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEM MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE BLOWER WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND THE MODE SELECTOR WOULD REMAIN IN THE LAST KNOWN SETTING.
The risk
IF THE WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO FOG OR FROST, THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH AIRFLOW TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD, RESULTING IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE HVAC CONTROL HEAD MODULE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON DECEMBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM .
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Malibu | 2009 |
Components: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Malibu | 2009 | 1,509 | 5 |
Other visibility recalls in 2008
14 of the 683 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2008 concerned the visibility; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 08V606000 18 Nov 2008 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 08V538000 14 Oct 2008 | BUELL MOTORCYCLE CO. |
| 08V455000 9 Sept 2008 | CHRYSLER LLC |
| 08V456000 9 Sept 2008 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 08V410000 14 Aug 2008 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 08V386000 6 Aug 2008 | MOTOR COACH INDUSTRIES, INC |
| 08V237000 28 May 2008 | VAN HOOL N.V. |
| 08V169000 11 Apr 2008 | HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.) |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2008