# 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX — SEATS
> NHTSA complaint `866720` · 2011-07-12 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** CHEVROLET
- **Model:** MALIBU MAXX
- **Year:** 2004
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** SEATS
- **Miles at failure:** 129,282
- **Speed:** 55 mph
## Narrative
WHILE DRIVING OUR 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX WITH A 6 POSITION DRIVER SEAT, I HIT A POTHOLE AND THE DRIVER SEAT BROKE LOOSE. THIS CAUSED THE SEAT TO DROP DOWN, BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. THIS RESULTED IN A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL CAUSING ME TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND ENDING UP OFF THE ROAD AND HITTING A SMALL TREE. THE CONTACT TO THE TREE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TRIM AROUND THE HEADLIGHT AND THE LENS. INSPECTION FOUND 2 WELDS ON THE SEAT FRAME HAD BROKEN. THE 1ST WELD IS ON THE FRONT CROSS BAR AND RIGHT FRAME RAIL. THE 2ND WELD HAD BROKEN ON THE REAR CROSS BAR AND THE FRAME WHERE THE SEATBELT RECEPTACLE IS ATTACHED. WE CALLED THE CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE AND WE WERE TOLD THAT CHEVY HAD NOT HAD RECEIVED COMPLAINTS ABOUT BROKEN WELDS ON THE SEAT FRAME BUT WOULD BE HAPPY TO RECORD OUR CONCERN. WE TALKED TO THE DEALER AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I ASKED ABOUT RECALLS AND TSB'S REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND WAS INFORMED THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALLS OR TSB'S REPORTED ON THE SEAT FRAME. IN FACT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME OUR LOCAL DEALER HAD EVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. REPAIR FOR THE SEAT ALONE WILL BE OVER $1,000 NOT TO MENTION THE OTHER DAMAGE CAUSED BY RUNNING OFF THE ROAD.I CALLED IN OUR AREA AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THEY COULD NOT KEEP SEATS IN STOCK.  INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)  *TT
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*