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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.

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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

Steering complaints

21 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 2014
Electrical SystemSteering

DRIVING CAR ON HIGHWAY WHEN IT POWERED DOWN, TURNED OFF, LOST POWER STEERING, ETC. HAD TO PULL OVER, STOP CAR, AND RESTART IT. PRIOR TO THIS, HAD BEEN DRIVING IT IN TOWN ON SIDE STREET AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10630031

70,000 miles · Apr 9, 2014
Electrical SystemSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING MORE THAN ONE TIME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE KEY MADE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MAKE A TICKING NOISE AT RANDOM ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING MORE THAN ONE TIME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE KEY MADE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MAKE A TICKING NOISE AT RANDOM ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE NOR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED ABOVE 60 MPH . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI #10578495

65,245 miles · Apr 3, 2014
Electrical SystemEngineSteering

WE OWN A 2003 CHEV MALIBU, SOLD AND SERVICED IN CANADA, BUT MANUFACTURED AT GM'S LANSING, MICHIGAN ASSEMBLY PLANT. CHEV MALIBUS ARE NOT YET INCLUDED ON THE GM IGNITION SWITCH RECALL LIST, BUT IN OCT/11 WE HAD EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEMS REPORTED BY THOSE VEHICLES CURRENTLY ON THE RECALL LIST: FOR PERHAPS 5 SECONDS, A TOTAL LOSS O…

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WE OWN A 2003 CHEV MALIBU, SOLD AND SERVICED IN CANADA, BUT MANUFACTURED AT GM'S LANSING, MICHIGAN ASSEMBLY PLANT. CHEV MALIBUS ARE NOT YET INCLUDED ON THE GM IGNITION SWITCH RECALL LIST, BUT IN OCT/11 WE HAD EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEMS REPORTED BY THOSE VEHICLES CURRENTLY ON THE RECALL LIST: FOR PERHAPS 5 SECONDS, A TOTAL LOSS OF ALL POWER (ENGINE, LIGHTS, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, ETC.,) WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH, AT NIGHT. AFTER THAT 5 SECOND DELAY, ALL POWER RESUMED, (LIGHTS, ENGINE, ETC) AND THE CAR OPERATED PERFECTLY FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVE HOME. A DAY LATER, WE AGAIN HAD A TOTAL LOSS OF ALL POWER, THIS TIME WHILE TURNING A CORNER AT SLOW SPEED. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKING MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT THEN. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, ON 25 OCT/11, I HAD MY IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED AT MY LOCAL GM CHEV DEALERSHIP, AT A COST OF $416.51. AT NO TIME DID THE DEALER MENTION ANY KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THESE IGNITION SWITCHES. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT RECALL, I CONTACTED MY GM DEALERSHIP, WHO STATED THEY COULD NOT COMMENT ON WHETHER THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH IS POTENTIALLY FAULTY OR NOT - AND HOW WOULD DEALERS KNOW, IF GM REPLACED THE ORIGINAL SWITCHES WITHOUT CHANGING THE PART NUMBER? WERE DEALERS TOLD TO GET RID OF THE "OLD STOCK", OR TO RETURN IT TO GM? THE DEALER STATED THAT, IF AND WHEN MY VEHICLE IS ADDED TO THE CURRENT RECALL LIST, THEY WOULD "REPLACE THE REPLACEMENT". IN OTHER WORDS, I COULD BE DRIVING WITH A FAULTY SWITCH - A POTENTIAL DANGER TO MYSELF AND TO OTHERS....AND, TO DATE, GM APPARENTLY DOESN'T PLAN TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I'M OUT $416 AND MAY STILL HAVE A DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH. I RECOGNIZE THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT'S AUTHORITY DOESN'T EXTEND TO CANADA. HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE WAS SOLD AND SERVICED IN CANADA, IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN LANSING, MICHIGAN - LIKE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER CHEV MALIBUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10577239

53,728 miles · Apr 1, 2014
Electrical SystemSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS USUALLY ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THERE WERE INSTANCES WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY RESTART. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS USUALLY ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THERE WERE INSTANCES WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY RESTART. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUOUSLY RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING) BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE MULTIPLE TIMES AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53728.

NHTSA ODI #10576406

49,882 miles · Feb 13, 2014
Electrical SystemSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ADDITIONALLY, THE DOOR CHIMES WOULD SOUND SPORADICALLY AND THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD ENGAGE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ADDITIONALLY, THE DOOR CHIMES WOULD SOUND SPORADICALLY AND THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD ENGAGE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,882. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10564221

44,370 miles · Mar 16, 2012
SteeringSuspension

I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING LOSS OF STEERING AND SUSPENSION PERFORMANCE WITH MY VEHICLE INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF TIRE TREAD FOR MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BOUNCES AND MAKES SCREECHING SOUNDS WHILE STEERING A CURVE ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED IN EARLY MARCH AND NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS OBSERVED OR DETECTED. A 4 WHE…

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I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING LOSS OF STEERING AND SUSPENSION PERFORMANCE WITH MY VEHICLE INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF TIRE TREAD FOR MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BOUNCES AND MAKES SCREECHING SOUNDS WHILE STEERING A CURVE ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED IN EARLY MARCH AND NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS OBSERVED OR DETECTED. A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS ALSO DONE AT A CHEVROLET DEALER A FEW MONTHS BACK AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND OR DETECTED THEN. I HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE MECHANICAL OPERATION OF EITHER THE STEERING OR SUSPENSION COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE. KINDLY INVESTIGATE AND LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI #10451945

28,000 miles · Dec 8, 2011
Steering

THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED 5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. EACH TIME,MY DAUGHTER HAS PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE, AND THE POWER STEERING OPERATED CORRECTLY AGAIN. I HAVE HAD THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM CHECKED BY CERTIFIED GM MECHANICS AT THE LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP; THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS COMMON PROBLEM BU…

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THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED 5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. EACH TIME,MY DAUGHTER HAS PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE, AND THE POWER STEERING OPERATED CORRECTLY AGAIN. I HAVE HAD THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM CHECKED BY CERTIFIED GM MECHANICS AT THE LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP; THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS COMMON PROBLEM BUT THEY DID KNOW OF A REMEDY. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE STEERING SYSTEM EACH TIME, AND DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. I AM SELLING THIS VEHICLE...IT IS NOT SAFE ENOUGH FOR MY DAUGHTER TO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10439077

100,000 miles · Sep 15, 2011
SteeringStructure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THERE WAS A LOSS OF CONTROL IN THE STEERING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN FULL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH CAUTION. THERE WAS A NEARBY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THE SUB FRAME WAS FRACTURED DU…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THERE WAS A LOSS OF CONTROL IN THE STEERING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN FULL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH CAUTION. THERE WAS A NEARBY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THE SUB FRAME WAS FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. IN ADDITION, BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10425608

130,000 miles · Jan 26, 2011
Steering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE ALL POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE BEGAN THREE WEEKS AGO. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS T…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE ALL POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE BEGAN THREE WEEKS AGO. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10378819

103,540 miles · Sep 27, 2008
SteeringFire

STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING, THEN BURST INTO FLAMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10243775

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.