NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Exterior Lighting complaints
143 reportsClear category filter107,500 miles · Jul 15, 2014
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING ANY KEY TO TURN THE CAR ON. IT SEEMS LIKE THE WHOLE WHERE THE KEY GOES INTO IS VERY LOOSE. I SOMETIMES HAVE TO TRY TO TURN IT UP TO TEN TIMES BEFORE THE CAR WILL START,I HAVE TRIED BOTH KEYS THAT CAME WITH THE CAR AND EVEN GOT NEW ONES AND NOTHING WORKS, IF I EVER HAVE TO START IN AN EMERGENCY I WON…
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I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING ANY KEY TO TURN THE CAR ON. IT SEEMS LIKE THE WHOLE WHERE THE KEY GOES INTO IS VERY LOOSE. I SOMETIMES HAVE TO TRY TO TURN IT UP TO TEN TIMES BEFORE THE CAR WILL START,I HAVE TRIED BOTH KEYS THAT CAME WITH THE CAR AND EVEN GOT NEW ONES AND NOTHING WORKS, IF I EVER HAVE TO START IN AN EMERGENCY I WON'T BE ABLE TO DO IT. MY TURN SIGNALS ALSO CLICK WHEN NOT IN USE, I DID HAVE A RECALL ON THIS YEARS AGO, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK, I 'M AFRAID THAT ONE DAY THEY MAY NOT WORK AT ALL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10610830
100,000 miles · Jun 16, 2014
Exterior Lighting
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL, BRAKELIGHTS, AND HAZARD LIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE HAZARD SIGNALS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL, BRAKELIGHTS, AND HAZARD LIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE HAZARD SIGNALS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
NHTSA ODI #10598619
100,000 miles · May 9, 2014
Exterior Lighting
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED AND COULD NOT BE ACTIVATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SIGNAL SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED AND COULD NOT BE ACTIVATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SIGNAL SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA ODI #10587428
104,100 miles · Sep 1, 2013
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
TURN SIGNALS JUST RANDOMLY WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. HAD IT TO THE GARAGE RECENTLY AND ASKED WHY THEY DIDN'T WORK RIGHT, DIDN'T GET MUCH OF AN ANSWER. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE AND IN DOING MY RESEARCH, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10538310
Mileage unknown · May 9, 2012
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
I HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ALMOST SINCE BUYING THE CAR IN 2004. IN 2010 I EXPERIENCED A SCARY NEW TWIST: MY BLINKERS WON'T ALWAYS WORK. IT HAPPENED MAYBE THREE TIMES TOTAL OVER THE NEXT 12-18 MONTHS, BUT IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN, AND I AM NOW DOING MUCH MORE AROUND-TOWN DRIVING. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS WHERE S…
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I HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ALMOST SINCE BUYING THE CAR IN 2004. IN 2010 I EXPERIENCED A SCARY NEW TWIST: MY BLINKERS WON'T ALWAYS WORK. IT HAPPENED MAYBE THREE TIMES TOTAL OVER THE NEXT 12-18 MONTHS, BUT IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN, AND I AM NOW DOING MUCH MORE AROUND-TOWN DRIVING. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS WHERE SOME OWNERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE BLINKERS WORKING AGAIN BY TOGGLING THE HAZARD LIGHTS, BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH MY CAR. I TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND THE BLINKERS WILL WORK THE FIRST TIME I USE THEM, THEN NOT AGAIN FOR THE REST OF MY TRIP (OR IN SOME CASES, THE REST OF THE DAY). *TR
NHTSA ODI #10457865
150,384 miles · Nov 18, 2011
Electrical SystemExterior LightingCrash
1. THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. JUST STOPPED WORKING FOR NO REASON. LIGHTS WERE NOT BURNED OUT. THEN THEY MYSTERIOUSLY STARTED WORKING JUST AS THEY HAD STOPPED. FOR NO REASON. INCIDENTS BECAME MORE FREQUENT WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE. NOT WEATHER RELATED. AFTER READING COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE, I FOUND THAT IF I TURN…
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1. THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. JUST STOPPED WORKING FOR NO REASON. LIGHTS WERE NOT BURNED OUT. THEN THEY MYSTERIOUSLY STARTED WORKING JUST AS THEY HAD STOPPED. FOR NO REASON. INCIDENTS BECAME MORE FREQUENT WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE. NOT WEATHER RELATED. AFTER READING COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE, I FOUND THAT IF I TURNED ON MY HAZARD FLASHERS, THE BLINKERS WOULD WORK AGAIN. 2. I WAS REAR ENDED ON 11/4/11 THOUGH AND COULD NOT GET THE FLASHERS TO WORK. I DON'T KNOW IF MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE WORKING OR NOT WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. 3. THE AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATER ONLY WORK ON THE HIGHEST LEVEL. 4. THE DOOR LOCKS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK AT RANDOM WHILE DRIVING. 5. THE KEY FOB WILL WORK SOMETIMES, MOST TIMES NOT LATELY. 6. THE SECURITY SYSTEM WILL HONK THE HORN SOMETIMES WHEN THE KEY FOB DOES LOCK THE DOORS, MOST TIMES IT DOES NOT HONK THOUGH. 7. THE CAR OVERHEATS AS THE COOLANT CONTAINER IS LOOSE AND THE RADIATOR CAP DOES NOT FIT PROPERLY EVEN THOUGH I PURCHASED A NEW ONE. THE GAUGE FOR THE TEMPERATURE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ACCURATE. 8. SOMETIMES THE HEATER DOES NOT WORK, JUST AS THE A/C DIDN'T WORK MOST OF THE TIME IN THE SUMMER. 9. ANYTIME I TRY TO USE THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER, IT BLOWS THE FUSE, LEAVING THAT FEATURE TOTALLY USELESS. THIS CAR IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE AND FOR A SINGLE WOMAN, I FEEL IT CREATES POTENTIAL TO BE IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS CAR AND I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS BUYING A RELIABLE USED CAR SINCE IT IS A CHEVROLET MALIBU. WAS I EVER WRONG AND ALTHOUGH I HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT CHEVROLET, IT WILL NOT BE MY PREFERENCE IN THE FUTURE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10436321
50,000 miles · Jun 20, 2011
Air BagsEquipmentExterior Lighting
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY, THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER MOTOR WOULD ONLY FUNCTION WHEN SET ON HIGH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY, THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER MOTOR WOULD ONLY FUNCTION WHEN SET ON HIGH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA ODI #10407466
Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2011
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
SURPRISED TO NOT SEE THIS GM RECALL IN THE DATABASE. GM RECALLED THOUSANDS OF CHEVY MALIBU'S MANUFACTURED FROM 1997 ' 2003 FOR A MALFUNCTIONING FLASHER SWITCH AND/OR SHORT IN THE WIRING. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THE MALFUNCTIONING SWITCH CAUSES THE BLINKERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND IN MANY INSTANCES NOT FUNCTION AT ALL ADDITIONALLY…
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SURPRISED TO NOT SEE THIS GM RECALL IN THE DATABASE. GM RECALLED THOUSANDS OF CHEVY MALIBU'S MANUFACTURED FROM 1997 ' 2003 FOR A MALFUNCTIONING FLASHER SWITCH AND/OR SHORT IN THE WIRING. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THE MALFUNCTIONING SWITCH CAUSES THE BLINKERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND IN MANY INSTANCES NOT FUNCTION AT ALL ADDITIONALLY THE HAZARD LIGHTS DO NOT FUNCTION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10382825
90,000 miles · Nov 14, 2010
EquipmentExterior Lighting
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 CHEVY MALIBU WHICH I HAVE OWNED SINCE 2003. FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS (STARTING AROUND APPROXIMATELY 90,000 MILES) I'VE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD LIGHT INDICATORS. THE MALFUNCTION LEADS TO TOTAL FAILURE OR FLICKERING OF THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS, THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND THE INDI…
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I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 CHEVY MALIBU WHICH I HAVE OWNED SINCE 2003. FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS (STARTING AROUND APPROXIMATELY 90,000 MILES) I'VE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD LIGHT INDICATORS. THE MALFUNCTION LEADS TO TOTAL FAILURE OR FLICKERING OF THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS, THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND THE INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE MALFUNCTION WILL OCCUR AT ANY TIME - SUNNY, RAINY, DRY, HUMID, SNOWY, HOT OR COLD WEATHER; DAYTIME OR NIGHTTIME; WHETHER THE ENGINE IS HOT OR COLD. OCCASIONALLY THE INDICATORS WILL WORK FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS BUT THEN THE MALFUNCTION WILL OCCUR AGAIN. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION TO BEGIN. THE ORIGINAL MALFUNCTIONING PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY STILL INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATER SWITCH IN MY CAR. A RATTLE TYPE NOISE IN THE HEATER FAN ASSEMBLY WAS THE FIRST INDICATION THAT I NOTICED AT AROUND 70,000 MILES. THAT STOPPED WHEN THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AFTER I RAN OVER A TRUCK TIRE TREAD THAT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE SWITCH WORKED FOR A WHILE THEN I LOST THE NUMBER ONE AND TWO SPEEDS. EVENTUALLY THE NUMBER THREE SPEED WENT OUT. I CURRENTLY CAN RUN THE HEATER ON SPEEDS NUMBER FOUR AND FIVE; HOWEVER, THE OUTPUT IS LESS THAT WHAT IT SHOULD BE FOR THE TWO HIGHEST FAN SPEEDS. THE REPLACEMENT PART IS CURRENTLY STILL INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10365639
165,976 miles · Sep 1, 2010
Exterior Lighting
2002 CHEVY MALIBU. FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT TURN SIGNAL FAILURE. WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS FAIL, THE CORRESPONDING TURN INDICATORS ON INSTRUMENT PANEL DO NOT WORK AS WELL. OFTEN I CAN GET THEM WORKING AGAIN BY TURNING OFF THE CAR, REMOVING THE KEY, STARTING THE CAR AND REPEATING THE PROCESS 2 OR 3 …
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2002 CHEVY MALIBU. FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT TURN SIGNAL FAILURE. WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS FAIL, THE CORRESPONDING TURN INDICATORS ON INSTRUMENT PANEL DO NOT WORK AS WELL. OFTEN I CAN GET THEM WORKING AGAIN BY TURNING OFF THE CAR, REMOVING THE KEY, STARTING THE CAR AND REPEATING THE PROCESS 2 OR 3 TIMES. SINCE THIS STARTED I HAVE HAD SOME NEAR MISSES AS THE CAR BEHIND ME DOESN'T KNOW THAT I'M TURNING UNTIL I PRESS THE BRAKES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10353423
Official recalls
2Jul 3, 2014
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.
Apr 10, 2002
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH A LEFT LOW-BEAM HEADLAMP THAT DOES NOT MEET THE PHOTOMETRIC PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LIGHT INTENSITIES BELOW THE MINIMUM INTENSITY REQUIREMENTS CAUSE REDUCTION IN VISIBILITY DOWN THE ROAD FOR THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AND INTENSITIES ABOVE THE MAXIMUM INTENSITY REQUIREMENTS CAUSE INCREASE IN GLARE FOR DRIVERS AHEAD OF, OR APPROACHING, THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LEFT LOW-BEAM HEADLAMP AND REPLACE IT IF IT DOES NOT MEET REQUIREMENTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 23, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗