2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

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 *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD BECOME STUCK AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V528000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY I WAS REAR ENDED AND PUSHED INTO THE CENTER DIVIDER AND BOUNCED OFF ONLY TO BE STRUCK AGAIN FROM THE REAR. THE FRONT AND REAR QUARTER PANELS WERE DAMAGED THE FRAME WAS COMPROMISED. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I SUFFERED BACK, ARM, LEG & KNEE INJURIES IN THE COLLISION. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY BUT I AM STILL CURIOUS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SAFETY AIR BAGS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, SHE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR OFF THE ROAD WHEN SHE HEARD THE ENGINE ROARING ABNORMALLY LOUD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND A SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE EXACT SENSOR THAT WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED OF A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V528000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED HER THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 160,000.

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!!!!!!!!!! *TR

CHEVY MALIBU 03 HAS ISSUE WITH ANTI THEFT SYSTEM. MANY MANY COMPLAINS ONLINE CONCERNING THIS. YOU GET INTO THE CAR; CAR WILL NOT START, YOU HAVE TO TURN KEY TO ON POSITION AND LEAVE IT THERE; THEN TURN CAR OFF AND THEN START IT THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS. I AM HOPING THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN WHILE MY WIFE IS DRIVING. A RECALL SHOULD BE MADE ON THIS DEFECT IN ALL CHEVY MALIBU'S 2003 BEFORE A HORRENDOUS TRAFFIC ACCIDENT OCCURS FROM THIS DEFECT. *TR

ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS WHEN DRIVING. HAVE TO PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO TRY AND SLOW OR STOP CAR ,THE PEDAL HAS STUCK AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AND EVEN WHEN THE CAR STARTS UP, IT REVS HIGH. ALMOST WAS IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS SITUATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN EARLY MAY 2012 SHE WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPROGRAMMED THE KEY. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED NO FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER WHICH WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER AGAIN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

MY 2008 SATURN OUTLOOK'S PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWS 'OFF' EVEN WHEN AN ADULT IS SITTING IN THE SEAT WITH THE SEATBELT ON. I SAW THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2007 MODEL BUT NOT ONE ISSUED FOR THE 2008 MODEL. I WANTED TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND THE BAG IS NOT FUNCTIONAL. *TR

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. *TR