2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V528000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: ACCELERATOR PEDAL). SHE WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING TO DETERMINE IF THEY WILL ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000. UPDATED 07/28/09. *LJ UPDATED 07/30/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. SHE NOTICED THAT THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. SHE PLACED THE IGNITION IN AUXILIARY MODE FOR 10 MINUTES. THE CONTACT THEN TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO CLIMB IN THE BACK SEAT TO EXIT BECAUSE THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK. UPON EXITING, SHE WOULD THEN HAVE TO LIFT THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND SLAM THE HOOD BACK DOWN IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM WAS FAILING. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $1,168. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BECAUSE REGULAR MAINTENANCE, OTHER THAN OIL CHANGES, WERE NOT PERFORMED AT A CHEVROLET DEALER, NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,943.

2003 MALIBU ACCELERATOR STUCK TO FLOOR WHEN CAR WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE CAR WAS CHECKED FOR THIS PROBLEM DURING A RECALL IN 2005 AND IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE DEALER THAT MY CAR DID NOT HAVE THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE SINCE THEN, AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK. I TOOK THE CAR TO A GM DEALER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED AND THEY SAID IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY HAD IT CHECKED. THEY NOW TELL ME IT IS A RESULT OF WEAR AND TEAR.*TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH HER VEHICLE. THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD OPERATE WITHOUT INITIALIZATION AND THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WERE ALSO INOPERABLE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO OTHER FAILURES. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER COULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 87,000.

I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY TURN SIGNALS. THEY WOULD WORK WHEN THEY WANTED TO. I TOOK MY CAR TO A CHEVY DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS AND HOW MUCH IT WAS GOING TO COST TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE ATTENDANT WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD RECALL UP TO 2002 MALIBUS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT OF COURSE MINE IS A2003 SO I HAD TO PAY FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED. THE COST WAS $110.00 WHICH WASN'T BAD BUT THE 2002 AND 2003 PARTS INTERCHANGE. SO WHY WOULDN'T THEY HAVE SAME RECALL? *TR

ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM KICKS IN EVEN WHEN ORIGINAL KEY IS USED TO START VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WILL NOT START WITHOUT WAITING 10 MINUTES TO RESTART SYSTEM. THIS HAPPENS AT IRREGULAR INTERVALS, USUALLY WHEN IT IS LEAST CONVENIENT. I HAVE HAD TO BE TOWED TWICE UNTIL I LEARNED THE OVERRIDE TRICK. I AM GOING INTO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN TODAY TO TRY TO GET A PERMANENT FIX. *TR

ENGINE CUTSOFF WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE POWER AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY MALIBU WITH APPROX 72,000 MILES THAT HAS BEEN LEAKING ANTIFREEZE (SMALL VISIBLE MARKS ON PAVEMENT) THAT REQUIRE REFILLING COOLANT EVERY 3 TO 4 WEEKS. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR A DIAGNOSIS, AND IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE A LEAK AROUND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE PRICE ESTIMATE IS $878 AND 7 HOURS TO REPAIR. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST DEXCOOL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT WINDOW FOR CLAIMS ENDED ON OCT. 2008. I SPOKE WITH GM DEALERSHIP, AND THERE IS NO GM RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MANY CARS WITH THIS PROBLEM (LEAKY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET). WILL HAVE WORK DONE, BUT UNHAPPY WITH THE COST INVOLVED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED IN HIS VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL OTHER THAN THE BATTERY INDICATOR, WHICH REMAINED ILLUMINATED. HE STATED THAT THIS FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY A MECHANIC AND THEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR HIS VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000. UPDATED 6/8/09 *CN UPDATED 06/11/09.*JB

THE THEFT SYSTEM ON MY CHEVY MALIBU 2003 HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND COST ME MORE THAN $300 IN REPAIR COSTS. THE THEFT SYSTEM BELIEVES MY CAR IS BEING STOLEN AND SHUTS OFF THE FUEL TO THE ENGINE. SOME POSTS SAY IT'S WHEN YOU USE AN COPIED KEY, BUT I'M USING THE FACTORY ORIGINAL. AT FIRST, THIS HAPPENED ONCE EVERY MONTH THEN INCREASED WITH FREQUENCY TO ONCE AND WEEK AND NOW EVERY TWO/THREE DAYS. THE 1ST THIS HAPPENED, I REPLACED THE BATTERY. THIS ONE 1 1/2 YRS AGO AND NOW THE BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. WHEN THE THEFT SYSTEM LOCKS ME OUT, I HAVE TO WAIT 10 MINUTES FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN OFF AND TRY TO TURN THE KEY OVER AGAIN. WITH THE AMOUNTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SYSTEM, I WOULD THINK GM WOULD CHANGE SYSTEMS OR REMOVE THE PROBLEM. IT'S A DISGRACE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO PUT THIS SYSTEM IN A CAR EFFECTIVELY LOCKING OUT THE VERY OWNER INSTEAD OF DOING ITS INTENDED JOB. *TR