8.1
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $470
- Average Mileage:
- 113,000 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 37 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (20 reports)
- wait 10-15 minutes for the anti-theft light to go off (11 reports)
- put in 2 not 1 but 2 new ignitions switches and spend alot (2 reports)
- turn key to on, let warning dings finish sounding, turn key to start (2 reports)
- keeping the wheels straight (1 reports)
- use new key (1 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Chevrolet dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Ive had this car 8 years.So far 11 sets of brakes,rotors,calibers .NOW the ignition switch keeps going out saying its stolen grrrrrrrrrr ill NEVER buy a Malibu again.I have a 1966 Chevy 2 that causes me less trouble than this stinkin car. Oh yeah to add to the problems IF you get caught in high wind the side mirror comes off the track..Chevy Malibus are JUNK DO YOU HEAR ME J U N K ..
- sabosbaby, Frankfort, KY, US
I have had my car for 2 years. And i have had two new key cylinders put in. The last one is still under warranty, and it's acting up again. With the same problem, but the Chevy dealer told me to replace the wiring to it and if that didn't fix it they would replace the key cylinder. i put the wiring on the car and its didn't fix any thing. Now their telling me i have to pay to have it replaced. Even though the warranty is still good. it hasn't even been in the car for 6 months. but i don't have $350 extra to spend every six months. Im ready to take this car and shove it straight up their ass.
- nicole0687, Rushville, IL, US
HOW CAN ONE RED LIGHT GIVE ME SO MUCH GRIEF!!! MY CAR IS NOT WORTH STEALING!! HAVE TO WAIT 20 - 45 MINUTES FOR THE RED LIGHT TO TURN OFF!! THIS RED LIGHT HAS DESTROYED MY TIGHT SCHEDULE!!! HEY DETROIT! ARE YOU EVER GOING TO LISTEN?? RECALL YOUR PROBLEM!! USE YOUR MONEY TO FIX THE THIEF SYSTEM LIGHT!!! MY NEXT CAR WILL NOT BE MADE IN AMERICA. WORN OUT WITH FIXING AND FIXING AMERICAN CARS. THIS APPLIES TO BRAND NEW AND USED CARS. MONEY IS TIGHT IN MICHIGAN. QUIT DESIGNING JUNK AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE CONSUMER.
- Renee C., Grand Rapids, MI, US
Nothing new to add.....same problems as everyone else with the anti-theft system. I thought there was an art to starting the car at first but soon realized the car is just a piece of sh*t. DON'T BUY THIS CAR. Here is a list of the problems I have had in no particular order: 1. Anti-theft system BS 2. Intake Manifold Gasket...TWICE 3. Driver window gets stuck when rolled down 4. Rear Passenger window motor went out 5. Alternator replaced twice 6. Brake Rotors several times 7. Water pump went out
- Amanda H., Perryville, MO, US
I had this problem for about 3 years now. The car is paid for and I refuse to take it to the dealership to be a victim of plain out "garbage production". GM is not concerned at all. You paid for the car, now you deal with it, is their attitude. Instead of sitting for about 10 to 20 minutes when this happens throughout the week, I disconnect the negative battery post, reconnect it,(be careful not to jolt the car any, or the anti-theft demon will reappear) and then it starts like it should have in the beginning. My next car purchase will not be a Chevrolet. I'm going back to Nissan and Honda for dependability and peace of mind. I hope this helps, even though it's aggravating to have to do. Let's have a Malibu day at a cliff and at the same time, give them a swift kick over the cliff.
- Kevin D., Greensboro, NC, US
I BOUGHT THIS CAR ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND ON JUNE 9, 2008 I WAS VISITING A FRIEND NOT TOO FAR FROM WHERE I LIVE. WHEN I WAS READY TO LEAVE AT 10PM AT NIGHT I WENT TO THE CAR AND TRIED TO START THE CAR AS NORMAL AS BEFORE BUT IN THE DASH THE ANTI- THEFT LIGHT WAS BLINKING . MY FRIEND CALLED A MECHANIC HE KNEW AND THE MECHANIC SAID TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND WAIT FOR 20 MINUTES AND SURE ENOUGH IT STARTED. BUT THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE. IF ANYONE KNOWS HOW TO DISENGAGE OR FIX THE VERY ANNOYING PROBLEM PLEASE LET ME IN ON THE SECRET !!!!!!!!!!!!! NEVER BUY A MALIBU AGAIN, IT SUCKS, I HAVE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS LEMON BEFORE !!!!
- John M., Blues Mills, Nova Scotia, Canada
Out of the blue the theft system will light up, and disable the car for approximately 15 min. It's annoying when it happens a few times in a row. It took me an extra hour to get home when this happened the last time.
- S G., Pittsburgh, PA, US
I have had nothing but problems with this car! GM mechanics will not even look at it until give them $100 and can not give me a straight answer. I still have not had it fixed I regret the day I bought this car.
- Rose A., Deer Park, WA, US
THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND START AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES, BUT NOW IT WILL NOT START AT ALL. NO ONE CAN TELL ME A SURE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM, CHEVROLET WANTS TO KEEP THE CAR AND TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT. I WANT A TRUE ANSWER AND PRICE BEFORE THEY TAKE ME FOR A RIDE. IT IS PRETTY SORRY FOR THEM TO DO THIS TO CUSTOMERS, THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED!!!!!!!
- Frankie G., Nauvoo, AL, US
What's up with the 1999 Chevy Malibu? On and off for several months now, the Theft System light will flash and I have to wait 10-15 minutes before the car will start. Finally tonight the light was flashing and now the car won't start at all!!! I can't afford a huge car repair as I'm not exactly rolling in the money! Can't this feature just be disabled - who the hell is going to steal a 1999 Malibu granny car??????
- Debbie C., Tulsa, OK, US
When I go to start my car more then half the time, the theft system message will show up and start blinking. so I cant turn my car on for like a good 10-15 minutes. We have called about it and all they say is its a certain part that needs replacing and the part itself costs $200.00
I think that the bastards should just fix it for free. it seems to me it should be a recall. But obviously they dont give a sh*t. there not the ones who have to stand outside in 30 degree weather at 10:00 at night waiting for the stupid thing to stop blinking. and sometimes. after it stops blinking and you go to start it, it may do it a second time. I think that I should be able to get this problem fixed for free. Its nothing I have physically done to my car. there just to stupid and dont know how to make a vehicle. I will officially declare this car a LEMON. and I would never buy a chevy vehicle again. I wish I saw this page before I bought it.
- Jessica B., Buckfield, ME, US
This problem had been going on ever since I purchased the car last year. The problem definitely seems weather related as I rarely encountered the problem during the summer. The anti-theft light is now coming on more often with the change of seasons. To me this problem comes at the most inopportune times like today when I needed to go to school. I was glad to see that I was not the only one with this problem. I never heard of anyone else with this problem so it is definitely a Chevy Malibu problem.
- Mike S., Clinton, Massachusettes, US
Like MANY, MANY others: the car sits a while. You go to start it. Anti-theft light turns on, and the car won't start. Frequency of occurrence and length of time to reset grows the more miles I drive it... WHEN I CAN START IT!!! The problem seems to be the "PassKey" anti-theft feature that will allegedly disable the fuel injectors for a 10-minute period. On several blogs, I have seen (myself included) people blowing big bucks to get this fixed. The big bucks are due to the fact that most mechanics, and many GM mechanics, don't know what the problem is. So, they fix this: doesn't resolve it. Fix that: doesn't resolve it. The final step is to replace the ignition system... but, I found (then lost in a PC crash) a solution ... What's funny is: IT IS A GM DOCUMENT! The "legal" way to workaround it is to install a remote, keyless entry/remote ignition system which then incorporates a switch in the circuit. There are other workarounds I have found, but haven't tried yet due to my lack of mechanical aptitude... Pending resolution...
- timekeeper101, Edmond, OK, US
My car has the same problem. The dealership wanted to keep the car for (they said maybe 2 weeks) and drive it to try to catch it shutting down so they could diagnose it.
Seems like GM is quick to put these wonderful ideas into their cars, but they don't train their service departments to do any more than guess to try to fix them.
- jyoung, Jonesboro, AR, US
MY THEFT SYSTEM TURNS ON AND MY ENGINE IS LOCKED UP FOR 15-30 MINUTES. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO DISENGAGE THIS, BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY HAD MY IGNITION SWITCH CHANGED AND I AM TIRED OF TRYING TO RESET IT.
- Octavia G., Jacksonville, FL, US
Car won't start & anti-theft light comes on randomly. Seems to flare up on cool evenings and nights. What a pain tin the ass! Leaves you stranded for 20-30 minutes until system resets.
- dmains, Metairie, LA, US
Have read electrical fix (cutting yellow wire), but can't get car to run. How important is car running while cutting wire to ultimate fix? Please any help at all would be appreciated.
- mwatkins, Toledo, OH, US