[K-A]

So a couple of weeks ago I parked my car on an inclining road, typical parking spot, where the sewage route naturally forces the cars right wheels to be a bit lower than the left wheels. This is a popular road where many cars park, and I've parked there before.

When I opened the door, I felt it "rubbing", like the whole frame of the car was flexing a bit, so it was misaligned. However aside from an obvious rough rub, it closed. It really has me wondering, because I'd expect that from an old, flexing, weak structured car, I wouldn't expect what is supposed to be a pretty strong car, to flex like that? Malibu posts great Safety scores, so I hope and assume the structural integrity of this car is very solid, however this situation has me spooked.

Now, all of a sudden, my door just bounces right off of the car when I close it, doesn't latch at all, unless I really SLAM it. I don't know if it's a simple latch thing, or if it has to do with the above mentioned?

 

[bballr4567]

Honestly sounds like something is wrong with the hinge. Usually when a door doesnt latch it the hinge either coming loose or like you said, the chassis bending. However, there is no way that its bending just by being parked.

Id call the dealer and see what they say.

 

[K-A]

Honestly sounds like something is wrong with the hinge. Usually when a door doesnt latch it the hinge either coming loose or like you said, the chassis bending. However, there is no way that its bending just by being parked.

Id call the dealer and see what they say.

Yeah gonna take it in tomorrow hopefully.

Weird thing is that there's no doubt, when I had the car parked on that uneven surface, the door was rubbing against the frame (i.e the surface made the door slightly unaligned), I opened and closed it tons of times with shock. It felt like if you've ever opened the door of a car that has been in an accident, and has a slightly misaligned door, or fender, etc.

Since then, parking on normal surfaces, the door opens and closed fine, no rubbing, however now this latch thing. I am just wondering if they are related as well.

 

[bballr4567]

That is interesting. Make sure you really explain to the tech what is happening. Im sure they can jack up one side of the car and recreate the problem if its as bad as you say it is.

 

[DrivenDaily]

Mine was like that off the showroom floor. It turned out to be a defective latch. Looked like some plastic had come loose and was blocking it, but I didn't get a real close look. With the latch replaced it closes just fine and has for a year. The only real sticking points were that they didn't adjust it to line up like it was from the factory (smooth line from front to back door in mirror, now sticking out a bit) and they got grease and oil all over the inside and outside of the car.

I like the car a lot but the service crew is amateur. (That's Bob Hook on Bardstown Road in Louisville, KY, if anyone from GM is reading this.)

 

[K-A]

Yeah that was the same problem with mine, they fixed the latch too. Interestingly I always noticed when looking at the chrome strip under the windows from the rear view mirror that the doors were a bit uneven (not a perfectly smooth transition from front door to back), I figured it's just how GM built the car, now I'm wondering if it's any different since I got the latch thing done. I'll check.

 

[K-A]

BTW, the tech said about the doors "rubbing" when I was opening them on an uneven surface (i.e frame & chassis flexing significantly it would seem), that it's "normal with cars". Hmm, I don't think so, maybe on the floppier built cars of the 70's and 80's, but with a car as rigid as I'm assuming and hoping the new Malibu should be, I don't think that dramatic of a flex should happen anywhere a high force impact wouldn't be occuring.