This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The car is a 2003 Chevy Malibu. Occasionally, the "theft system" light will turn on for no reason, and the car will not start. The manual reset is to wait 10 minutes and try to restart the car. This was discovered after several expensive repairs, including fuel pump and ignition, were done. It has been inconvenient and sometimes dangerous to wait around for 10-30 minutes to restart the car. The theft system is flawed and there needs to be a recall to help owners fix this without having to put hundreds or thousands of dollars into fixing things that will not resolve the problem.
I'm very unhappy as a Chevrolet client. My car has completely locked up and will not start due to the anti theft system. Upon a diagnosis, the Chevy mechanic told me it its my duty to get it towed to a shop only to have it hooked to a machine for $110 an hour only to get the car turned back on. I have seen that this is a common problem with this model of car and I'm very mad that it costs me and not Chevy for this avoidable, tedious problem. I thought their cars were suppose to be reliable. I will never buy another Chevy again! -very disappointed Chevy owner
The ignition/passlock system problem of intermittent no start that many others have with the 2003 Malibu left me stalled in traffic. Lucky for me there was no accident (not yet anyway). I have been dealing with this problem for a couple of years by doing the 10 minute reset as described in the owners manual. I took it to the dealer who replaced control & cable binding. Replaced floor shift control. Replaced shifter cable & ignition switch cable. The problem remains. I basically gave up complaining to the dealer and went back to the 10 minute reset procedure. A couple hundred dollars down the drain. My son asked why the car was never fixed. He found the technical service bulletin describing the exact problem as I and many others have with the 2003 Malibu: It states that "engineering would like to inspect any vehicle before the actual repair has been performed where the repair diagnosis leads to replacing the ignition lock cylinder for an intermittent or hard no start type of condition or customer complaint." (NHTSA item number 10002562) (service bulletin #022003). My son complained to the dealer and was told they fixed the stalling problem. They said I didn't mention anything about the ignition lock cylinder. My statement in the service order reads as follows: Owner states can't turn ignition lock cylinder at times. From what I have learned, the ignition lock cylinder should have been replaced. The ignition/passlock system is defective and should have never been installed in the 2003 Malibu. GM knew this but installed it anyways. They even have a remedy in their owners manual describing the 10 minute reset solution. GM creates the problem and then have unsuspecting customers pay $$$$$ to fix something else instead of fixing the real problem. This defect is an unsafe and an unethical scam!!!!!!!!!!
The anti theft system activated about 4 times for no reason in the past 3 months. Each time I followed the instructions in the owners manual and re booted the system. Then while I was driving the car sputtered and stalled. The car won't start. The fuel pump is broken. Why you ask did the fuel pump break. Because each time the anti theft system activated itself for no reason it shut off the fuel pump. This repeatedly shutting off the fuel pump causes the pump to break. This results in a $500+ repair bill plus the cost to tow the car plus sales tax making the repair $600. Chevy is aware that this is a very common problem with Malibu's. the defective anti theft system in effect causes other parts such as the fuel pump to break. Chevy profits by selling fuel pump modules each time there is breakage and this is why Chevy is covering up the problem! the Chevy Malibu's should be recalled immediately and repairs made to fuel pumps and anti theft systems because cars stalling on roadways are a safety hazard.
- Lehigh Acres, FL, USA
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The anti- theft device in the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu has left me stranded 12 different times beginning November of last year. This vehicle needs to be recalled for this reason. I have read hundreds of complaints online for the exact same problem. General Motors is aware of the problem and does nothing. General Motors is personally responsible for lost jobs. General Motors is personally responsible for elderly people, infants, children, disabled men and women in the U.S. being stranded in their automobiles every day. We bailed General Motors out, they need to recall this model. Thank you.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced several failures in which the electric windows would not function, the headlights stopped illuminating, and the air conditioning unit failed. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the ignition switch was replaced. The failure recurred approximately one year later. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the ignition switch was replaced a second time but the failure again recurred a year later. The vehicle ignition switch was replaced for the third time. The contact also stated that the vehicle stalled while driving 25 mph. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the ignition switch was replaced for the fourth time. The manufacturer was notified of the recurring failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 32,073. The ignition switch was replaced four times. Updated 07/19/12
My 2003 Chevy Malibu wouldn't turn over noticed the anti theft light was blinking had to reset the system with the key because it wasn't getting gas. Before my vehicle would start read online about other people having the same problem this isn't safe GM needs to recall and fix this problem. With the passlock 2 system they have installed in these vehicles I have kids and am glad it didn't happen on the freeway with them in the car.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle anti theft system activated and as a result, it prevented him from turning on the ignition. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the ignition cylinder needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 80,000.
My 17 year old daughter has a 2003 Chevy Malibu and she was stranded the other day because her car shut off and would not start back up....my husband changed the fuel filter thinking that might be what it was with no success. I found on the internet today about the way to reset the anti theft system and it worked, but people have been saying that once this problem starts it doesn't stop happening. I feel that this is a safety issue for a young lady to be out somewhere and the car not start. I read many complaints about the same exact problem and I feel that it is a shame that Chevrolet won't recall the problem....if it is not recalled I will never buy another Chevy!!!
The heating/cooling blower does not operate at low speed setting (1-3). Works only at high (4) speed setting. At times some smoke is observed coming out of air vents. I had spoken to a mechanic during routine oil change at a dealership and he told me that this is corrosion problem causing due to condensation and eroding the contacts resulting in non operation of blower motor at low setting.
The car fails to start due to the passlock II system failure. It will not engage the fuel pump and/or ignition system. The theft lockout system light stays on or flashes all other dash warning lights do not light up. The car will start randomly when attempting to start the car. The passlock II relearning method has to be used to start the car as instructed by GM in the owners manual section 2 page 17 when the theft system fails. This method will work randomly. No know repair.
HVAC system has had numerous problems from the fan not working in selected speeds to the air recirculate function failing to engage or to remain engaged. The ac would cut on and off during use the recirculate function would stop working the ac system would not turn on the system control unit, evaporator core and compressor was replaced without any resolution of the problem. The system still fails to work. Multiple repairs done without resolution.
I bought a Chevy Malibu new in 2003. I never knew it had any anti theft device. Three weeks ago the anti theft light came on. I ignored it. After a few days the car would not start. The engine started to run but sputtered out. I looked in the instruction manual that came with the car. It says if the anti theft light comes on (for no reason) turn ignition to on position wait ten minutes turn car off and the car will start. I followed instructions and car started. Same thing happened again yesterday. I followed instructions and car runs again. Problem I have is why would the anti theft system be activated for no reason? Chevy knew this happens and this is why they have it written up in the instruction manual. If the anti theft system is faulty ie comes on for no reason and prohibits the car from starting, Chevy should not have installed it in the first place.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact attempted to start the ignition but the engine failed to operate with the illumination of the anti-theft security system warning indicator. The engine was restarted after ten to fifteen minutes. In addition, the same failure would occur while driving and result in the vehicle stalling. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who advised that the ignition system and computer module would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 36,000. Updated 01/03/12 updated 01/04/12
Parked the car, came back out and it wouldn't start, though there was power from the battery and the engine acted like it was trying to turn over (indicating that it wasn't the alternator). Had to have car towed. Turned out that the "theft system" (passlock) locked me out. Mechanics "reset" it. It happened again about 10 days later.
NHTSA action number (PE05055) was initially issued in 2004 for a defective turn signal/hazard flashers that become inoperative on model year 1999-2000 Malibu, Alero, Grand Am, and 1999 cutlass. This action number was later revised in 2005 to include model year 2001-2002 Malibu, Alero, and Grand Am vehicles. The resulting document from GM for the initial model year range was: Special policy adjustment - turn signals/hazard warning flashers #04098 - (Dec 16, 2004) GM document id# 1578551 and when the model year range was extended: Special policy adjustment-turn signal/hazard warning flashers #04098A - (Jan 11, 2006) GM document id# 1750030 - I own (bought it new) a 2003 Chevy Malibu that has experienced the same symptom of intermittent turn signal failure. Both left and right turn signals sometime work and sometime do not. You can never know when it will or will not work. This is a real safety risk. The switch type in the 2003 Malibu appears to be the same as in the previous years for which GM issued the special policies (noted above). On October 8th 2011, I replaced the turn signal/hazard warning flasher switch that was identified in the GM document. (replaced with dorman part 924-601). It has been almost 3 weeks since the replacement and I have not experienced the problem. I would have seen the problem occur during this 3 week period. In case it helps in your investigation, the number on the defective switch I removed from my 2003 Malibu is : 22594146 0843 F I wanted to report this failure as there is a possibly that there will be others with the model year 2003 Malibu''s that have experienced this problem and will also file a claim with NHTSA. If this is the case, GM will need to once again extend the range of vehicles affected by the defective switch/hazard flashers and include this extended range in their special policy adjustment.
Car will not start fuel pump shuts down, car thinks it is being broken into. Have to sit in car for 10 minutes with key in ignition to override system. Has happened 4 times in last month. Also, fuel pump shut down while driving on parkway- lucky to get to side of road without an accident. By the way, new fuel pump and module replaced at 60,000 so that is not the issue.. how many people need to get into accidents or die before the NHTSA gets involved and makes Chevy do the right thing and replace this ignitions and passlock parts that are defective!!!! oh, and they got a bail out- but the consumers don't get any and have to continue to pay them for repairs that they caused in the first place GM makes an astronomical amount of money on these repairs. I hope the NHTSA gets a share of that money because you certainly aren't interested in correcting the situation. How many years and tens of thousands of complaints does it take"?????"
My 2003 Chevy Malibu would not start. I learned that the reason it would not start was due to the theft system pass lock. Somehow the theft system was triggered and cut the fuel supply to the engine. I did what the manual said and waited 10 minutes with the key in the on position. The car started after that; however two weeks later, the car does the same thing. The process is repeated to reset the theft system. But now I wonder how many more times this problem will occur and why hasn't anything been done about a recall. Over 30 incidents have reported online at www.carcomplaints.com/Chevrolet/Malibu/2003/ so why hasn't there be a recall for this problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sure that more people have had problems with this they just have not reported it. This problem is very inconvenient and you never know when your car is actually going to start. Something needs to be done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the key would not release from the ignition. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was advised to place the gear in park in order to release the key from the ignition. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 17,000 and the current mileage was 17,100.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Albuquerque, NM, USA