2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

PASSLOCK ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ENGAGED WITH NO IDENTIFIABLE CAUSE. USING ORIGINAL KEY AND NO TAMPERING OCCURRED PRIOR TO PROBLEM. THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WENT ON RANDOMLY 3 WEEKS AGO, BUT WAS ON ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES AND NEVER ON AGAIN PRIOR TO THIS NO-START. ABLE TO RE-SET THE SYSTEM, ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL, BY WAITING 10 MINUTES FOR THE COMPUTER TO RE-SET, BUT THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE WHEN PARKED IN CERTAIN AREAS (MALLS DURING THE EVENING, ETC). HAPPENS FREQUENTLY ENOUGH THAT IT GETS TO BE VERY INCONVENIENT, AND IN NEED OF REPAIR. REPAIR CAN ONLY BE DONE AT A GM DEALER - WHICH IS VERY PROFITABLE FOR THE DEALER. *TR

COOLANT IS LEAKING, MECHANIC SAID IT IS OUR LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET THAT HAS FAILED. ALSO HE SAYS TO FLUSH OUT THE DEX COOL BECAUSE IT IS A HORRIBLE COOLANT. *TR

2003 CHEVY MALIBU ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE CAR WOULD DRIVE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT PUTTING HER FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. **NAR**KB THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL WHICH STATED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD BE INSPECTED ONLY. AFTER HAVING CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATING ON IT S OWN, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD AN INTERNAL MALFUNCTION. THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT. THE CONSUMER ALSO COMPLAINED OF A RATTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE LEFT FRONT STRUT AND MOUNT WERE WORN. THE LEFT SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS NOISY. *JB

CAR WOULD NOT START SO HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP THEY SAID COMPUTER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG AND IT STARTED FOR THEM. THEY SAID MAYBE A WEAK FUEL PUMP. DROVE IT FOR A WEEK AND SAME THING HAPPENED. HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP AGAIN AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. DROVE IT FOR 2 DAYS AND SAME THING. NOW THEY SAID IT WAS THE ANTITHEFT THE WHOLE TIME. OUT OF POCKET TOTAL EXPENSE WAS $1300.00. THERE SHOULD BE RECALLS ON THIS STUPID THING I WENT TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER SO I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $650 TO FIX THE IGNITION SWITCH. IN THE MEAN TIME THE CAR IS NOW RUNNING BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY "RESET" THE COMPUTER. I TOLD THEM I WOULD TAKE MY CHANCES WITH IT AND DROVE OFF AFTER PAYING THE $85 DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE. WELL 2 WEEKS LATER IT DOES NOT START AGAIN. I CALL AAA AND THE TOW COMES OUT AND THE DRIVER TELLS ME IT'S THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE, WAIT 10 MINUTES AND THE CAR WILL START. LOW IN BEHOLD IT WORKED. SO WHY DIDN'T THE DEALERSHIP TELL ME THIS IS THE PROBLEM. FUNNY THEY TOLD ME THE "RESET" COULD LAST 3 WEEKS, A YEAR, OR FOREVER... BUT THEY STILL WANTED TO MILK ME FOR $650. SO I DO A GOOGLE ON THIS AND FIND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PROBLEM. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH GM IF THEY KNOW THIS PROBLEM EXIST AND DON'T FIX THE PROBLEM WITH A RECALL OR A FIX! I WILL NEVER BUY A GM CAR AGAIN!!!

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY MALIBU, THE COOLANT STARTED TO SLOWLY LEAK OUT, THEN PROCEEDED TO LEAK FASTER WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, WE COULDN'T SEE WHERE THE COOLANT WAS GOING. I CALLED MY OLDER BROTHER EVERY WEEKEND, AND HIS 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX WAS IN THE SHOP GETTING A NEW ENGINE INSTALLED, HIS GRAND PRIX, AND MY CHEVY MALIBU HAVE THE SAME ENGINE, I ASKED WHAT HAPPENED, AND HE SAID THAT HIS COOLANT STARTED LEAKING, HE COULDN'T SEE WHERE IT WAS GOING SO HE TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP, AND THE MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES MADE BY GM WAS THAT THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IS FAULTY. I HAVE LOOKED IT UP ON LINE,AND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT IN CANADA AGAINST GM FOR THIS PROBLEM, AS WELL MANY PEOPLE SAY (INCLUDING MY MECHANIC) THAT THE DEX COOL IS VERY BAD FOR YOU VEHICLE. ANYWAY, MY BROTHER GOT HIS CAR TO THE MECHANIC TOO LATE, AND AFTER SHELLING OUT 700 TO FIX THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, HE ENDED UP HAVING TO PAY 5900 TO REPLACE HIS 2001 GRAND PRIX ENGINE. AS IT TURNS OUT MY MALIBU HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WE HAVE YET TO REPLACE IT, IT IS WORTHLESS, THE MECHANIC WHO IS CHEVY CERTIFIED, SAID THAT THE COOLANT HAS GOTTEN INTO OUR OIL, AND THE ENGINE IS WORTHLESS, WE DON'T HAVE THE 5900 TO SHELL OUT FOR A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE CONTACTED GM TWICE, THE FIRST TIME I TALKED TO A REPRESENTATIVE ON THE PHONE, AND HE SAID THAT HE DOESN'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THE GASKET, IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT THEY AREN'T GOING TO RECALL IT, THE SECOND TIME I TALKED TO THEM THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL NOT DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH ME ANY FURTHER. I AM A SINGLE MOM WITH THREE KIDS, AND A FULL TIME JOB, AND FULL TIME SCHOOL, I HAVE A CAR THAT WHEN I BOUGHT IT THE SALESMAN TALKED ME INTO, HE TOLD ME "A MALIBU WILL LAST YOU A VERY LONG TIME," AS IT SITS IN MY PARKING LOT WHILE I AM LEFT RIDING THE BUS, AND MAKING PAYMENTS ON A CAR THAT DOES NOT RUN, DUE TO A PROBLEM THAT GM KNOWS ABOUT. *JB

MY CAR WOULD NOT START. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY. THE BATTERY WAS FINE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID MY PASSLOCK SENSOR FAILED. TO REPLACE IT WAS $1200. I DON'T EVEN HAVE AN ALARM ON MY CAR JUST THE FACTORY INSTALLED THEFT SYSTEM. I FEEL IT IS A DEFECT WITH THE CAR MANUFACTURER, NOTHING I DID TO THE CAR. *TR

MY DAUGHTER DROVE MY CAR TO WORK. IT WOULD NOT START AFTER A TRIP TO MALL. SHE WAS LEFT STRANDED DUE TO A CHEVROLET MALIBU DEFECTIVE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. MY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED IN A STRANGE CITY, AND IT IS STILL THERE. THE MAJOR CONSEQUENCE OF THIS BREAKDOWN IS THAT A 19 YEAR OLD GIRL WAS LEFT VULNERABLE IN A MALL PARKING LOT. IS IT A SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD AFFECT HER? I THINK SO. I AM FEELING VULNERABLE BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER 'SAFE' TO DRIVE. HAS THIS ISSUE BEEN INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA? WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME? WHY DOES GM FEEL THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE? A PATTERN OF BREAKDOWN HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, AND A SOLUTION, WHETHER MONETARY OR IN REPAIR, SHOULD BE OFFERED. WILL IT TAKE SOMEONE BEING INJURED FROM A SECOND- HAND INCIDENT AS A RESULT OF 'EQUIPMENT FAILURE' TO MAKE GM NOTICE? THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING WITH THIS 'SHUTDOWN' OF THE CAR. AS A MOTHER, I CANNOT LET MY CHILDREN TAKE THIS CAR ON THE HIGHWAY. IN GOOD FAITH I PURCHASED THIS CAR, EXPECTING A RELIABLE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A KID-CAR FOR COLLEGE THIS YEAR. HOW CAN WE SEND OUR CHILD OFF AND ALWAYS WONDER IF A CALL WILL COME IN FROM HER THAT SHE IS STRANDED ON A DESERTED ROAD THAT SHE HAS TO TRAVEL TO GET TO SCHOOL?AAA SHOULD BE FURIOUS ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF CALLS FOR DESIGN FAILURE ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE IS A MORAL ISSUE HERE, AND I BELIEVE THAT GM IS NOT INTERESTED IN THE 'HUMAN' FACTOR OF CAR SALES. THE RIGHT THING TO DO WOULD BE TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM, ADDRESS IT AND FIX IT LIKE THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE USED TO BE AND MOVE ON. I WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR IN ORDER TO HAVE A RELIABLE CAR AGAIN. I AM NOW WORRYING THAT MY 2001 MALIBU WITH ANOTHER DAUGHTER OUT OF STATE WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. A CAR THAT COULD NOT START ON A WHIM DOES NOT OFFER PEACE OF MIND TO ME. DO THE EXECUTIVES AT GM DRIVE CHEVROLET MALIBUS? WOULD THEY LET THEIR CHILDREN DRIVE A CAR LIKE MINE? PS. WHY DON'T YOU LIST 'WEBSITE' UNDER THE REFERRAL SOURCES? *TR

MY CAR STALLED ON MY DAUGHTER AND I, RECENTLY TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE MY THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON EVERY ONCE AND A WHILE HAD TO PAY $115.00 JUST TO PUT ON THE MACHINE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY IGNITION SWITCH HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A TUNE OF $515.00 PLUS TAX, WELL MY CAR STOPPED ON MY DAUGHTER AND I HAD TO PUSH IT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED AND STILL WOULD NOT START. I'M TIRED THEY'RE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS MODEL(2003 MALIBU). *TR

GOT IN MY CAR, PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED IT TO THE START POSITION. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT CAME ON. I TRIED THE PROCEDURE FROM THE MANUAL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AND IT DID NOT WORK. IT'S A 2003 CHEVY MALIBU. *JB

I OWN A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU WITH 47000 MILES EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON WHILE IM DRIVING. I CALLED THE DEALERS AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED, AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE MACHINE AND IT WAS GOING TO COST ME $105.00 JUST TO PUT IT ON THE MACHINE. I WA S UPSET BECAUSE I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW, AND I ONLY HAVE 47,000 MILES ON IT. VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM THIS EARLY. I HAVE READ COMPLAITS ON THIS VEHICLE, AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE 2003 MALIBU BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. ALSO, SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL NOT START. SO I READ IN THE OWNERS MANUAL THAT YOU HAVE TO WAIT 10 MINUTES TO TRY TO RESTART THE CAR . THIS DID NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK