NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
28 reportsClear category filter130,000 miles · Jan 1, 2014
Electrical SystemEquipment Adaptive/mobility
CAME TO A STOP AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR JUST STALLED OUT... REPLACED THE BATTERY AFTER DRAINING IT FROM TRYING TO RESTART IT. AFTER READING ABOUT THE ANTI-THEFT PROBLEMS THESE MODELS HAVE HAD AND HOW TO RESET IT, IT STARTED BUT THEN IT DOES IT STILL OCCASIONALLY AND I HAVE TO REPEAT THE PROCEDURE WHICH CAN BE AN INCONVENIENC…
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CAME TO A STOP AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR JUST STALLED OUT... REPLACED THE BATTERY AFTER DRAINING IT FROM TRYING TO RESTART IT. AFTER READING ABOUT THE ANTI-THEFT PROBLEMS THESE MODELS HAVE HAD AND HOW TO RESET IT, IT STARTED BUT THEN IT DOES IT STILL OCCASIONALLY AND I HAVE TO REPEAT THE PROCEDURE WHICH CAN BE AN INCONVENIENCE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10558072
130,000 miles · Dec 12, 2012
Electrical System
MY 2004 CHEVY CLASSIC WILL NOT START. SUSPECTING THE THEFT SYSTEM. I'VE DEALT WITH THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT BEFORE, BUT THIS TIME IT HAS BEEN ON SOLID OR NOT ON AT ALL. I'VE TRIED THE 10 MINUTE RESTART TWICE WITH NO LUCK. I TRIED A VARIATION OF THE 10 MINUTE RESET THAT HAD ME DO IT 3 TIMES BACK TO BACK WITHOUT STARTING IN BETWEEN…
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MY 2004 CHEVY CLASSIC WILL NOT START. SUSPECTING THE THEFT SYSTEM. I'VE DEALT WITH THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT BEFORE, BUT THIS TIME IT HAS BEEN ON SOLID OR NOT ON AT ALL. I'VE TRIED THE 10 MINUTE RESTART TWICE WITH NO LUCK. I TRIED A VARIATION OF THE 10 MINUTE RESET THAT HAD ME DO IT 3 TIMES BACK TO BACK WITHOUT STARTING IN BETWEEN AND NO LUCK. I TRIED WAITING 1 MINUTE AND 3 MINUTES AFTER PERFORMING THE 10 MINUTE RESET BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO START IT. I REPLACED THE BATTERY WITH NO LUCK. DIAG WAS DONE WITH NO ANSWERS. FROM WHAT I'VE READ ONLINE, THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH MY MAKE AND MODEL, AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DON'T DO A RECALL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10488132
63,385 miles · Sep 6, 2012
Electrical SystemEngine
THE "THEFT SYSTEM" LIGHT WILL COME ON RANDOMLY AND MY CAR WILL NOT START. THE ONLY CURE IS TO TURN THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION FOR 10 MINUTES UNTIL THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT ON THE DASH GOES OUT. THEN TURN THE KEY TO OFF AND THE WILL THEN START. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10474050
89,000 miles · Jun 5, 2011
Electrical System
SECURITY FEATURE ON A 2004 CHEVY CLASSIC MALFUNCTIONS DISABLING THE ABILITY TO START THE VEHICLE. THE THEFT PROTECTION DEVICE FAILS TO READ THE KEY PROPERLY WHICH THEN DOES NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO START. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MANY CHEVY MALIBU AND CLASSICS WITH NO SUPPORT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10404540
65,000 miles · May 20, 2011
Electrical System
OCCASIONALLY, AT THE MOST INOPPORTUNE TIMES, THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO START MY VEHICLE. THE ONLY CURE IS TO TURN THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION FOR 10 MINUTES UNTIL THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT ON THE DASH GOES OUT. THIS IS GETTING TO BE A MAJOR PAIN IN THE NECK, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I AM HANDICAPPED. I COULD BE STRANDED …
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OCCASIONALLY, AT THE MOST INOPPORTUNE TIMES, THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO START MY VEHICLE. THE ONLY CURE IS TO TURN THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION FOR 10 MINUTES UNTIL THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT ON THE DASH GOES OUT. THIS IS GETTING TO BE A MAJOR PAIN IN THE NECK, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I AM HANDICAPPED. I COULD BE STRANDED ANYWHERE, WITHOUT WARNING! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10402244
132,000 miles · Mar 29, 2011
Electrical System
2004 CHEVROLET CLASSIC HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE ANTI-THEFT FEATURE. THE CAR WILL ENTER 'ANTI-THEFT' MODE AND WON'T START FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. THIS HAS LEFT MY DAUGHTER STRANDED MULTIPLE TIMES, AND HER ONLY RECOURSE IS TO SIT WITH THE KEY TURNED ON FOR 10 MINUTES UNTIL THE SYSTEM RESETS.
NHTSA ODI #10393627
75,000 miles · Jul 26, 2010
Electrical SystemEquipment
MY 2004 CHEVROLET CLASSIC'S PASSLOCK SYSTEM IS FAULTY. THE "THEFT SYSTEM" LIGHT WILL COME ON RANDOMLY AND MY CAR WILL NOT START. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE VERY DANGEROUS AS I LIVE IN A DESERT AND RIGHT NOW THE DAY TIME TEMPERATURES CAN REACH UP TO 120 DEGREES. THE 1ST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY AND I W…
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MY 2004 CHEVROLET CLASSIC'S PASSLOCK SYSTEM IS FAULTY. THE "THEFT SYSTEM" LIGHT WILL COME ON RANDOMLY AND MY CAR WILL NOT START. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE VERY DANGEROUS AS I LIVE IN A DESERT AND RIGHT NOW THE DAY TIME TEMPERATURES CAN REACH UP TO 120 DEGREES. THE 1ST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY AND I WAS STRANDED FOR NEARLY AN HOUR. AFTER CHECKING SEVERAL SOURCES ONLINE IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS WILL BE A CONTINUAL PROBLEM UNLESS I GET EXPENSIVE REPAIRS DONE. CHEVY SHOULD BE ISSUING RECALLS ON THE VEHICLES THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS STARTED HAPPENING NEARLY 5 YEARS AFTER PURCHASING THIS CAR AND IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10345263
72,400 miles · Jul 8, 2010
Electrical System
MY 2004 CHEVY CLASSIC'S PASSLOCK THEFT SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTIONED THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN A MONTH. FORTUNATELY I NOTICED THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT BLINKING AND FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN. AFTERWARDS I DID RESEARCH ON THE WEB ABOUT THIS AND DISCOVERED THAT IT IS SOMETHING COMMON THAT IS HAPPENING A LOT AFTER…
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MY 2004 CHEVY CLASSIC'S PASSLOCK THEFT SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTIONED THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN A MONTH. FORTUNATELY I NOTICED THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT BLINKING AND FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN. AFTERWARDS I DID RESEARCH ON THE WEB ABOUT THIS AND DISCOVERED THAT IT IS SOMETHING COMMON THAT IS HAPPENING A LOT AFTER THE MILEAGE REACHES ABOUT 65,000 OF MORE MILES. IT SEEMS THE FIX IS REPLACING A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. WHY DOESN'T CHEVROLET RECALL THESE? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10342049
98,000 miles · May 7, 2010
Electrical SystemEquipment
2004 CHEVY CLASSIC - SOMETIMES THE THEFT DETERRENT ACCORDING TO CHEVROLET, THE FIX IS SUPPOSED TO BE LEAVING THE KEY TURNED. TURN THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION, RIGHT BEFORE IT CRANKS WHEN THE LIGHTS AND RADIO TURN ON. LEAVE IT THERE FOR TEN MINUTES UNTIL THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT TURNS OFF. THEN TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND THE…
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2004 CHEVY CLASSIC - SOMETIMES THE THEFT DETERRENT ACCORDING TO CHEVROLET, THE FIX IS SUPPOSED TO BE LEAVING THE KEY TURNED. TURN THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION, RIGHT BEFORE IT CRANKS WHEN THE LIGHTS AND RADIO TURN ON. LEAVE IT THERE FOR TEN MINUTES UNTIL THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT TURNS OFF. THEN TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND THEN TRY STARTING THE CAR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10329341
70,000 miles · Apr 11, 2010
Electrical System
2005 GENERAL MOTORS CHEVY CLASSIC ANTI THEFT SYSTEM. SYSTEM WILL ARBITRARILY NOT ALLOW CAR TO START. HAVE BEEN TO REPAIR SHOP (NOT DEALER) TO FIND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. ANTI THEFT LIGHT WILL COME ON DURING DRIVE AT WHICH TIME I IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER SO AS NOT RISK CAR SHUTTING DOWN. TURN KEY TO ON FOR TEN MINUTES OR SO UNTIL…
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2005 GENERAL MOTORS CHEVY CLASSIC ANTI THEFT SYSTEM. SYSTEM WILL ARBITRARILY NOT ALLOW CAR TO START. HAVE BEEN TO REPAIR SHOP (NOT DEALER) TO FIND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. ANTI THEFT LIGHT WILL COME ON DURING DRIVE AT WHICH TIME I IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER SO AS NOT RISK CAR SHUTTING DOWN. TURN KEY TO ON FOR TEN MINUTES OR SO UNTIL ANTI THEFT LIGHT GOES OUT SO I MAY CONTINUE DRIVING. SEVERAL TIMES THIS HAS DRAINED BATTERY SO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR GOOD SAMARITAN TO GIVE ME A JUMP. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10324948
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