2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

THEFT LIGHT COMES ON AND ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM DISABLES THE VEHICLE, DRIVING AND PARKED. WE HAVE BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. VEHICLE WILL NOT START IT TURNS OVER BUT WILL DO NOTHING. I HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN SEVERAL TIMES TO HAVE THE SYSTEM RESET, AT A COST TO ME EVERYTIME. *TR

IN OUR CASE, WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IS MORE EXTREME! AFTER RUNNING TO AND FROM THE STORE, OUR CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. IT HAPPENED IN OUR OWN DRIVEWAY--- THANK GOD!!! FROM WHAT I HAVE READ AS TO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON OUR EXACT VEHICLE'S DEFECT, WE COULD HAVE BEEN IN TRAFFIC! SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS WERE IN LIFE-THREATENING POSITIONS WHEN THEIR CAR BROKE DOWN! WE WERE FORTUNATE!! WE HAVE SINCE HAD IT LOOKED AT BY A FRIEND WHO KNOWS CARS AND IS A MECHANIC, AND HE TELLS US THAT IT IS A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. HE ALSO TELLS US THAT IT MAY ALSO INCLUDE REPLACING THE FUEL RELAY, BUT WILL DEFINITELY INCLUDE REPLACING THE FUEL FILTER! WITH HIS LABOR COST AND PARTS, WE ARE LOOKING AT A COST (MINIMUM--- BARRING NO FURTHER COMPLICATIONS) OF AROUND $400.00!! THE DEALERSHIP WOULD BE MUCH MORE!!! AT THIS TIME, DUE TO FINANCIAL DISTRESS, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED! MY WIFE WORKS 20+ MILES AWAY, AND I AM OUT OF WORK DUE TO A HEART CONDITION! THIS COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AT A WORSE TIME FINANCIALLY FOR US!! *TR

I OWN A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU WITH 51,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS CHECKING MY OIL WHEN THE DIP STICK SHOWED IT A QUART LOW. I THEN CHECKED THE ENGINE COOLANT AND DISCOVERED THE OIL HAD GOTTEN INTO THE COOLANT. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE CONFIRMED THAT THE COOLANT HAD OIL IN IT. HE SAID THE MANIFOLD GASKETS HAD TO BE REPLACED WHICH INCLUDED FLUSHING THE COOLING SYSTEM. I KNOW GM DOESN'T CARE ABOUT OUR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SORRY BUILT CAR. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR WAS OVER $600. THIS IS THE FIRST CAR THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED THAT A MANIFOLD OR HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

AFTER ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT COMING ON AND RESERVOIR BEING ALMOST EMPTY SERVICE STATION ADDED COOLANT. SAME THING HAPPENED APPROX 2 MONTHS LATER SAME ACTION TAKEN. WENT TO GET OIL CHANGED AND PERSON SAID DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY BECAUSE YOU HAVE OIL MIXED WITH YOUR RADIATOR FLUID, YOU HAVE SOME MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS. TOOK CAR TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 2003 MALIBU AND THAT THE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS THE PROBLEM AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE REPLACED IT AT GREAT EXPENSE TO MYSELF,AND HE DID MAKE THE COMMENT THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ANTI-FREEZE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE CONTACT PULLED BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. HE HAD TO REFILL THE VEHICLE WITH ANTI-FREEZE. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER, THE RESERVOIR WAS ALMOST EMPTY AGAIN AND HE HAD TO REFILL THE VEHICLE WITH ANTI-FREEZE. IN JANUARY OF 2009, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS SOME ANTI-FREEZE ON THE ENGINE DUE TO THE MANIFOLD GASKET BEING DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,500. UPDATED 2/5/09 *CN THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE GASKET WAS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC THAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE. UPDATED 02/10/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SHUTTING OFF INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS. THE DEALER KEEPS RESETTING THE COMPUTER, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR. THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHILE ACCELERATING OR CRUISING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000. UPDATED 2/5/09 *CN UPDATED 02/10/09. *JB

2003 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 88K. DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WAS ADVISED OF OIL IN COOLANT. UPON TAKING TO MECHANIC WAS TOLD I HAD BAD HEAD/INTAKE GASKET AND NEEDED REPLACED , ESTIMATE COST $2400. UPON RESEARCHING FARTHER I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS COMMON ON SOME GM VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND THAT IN FACT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAD BEEN SETTLED IN CALIFORNIA EARLIER THIS YEAR. IN ANY CASE, I'M STUCK WITH THE BILL ON A REPAIR THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE COOLANT THAT THE GM USED AND REQUIRED AS APART OF THE WARRANTY. *TR

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON MY 2003 CHEVY MALIBU HAD TO BE REPLACED SINCE IT WAS PLASTIC. HAS THEIR BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PART? IF SO, WHAT FORMS NEED TO BE FILLED OUT TO GET PROPER REFUNDING? *TR

I OWN A 2003 CHEVY MAILBU. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE ANITFREEZE DRAINING OUT. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP A COUPLE TIMES AND HAVE HAD THE MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET REPLACED. THIS WAS VERY EXPENSIVE FOR A SINGLE MOM ON A BUDGET. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. I HAVE ALSO STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT COMING ON AND PREVENTING THE CAR FROM STARTING. I CAN TURN IT TO "ON" AND GET IT STARTED AFTER 10 MINUTES, BUT THIS IS BOTHERSOME WHEN I AM IN A HURRY. I THINK THAT GM SHOULD HAVE THESE PROBLEMS UNDER RECALL AND PAY TO HAVE THEM FIXED. *TR

MY MALIBU 2003 ALSO HAS AN ACCELERATOR PEDAL THAT STICKS IN THE HOT WEATHER. IT STARTED HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. IF I CAN GET MY FOOT UNDER THE PEDAL TO SLOW IT UP THAT WORKS. OF COURSE IT NEVER HAPPENS AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR