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 1999 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 145 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 145, in the owner's own words
My 1999 Chevy Malibu 3.1 V6 engine won,t turn on the engine whend i try to turn the ignition switch and key lock cylinder on and the fuel pressure regulator won,t work whend i try to turn the ignition switch and key lock cylinder on and the airbag srs system comes on in the spring time and in the hot summer time heat and in the winner time.
I LOCATED A RECALL THAT MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN FIXED AND TOOK IT TO THE GMC DEALER IN LARAMIE WHY WHERE MY CAR SAT FOR 2 WEEKS AND ENDLESS CALLS NO CALL BACK FOR THE IGNITION RECALL AND OTHER ISSUES THAT MY CAR HAD I HAVE EMAILED AND CALLED AND ALL I HAVE GOTTEN WAS A BILL FOR NON SENCE AND HEADACKS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN FIXED ON THE CAR AND I HAVE LOST MONEY AND TIME BECAUSE THEY WOULDNT FIX THE RECALL OR EVEN KNOLAAGE THE PROBLEM. JUST UN PROFESSIONAL AND UN REASONABLE PEOPLE THAT AGAIN WOULD NOT EVEN TAKE THE TIME TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE RECALL JUST LET ME LOOSE MY JOB... AGAIN THE AUTO PLACE IS GMC LARAMIE AND THE REP THAT WOULD NOT GIVE ME THE TIME ABOUT MY CAR IS RICH!
IGNITION SWITCH AND PASS LOCK SENSOR CAUSING VEHICLE TO NOT START AND/OR RANDOMLY SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING.
YOUR CAR LIKE ALL NEWER CARS ARE JUNK. READ CLAIM 10926267.
BLOWER MOTOR DOES NOT WORK AT ANY SPEED,NO FUSES OR RELAY ARE BAD OR BLOWN.NO POWER AT RELAY BY BLOWER OR BLOWER ITSELF.IT WORKED FRIDAY,SATURDAY WHEN STARTED DID NOT WORK.ALSO WHEN TURNING LEFT SOME DUMB BELL SOUNDS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A MANUFACTURER RECALL REPAIR REMEDY FOR THE KEY SWITCH. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE PRIOR TO THE REPAIR. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START RANDOMLY. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE DEALER WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY FOR THE CONDITION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,135.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RANDOM PROGRESSING FAILURE IN WHICH THE KEY MOVED OUT OF POSITION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO ABLE TO START WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE FUEL GAUGE ALSO FAILED TO PROVIDE A PROPER READING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND THE BULBS CONSTANTLY SHORTED OUT, WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE LOW BEAM HEAD LAMPS SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) YEARS AFTER EXPERIENCING THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THERE WAS NO PERMANENT REPAIR FOR THE CONDITION. THE FAILURES CONTINUED, INCLUDING VARIOUS WARNING LIGHTS FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASS LOCK SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,249.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE THEFT PROTECTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. AFTER WAITING, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. ...UPDATED 01/20/16 *BF *JS
THIS COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. (WILL THE ALARM INITIATE ITSELF THAT IS LOCATED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE KEY CYLINDER LOCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DIE WHILE DRIVING)? THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST MONTH... APPARENTLY THIS CAR HAS A ANTI-THEFT FEATURE NOT MENTIONED IN THE USER MANUAL (MENTIONS A ALARM FOR THE CAR RADIO, BUT NOT THE CAR ITSELF). MY CAR WOULD "NOT START" BECAUSE "IT" THOUGHT I WAS STEALING MY OWN CAR WHILE TRYING TO START THE CAR. ACCORDING TO CHEVROLET THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN IT OFF OR RESET IT MANUALLY (YOU JUST HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE ALARM GOES AWAY), THE CHEVROLET DEALER SAID UNIT MUST BE REPLACED (WHICH WOULD COST AROUND $350.00 TO $400.00 WHICH I REFUSE TO PAY). REGARDING SAFETY -- WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU NEED TO MOVE THE CAR FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER IN AN EMERGENCY AND THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT STARTS BLINKING? (NO WAY TO DISABLE THE ALARM) -- NEED TO WAIT... FIRST TIME IT TOOK OVER 8 HOURS, THE SECOND TIME IT TOOK LESS THAN 1 HOUR FOR IT TO RESET.
IGNITION SWITCH HAS BEEN GETTING LOOSE AND DIFFICULT TO TURN ON FOR A LONG TIME. RECEIVED NTSB RECALL LETTER ABOUT UNINTENTIONAL KEY ROTATION FOR THE 1999 CHEVY MALIBU. I FOLLOWED THE NTSB INSTRUCTIONS AND REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE KEY RING. ON APRIL 21, 2015 THE CHEVY DEALER GLUED A PLASTIC HOUSING TO MY KEYS. AFTER RECEIVING MY KEYS BACK I COULD HARDLY GET THE KEY TO ROTATE THE IGNITION LOCK, I HAD TO JIGGLE THE KEY QUITE VIGOROUSLY TO GET THE IGNITION TO OPERATE. FOUR DAYS LATER THE KEY FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH. ALTHOUGH DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BRAKE I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY BRING THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, LOCATE THE KEY ON THE FLOOR AND AFTER REINSERTING THE KEY RESTARTED HE CAR. I HAD A ROLL OF TAPE IN THE GLOVE BOX AND I USED IT TO TAPE THE KEY IN POSITION. NO FURTHER DIFFICULTIES. ON APRIL 27, 2015 I REPLACED THE LOCK CORE SUCCESSFULLY. THE RECALL FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ACCEPTABLE OR SAFE. I KNEW THE IGNITION LOCK WAS GETTING BAD BUT WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN IF THE KEY FELL OUT. THIS FIX GAVE ME A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THAT A PROBLEM WAS TAKEN CARE OF. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER I THOUGHT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE LOCK CORE AND KEYS AND NOT JUST GLUE A HOUSING ONTO MY WORN-OUT KEYS. MY REPLACEMENT OF THE LOCK CORE SOLVED THE PROBLEM THE WAY THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE. A LETTER NEEDS TO GO OUT TO ALL THAT RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER THAT THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE FIX IF THE LOCK CORE IS NOT REPLACED. WHEN THE DEALER SHOWED ME THE FIX I LAUGHED AT THE TIME AND SAID YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME THAT I'VE WASTED 1:45 OF MY TIME WAITING FOR THE GLUE TO DRY. I DO NOT KNOW WHO THOUGHT THIS WOULD SOLVE ANYTHING OR APPROVED IT BUT I THINK THEY ARE AN IDIOT AND SHOULD BE FIRED FROM ANY POSITION OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY THAT THESE RECALLS ARE SUPPOSE TO ADDRESS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER SERVICED THE VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE OFF OR ON POSITION, THE THEFT LOCK SYSTEM ACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.
CAR CUT OFF WENT OFF ROAD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000. UPDATED 03/24/15*LJ UPDATED 10/20/2015*JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF, THE AIR CONDITIONER AND RADIO REMAINED ACTIVATED WHICH CAUSED THE BATTERY TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF AND THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, THE ELECTRIC WINDOW PANELS AND THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V4000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,035. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS AS EARLY AS MAY 2005. THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS, AIR CONDITIONER, DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY WORK. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC, COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED, IT WAS POSSIBLE THE PROBLEM WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE CONTINUED TO SOME EXPERIENCE AN ISSUE WHERE THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION. UPDATED 07/08/15
1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WROTE IN REGARDING REPLACEMENT OF IGNITION SWITCH.*MW
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY MOVED OUT OF THE RUN POSITION WHILE IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,282. UPDATED 01/23/15*LJ UPDATED 6/9/2015*JS
1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER STATED KEYS WERE STUCK IN IGNITION. IT COST $300 THE FIRST TIME, AND $150 THE SECOND TIME. *SS THE CONSUMER STATED SHE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, AFTER CALLING GM BECAUSE SHE SAW THE RECALL ANNOUNCEMENT ON T.V. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI THEFT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT A SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE KEY WOULD INDEPENDENTLY RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO OPERATE AS NORMAL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE KEY WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN IN THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
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.
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