Two problems related to brake pedal and linkage have been reported for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu based on all problems reported for the 2004 Malibu.
Several times when the vehicle was driven through any more than a couple inches of snow the front brakes have temporarily seized up and won't grab. The back brakes grab immediately when brake is applied. I have slid sideways around curves on a couple of occasions. The only way to free the front brakes is to slam the pedal down as if it was a panic stop. I bought this car last summer, so this is my first winter driving it.
Brake pedal suddenly had no resistance. It happened when the vehicle was in park so there were no consequences. If it happened while driving, there would be no way to stop the vehicle. Upon visual inspection, the brake pedal pushrod was disconnected from the brake pedal. The cause appears to be that the brake pedal pushrod retainer was missing.