Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 175 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 175, in the owner's own words
THE BLINKERS RANDOMLY WORK; MOST LIKELY NEEDS A NEW HAZARD SWITCH. THE CAR'S TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD RISE WHEN SITTING IN IDLE; NEEDED A NEW WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT AS OF 11/2020.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE IGNITION HAD TO BE TURNED TO THE ON POSITION AND THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO LIGHT UP COMPLETELY FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE PROCESS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START EVERY TIME THE CONTACT WOULD ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
IN NOV 2017 MY 2001 MALIBU WAS STARTING TO OVER HEAT DO I REACHED THE THERMOSTAT I AM STILL HAVING ISSUES WITH THE CAR GETTING TO HOT I HAVE TO ALWAYS PUT MY HEATER ON DEFROST HOT AND ON AND THE FAN ON WHICH ONLY GOES UP TO NUMBER 3 AND THERE ARE HIGHER SETTINGS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IF I HAVE TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD GASKET . AND I'VE BEEN DURING DEXCOOL COOLANT . IS THERE A RECALL YET? IF NOT WHY? I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS .
2ND CYLINDER IS MISFIRING AND SOMETHING SEEMS TO BE LEAKING ANTIFREEZE, CAUSING MY ENGINE TO OVERHEAT, WHICH I SEE IS A LARGE ISSUE IN CHEVY MALIBUS. MY TURN SIGNAL/HAZARDS ALSO DON'T WORK 85% OF THE TIME, WHICH IS A RECALL FOR MY MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR (CHEVROLET, MALIBU, 2001) BUT NOT MY VIN NUMBER. ANOTHER ISSUE I SEE IS MY LEFT HEADLIGHT SHINES OUT FROM THE SIDE, WHICH I ALSO SAW TO BE AN ISSUE IN SEVERAL OF THE SAME MODELS OF MY CAR. KEEP IN MIND I BOUGHT IT RECENTLY, USED, SO THE DATE I NOTICED THE ISSUES WAS FAIRLY RECENT.
I BACKED UP MY CAR, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM DISABLED THE MOTOR. I STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS AND LOST MY PERSPECTIVE. I ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO A TELEPHONE POLE CAUSING A HUGE DENT ON MY REAR DRIVERS SIDE QUARTER PANEL. THANK GOD THE POLE WAS THERE OR I MIGHT NOT HAVE REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING. BEHIND ME WAS A ROUT IRON FENCE AND BEYOND THAT WAS A 20 FT DROP (DRIVEWAY HAS A RETAINER WALL THAT IT IS BUILT ON TOP OF. I HAD FILED ANOTHER COMPLAINT. THE CAR HAD DISABLED ITSELF ON A BRIDGE THAT HAS NO SLOW LANE TO STOP IN. I CAN TAKE PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE IN THE DAYLIGHT IF NEEDED
THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM DISABLED THE CAR ON THE TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE, WITH NO PLACE TO STOP AND 18 WHEELERS GOING BY ME AT 60+MPH. I HAD TO SHUT THE IGNITION OFF, TURN IT BACK ON AND WAIT 10 MINUTES FOR THE ANTI-THEFT TO DISABLE, SO I COULD TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND RESET THE ANTI-THEFT AND START THE CAR. TALKING ABOUT SCARED TO DEATH. HAPPY I AM STILL ALIVE TO REPORT THIS. IT WAS IN MOTION 55MPH AND STOPPED RUNNING, ANTI THEFT STARTED TO BLINK
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,249.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE AT HIGH SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,911. UPDATED 11/09/15*LJ UPDATED 4/3/18*JB *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AFTER A WAIT PERIOD. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
TURNING THE CAR ON AND THE ENGINE REVS WITH HIGH RPM. CAR CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE ON OWN. THIS CAN ALSO HAPPEN RANDOMLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHEN DRIVING, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND THE SPEED WILL INCREASE FROM 20 MPH UP TO 55 OR 60 MPH RIDING THE BRAKES AND GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN TURN THE CAR OFF HELPS, SOMETIMES. THIS IS FRIGHTENING AND DANGEROUS. *TR
APPROACHED INTERSECTION IN TURNING LANE TO MAKE LEFT TURN. UPON MAKING SUCH TURN, VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE AS FAST AS IT SHOULD. WAS TOLD SECOND DRIVER RAN RED LIGHT AND COLLIDED WITH MY VEHICLE IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I REMEMBER HEARING THE CRASH AND THE CAR SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL. BOTH AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY, AS I WAS FLOATING OVER THE GEAR SHIFT. WAS TOLD AT THE SCENE LEFT LEG WAS BROKEN AT THE ANKLE PER PARAMEDIC. RIGHT LEG WAS CONFIRMED BROKEN AT THE ANKLE AT THE HOSPITAL. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT, I HAD A BURN MARK THAT LASTED ALMOST SIX MONTHS. I SPENT 22 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL, I STARTED AS ORTHO-TRAUMA, WENT TO SURGERY THE NEXT DAY TO REPAIR MY LEFT LEG WITH 1 PLATE AND 8 SCREWS. THREE DAYS LATER, I HAD COMPLICATIONS FROM MY INJURIES. I WENT TO PULMONARY ICU (PICU). TWO DAYS AFTER BEING STABILIZED, I WENT BACK TO SURGERY TO REPAIR MY RIGHT LEG WITH 2 PLATES AND 10 SCREWS. IT TOOK 10 MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO WALK AGAIN, WITH A CANE AND A LIMP... RIGHT LEG IS NOTICEABLY SHORTER THAN MY LEFT IT TOOK A YEAR TO HAVE FEELING TO THE TOP OF MY RIGHT FOOT AT MY BIG TOE. I HAVE LOST MY NURSING CAREER DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO DO MY JOB. WALKING AND STANDING, LIFTING, BENDING OR PUSHING A MEDICINE CART FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME IS IMPOSSIBLE. I HAVE BEEN DECLARED DIS-ABLED. *TR
CAR WAS FORCED OFF ROAD THEN ROLLED OVER INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. *TR
ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM PREVENTS CAR FROM STARTING. FALSELY DETECTS THAT IGNITION KEY IS NOT THE CORRECT KEY FOR THIS AUTOMOBILE, EVEN THOU THIS KEY HAS BEEN USED TO START THE CAR THOUSANDS OF TIMES. TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM DRIVER MUST TURN OFF IGNITION, TURN KEY TO ON POSITION AND WAIT APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES FOR THE COMPUTER TO REGISTER THE KEY AS BEING CORRECT, TURN THE IGNITION KEY TO OFF AND THEN TURN IT TO START TO GET THE CAR STARTED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US AT LEAST 100 TIMES DURING THE PAST 6 YEARS. GM SERVICE SAYS THE REMEDY IS TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH AT A COST OF $400.00. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN FREQUENTLY REPORTED BY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF GM 1998 THRU 2006 AUTOMOBILE OWNERS. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED FOR FREE BY GM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THESE CARS AND TRUCKS. *TR
ONE DAY OUT OF NOWHERE WHILE IN PARK AND IDLING CAR JUST DIED, RESTARTED FINE, THEN A COUPLE DAYS LATER AT A STOPLIGHT DIED AGAIN, WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND DRIVE ON, BUT THIS CONTINUED FROM THEN ON EVERYTIME IT WAS STOPPED AND RUNNING WOULD JUST DIE COULD RESTART WHEN READY TO DRIVE OFF AND IT WOULD GO FINE, UNTIL THE LAST TIME IT DIED WHILE GOING 35 MPH IN TRAFFIC AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO STEER OUT OF TRAFFIC AND ALMOST COULDN'T STOP, BUT WOULDN'T RESTART ANYMORE, AND STILL WON'T START. TOOK TO A MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE IGNITION CAUSED THE ANTI THEFT TO ENGAGE AND TURN OFF COMPONENTS IN MOTOR, I'VE READ I OTHERS HAVING SAME PROBLEM IN THIS SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL JUST WONDERING WHY IT HASN'T BEEN RECALLED ALONG WITH ALL THE REST OF CHEVY' SCARS HAVING THIS PROBLEM, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN JUST A COUPLE AND THE LAST TIME IT DIED ON ME I WAS LUCKY TO NOT GET HIT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,700. UPDATED 08/28/14*LJ UPDATED 09/4/2014 *JS
OVER THE PAST MONTH, THE MALIBU HAS STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS OCCURRED BOTH ON ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION ONE TIME ALMOST CAUSING A BROADSIDE IMPACT AS MY SON PULLED OUT TO MAKE A LEFT ONTO A BUST STREET. HE WAS FORTUNATE AND THE ONCOMING DRIVER WAS ABLE TO BRAKE IN TIME. WE TOOK IT TO A GARAGE THAT SAID OUR IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WE HAD DONE. CURIOUS BECAUSE THIS IS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT HAS OCCURRED WITH THE OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THE CHEVY RECALL, BUT OUR VEHICLE HAS YET TO BE RECALLED FOR THIS OBVIOUSLY HAZARDOUS DEFECT. *TR
DRIVING CAR AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, WILL ACCELERATE BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING RPM >2000 WHEN PUT IN PARK RPM >2500. WHEN BRAKE FOR LIGHT AND TAKE FOOT OFF BRAKE CAR WILL ACCELERATE BY IT SELF I LET IT GO UP TO 45 MPH THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, I TURN ENGINE OFF AND TURN BACK ON IT WILL IDLE NORMALLY 1000 OR LESS. NO PANEL WARNING LIGHTS POP UP. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A VISIBLE ANTIFREEZE LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.
HI, IT'S ME.... AGAIN. IMAGINE THAT WITH MY CHEVY MALIBU. I WENT TO START THE CAR THIS MORNING. HOWEVER, IT WOULDN'T. I COULD HEAR THE FUEL PUMP RUN FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN TURN OFF. THE ENGINE WOULD FIRE BRIEFLY, AND THEN STOP. THE STARTER IS WORKING GREAT. SO I TURNED TO GOOGLE. I FOUND, LIKE SO MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS ON HERE THAT THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM IS TO BLAME. IT LIKES TO RANDOM TURN ON, PREVENTING THE CAR FROM STARTING. I CALLED THE DEALER TO ASK WHAT CHEVY WAS GOING TO DO TO FIX CHEVY'S BUSTED ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. I WAS TOLD TO TURN THE KEY TO THE "ON" POSITION FOR 10 MIN. THE ANTI-THEFT WOULD RESET, AND THEN I COULD START ME CAR. THEY FORGOT TO TELL ME THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THIS UNTIL I SPEND $500 OF MY OWN MONEY TO FIX A PROBLEM CHEVY KNOWS ABOUT. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT IS DUE TO POOR ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING ON CHEVY'S PART? OH WHAT.... CORPORATE AMERICA SAYS SO. THEY ARE BIGGER THAN ME, AND THEREFORE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN PUTTING OUT A RELIABLE PRODUCT TO CONSUMERS. CHEVY IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A CORPORATE GREED MANAGER. JUST MAN UP AND FIX YOUR CRAPPY CARS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY AT LOW SPEEDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
I'VE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES NOW WITH THE THEFT SYSTEM ON MY 2001 MALIBU. IT HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY COUPLE DAYS TO WEEKS NOW & IS BECOMING A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH MY JOB & ALSO WHEN IT HAPPENS AT NIGHT WHEN I'M IN A DARK PARKING LOT, OUTS NOT THE BEST SITUATION TO BE IN. IM A SINGLE MOM & HAVE HAD PLENTY OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE THE WORST & CONSTANT ONE OF THEM ALL. IF GM KNEW THIS WOULD BE A PROBLEM THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THING FOR THEIR CONSUMERS & TAKEN CARE OF THE DEFECT, WHICH IS NOT OUR FAULT YET WE THE CONSUMERS HAVE TO PAY & SUFFER FOR IT. *TR
ON AT LEAST 10 OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE THE ANTI-THEFT PASSLOCK SYSTEM WILL ACTIVATE FOR NO APPARENT REASON, WHICH DISABLES THE ABILITY TO START THE ENGINE BY CUTTING OFF THE FUEL. IF I TURN THE IGNITION KEY TO ON POSITION AND WAIT FOR 10 MINUTES, THEN TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND THEN ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE IT WILL STARTUP SUCCESSFULLY. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN IT HAPPENS WHILE PARKED IN DARK PARKING LOTS LATE AT NIGHT OR OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN VERY COLD WEATHER. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GM OWNERS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. WHY HASN'T GM BEEN FORCED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *TR
WHEN WE WOULD JUST START THE CAR IT WOULD REV UP TO BETWEEN 3000 TO 4000 RPM AND IT WOULD STAY THAT WAY. THIS WAS ONLY ONE WAY THAT IT WOULD ACT UP. THE OTHER WAYS WERE WHEN YOU WERE JUST DRIVING ALONG AND THE CAR WOULD START TO ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN. BOTH WAYS YOU HAD TO RIDE THE BRAKE AND RIDE IT HARD IN ORDER NOT TO HIT THE PERSON IN FRONT OF US. WE HAD IT IN TO ONE DEALER TWICE WITH NOTHING GETTING FIXED. WE TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER THREE TIMES, THEY RANDOMLY REPLACED DIFFERENT THINGS (GUESSING) AT OUR COST, BUT PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. WE EVEN TOOK IT IN WHEN IT WAS REVVING UP TO 3000 RPM, WHILE THEY WERE UNDER THE HOOD IT EVEN WENT HIGHER! WE WERE TOLD TO TURN IT OFF BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID IT WOULD BLOW, BUT WHEN WE CAME BACK TO PICK IT UP THEY SAID THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN AND THEY COULDN'T FIX IT IF IT DIDN'T DO IT FOR THEM AGAIN. THEY TOLD US THAT THE BEST THING FOR US TO DO WAS TO TRADE THE CAR IN ON A DIFFERENT VEHICLE, WE TOLD HIM THAT THIS THING IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AND NOT JUST TRADED IN. WE CONTACTED GM AND TOLD THEM THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS HARM NOT ONLY TO MY WIFE AND MYSELF BUT TO OTHERS. GM DID NOTHING TO ASSIST WITH THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT IF THE DEALER COULDN'T FIX IT THAT THEY COULDN'T HELP US. THEY WOULDN'T EVEN CONTACT THE DEALERS TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEMS WERE. WE HAVE APPROX. 116,000 MILES AND IT NOW HAS ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATION. WE STILL HAVE THE CAR BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER AT THIS TIME, BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M DRIVING A TIME BOMB. *TR
ON AT LEAST 20 OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM WILL ACTIVATE FOR NO APPARENT REASON, WHICH DISABLES THE ABILITY TO START THE ENGINE. IF I TURN THE IGNITION KEY TO ON POSITION AND WAIT FOR 10 MINUTES, THEN TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND THEN ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE IT WILL STARTUP SUCCESSFULLY. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN IT HAPPENS WHILE PARKED IN DARK PARKING LOTS LATE AT NIGHT OR OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN VERY COLD WEATHER. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GM OWNERS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. WHY HASN'T GM BEEN FORCED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM? *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
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