MY TURN SIGNALS DO NOT ALWAYS WORK. APPARENTLY THERE IS A FAULTY HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH THAT SHORTS OUT AND CAUSES THE TURN SIGNALS TO NON FUNCTION. I WAS READING ON THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS WEBSITE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MALIBUS. *NM
2003 Chevrolet Malibu
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 310.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Malibu years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
429 reports with mileage · 140 unknown
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 289 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 85 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
289 reportsWHEN DRIVING AFTER A RAIN NOTICED THERE WAS WATER IN RIGHT REAR TAILLIGHT. WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT STARTED WAS TO DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL AND RESET THE COMPUTER . WELL THAT WAS GREAT EXCEPT YOU MIGHT NOT WANT THE CAR STARTED THEN BECAUSE EVERYTIME YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE THE RADIO SHUT…
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WHEN DRIVING AFTER A RAIN NOTICED THERE WAS WATER IN RIGHT REAR TAILLIGHT. WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT STARTED WAS TO DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL AND RESET THE COMPUTER . WELL THAT WAS GREAT EXCEPT YOU MIGHT NOT WANT THE CAR STARTED THEN BECAUSE EVERYTIME YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE THE RADIO SHUT OFF, GAUGES WOULD PEG OUT AND NOT BE ABLE TO BE RESET. THEN CAR WOULD DIE IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY DRIVING . IF IT TAKES THE NHSTA TO HAVE A DEATH FOR SOMEONE I AM NOT THE ONE IF IT IS WATER THE CAR DOESN'T LIKE I WILL SEND IT BACK TO DETROIT WHERE THEY CAN PUT IT IN IT'S FINAL RESTING PLACE, LAKE MICHIGAN. LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD BECAUSE THESE SMALL INCONVENIENCES TO THEM ARE MAJOR EXPENSES TO US ALL . AND THEY WONDER WHY THE CAR INDUSTRY IS STRUGGLING OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM GENERAL MOTORS. *NM
AT SOME POINT, I TRIGGERED MY ALARM SYSTEM BY NOT USING THE REMOTE KEY AND MANUALLY UNLOCKED MY CAR DOOR. RIGHT AFTER, I TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR, AT WHICH TIME IT CRANKED, BUT DID NOT START. SINCE THIS INCIDENT OF TRIGGERING MY ALARM, I HAVE BEEN DAILY REMINDED OF THIS.. WITH THE CRANK, NO START. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE D…
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AT SOME POINT, I TRIGGERED MY ALARM SYSTEM BY NOT USING THE REMOTE KEY AND MANUALLY UNLOCKED MY CAR DOOR. RIGHT AFTER, I TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR, AT WHICH TIME IT CRANKED, BUT DID NOT START. SINCE THIS INCIDENT OF TRIGGERING MY ALARM, I HAVE BEEN DAILY REMINDED OF THIS.. WITH THE CRANK, NO START. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT I NEED A PCM (POWER CONTROL MODULE) WHICH THEY REPLACED BUT TO NO AVAIL. TWO DAYS LATER, THE CAR WAS CRANK/NO START AGAIN AND AGAIN. *JB
CAR WOULD NOT START AT WORK WEDNESDAY MORNING, APPROXIMATELY 9:30 AM. MY HUSBAND CAME TO LOOK AT IT AFTER WORK, APPROXIMATELY 5:45 PM. CALLED CHEVROLET TO HAVE THEM TOW IT UNDER WARRANTY. TOW TRUCK SHOWED UP AROUND 8:30 PM AND TOWED TO DOMINION CHEVROLET. DOMINION DID NOT RETURN ANY PHONE CALLS ON THE 6TH UNTIL A LITTLE AFTER …
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CAR WOULD NOT START AT WORK WEDNESDAY MORNING, APPROXIMATELY 9:30 AM. MY HUSBAND CAME TO LOOK AT IT AFTER WORK, APPROXIMATELY 5:45 PM. CALLED CHEVROLET TO HAVE THEM TOW IT UNDER WARRANTY. TOW TRUCK SHOWED UP AROUND 8:30 PM AND TOWED TO DOMINION CHEVROLET. DOMINION DID NOT RETURN ANY PHONE CALLS ON THE 6TH UNTIL A LITTLE AFTER 5:00 PM. THEY INFORMED US THAT THE ANTI-THEFT / IGNITION SWITCH HAD GONE BAD AND IT WOULD BE REPLACED THE NEXT DAY. DID NOT RECEIVE KEY OR PAPERWORK WHEN PICKED UP, JUST 10+ SCRATCHES ALL OVER MY CAR. *JB
I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY MALIBU. IT WON'T START DUE TO A FLAW IN THE THEFT DETECTION SYSTEM. THIS HAS CAUSED ME MANY PROBLEMS!! AS I UNDERSTAND, THIS IS PRETTY COSTLY TO REPAIR. DUE TO FINANCES, I HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. A MECHANIC GAVE ME AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO START THE CAR WHICH INVOLVES GETTING UNDER THE CAR AND B…
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I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY MALIBU. IT WON'T START DUE TO A FLAW IN THE THEFT DETECTION SYSTEM. THIS HAS CAUSED ME MANY PROBLEMS!! AS I UNDERSTAND, THIS IS PRETTY COSTLY TO REPAIR. DUE TO FINANCES, I HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. A MECHANIC GAVE ME AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO START THE CAR WHICH INVOLVES GETTING UNDER THE CAR AND BYPASSING THE IGNITION. CHEVY IS FULLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED!!!!*JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STARTS INTERMITTENTLY. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, UPON INSPECTION THE IGNITION NEEDED TO REPLACED DUE TO THE ANTI THEFT DEVICE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.
I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY MALIBU. ONE DAY AFTER WORK, I COULD NOT GET MY CAR TO START. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WANTED TO CRANK, BUT WOULD NOT. MYSELF AND A FEW OF MY COWORKERS CONTINUED TO PLAY WITH IT AND FINALLY, ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, IT STARTED. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC NEAR MY WORK PLACE. I WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT HE HA…
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I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY MALIBU. ONE DAY AFTER WORK, I COULD NOT GET MY CAR TO START. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WANTED TO CRANK, BUT WOULD NOT. MYSELF AND A FEW OF MY COWORKERS CONTINUED TO PLAY WITH IT AND FINALLY, ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, IT STARTED. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC NEAR MY WORK PLACE. I WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT HE HAD A CHEVY THAT DID THE SAME THING. HE INFORMED ME THAT CHEVY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSES IT. HE SHOWED ME THAT IF I TURN THE IGNITION ON WITHOUT STARTING THE CAR AND ALL THE DASH LIGHTS APPEAR, IT WILL START. IF I TURN THE IGNITION ON AND ONLY THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT APPEARS, IT WILL NOT START AND I WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PLAY WITH IT UNTIL ALL THE DASH LIGHTS APPEAR. IT DID OKAY FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS BUT STARTING AGAIN AND DOES IT FREQUENTLY NOW. A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO, I WAS DRIVING HOME AND WAS APPROACHING A RAILROAD TRACK. AS I NEARED THAT TRACK I HEARD MY DOORS UNLOCK (WHICH DOES NOT HAPPEN UNLESS I MANUALLY UNLOCK THEM OR THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF). I REALIZED THAT MY CAR HAD CUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THANKFULLY, IT HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO CRUISE ACROSS THE RAILROAD TRACK AND I WAS ABLE TO STEER IT OFF THE MAIN ROAD UNTIL I COULD START IT AGAIN. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *NM
I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY MAILIBU AND LEARNED THAT MY ANIT-THEFT SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO START MY CAR EVEN WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. FROM WHAT I HAVE LEARN IS THAT I HAVE TO WAIT 10 MINUTES WHEN I AM "LOCKED OUT" FROM DRIVING MY CAR BEFORE THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT GOES OUT THEN I CAN START THE CAR AND DRIVE. I RESEARCHED…
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I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY MAILIBU AND LEARNED THAT MY ANIT-THEFT SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO START MY CAR EVEN WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. FROM WHAT I HAVE LEARN IS THAT I HAVE TO WAIT 10 MINUTES WHEN I AM "LOCKED OUT" FROM DRIVING MY CAR BEFORE THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT GOES OUT THEN I CAN START THE CAR AND DRIVE. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER OF A CHEVY MAILBU WHO EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE. I LEARNED THAT OTHER OWNERS HAD TO PAY LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO GET THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED, BUT THIS DID NOT ALWAYS SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE SAME OWNERS HAD TO GO BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PAY EVEN MORE MONEY TO GET OTHER PARTS REPLACE. THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL THE PARTS DID NOT ALWAYS FIX THE ISSUE COMPLETELY. ALSO, FOUND OUT THAT GM DOES KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT WON'T RECALL THE CARS BECAUSE IT IS NOT CONSIDER A SAFETY ISSUE. BUT I WILL LIKE TO DISAGREE WITH THAT, BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. I MAY HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND BE IN A NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL BUT MY CAR MAY NOT START AND I WOULD HAVE TO CALL 911 FOR HELP ALL THE TIME. SOME PEOPLE CAN'T NOT ALWAYS AFFORD THE AMBULANCE RIDE TO THE HOSPITAL. ALSO, I MAY BE TRAVELING THROUGH SOME UNFAMILIAR PLACES AND I DON'T THINK THAT I CAN SIT IN MY CAR FOR 10 MINUTES WHILE SOMEONE MAY WANT TO DO HARM TO ME. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. I ALSO FEAR THAT ONE DAY MY CAR MAY CUT OFF ON ME WHILE I AM DRIVING DUE TO MY ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM AND I MAY GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. FROM RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, I READ ABOUT SOME OWNERS WHO ARE PARENTS AND THEY FEAR THAT THE CAR WILL ONE DAY NOT WORK DUE TO THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM AND THEY MAY NEED TO GET MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR THEIR CHILD, BUT ARE UNABLE TO DO SO DUE TO THEIR CAR NOT WORKING. I KNOW THAT OTHER CAR OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS ISSUE SINCE IT IS A "KNOWN" ISSUE. AND ARE THE NEW 2006 CHEVY MAILBU " CURED" OF THIS ISSUE? *JB
06/17/05 CAR STOPPED WITH NO WARNING ON A HOT DAY WITH 4 KIDS NOT GOOD! CYLINDER 2.188/ BCM 2.560 08/01/05 CAR STOPPED WITH NO WARNING HOT DAY 3 KIDS HEADING OUT OF TOWN! MODULE3.107/FUEL FILTER 3.890 JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 01/28/05. *NM
2003 CHEVY MALIBU HAS DEFECTIVE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER. MY CAR HAS 49000 MILES ON IT AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER HAS KEPT ME STRANDED. THIS TIME I WAS IN A SOMEWHAT DANGEROUS AREA, AND HAD NO PHONE OR WAY TO GET TO ONE. WHEN CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY THE DEALER REPLACED THE CYLINDER AND NOW THEY WANT A…
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2003 CHEVY MALIBU HAS DEFECTIVE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER. MY CAR HAS 49000 MILES ON IT AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER HAS KEPT ME STRANDED. THIS TIME I WAS IN A SOMEWHAT DANGEROUS AREA, AND HAD NO PHONE OR WAY TO GET TO ONE. WHEN CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY THE DEALER REPLACED THE CYLINDER AND NOW THEY WANT A COUPLE OF HUNDRED BUCKS TO DO IT AGAIN. *JB
Official recalls
214V400000 · Electrical System:ignition
Jul 3, 2014
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.
04V528000 · Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal
Nov 1, 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, 'ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS.' IN HOT AMBIENT CONDITIONS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM MAY STICK AT THE ATTACHMENT TO THE BRACKET AND NOT RETURN TO THE ENGINE IDLE POSITION WHEN THE OPERATOR LIFTS HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FAILURE TO RETURN TO IDLE COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM AND REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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