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2003 Chevrolet Malibu

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 310.5.

About this comparison →
569Owner complaints

Model-year median: 310.5

2Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
922
2000721
2001567
2002569
20031,147
2004975
20051,115
2006
Compare all Malibu years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
289Vehicle Speed Control
85Engine
47Service Brakes, Hydraulic
45Engine And Engine Cooling
41
All reported categories
Exterior Lighting
28Air Bags
27Fuel System, Gasoline
24Suspension
23Steering
21Unknown Or Other
15Service Brakes
14Fuel/propulsion System
13Power Train
13Structure
9Equipment
7Fuel System, Other
5Latches/locks/linkages
4Service Brakes, Air
4Tires
4Electronic Stability Control (esc)
3Seat Belts
3Visibility
3Wheels
3Seats
2Visibility/wiper
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

429 reports with mileage · 140 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 289 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 85 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

35 crash reports4 fire reports17 injury reports

Fuel/propulsion System complaints

13 reports
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123,000 miles · Jul 25, 2013
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

CAR FAILED TO START, ONLY CRANKED. HAD SPARK PLUGS,WIRES,IGNITION SWITCH,FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER,RELAYS,COIL PACKS,ETC... REPLACED. GOT IT RUNNING DROVE ABOUT 40 MILES, NOW IT JUST DIES WHILE DRIVING... NO WARNING JUST CUTS OFF. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO VARIOUS MECHANICS AND HAVE SPENT ALOT OF $$. I EVEN HAD NEW GM MOTOR INSTALLED. I A…

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CAR FAILED TO START, ONLY CRANKED. HAD SPARK PLUGS,WIRES,IGNITION SWITCH,FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER,RELAYS,COIL PACKS,ETC... REPLACED. GOT IT RUNNING DROVE ABOUT 40 MILES, NOW IT JUST DIES WHILE DRIVING... NO WARNING JUST CUTS OFF. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO VARIOUS MECHANICS AND HAVE SPENT ALOT OF $$. I EVEN HAD NEW GM MOTOR INSTALLED. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AS SEVERAL TIME I WAS ON HIGHWAY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE DEATH. DEALERSHIP HAS GIVEN NO HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10531828

113,000 miles · Jun 18, 2012
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM ACTIVATED ABOUT 4 TIMES FOR NO REASON IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS. EACH TIME I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL AND RE BOOTED THE SYSTEM. THEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR SPUTTERED AND STALLED. THE CAR WON'T START. THE FUEL PUMP IS BROKEN. WHY YOU ASK DID THE FUEL PUMP BREAK. BECAUSE EACH TIME THE AN…

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THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM ACTIVATED ABOUT 4 TIMES FOR NO REASON IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS. EACH TIME I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL AND RE BOOTED THE SYSTEM. THEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR SPUTTERED AND STALLED. THE CAR WON'T START. THE FUEL PUMP IS BROKEN. WHY YOU ASK DID THE FUEL PUMP BREAK. BECAUSE EACH TIME THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM ACTIVATED ITSELF FOR NO REASON IT SHUT OFF THE FUEL PUMP. THIS REPEATEDLY SHUTTING OFF THE FUEL PUMP CAUSES THE PUMP TO BREAK. THIS RESULTS IN A $500+ REPAIR BILL PLUS THE COST TO TOW THE CAR PLUS SALES TAX MAKING THE REPAIR $600. CHEVY IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH MALIBU'S. THE DEFECTIVE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM IN EFFECT CAUSES OTHER PARTS SUCH AS THE FUEL PUMP TO BREAK. CHEVY PROFITS BY SELLING FUEL PUMP MODULES EACH TIME THERE IS BREAKAGE AND THIS IS WHY CHEVY IS COVERING UP THE PROBLEM! THE CHEVY MALIBU'S SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY AND REPAIRS MADE TO FUEL PUMPS AND ANTI THEFT SYSTEMS BECAUSE CARS STALLING ON ROADWAYS ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10462048

131,086 miles · May 14, 2012
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

MY 2003 CHEVY MALIBU WOULDN'T TURN OVER NOTICED THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT WAS BLINKING HAD TO RESET THE SYSTEM WITH THE KEY BECAUSE IT WASN'T GETTING GAS. BEFORE MY VEHICLE WOULD START READ ONLINE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THIS ISN'T SAFE GM NEEDS TO RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. WITH THE PASSLOCK 2 SYSTEM THEY HAVE I…

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MY 2003 CHEVY MALIBU WOULDN'T TURN OVER NOTICED THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT WAS BLINKING HAD TO RESET THE SYSTEM WITH THE KEY BECAUSE IT WASN'T GETTING GAS. BEFORE MY VEHICLE WOULD START READ ONLINE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THIS ISN'T SAFE GM NEEDS TO RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. WITH THE PASSLOCK 2 SYSTEM THEY HAVE INSTALLED IN THESE VEHICLES I HAVE KIDS AND AM GLAD IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY WITH THEM IN THE CAR. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10458327

Official recalls

2

14V400000 · Electrical System:ignition

Jul 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.

04V528000 · Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal

Nov 1, 2004

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, 'ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS.' IN HOT AMBIENT CONDITIONS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM MAY STICK AT THE ATTACHMENT TO THE BRACKET AND NOT RETURN TO THE ENGINE IDLE POSITION WHEN THE OPERATOR LIFTS HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FAILURE TO RETURN TO IDLE COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM AND REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.