The Chevy Malibu Still Exists and It's Being Recalled

When was the last time you heard about the Chevy Malibu? It’s easy to forget that the car still exists, but it does, and there’s an interesting new recall for the 2022 and 2023 models.

General Motors is recalling 2,108 Malibus for improper welds on the front impact bar, which could affect how the front impact sensors work in a crash. The automaker said, “the sheet metal blank for the front frame rail outer panel was improperly loaded into the die by the supplier, resulting in a front frame rail that was cut 10 millimeters short of its intended design.”

If a dealer inspects the car and finds the defect, GM will buy back the car instead of issuing a fix. This is likely because of the structural nature of the improperly welded parts and the expense it would take to fix them. It’s also possible that the problem is impossible to restore to a reasonable quality standard. Rumors of the car’s demise have swirled in recent times, so this is not a good sign for its fortunes in the future.

Though recalls are nothing to celebrate, there is a small silver lining for GM. Rather than discover the defect after an accident or problem, a GM Quality Engineer recognized the issue and reported it using the company’s Speak Up for Safety (SUFS) program. The company analyzed the effects on safety sensors and took feedback from subject matter experts. 

[Image: Chevrolet]

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