Hey there...I read your post & I cannot believe it! I thought I was the only one out there with a brand new (well practically brand new) Chevrolet....that just seems to be more of a nuisance than a dependable vehicle to feel safe in! I'm really sorry to hear about all of your troubles with your Malibu & I hope they DO get the car running smoothly again soon.
As for me, I have a 2010 Malibu LT...I bought it brand new from a Chevy Dealership. I didn't want to go through the hassle of getting a loan & having car payments, so I just bought the car. I wanted a new, dependable, warrantied car...that was gonna keep me & my daughter safe on the New England roads, especially in the winter! Anyhow, fast fwd....
I didn't get to enjoy my "new" car for very long.
When I took it in for the 2nd oil change at my dealership (where I purchased the car) the service 'boy' who took my keys to move it into the garage, actually got into a collision with a Surburban that happened to be barreling through the lot as he was backing it out of the spot. I guess he didn't take the time to look both ways. Needless to say, he was 'let go.' My car was sent to the Collision Center to be repaired, free of charge (the entire rear bumper had to be replaced and one of the tailights, and some other minor stuff. They also provided me with a loaner car. I was quite upset, but at least they took care of everything for me.
Well, wasn't long after that, I started having problems w/the car.....one of them being the noise you had described when you drive over a bump! It is quite a rivoting feeling when it happens....it urks me to the core....I've tried to tell my dealership about it & they just look at me like I have six heads! They ended up saying that my brake pads needed dusting....there's a name for it, I just forget what it is (and it costs a pretty penny, too) but I refused it, as I know enough about cars to know that it DEF WAS NOT DIRTY BRAKE PADS!
So anyways, besides other minor things like radio wires somehow not being connected anymore, windshield wiper settings being outta whack, paint chipping off the seams of the car & a recall here & there....it seemed as if things were going pretty well for the next 36,000 miles. And then....the "bomb" dropped! The car wouldn't shift into gear & the engine made a noise like a high-pitched power-drill (that's the only way I can think to descibe it....sorry, I'm a girl....can't get too descriptive). Now, mind you....I've mentioned to the dealership numerous times about it "slipping" while trying to shift into 3rd and 4th, but they just replied with "oh yea, it's the way the new cars are now....these new engines are electric transmissions....they have to get used to the way YOU drive the car." OKay, so I guess it was MY fault then....
then they said I'm better off just waiting for something to happen because it would be covered under my warranty! Well, what do you know, it HAD to happen in the dead of winter, right before Christmas! It was a nightmare!
So my car was towed, in the dealership for a week, diagnosed....they said it was the solonoids....well, they were wrong! Had to keep it another week & order a whole new transmission! Got it back and guess what? It's now February & my car is out in my parking lot, in non-drivable condition! SAME THING AS BEFORE!!! When the car gets up to 20mph & tries to shift, the entire car starts to shake...it's so scary! I'm terrified to drive my own car, that I threw down close to $32,000 on the table for, hoping I could keep me & my daughter safe....in this so-called #1 selling automobile!
I was gonna have it towed this morning back to the dealership, but to be honest with you, I'm not even sure I want to go back there! I just don't know what to do!!!