8.5
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $10
- Average Mileage:
- 85,450 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 16 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (15 reports)
- been to dealership 5 times. no fix. they say they don't know (1 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Chevrolet dealer.
We bought this vehicle in 2012 and since than, many times the Theft Light comes on and Vehicle won't start.
Had the part replaced and problem still comes up at times.
I'm surprised no recall has been announced yet!!!!
- Chuck W., Saint Francis, WI, US
The same problem with the anti-theft system light going on and, then, the car not starting has been an on-again/off-again thing for about a year now.
I have had the car for 3 years.
Now it is the horn honking at random when I turn the car off.
In addition, the doors will not lock for me when I push the lock button.
How many complaints does Chevrolet have to have before they recall this?
- Debra J., Lynn, MA, US
Yes had the same problem call stalling while driving, seen the post where you cut the yellow wire in the ignition while the car is running put a toggle switch inline, and so far problem solved !!!!! Car does not stall anymore and no more problems starting.
- jackstraw700, Chicopee, MA, US
I purchased this car last month from the owner. This car has been giving me trouble every since I purchased it. Just about everytime I get ready to go somewhere, I have to leave about 15 minutes earlier because I have to switch the car to on and let it sit before the car will crank. This doesnt happen everytime I try to start it but almost every time. This is a nuisance. Something needs to be done about this!
- sarah6913us, Laurel, MS, US
replaced everthing with the fuel system. fuel pump twice ext. thank you
- Jayson S., Sandy, UT, US
Well, its like this my wife realy likes the way the 2003 malibu handles but i get realy pissed when she is going to work and it wont start and i worry that it will cit off when she is driving, there are a lot if hills where we live all i want to know is how to get read of the theft systems that i do beleave is the problem so if anyone could please tell me so i wont have to worry about it. please help
- gootee, Berea, KY, US
Your not alone, my car has the same problem, except mine stalls when the day has been very hot and here in California usually over 80 degrees. I put in the key and turn it to start but none of the gauge needles go up. this include the gasoline needle, which seems like there is no gas when there is.
There is no key alarm set off to warn that the key has been left in the starter, you know (the ding ding ding sound), no radio, no cabin light. Nothing. everything goes off. I sit there for 30-45 minutes turning the key on and off then in and out, jiggling it to get the thing started. I'm tired of these. I have gone to 5 mechanics and they can't tell me what work needs to be done to correct this annoying problem. Can anyone help.
- Laura A., Los Angeles, CA, US
we was driving down the highway and it just died. GM does not think it is very dangerous, but what would happen if it was a busy highway, or we was in traffic, we might have gotten hit or something. GM knows about the problem and refuses to fix it. yeah my car is 7 years old but it should still be running, i've had a 1990 ford truck and its still running and thats 20 years old. i think i just might go back to ford at least i know that they are dependable. so please if you can take the time out and go to nhtsa and fill out a form for the problems you are having with Chevy it will hopefully do something. what we should do is try and get together and put a lawsuit against them, we can not afford just to go out and buy a new car, it took us a while to come up with this money and it feels like they dont care. right now my husband is ready to just stick the car right up the GM Presidents ass but with all of the other bull sh*t in it, it probably will not fit. all we can say is not to buy newer chevy because you will just have problems with it.
Update from Feb 8, 2010: if your car does the same thing that ours did, here is what my husband did. he found out that it is in the ignition part, there are 3 wires that are for the anti-theft system a white one, black one and a yellow one, the white you do not use,(the yellow and black is in a clip) it plugs in the top of the iginition, if its not pushed in all the way it will not start properly. do not forget, that you can not unplug the radio, if so you will have to get it reprogrammed. thats what we did and so far the car has had no problems starting since,
- Larry C., Saint Louis, MO, US
Bought this car used in 2004 with only 16000 miles on it. As soon as it hit about 40000miles the anti theft system light would just randomly come on while driving. Soon after, the problem of it not starting began. You must sit in the car for at least 10 min while it resets itself. What a pain! It's obvious that Chevy knows of this problem, but I have not heard of a recall. It's a shame to say that I will NOT buy another Chevy product because of this and a few other electrical problems (The A/C switches on and off by itself and won't stay on "Max" air")
- deauna, Lake Jackson, TX, US
I know of numerous people that are having problems with their Chevrolet Malibu. The theft system in these cars have a major problem and should be recalled by the manufacturer. Mine use to just have a problem starting but now it shuts off on me while I am driving down the road! It is super costly to repair. I think Chevrolet should do a recall on these cars.
- enjoy9, Cairo, GA, US
I have owned this car for 4 years now and all of the sudden I started having problems starting the vehicle. Then one day, without any warning, the engine just stops while I am driving. Now excuse me, but isn't this potentially a hazard!! I took it to a repair shop and they claimed I needed to take it to the dealership as it involved the Security System. The dealership decided that it was necessary to install a Body Control Module and a Fuel Pump Relay. After $848.00, the car continues to have problems starting - now I notice the dashboard lights don't come on. I can always tell that it will start as the dashboard lights finally will light up - then the engine starts.
- Laura A., Granite City, IL, US
I really LOVE my Malibu. It has always been very dependable! Never had any problems with it at all, until now. When i hit a bump two times it stalls w/ no warning. We've kept it up with the oil changes, tires etc... The mechanic has never heard of this(?) And how can I show him if we don't know when it's going to happen? Sometimes it doesn't happen. I don't want to pay $72.00 just for them to look at it, and then tell me they still don't know. However.. I find it VERY INTERESTING that other people are complaining of the very SAME thing! Why is this happening? And I'm sure there are many others it is happening to that have not put the complaint on the internet. Any suggestions?
Has anyone had any luck fixing it, or has it stopped happening? Thanks for listening. JW
- jwma, Ayer, MA, US
First my car died when I came to a stop light and then wouldn't start until several tries and since then over the past three weeks it has not started several times. I took it to the Chevy dealer because I have an extended warranty. They recommended replacing the ignition switch and housing which of course wasn't covered under the warranty. So I took it to a local repair place that cost less to replace the ignition switch. After $600.00 between the two shops the theft system is still coming on and car not starting. I am going to pick up my car today because the repair place doesn't know how to fix this problem. I don't know what to do now.
- Tina O., Kent, WA, US
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
- laceydolphin, Chillicothe, LL, US
This is a car I bought brand new, and have had for 3 years & get all regular maintence done. I have just hit 40,000 miles on the car, it has been in the shop 24 times since I have owned it with engine problems, electrical problems, you name it I have had a problem with this car, the latest one was when it's hot outside the computer in the car shuts down, and can not start that darn thing.
- Brandi L., Sacramento, CA, US
2003 Chevy Malibu. Stalls and will not start. Been to the dealer 5 times in a year and not fixed. They keep it over night and check it out. Cannot fix it. ( Seems to start for them all the time )
Once they told me it was okay but I drove 15 feet in the parking lot of the dealer and the engine stopped again. Checked it out and cannot fix it. I cannot go more than a mile from home due to being scared of being stranded. Problem has been going on for 11 months now. Today it stopped on me 4 times and then no more start. Back to the dealer. Tonight they told me they don't know what is wrong with the car. They have never seen a problem like that. 65,000 miles and it is shot. I thought American cars were supposed to be better. Then a repair man said maybe for 2,000 dollars they might be able to fix it.
- Dwight W., Clinton Townshop, MI, US