2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

I WAS TRAVELING ON A SNOWY/ICY ROAD WHEN I LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AT ABOUT 50 MPH. MY VEHICLE WENT SIDEWAYS UNTIL TRAVELING INTO A DITCH AT WHICH POINT THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE FRONT END WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND PUSHED THE MOTOR BACK A GOOD 2 FEET. MY HEAD SLAMMED INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND AIRBAGS WERE NOT DEPLOYED. THE IMPACT OF THE FRONT END WAS JUST A LITTLE OFF CENTER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, THE ENGINE COOLANT WAS FOUND TO HAVE MIXED WITH THE ENGINE OIL WHEN THE DIP STICK WAS PULLED TO CHECK THE ENGINE OIL. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,126. UPDATED 01/28/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS DEFECTIVE. UPDATED 04/21/14 UPDATED 06/30/14

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED AND FAILED TO STOP DOWN DESPITE CONSTANT FORCE BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL BUT THE ENGINE RPMS BEGAN TO INCREASE RAPIDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED INTO PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING ANY FARTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED ONE HOUR LATER, AS IT RESUMED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,500.

STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING MY CAR, THEFT LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND I WOULD HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT TO GET THE CAR STARTED, VERY ANNOYING PROBLEM HAVING TO PLAY A WAITING CAME TO START YOUR CAR. THEN ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGH WAY, I HAD NO IDEA THE CAR WAS EVEN OFF UNTIL I TRIED TO ACCLERATE OR TURN BECAUSE THE RADIO REMAINS ON. HAVE TO STOP AND PUT MY HAZZARDS ON AND START THE CAR AGAIN, SOME DAYS IT DOES REPEAT STALLS WHICH CAUSES ME TO ALMOST GET HIT BY CARS BEHIND ME (VERY VERY DANGEROUS), SOME DAYS IT DRIVES FINE. THEN ONE DAY WHILE SHUTTING MY CAR OFF AND RETURNING HOME THE HORN STARTED HONKING AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF FOR ABOUT A 1/2 HOUR, AND AFTER THAT IT HASNT WORKED AGAIN. TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE SHOP BECAUSE IM FED UP AND THEY SAID IT IS ALL LINKED TO A FAULTY PASS KEY/ANTI THEFT SYSTEM THAT CAUSES THESE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. DID SOME RESEARCH AND NOTICED THIS IS AND HAS BEEN A REACCURING PROBLEM IN THE MALIBU'S. *TR

OVER THE LAST YEAR, 2003 CHEVY MALIBU HAS NOT STARTED ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. IT WAS STARTED AND DRIVEN TO ANOTHER LOCATION (IE WORK, SHOPPING, CLASS, ETC) AND THEN UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT START. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND ESPECIALLY SO IF ONE OF THE CHILDREN IS USING THE CAR. AS I HAVE READ, OTHERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES - THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WARRANTS ATTENTION BY THE MANUFACTURER! *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A MAIN HIGHWAY IN OUR TOWN WHEN MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE GETTING HIT, IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING ANY FUEL, IT WOULD TURN OVER, BUT NOT START. MY HUSBAND THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUEL FILTER, SO WE CHANGED IT IN THE PARKING LOT. IT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. WE ENDED UP TOWING THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED. COME TO FIND OUT, THE DEALER THEFT SYSTEM HAD TURNED ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS MORNING. AFTER SITTING FOR 10 MINUTES WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD IN THE CAR, I TRIED TO START THE CAR, TO FIND OUT MY BATTERY WAS NOW DEAD FROM SITTING WITH THE KEY IN THE ON POSITION TO RESET THE THEFT SYSTEM. THIS IS BECOMING A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE AND LIABILITY WHILE DRIVING DOWN BUSY HIGHWAYS WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR. IF THIS HAPPENED ON A MAJOR FREEWAY IT COULD BE FATAL. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX IT. *TR

WHEN IT RAINS THE TAIL LIGHTS FILL UP WITH WATER AND THE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK CORRECTLY. AND SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT WORK AT ALL. IT HOLDS WATER AND THE LIGHTS FLASH IN A CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHT MANNER. ALSO WHEN THE BREAKS ARE STEPPED ON THE BLINKERS DO NOT WORK. ALSO WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BREAK THE BLINKER INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REMAIN LIT UP GREEN. I HAVE REPLACE BULBS AS WELL AS THE WHOLE LIGHT HOUSING. EVEN DRILLED WHOLES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE LIGHT HOUSING UNITS SO THE WATER CAN DRAINED. NOTHING CAN REMEDY THIS PROBLEM IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

CAR FAILED TO START, ONLY CRANKED. HAD SPARK PLUGS,WIRES,IGNITION SWITCH,FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER,RELAYS,COIL PACKS,ETC... REPLACED. GOT IT RUNNING DROVE ABOUT 40 MILES, NOW IT JUST DIES WHILE DRIVING... NO WARNING JUST CUTS OFF. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO VARIOUS MECHANICS AND HAVE SPENT ALOT OF $$. I EVEN HAD NEW GM MOTOR INSTALLED. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AS SEVERAL TIME I WAS ON HIGHWAY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE DEATH. DEALERSHIP HAS GIVEN NO HELP. *TR

AFTER MY 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE SUN FOR A WHILE, ON A SHORT TRIP OF 4 MILES, THE CAR STARTED REVVING UP AND TAKING OFF ON IT'S ON. IT ALSO CAUSED MY A/C HOSE TO BURST (I AM CONVINCED IT IS RELATED). I TOOK IT TO DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEY CLEANED THE THROTTLE AND REPLACED THE A/C HOSE. THERE IS STILL THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT HAPPENS WHEN IT IS VERY HOT WEATHER AND I AM MAKING SHORT TRIPS RUNNING ERRANDS WHICH CALLS FOR TURNING ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTING. I DROVE BACK HOME WITH MY FOOT ENTIRELY ON THE BRAKES WHILE TRYING TO KEEP THE CAR FROM RUNNING OUT OF CONTROL. I AM VERY RELUCTANT TO DRIVE IT NOW, UNTIL I CAN FIND SOMEONE TO "REALLY" FIX THE PROBLEM (AS I WAS STUCK WITH A $487 REPAIR BILL). *TR

WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE, RELATIVELY NEW FIRESTONE AFFINITY TIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR DEVELOPED A LARGE BUMP AND BEGIN FRAYING. RECOGNIZED PROBLEM QUICKLY AND PULLED OVER BUT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE SHOWS VERY LITTLE WEAR AND NO SUCH ISSUES, INDICATING THAT IT WAS NOT WORN OUT, JUST A BAD QUALITY TIRE. *TR