RENTAL: Chevy Malibu - Fatal Flaw

Was in Dallas TX last week and my rental was a Chevy Malibu. I was IMPRESSED! That's a fun car to drive and fit five large adults comfortably. The acceleration in it was almost instant - Because that's how you drive a rental car, right?

So there I was in Dallas on Loop 635 on the north side of town headed back to Love Field Airport. Amazingly the speed limit here is 70. I was shocked. Traffic does 85 easily. I'm in the far right lane because at 85 I'm the SLOW CAR and not wanting to go faster in a town I'm not that familiar with any more. On the left I'm getting passed like crazy.

We top a bridge and am on the down hill side (blind side) when traffic comes to a stop. I stopped with ease and no evasive maneuvers. Checked the rear view and there's no one behind me. So I hit the infotainment system to start a voice to text telling people I would be late when the collision alarm in the car sounds. I look up behind me to see and hear an F350 Work Truck with a Ranch Hand Bumper squealing tires to try and stop in time.

The text that was sent was "Hey I'm in traffic and OH JESUS MUTHER F**** AHHHHH!!!! NO NO NO NO!"

I pointed the wheels at the median and punched the gas. This car has instant acceleration and I'll skip out on this accident by not being here when it happens. BUT THE CAR DIDN"T MOVE. I had enough time to look back twice and harden every muscle in my body for impact. Then the car rolled a little and then lurched me onto the shoulder.

The truck stopped in my space just barely. Enough that it would have been a rear end but not catastrophic.

When I returned the car they said that was because of the collision alarm / too close to the car in front of me for the amount of pedal I was giving it (all - pretty sure I dented the floor board). It assumes you are plowing into someone else and DEACTIVATES THE GAS PEDAL.

F-You Chevrolet.

 

I work for Enterprise and I honestly can’t stand a lot of the collision avoidance systems that the rental cars have. One annoying feature of the Malibus and other Chevrolets is that they will randomly make you buckle your seatbelt in order to shift out of park; I always wear my seatbelt when I’m on the road, but see no point in doing so when I’m moving cars around on the lot.

Chrysler Pacificas and most Nissans have overly sensitive automatic braking systems. It is really annoying when I am trying to back into a space, and Nissans practically give me whiplash because the faking system thinks that a bush is a solid obstacle. The Chrysler minivans will assume that I am about to back into traffic because the rental branch is right on a busy intersection and roads are directly behind the parking spaces. Luckily, the collision avoidance systems can be shut off in most vehicles!

Automatic engine shutoffs are super annoying when sitting in traffic, but luckily it can be shut off in most vehicles. I drive rentals through speed traps on a fairly regular basis, so I will set the cruise control. One time, we got a RAV4 back with a massive crack in the windshield. Because the RAV4 had this laser guided cruise control with sensors in the windshield, the cruise control would shut off at random!

 

These systems will be coming to all new cars in the next few years. You can thank the government and possibly idiotic drivers for the increased "safety" devices.

When I pull cars on my lift sometimes the car will slam on the brakes and almost put me through the windshield if I don't remember to shut off "Parking Support Brake".

 

I drive a 2010 Tacoma and my girlfriend drives a 2002 PT Cruiser. I had backup cameras installed in both vehicles. What else do you really need?!?!

 

The rear collision alert on my wife's Pilot beeps constantly as she backs out of the garage between the edge of the door and my truck. So naturally, she ignores it. If she's ever not lined up correctly for some reason, it's not going to help prevent her from hitting something.

 

On some of our newer cars (Lexus), the car won't move if the door is open.

 

Not to mention the BAC monitoring systems..

 

You can thank the general public and government for all the nannies on everything anymore, people can't be bothered to pay attention when operating vehicles or machinery so we keep having to come up with ways to protect them (and others around them) from themselves and we keep buying the garbage so they will keep making it.

Sure things like backup cameras, ABS, VSC and such are generally a net positive but we have gone far beyond overboard with collision avoidance, automatic braking, not letting you roll with the door open, lane keep, etc.

 

nannie tech sucks and is probably more dangerous than cars without it

 

My wife’s new Q3 with lane assistance is quite uncomfortable. If you have to make a sudden lane change, it fights you. When driving it lulls you into s sense of carelessness by guiding the wheel to keep it in the lane. On long drives I find loosening myself grip on the wheel without realizing it.

 

Just another day in TX. Houston and DFW have some of the highest rates of traffic injury/accidents in the country. In 2023 not a single day went by in Dallas without a traffic related fatality

 

What doesn't help matters is while they are adding all the nannies they are also adding more distractions with all the giant infotainment screens.

Make cell phones that won't do anything but make a call when they are moving over a certain speed, it would never happen but that would stop the majority of distracted driving.

 

Wait, wut… Deprive drivers of ticktock when doing 80MPH?

 

Makes sense, bumper to bumper traffic doing 85+ it doesn't take much to cause a giant pileup.

That's why I'm glad I'm nowhere near any major cities and have no desire to drive around any of them.

 

we need to ban vehicles outright!

 

Its just my opinion that lawmakers (you may call them politicians) won't get out of bed unless someone pays them, that being insurance and /or tech Cos selling stuff and can use laws on their sides to make us buy them. Goes back to the first airbag invented in '73 and put off being required 'til 20 yrs later...then very quickly discovered as a great cash cow. "People are scared of dying and will pay anything to be safer" has worked. Id still drive a Cobra though.

 

I hate Chevys in general. My buddies dad has a Malibu that randomly will set off the check engine light for a "sensor" that doesn't even exist.

My dad's Cruze has had transmission issues since day 1 even after getting it rebuilt a few times under warranty. It also will go into limp mode for no reason.

 

My new civic cuts throttle often for the dumbest reasons. It's definitely almost gotten me into an accident a few times. Can't pass someone on the highway without the car freaking out.

 

Driving in Houston is insane. You could be in the center or right lane(s) going 75-85+ doesn't matter.. you will get passed on the right by a clapped-out Altima with a smashed window, paper tags and the bumper falling off

 

It’s always an Altima or a beat Rogue.