Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 10 of 16 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
16 reports
Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 2014
Power Train
TRANSMISSION STICKS WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN GEAR CAUSING IT TO STALL AND JERK. BACK DOOR LOCK CONSTANTLY LOCKS AND UNLOCKS EVEN WHEN NOT IN USE. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY IRRITATING. THE GLASS HATCH UNLOCKS AND OPENS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD EXPLORERS. THE GLASS HATCH GOES UP WITHOUT WARNING AND SOMETI…
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TRANSMISSION STICKS WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN GEAR CAUSING IT TO STALL AND JERK. BACK DOOR LOCK CONSTANTLY LOCKS AND UNLOCKS EVEN WHEN NOT IN USE. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY IRRITATING. THE GLASS HATCH UNLOCKS AND OPENS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD EXPLORERS. THE GLASS HATCH GOES UP WITHOUT WARNING AND SOMETIMES ENDS UP SLAMMING DOWN WHEN DRIVER HITS THEIR BRAKES OR SOMETHING, CAUSING THE GLASS TO SCATTER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10662727
60,000 miles · Nov 20, 2014
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY AFTER THE KEY WAS TURN INTO THE ON POSITION. THE CONTACT STAT…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY AFTER THE KEY WAS TURN INTO THE ON POSITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY HAD TO BE REPEATEDLY JIGGLED IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). HOWEVER, THE RECALL REMEDY INDICATED THAT ONLY THE KEY WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH AND CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA ODI #10659809
Mileage unknown · Nov 19, 2014
Electrical System
2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY RECALL. *TGW THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10653306
70,000 miles · Nov 6, 2014
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other
2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC ENGINE FAILS TO START. GM PASSLOCK THEFT SYSTEM INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHES, AND STAYS LIT. VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO START AND STRANDED DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. KEY FEELS LOOSE IN IGNITION. TRIM SURROUNDING IGNITION REMAINS LOOSE FROM MULTIPLE SWITCH REPLACEMENTS. SAME ISSUE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED BEFORE. VEHICL…
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2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC ENGINE FAILS TO START. GM PASSLOCK THEFT SYSTEM INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHES, AND STAYS LIT. VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO START AND STRANDED DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. KEY FEELS LOOSE IN IGNITION. TRIM SURROUNDING IGNITION REMAINS LOOSE FROM MULTIPLE SWITCH REPLACEMENTS. SAME ISSUE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED BEFORE. VEHICLE DIAGNOSED AND DOCUMENTED AT GM SERVICE CENTER AS HAVING A FAILED IGNITION SWITCH FOR THE SECOND TIME. VEHICLE HAD TO HAVE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED 2 TIMES AT OWNER'S EXPENSE FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF OVER $1200. ALL PARTS AND REPLACEMENTS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED AT THE SAME GENUINE GM SERVICE CENTER. RECOMMEND IGNITION SWITCH RECALL FOR SAFETY AND RELIABILITY ISSUES. FIRST REPLACEMENT OCCURRED IN 2008. SECOND SWITCH REPLACEMENT REQUIRED IN 2014. VEHICLE PART OF RECENT GM RECALL #:N140350 FOR UNINTENDED KEY ROTATION. REMEDY WAS PERFORMED ON THE DAY OF IGNITION SWITCH REPLACEMENT NUMBER 2; WHICH INCLUDED "INSERTS" FOR THE KEY RING SO THAT IT GOES FROM A "SLOT" DESIGN TO A HOLE DESIGN AND 2 SMALL 13 MM RINGS. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS IS A FAILED REMEDY THAT CAN BE FOUND IN GENERAL MOTORS TSB # 05-02-35-007A AND WAS PERFORMED ON SIMILAR MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. THIS SOLUTION OR REMEDY FROM ENGINEERING DID NOT ULTIMATELY PROTECT DRIVERS AND OPERATORS FROM UNINTENDED KEY ROTATION. THIS SO CALLED RECALL REMEDY IS A PREVIOUSLY KNOWN FAILURE AND CAN BE FOUND IN PUBLIC DOCUMENTS CONCERNING GM IGNITION SWITCH LITIGATION. WHY IS GM ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT A FAILED DESIGN WHEN IT COMES TO HANDLING THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALLS. IF IT DOESN'T WORK IN 6 DIFFERENT GM VEHICLES, THEN WHY WOULD IT WORK IN THE 1997-2005MY CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC? THIS IS DECEPTIVE AND A CLEAR INDICATION THAT GM DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10653221
Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2014
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HAD EXCEEDED THE REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE DESCRIBED IN THE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HAD EXCEEDED THE REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL.
NHTSA ODI #10643503
69,300 miles · Jul 24, 2014
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS SEDAN PRESENTED HAS NOTICEABLY WEAK AND INEFFICIENT HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS POSING A SAFETY ISSUE. THE FOG LIGHTS ARE NOT EFFECTIVE IN MILDLY FOGGY DRIVING CONDITIONS AT ALL. IN FACT DUE TO SUCH POOR PERFORMANCE, IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO DISCERN WHETHER OR NOT THE FOG LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. HEADLIGHT PE…
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2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS SEDAN PRESENTED HAS NOTICEABLY WEAK AND INEFFICIENT HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS POSING A SAFETY ISSUE. THE FOG LIGHTS ARE NOT EFFECTIVE IN MILDLY FOGGY DRIVING CONDITIONS AT ALL. IN FACT DUE TO SUCH POOR PERFORMANCE, IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO DISCERN WHETHER OR NOT THE FOG LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. HEADLIGHT PERFORMANCE IS POOR WITH MARKEDLY DECREASED LIGHTING EFFICIENCY IN CITY DRIVING AND ON WET ROADS. THE VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS DIM AND OR FLICKER WHEN THE DRIVER DEPRESSES THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE OR COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. CONCERN THAT ON COMING TRAFFIC CAN'T DISCERN BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW BEAMS OR A CONFUSION FROM THE UNINTENDED DIMMING/FLICKERING. VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN CHECKED WITH NO PROBLEMS FOUND. ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR CHECK OK, NEW BATTERY CHECK OK, SERPENTINE BELT AND PULLEYS CHECK OK, ALL BULBS, FUSES, AND FUSIBLE LINKS CHECK OK. NEW BULBS TRIED, BUT NO INCREASE IN LIGHTING OUTPUT. VEHICLE TAKEN TO GM SERVICE CENTER IN ZANESVILLE, OHIO. SERVICE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE WITH CUSTOMER PRESENT. SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE PERFORMANCE ISSUE WAS BASICALLY "NORMAL" AND A COMMON CONCERN AMONG MANY CUSTOMERS. SERVICE TECH. WENT ON TO SAY THAT BRAND NEW GM VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, IN FACT HE STATED THAT THEY ARE WORSE. 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS LIGHTING/ELECTRICAL PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. VEHICLE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT DUE TO THE LIGHTING. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10615974
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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