Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 24 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.
BOTH HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WON'T WORK, BULBS FINE, CHECKED RELAYS TOO, FUSES FINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHT LENSES WERE FOGGED. THE FIXTURES WERE REPLACED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE LENSES AND PLUGS WERE MELTED. THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
I TURNED MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL ON, AND IT WOULDN'T WORK. SINCE THIS THE TURN SIGNALS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO.I TOOK IT TO HAVE IT TESTED AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE CONTROL BOARD AND I REPLACED THAT. BUT STILL THE SIGNALS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. I WAS TOLD ABOUT ANOTHER MALIBU THAT WAS A YEAR OLDER THAT DONE THE SAME THING. BUT I HAVE A YOUNG SON AND A BABY ON THE WAY, I DON'T WANT TO BE REAR-ENDED BECAUSE I HAVE NO TURN SIGNALS. *TR
TURN SIGNAL SWITCH DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME WILL ALSO MAKE THE TURN SIGNAL SOUND WHEN NOT USING IT AND IF YOU LET IT GO TO LONG BEFORE GETTING A NEW ONE IT STARTS TO SMOKE I HAVE REPLACED IT TWO TIME AND IT IS OUT AGAIN. *TR
WHEN IT RAINS THE TAIL LIGHTS FILL UP WITH WATER AND THE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK CORRECTLY. AND SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT WORK AT ALL. IT HOLDS WATER AND THE LIGHTS FLASH IN A CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHT MANNER. ALSO WHEN THE BREAKS ARE STEPPED ON THE BLINKERS DO NOT WORK. ALSO WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BREAK THE BLINKER INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REMAIN LIT UP GREEN. I HAVE REPLACE BULBS AS WELL AS THE WHOLE LIGHT HOUSING. EVEN DRILLED WHOLES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE LIGHT HOUSING UNITS SO THE WATER CAN DRAINED. NOTHING CAN REMEDY THIS PROBLEM IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
THIS CAR WAS A GIFT TO MY WIFE AND I AFTER MY GRANDMOTHER DIED.IT HAS VERY LOW MILES AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON WITHOUT THE PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL FAILURES IN WHICH THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS WOULD NOT FUNCTION, THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED ILLUMINATING, AND THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME BUT THE FAILURE AGAIN RECURRED A YEAR LATER. THE VEHICLE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED FOR THE FOURTH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE RECURRING FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,073. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES. UPDATED 07/19/12
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD STOP ILLUMINATING ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 113,000. HAZARD SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED AND SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 11/16/2011 *LN *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS SEEM TO SHUT OFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEY WERE ENGAGED WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ALERT THE OTHER DRIVER THAT SHE WAS MAKING A TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR HAD IT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HER THAT HE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.
MY TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS DO NOT ALWAYS WORK. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL AND OTHER TIMES THEY BLINK A FEW TIMES AND THEN STOP. I DRIVE ON MAJOR INTERSTATES AND I'M ALWAYS AFRAID THAT THIS WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I CANNOT PREDICT IF OR WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, IF I TAP OR LIGHTLY PRESS THE FLASHER BUTTON ON THE DASH IT SEEMS TO HELP. I'VE SEEN OTHER REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY FLAW. *TR
THE TURN SIGNALS ON MY 2003 CHEVY MALIBU DON'T ALWAYS WORK, I FLIP THE SWITCH AND SOMETIMES THEY BLINK AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. SOMETIMES THEY STOP BLINKING BEFORE THE TURN IS ACTUALLY MADE. THIS IS ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS. I'VE HAD TO MISS TURNS BECAUSE MY TURN SIGNAL WONT COME ON AND TO AVOID BEING REAR ENDED I JUST KEEP GOING, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH HER VEHICLE. THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD OPERATE WITHOUT INITIALIZATION AND THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WERE ALSO INOPERABLE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO OTHER FAILURES. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER COULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 87,000.
I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY TURN SIGNALS. THEY WOULD WORK WHEN THEY WANTED TO. I TOOK MY CAR TO A CHEVY DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS AND HOW MUCH IT WAS GOING TO COST TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE ATTENDANT WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD RECALL UP TO 2002 MALIBUS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT OF COURSE MINE IS A2003 SO I HAD TO PAY FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED. THE COST WAS $110.00 WHICH WASN'T BAD BUT THE 2002 AND 2003 PARTS INTERCHANGE. SO WHY WOULDN'T THEY HAVE SAME RECALL? *TR
TURN SIGNAL FAILS TO OPERATE UNLESS I PRESS LIGHTLY ON THE HAZARD SWITCH. OCCURS VERY FREQUENTLY ON WARM TO HOT WEATHER. *TR
A FEW MONTHS AGO MY 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU TURN SIGNALS STOPPED WORKING FOR NO REASON. SOME DAYS THEY WORK AND SOME THEY DON'T. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE A TURN AND ANOTHER VEHICLE IS BEHIND YOU. ALSO THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE MAKES A CREAKING RUBBING NOISE AND A CLUNKING NOISE. IT'S VERY IRRITATING. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 MALIBU SEDAN, AND THE ALARM/HORN HAS A DEFECT. LAST YEAR WE HAD A HIGH POWER WIND STORM AND MY ALARM BLEW FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES (2 HORNS). THEY FINALLY DIED DOWN BY THEMSELVES. MY CAR WAS NOT HIT BY ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE HIGH WINDS. I HAD TO TAKE FUSE #43 OUT TO MAKE THE HORN STOP BLOWING EVERY TIME I STARTED MY CAR. MY CAR NEED TO PASS INSPECTION, BUT THE DEALERSHIP WANT TO CHARGE ME $95.00 AN HOUR, TO DO AN EXPLORATORY DEAL ON THE CAR, TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. ANOTHER CAR REPAIR COMPANY TOLD ME THE COST WOULD BE $900.00, BUT COULD NOT JUSTIFY, WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO. THEY STATED IT COULD BE THE TURN SIGNAL OR IT COULD BE THE FUSE UNDER MY AIR BAG ON THE STEERING WHEEL. NO ONE CAN ACTUALLY EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT'S WRONG, BUT THEY WANT TO CHARGE THE HECK OUT OF ME. I DO NOT HAVE THAT TYPE OF MONEY FOR EXPLORATORY EXAMINATIONS ON MY CAR. I AM QUITE SURE THE MANUFACTURER KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THIS MALIBU, AND CAN FIX IT WITHOUT A PROBLEM. I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS, I WAS NOT TOLD THE CAR HAD TWO RECALLS ON IT WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR. I FEEL THIS IS VERY WRONG, I WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASE THE CAR, IF I KNEW OF RECALL PROBLEMS. NOW I AM STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITHOUT A HORN/ALARM SYSTEM. SINCE THE DEALERSHIP WANTED TO GO INTO MY STEERING WHEEL TO CHECK THE FUSE FOR $95.00 AN HOUR, MY AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON. *TR
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 I WENT TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER SO I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $650 TO FIX THE IGNITION SWITCH. IN THE MEAN TIME THE CAR IS NOW RUNNING BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY "RESET" THE COMPUTER. I TOLD THEM I WOULD TAKE MY CHANCES WITH IT AND DROVE OFF AFTER PAYING THE $85 DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE. WELL 2 WEEKS LATER IT DOES NOT START AGAIN. I CALL AAA AND THE TOW COMES OUT AND THE DRIVER TELLS ME IT'S THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE, WAIT 10 MINUTES AND THE CAR WILL START. LOW IN BEHOLD IT WORKED. SO WHY DIDN'T THE DEALERSHIP TELL ME THIS IS THE PROBLEM. FUNNY THEY TOLD ME THE "RESET" COULD LAST 3 WEEKS, A YEAR, OR FOREVER... BUT THEY STILL WANTED TO MILK ME FOR $650. SO I DO A GOOGLE ON THIS AND FIND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PROBLEM. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH GM IF THEY KNOW THIS PROBLEM EXIST AND DON'T FIX THE PROBLEM WITH A RECALL OR A FIX! I WILL NEVER BUY A GM CAR AGAIN!!!
THE BLINKERS AND HAZARD LIGHTS HAVE SPORADICALLY STOPPED WORKING FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. NOW THEY HAVE STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING. IT ALSO WILL NOT MEET THE STATE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS. AFTER RESEARCHING THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF SITES WITH OTHER PEOPLE STATING THEIR CHEVY MALIBU HAS DONE THE SAME THING. GM HAD ONE RECALL ON THIS ISSUE BUT ONLY INCLUDED A SMALL NUMBER OF VIN'S. IT APPEARS THEY HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. *JB
MY 2003 CHEVY MALIBU IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE TURN SIGNALS AND FOUR WAY FLASHERS AS NOTED IN YOU POSTED INFORMATION BELOW. ODI OPENED THE INVESTIGATION BASED ON 9 COMPLAINTS OF TURN SIGNALS OPERATING SPORADICALLY ON THE 2000-2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE TURN SIGNALS QUIT WORKING WITHOUT WARNING AND MAY OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR STANDING STILL. GM IDENTIFIED THE HAZARD SWITCH AS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. ELECTRICAL CURRENT TO THE TURN SIGNAL PASSES THROUGH THE HAZARD SWITCH. FAILURE OF THE HAZARD SWITCH RESULTS IN LOSS OF TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS. GM REPORTS 318, 184 AND 201 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS FOR THE MALIBU, ALERO AND GRAND AM RESPECTIVELY. GM ALSO REPORTS THE FOLLOWING MODELS HAVE THE SAME DESIGN TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD SWITCH AS THE CHEVROLET MALIBU: CHEVROLET CORVETTE, MONTE CARLO, AND IMPALA; OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE AND ALERO; AND THE PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA SHOW THE HIGHEST OCCURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM IN THE MY 2000-2001 MALIBU, ALERO, AND GRAND AM. *NM
HEADLIGHTS, DASHLIGHTS, GO DIM, FLICKER WHEN STEP ON BRAKES. ALSO HEATER FAN SLOWS DOWN WHEN STEP ON BRAKES. *LA
HEADLIGHTS IN MY 2003 CHEV MALIBU CONTINUALY STAY FOGGED UP WITH WATER INSIDE THE LENS AND CHEVY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I THINK IT COULD CAUSE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE LIGHTS WORKING PROPERLY.
THE DESIGN OF THE AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL FOR THE HEADLAMPS SUBJUGATES THE RESPONSIBILITY STATE LAW PLACES ON THE VEHICLE OPERATOR. THE OPERATOR CERTANTLY CAN _CHOOSE_ TO ALLOW A AUTOMATIC SYSTEM TO OPERATE THE LIGHTS IF THEY WANT TO, HOWEVER SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO USE IT IF THE OPERATOR IS NOT COMFORABLE WITH THE WAY THE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM OPERATES. ADDITIONALLY, THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTING SYSTEMS CAN ONLY DETERMINE WHEN AMBIENT LIGHTING CONDITIONS _MAY_ REQUIRE LIGHTING BUT _CANNOT_ DETERMINE OTHER SPECIFIC WEATHER-RELATED CONDITIONS WHEN THE LAWS OF MY STATE ALSO MANDATE VEHICLE LIGHTING BE USED. MOST NOTABLY, THE AUTO SYSTEM DOES NOT ALWAYS "KNOW" WHEN IT'S FOGGY, RAINING OR SNOWING DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, APPLYING LIGHTING SOMETIMES IN THOSE CASES, BUT NOW ALWAYS. OR BEGINNING WITH THE LIGHTS ON, THEN THEY GO OFF, THEN ON AGAIN, THEN OFF AGAIN DURING A TRIP WHEN THE LIGHTS SHOULD REMAIN ON CONTINOUSLY. THIS OFTEN OCCURS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TO THE OPERATOR THAT THESE CHANGES IN STATUS OF THE LIGHTS ARE OCCURING. IN FACT, WITH DRLS LIT IN THE FRONT, THE NORMAL VISUAL QUEUE THAT THE LIGHTS ARE OUT THAT ONE WOULD EXPECT IS ABSENT (THE DRLS LOOK LIKE HEADLIGHTS) AND IT'S TOO BRIGHT OUT TO TELL IF THE DASH LIGHTS ARE ON OR NOT. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. GM SHOULD RETROFIT THE MALIBU'S WITH TOTAL OVERRIDE OF THE AUTO SYSTEM (COMPLETE DISABLE OF THE AUTO LIGHTS AND DRLS) FOR THOSE OWNERS THAT REQUEST IT.
I HAVE A CHEVROLET MALIBU AND THE TURN SIGNALS DON'T WORK AT ALL TIMES. *NLM
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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