Malibu Maxx Skylight Sunshade "Fix"

[wpbharry]

Thanks to a clever poster in Edmund's Town Hall, last night I read that a LOT of Maxx owners are having a problem (especially this time of year) with the sunshades staying closed. Mine stayed closed for less than a week.

Pull the sunshade across, insert the tab, FACING THE SKYLIGHT (i.e. rotate it upwards so it's parallel with the skylight) and push the ENTIRE TAB back into the opening. There is room enough to insert a finger to grab the tab and pull it back out at a later time, so don't be scared to do it. It's worked so far today (and I encounter 4 speedbumps going back and forth to the house).

I gather it's a problem related to expansion of the plastic when it's in sunlight....

[DMaxx]

Works great!

[wpbharry]

Worked for a week. Now, I've given up. When the temp clears 90 (frequent in South FL this time of year), the plastic surrounding the skylight gets too soft and even the fix doesn't work. I'm reporting it tomorrow, since the car goes in for its first set of problem resolutions (see other threads for details).

[DMaxx]

Interesting... it's been no lower than 101º for the past 5 days here... just got back from a friends where the car sat for almost 3 hours in it and not had one problem with your fix.
One interesting note; the car seems cooler inside if I leave them open.

[wpbharry]

Chevy is apparently working on a permanent fix. Not sure what the status of that is, but will know shortly.

Don't laugh; a week ago Sat., was driving through a construction zone on I-95 when both snapped open at one time. Really, if I didn't know what it was, I easily could have smacked into the concrete barrier. Made me wonder if NHTSA should be involved. Sounded like a bolt of lightning hit the car.

[DMaxx]

I remember the first time mine let go! I though I ran over a brick and it hit the floor of the car! Both my wife and I turned around....

[wpbharry]

Posters in Edmunds Town Hall are encouraging members to register their VIN# at:

http://www.mygmlink.com

to complain about the sunshade issue. Otherwise, it may never get a fix.

That goes for any other unresolved complaints as well.

[bwolter]

[quote=wpbharry] I did what wpbharry suggested and I've not had a problem since with the sunshades. They are still closed. Even after banging my head on the inside of the glass one day. BTW, watch out for your domelight. Mine had a loose connection and then I heard a shorting sound. Took 3 days for part.

[wpbharry]

Chevy has issued a TSB on this issue. The new fix consists of reinforcing the moulding around the skylight (with cardboard, I hear).

Like several other issues, although the fix was made known to me in Sept., I've been unable to return the car for service since I shattered my knee in the aftermath of Hurricane Frances on 9/9 and can't drive until around XMAS. Hope to get the car in in Jan. Will report back, although I've heard that the shades stay closed just fine now that the weather has cooled. Next summer we'll know.

[indiswe]

I had to register just to say this so I hope it's worth it. I too have thought about trying to modify the plastic bracket that the shade goes into (with some sort of sheet metal) but haven't needed to yet. Instead, I went to a hardware store (Ace) and bought 4 gromets for each of the 2 pegs on each of the sunshades. What are gormits some might ask? They are similar to washers, but thicker. I think I bought ones that were 3/16 of an inch diameter on the inside hole (the diam of the peg on the shade) and I think they only are measured by that size. They are pretty cheap (around a buck or two for 4 of the gromets) and work quite well (meaning, the shades still pop open, but around 95% less times). It's a little squeeze to get the shade locked in but not too hard.

Hope somebody else can make use of this idea.

[wpbharry]

Interesting idea.

This whole subject has been controversial in other Web Forums since I last posted about it. Turns out, to reinforce the molding around the skylight, the Service Dept. has to remove the ENTIRE HEADLINER, which has led to innumerable problems. Posters report inop dome lights, inop sunroofs, leaking sunroofs, leaking hatches, loose moldings (other than the skylight), etc. And the '05s leaving the factory right now have the reinforcement that turns out to only work marginally.

Bottom line for me is, that while it now looks like I won't be driving until late Jan. (very slow recovery), I don't intend to have them fixed. I'm just gonna leave them open all the time and if a rear passenger wants to close one or both, let them.

I'm beginning to wish that Chevy had made the skylight optional and that mine didn't have it. Too late for that.

Has anyone had the dealer TSB work done???

[Old Lar]

Discouraging new abot the Maxx's sunshade. I'm looking at the Maxx as a replacemnt car maybe in 06 and I hope that problem is fixxed. I have a retractable sunroof in my Buick and rarely have it open or uncovered. Too hot in Florida.

Is the skylight a standard feature?

[wpbharry]

Yes, it's standard.

Rumors swirl about Chevy giving the Malibu a "restyle" (not a complete overhaul) for the '06 or '07 model year to counter lackluster sales, especially of the Maxx. Styling of the front end (sedan and Maxx) is questioned by many. (Wonder who was on the consumer clinic that let the current design go....) Styling of the rear of the Maxx is questioned by some, but I think it's just market dislike of hatchbacks.

In any event, maybe Chevy will do something about the skylight frame surround then. Don't count on it; it seems to be a nasty glitch. Chevy has come up with fixes for all the other first-year glitches that I'm aware of, but not this one.

I'm in FL too. And NOT happy.

Obviously the Maxx was not appropriately hot-weather tested before Job #1 left the factory.

[wpbharry]

In true fairness, Old Lar, I rode around in the backseat of my Maxx today (being chauffer-driven by a best friend) and really noted that the Maxx is such a clever car. Everywhere you look are special, unadvertised touches. It's really a nice ride, with power to punch.

Of course, this time of year, the sunshades (which are semi-transparent - a durable net-like material, unlike the sunroof shade) are at their best being open. Guess the decision will be if you and your passengers can stand the heat for 6 months of the year (and you can stand the distraction when they snap, LOUDLY, open). Very clever car, and a conversation piece, otherwise. I still get a "What's That?" after 6 months.

[Yodavader]

I had considered trading in my Civic for one of the new Malibus. I drove the Maxx version , they are now greatly reduced in price with GM's Red Tag sale taking place. The one I drove was marked down to $15,776 - a hell of a lot of features for the price! Even remote start. There was one marked down to $14,661 .

If the rear sunshade is the worst problem I would have to contend with it would not bother me since I rarely have rear seat passengers. Any other problems common to the new 04 Malibu Sedans or Maxx hatchbacks?