Why does my Chevy Malibu hesitate during acceleration?

You did not mention weather the car has an automatic, or manual. I am guessing an auto, so here goes.

If you hold the transmission in first gear until you are above the 35Kph, does the sensation of slipping go away? You may have a transmission problem. Is the fluid low? Is the fluid dark, and cloudy?

If you have now ruled out the trans, could your fuel filter be old and dirty? What about the air filter? Good luck.

Good point Bob,

The car is automatic and I should have said that from the get go. I have tried it in 3rd gear and it does slip. Though it does not "slip" all the time, just most of the time. I will try first gear and see what happens.

I have checked the fluid level. It is ok but I do not know the colours of the fluid. I had the transmission fluid flushed at 120,000km. Should it be flushed again?

I changed the fuel filter and air filter at 150,000km.

Thanks

Compare the color of new fluid, with the color of yours. I would try some transmission additives at this point, I fear the damage may be done, and a rebuild is inevitable.

This is a common problem with the malibu and has a seemingly unrelated cure. This problem can usually be cured by cleaning the mass air flow sensor. It is really easy to clean. The mass air flow sensor is located between the air cleaner and throttle body. You can get a can of mass air flow sensor cleaner at any auto parts store. You will need a screwdriver and a T-20 TORX security bit to remove the sensor. Once removed just spray the sensor clean and let it dry. DO NOT TOUCH the sensor. Very easy to damage and about $120 to replace.

The transmission is labeled as a sealed transmission and is hard just to check the fluid level. Here is how you check the fluid level since there is no dipstick (can we assume a designed dealer service design) the check plug is on the passenger side of the car. It's near the axle on the underside where the tranny wraps around the back of the engine. It's a pipe thread plug and looks like a pointless bolt. Just remember to have the engine running and the tranny in park when you check it. Also, it must be warm. If oil runs out put the plug right back in. If not add about four ounces at a time. Don't forget to put it back when you are done.

To add fluid, remove the red add fluid cap is on top of the chain/side cover which is underneath the exhaust crossover in front of the air valve. You can use a turkey baster with the bulb removed and use a funnel into the baster which I placed into the add fluid hole after removing the red add fluid cap. While it is a better to have one person adding fluid while the other is underneath yelling stop when the fluid starts to run out of the inspection hole, add about 4 oz at a time.

It is a real pain trying to get the cap back on when the manifold is hot. The first attempt usually winds up with a burn on your hand (wear gloves), and losing the cap behind the transaxle. WARNING: Here's the kicker when that happens-you can't shut the car off or it will spew oil. So you need to raise the car while it's running to try to get to the dropped cap. Be careful on this one.Hope that helps and good luck.

My wife has a BMW with the "sealed" transmission. I thought that was the most insane transmission check procedure I had seen, But the Malibu seems to have me beat.

My check plug was tightened by that 800 pound gorilla. The open end wrench would not grip tight enough to break it loose. Could not use a socket because the shift cable is less than an inch away from it. I had to drop the pan full of fluid out to be able to use a socket on the plug. Then I did not have enough leverage to hold the pan without twisting it while using unough leverage to break loose the plug. I had to put the pan on the ground, have someone stand on it, and then use a breaker bar on the plug to get it loose. Have you heard the story about the monkey and the football?

At least when I had to fill it, I could do it by myself.

If this is the one with the Chevy 350 motor with electronic ignition, you may need a new water pump. Don't ask me why, but they put the ignition's chopper behind the water pump. If the pump leaks, water gets on the chopper and causes hesitation while accelerating. Same thing happens to Corvettes of those years.

Could you explain "...ignition's chopper..." please ? I'm new here. Is it an American phrase ? Altough I haven't added to my profile yet, I'm English, and finding it rather hard to grasp some of the many American exressions.

Sure. Chevy at that time used this weird form of electronic/mechanical ignition. To get a pulse, they put a light in front of a photo-diode. A wheel of blades rotate between the light and the diode, turning the circuit on and off very quickly.Not the best design, but the wheel of blades was referred to as "the chopper."

Anyway, a lot of this stuff is located behind the water pump. If the pump develops a small leak, it will get on those ignition parts and cause exactly what you describe... Going along pretty much OK, then accelerate and your engine gets all rough and stupid. I'll bet it happens more on a really hot day, too.

Thank you vermin, that's cleared it up for me. I'm not sure what the English term is, but 'chopper' is an excellent descriptive, now that I understand what it does.

Warm regards, Darling.

Check the coil packs on the cylinders.

This was my 1st assumption. Newer cars have coil packs on each individual spark plug. When one begins to fail that cylinder will either get a weak, delayed, or no spark. The others will operate normally so you'll still "go" but the engine will sound rough and have reduced power. An auto transmission and torque converter is programmed to operate at the rated HP. It will want to upshift during acceleration but will stall when doing so and quickly downshift producing a rough jerky ride.

This scenario will not necessarily trigger a CEL. I'd think a bad MAF as mentioned above "should" throw a code.

You are all wrong! The problem is that little bow tie shaped thingie on the front. Quickly take it to a Ford dealer and trade it for something with a nice blue elipse...

And by all means hurry. There has been a run on those Ford 500s. The demand is so great that they had to use another name to get the public to buy them.

My 1999 Pontiac Grand Am did that and I replaced spark plugs/wires and it turned out the distribitor cap that holds them in place was cracked. Towards the end the engine had a slight knock and shudder though. Hard to hear without listening close.

My 2001 Malibu does this too and I can't seem to pin-point the problem. On mine it makes a difference if the car is using more fuel (i.e. going up a steep hill). Does yours also do this? Did you get the water pump changed?

Yes it does and especially if the car is cold. This problem will not go away.

I found out that if I take my foot off the gas pedal and then reapply it, then the hessitation goes away. I have taken the car into a mechanic but it doesn't hesitate when the mechanic takes it for a drive.

I changed the water pump at 180,000Km. (I now have 230,000Km). All the lights on the dash board at now lit :) but the car runs fine.

I have been told it may be some type of relay/solinoid/senor that is dirty or faulty. Hey, I'm not spending any more money on this car.

Broo I have exactly the same problem and the same car , by eany chance did u fix the problem ? And if u did how did u do it? Well thanks for ur time ...

My 1997 mallibue does the same thing, this my sound crazy but if I accelerate faster it sounds like crap but it shifts up and down. Then after i do this for a while it will start going smoother the rest of the drive. I used to just let up on the gas a little because it sounded so horrible, but my mechanic (certified chevy mechanic) told me that he can't find any problems with the transmission, and he did eveything possible to fix it a lot of what you all suggested. But it is still running like that and has been for three years. It may be a crappy car but i love it because it hasn't left me stranded, unlike the ford tuarus i had before.

I'm curious. Our car is doing the same thing but also the speedometer seems to go crazy at the same time this "slipping" thing happens! Any ideas fellas? Already replaced the fuel injectors, and the 02 sencor. Hope you guys can help she'd some lite on this. It's our only car and depend on it every day

Have you checked the transmission fluid?

My 2011 reaches 30-40 mph then raises engine kicks back in regular mode thereafter

Is it normal for my 2005 chevy malibus rpm gage to stay at the two while going down a hwy at like 60 mph? If i push tje gas it rises a little bit but does not go any lower then the 2.