Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 133 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 133, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ENGAGED AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS HOME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
IGNITION SWITCH NOT SHUTTING OFF AND AT TIMES NOT TURNING TO START CAR. SHIFT LEVER HAS TO BE WIGGLED TO ALLOW KEY TO TURN TO OFF POSITION. KEY CYLINDER SHUTTING OFF IN START POSITION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE IGNITION KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AS THE ANTI THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START AFTER TEN MINUTES. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 285,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG, ABS, AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE REPAIR COULD NOT BE PERFORMED DUE TO THE CONTACT NOT HAVING THE ORIGINAL KEY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. MOST OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED; HOWEVER, ONE AIR BAG DID NOT, WHICH CAUSED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: N140350. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WOULD COME OUT OF THE IGNITION INDEPENDENTLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FLASHED AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 226,000.
1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. *TGW THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS LOSE AND COULD BE WIGGLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS NOT PART OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE RECALL ONLY COVERS THE MODIFICATION OF THE KEYS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V40000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). HOWEVER, THE DEALER DECLINED TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK AND REFUSED TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE.
I RECEIVED MY CHEV RECALL LETTER REF RECALL 14350 TODAY. THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT, JUST INFO THAT MAY BE IMPORTANT IN REFERENCE TO THIS SAFETY RECALL. PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH MY 1998 CHEV MALIBU IS : ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS-SOMETIMES ENGINE WON'T START ( IGNITION KEY WILL NOT GO ALL WAY TO START POSITION)-SOMETIMES ENGINE WANT SHUTOFF (IGNITION KEY WANT TURN BACK TO OFF POSITION). AS A RETIRED TRUCK MECHANIC I KNOW THAT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCK CYLINDER (TUMBLERS ARE WORN EXCESSIVELY CAUSING THE LOCK CYLINDER TO JAM AND/OR BE COME LOOSE ALLOWING IGNITION KEY TO ROTATE OFF) . I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE REPAIR MYSELF BUT ALL PARTS OUTLETS TELL ME THAT THE LOCK CYLINDER IS NOT AVAILABLE (MUST PURCHASE $350.00 IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY) IF THIS RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE REPLACING THE LOCK CYLINDER,THE PROBLEM WILL NOT BE CORRECTED. EXPERIENCED MECH/TECH CAN REPLACE THE LOCK CYLINDER IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS THE VEHICLE WOULD START AND THEN STALLED AS THE ANTI-THIEF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. *TR
THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT COMES ON AT SPORADIC TIMES AND DOES NOT ALLOW CAR TO START. YOU THEN HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST 10 MINUTES TO RESTART CAR. THIS COULD BE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION DEPENDING WHERE YOU ARE WHEN CAR WILL NOT START. I HAD A SMALL CHILD WITH ME ON THE WAY TO THE DOCTOR AND MADE A STOP AT THE DRUG STORE, THEN TRIED TO RESTART CAR TO PROCEED TO DOCTOR AND CAR WOULD NOT START. SINCE I ONLY RECENTLY ACQUIRED THIS CAR, I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND SEE THAT IT IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH CHEVY MALIBUS. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL FOR THIS--OR, IF THERE IS ONE, PLEASE ADVISE. *TR
ANTI-THEFT IGNITION SYSTEM DISABLED STARTING OF CAR. I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE CAR TURNED OVER BUT WOULD NOT START, MANUAL SAYS THE FUEL PUMP IS DISABLED BY ANTI-THEFT. BY ACCIDENT WAITED IN CAR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHILE TRYING TO REACH MANUFACTURER, THE FLASHING ANTITHEFT LIGHT HAD GONE OUT, I TRIED STARTING THE CAR AND IT STARTED FINE. HOWEVER FURTHER ONLINE RESEARCH INDICATED THAT THIS IS A PERVASIVE PROBLEM WENT HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS. MY SOURCE WAS CARCOMPLAINTS.COM. CALLED CHEVROLET AND FILED A COMPLAINT WAS ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER. THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE PER SE, BUT IT COULD BE IN THE EVENT OF NEEDED TO GET SOMEONE TO AN ER, FOR EXAMPLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM WOULD ACTIVATE AND PREVENT HIM FROM STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND WOULD LAST BETWEEN FIFTEEN MINUTES TO AN HOUR. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE DEALER OF THE FAILURE AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,000.
WENT TO START MY 1998 CHEVY MALIBU, AND IT WOULDN'T START. IT WOULD TURN OVER AND START FOR LIKE 2 SECONDS, BUT THEN SHUTS OFF. I TRIED STARTING IT A FEW TIMES, AND THEN REALIZED THAT THE "THEFT SYSTEM" LIGHT WAS FLASHING. AFTER I TRIED THE FEW TIMES, THE LIGHT SHUT OFF AND THEN MY CAR STARTED UP NO PROBLEM. HAS HAPPENED 3 DAYS IN A ROW NOW. *TR
PASSLOCK SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT START FOR AT LEAST TEN MINUTES. *TR
1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU WILL NOT START DUE TO PASSLOCK PROGRAM. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED NORMALLY HE WOULD DRIVE SOMEWHERE AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION, BUT WHEN HE TRIED TO RESTART IT, NOTHING HAPPENED. ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN ON THE DASH AN ICON FLASHED. HE HAD TO WAIT 10-15 MINUTES FOR THE LIGHT TO STOP FLASHING, EXIT THE VEHICLE, GET BACK IN AND THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, HE NOTICED THAT THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WOULD APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 107,000.
THEFT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. *TR
WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT BLINKS AND CAR WILL NOT START. WAIT ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND CAR WILL EVENTUALLY START. THIS HAPPENS A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *TR
1998 CHEVY MALIBU MORE AND MORE OFTEN, WHEN I START MY CAR, THE THEFT LIGHT COMES ON AND I CAN NOT START THE CAR UNTIL IT TURNS OFF ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES LATER. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .