Problems with 2003 Chevrolet Malibu ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

car will not start fuel pump shuts down, car thinks it is being broken into. have to sit in car for 10 minutes with key in ignition to override system. has happened 4 times in last month. also, fuel pump shut down while driving on parkway- lucky to get to side of road without an accident. by the way, new fuel pump and module replaced at 60,000 so that is not the issue.. how many people need to get into accidents or die before the nhtsa gets involved and makes chevy do the right thing and replace this ignitions and passlock parts that are defective!!!! oh, and they got a bail out- but the consumers don't get any and have to continue to pay them for repairs that they caused in the first place gm makes an astronomical amount of money on these repairs. i hope the nhtsa gets a share of that money because you certainly aren't interested in correcting the situation. how many years and tens of thousands of complaints does it take??????? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the engine failed to shut off when the ignition was turned off. in addition, when the key was removed from the ignition, the lights and radio remained activated, which caused the battery to drain. the failure occurred on multiple occasions. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the ignition needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

2003 chevrolet malibu. consumer writes in regards to ignition switch recall, steering and airbag malfunctions. *smd the consumer was involved in an accident on may 19, 2011. she lost control of the steering which sent the vehicle in the opposite lane hitting another car. her vehicle went out of control and ended up going backwards into a sign and then hitting two parked vehicles in a parking lot. the air bag did not deploy until after she hit the sign. the consumer stated she was unaware there was a problem with ignition switch. she stated she had several keys on her ring at the time of the accident. *jb

My 2003 chevrolet malibu shuts off while driving. it happens two or three times each day. initially i only had problems with the engine not starting and having to wait 10 minutes before starting. it is a very dangerous situation. i went to a repair shop nd they said it was my ignition. this is a scary and dangerous situation. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the anti theft system would engage, involuntarily, and the vehicle would not start. on a few occasions, the vehicle would start, but the warning theft light would continue to illuminate. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where they could not duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 68,000.

I own a 2003 chevy malibu with the passlock anti-theft system. over the past 2 1/2 years i have been stranded 6 times and have paid hundreds of dollars due to my car failing to start at any given moment. the scariest incident of all happened as i was driving with my children and lost all power steering as it started to stall out. as of now, may 6, 2011, it is again sitting at the shop unable to start. the turn the key to on, wait 10 minutes trick, doesn't even work any longer. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the key would not release from the ignition. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was advised to place the gear in park in order to release the key from the ignition. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 17,000 and the current mileage was 17,100.

Nhtsa action number (pe05055) was initially issued in 2004 for a defective turn signal/hazard flashers that become inoperative on model year 1999-2000 malibu, alero, grand am, and 1999 cutlass. this action number was later revised in 2005 to include model year 2001-2002 malibu, alero, and grand am vehicles. the resulting document from gm for the initial model year range was: special policy adjustment - turn signals/hazard warning flashers #04098 - (dec 16, 2004) gm document id# 1578551 and when the model year range was extended: special policy adjustment-turn signal/hazard warning flashers #04098a - (jan 11, 2006) gm document id# 1750030 - i own (bought it new) a 2003 chevy malibu that has experienced the same symptom of intermittent turn signal failure. both left and right turn signals sometime work and sometime do not. you can never know when it will or will not work. this is a real safety risk. the switch type in the 2003 malibu appears to be the same as in the previous years for which gm issued the special policies (noted above). on october 8th 2011, i replaced the turn signal/hazard warning flasher switch that was identified in the gm document. (replaced with dorman part 924-601). it has been almost 3 weeks since the replacement and i have not experienced the problem. i would have seen the problem occur during this 3 week period. in case it helps in your investigation, the number on the defective switch i removed from my 2003 malibu is : 22594146 0843 f i wanted to report this failure as there is a possibly that there will be others with the model year 2003 malibu''s that have experienced this problem and will also file a claim with nhtsa. if this is the case, gm will need to once again extend the range of vehicles affected by the defective switch/hazard flashers and include this extended range in their special policy adjustment. *tt

I had trouble with the car starting/stopping in traffic. replaced the key switch which solved the problem. also have had trouble with the heating/air-conditioning fan system. the system will lose the ability to run except on setting 4 or 5. also the switch that puts the system on recycled air has stopped working. this is the second time in 5 years that this has happened. *tr

2003 chevrolet malibu. consumer writes in regards to ignition switch and fuel pump repairs. *smd the consumer stated the passlock sensor had to be replaced, because the vehicle would not start. also, the fuel pump was replaced, because gas was not going from the tank into the engine, the cruise control occasionally would not work, the service engine light would come on intermittently, and electrical components, such as the radio and windows stopped working. *jb

The ignition/passlock system problem of intermittent no start that many others have with the 2003 malibu left me stalled in traffic. lucky for me there was no accident (not yet anyway). i have been dealing with this problem for a couple of years by doing the 10 minute reset as described in the owners manual. i took it to the dealer who replaced control & cable binding. replaced floor shift control. replaced shifter cable & ignition switch cable. the problem remains. i basically gave up complaining to the dealer and went back to the 10 minute reset procedure. a couple hundred dollars down the drain. my son asked why the car was never fixed. he found the technical service bulletin describing the exact problem as i and many others have with the 2003 malibu: it states that "engineering would like to inspect any vehicle before the actual repair has been performed where the repair diagnosis leads to replacing the ignition lock cylinder for an intermittent or hard no start type of condition or customer complaint." (nhtsa item number 10002562) (service bulletin #022003). my son complained to the dealer and was told they fixed the stalling problem. they said i didn't mention anything about the ignition lock cylinder. my statement in the service order reads as follows: owner states can't turn ignition lock cylinder at times. from what i have learned, the ignition lock cylinder should have been replaced. the ignition/passlock system is defective and should have never been installed in the 2003 malibu. gm knew this but installed it anyways. they even have a remedy in their owners manual describing the 10 minute reset solution. gm creates the problem and then have unsuspecting customers pay $$$$$ to fix something else instead of fixing the real problem. this defect is an unsafe and an unethical scam!!!!!!!!!! *tr

The vehicle will not turn on every few times when trying to turn it on. the theft light begins to blink. i have to turn it to the "on" position for 10 minutes for it to restart, then it will work. *tr

Gm chevy malibu passlock system. originally i had a 1998 malibu and thought that it was unrepairable so i sold it for scraps and bought a 2003 malibu and about every month (2 times per month for the past 3 months) i go to work or store just fine and when i come out it doesn't start. i've been taken through several different scenarios by the mechanic at the chevy dealership where i purchased the 2003 malibu from, only to be told that there were several issues with it and they have fixed it costing me about $500 every time it occurs. it wasn't until it happened last month while leaving work and a co-worker called a mechanic friend of hers who informed me of the pass lock system failure and told me to wait 10 minutes then start it up. since then it's happened 2 more times, once while my daughter was driving (luckily i was with her to know how to handle it). i've called the gm to no avail; they seem to know nothing of this issue and their mechanics don't acknowledge it being a problem either so because they've "replaced" or "fixed" several issues (not the issue plaguing the vehicle) which they probably made up; i'm out of thousands of dollars! this is an issue that has apparently been going on with this model for several years and they (gm) refuses to recall the issue or make any effort to fix the problem. thank god i put away money for rainy days but i am livid thinking about how much i would have saved if it weren't for gm or chevy! the government needs to recall this piece of equipment immediately; before gm swindles anymore unsuspecting drivers out of their money! fyi check this website http://www.car-forums.com/talk/showthread.php?s=af8ae0d52c5e7e7e95d95a891b99fbcf&t=1545&page=2 or just google (or what ever search engine you use) "issues with chevy malibu" and see what comes up! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. the contact attempted to start the ignition but the engine failed to operate with the illumination of the anti-theft security system warning indicator. the engine was restarted after ten to fifteen minutes. in addition, the same failure would occur while driving and result in the vehicle stalling. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who advised that the ignition system and computer module would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 36,000. updated 01/03/12*lj updated 01/04/12

The car is a 2003 chevy malibu. occasionally, the "theft system" light will turn on for no reason, and the car will not start. the manual reset is to wait 10 minutes and try to restart the car. this was discovered after several expensive repairs, including fuel pump and ignition, were done. it has been inconvenient and sometimes dangerous to wait around for 10-30 minutes to restart the car. the theft system is flawed and there needs to be a recall to help owners fix this without having to put hundreds or thousands of dollars into fixing things that will not resolve the problem. *tr

Was not able to get keys out of the ignition switch. the keys would stick, and i was not able to remove the keys. took it to a chevrolet dealership, and they had to replace the shifter and knob assembly. i am the original owner of the vehicle and used the original keys. furthermore, this car had low mileage, 56,040 miles, for a seven year old car, and was barely driven to have to have such a serious repair. i see that there is some kind of technical bulletin for this issue, but chevrolet should have paid for the repair instead of charging me the $346.56 to repair a known issue that should have been recalled. i have had so much trouble with my 2003 chevrolet malibu that i would never purchase a chevrolet or gm product ever again. most of the issues that i see in the service bulletins are issues that i have also had. after finding this website, i hope to let other chevrolet malibu owners know of the potential problems that can occur with their vehicles, and also hope that one day, something can be done to make chevrolet liable for all these issues. *js

While driving the car on freeway it just stalled. i coasted to berm. it then restarted. i've had all kinds of electrical problems with this car, but this is a safety problem. i've read that this engine cutting out is probably associated with the passlock system. i've had problems with that system ever since i've had the car. *tr

The passlock anti theft system is a very dangerous system. there have been thousands of complaints about this system. thousands of angry, frustrated people that are being left with no recourse. the problem dates from the 1990s.through 2010. the problem should have been addressed before now. i just spent over $5000. for a car that cannot be moved out of my drive way i don't think congress heard the screams i've heard and read about this problem ('i'll never buy another gm car again', or 'if there is ever a class action suite, count me in') we don't know how many people have been hurt because they have been left stranded, or their cars caused wrecks because the passlock system kicked in and cut off the fuel while they were going down the highway at 70 miles an hour. it is very difficult to read about so many unhappy people. i came from a generation of people that worked for fifty years. we did all the things we were supposed to. we worked hard, paid our bills and trusted that we would be treated fairly. to really find out about passlock, just google passlock complaints. these are just a few of the links to complaints. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/search.html?cx=partner-pub-0200629403145096%3aqt7mbbqybbg&cof=forid%3a10&ie=iso-8859-1&q=passlock&sa=search&siteurl=www.consumeraffairs.com%2f&siteurl=www.consumeraffairs.com%2fautomotive%2fgm_chev_malibu_p2.html#906 http://www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2003/chevrolet/malibu/electrical+system http://www.carcomplaints.com/chevrolet/malibu/2002/electrical/passlock_problem_wont_start_anti-theft_light_is_on.shtml http://www.car-forums.com/talk/showthread.php?t=2349 http://www.chevroletproblems.com/search/results.shtml?cx=partner-pub-6745124734283845%3a635tfyw220y&cof=forid%3a10&ie=iso-8859-1&q=passlock&sa=search&siteurl=www.chevroletproblems.com%252finvestigations%252fmalibu%252f#931 is there no hope'..ever? *tr

2003 chevy malibu passlock passive security system failure. the passlock system engages on my car frequently. it costs over $245 to reset and $800 to fix. i did an internet search and thousands of other gm car owners with passlock systems are having the problem. my car will suddenly stop while driving and i've narrowly avoided serious accidents because of it. other times it will simply not start. *tr

Tl- the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. while driving, the contact stated that the vehicle would cut off; in order for the vehicle to start, the contact would have to reset the vehicle. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but did not assist the contact. the failure was not repaired. the failure mileage was 157,000 and the current mileage was 170,000. nw

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. the contact attempted to start the vehicle but it failed to start. the contact had to hold the key in place for approximately ten minutes in order to start the vehicle . the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure continued to occur intermittently. the failure mileage was 95,000 and the current mileage was 97,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where the ignition lock housing assembly was replaced. the vehicle would not start because the computer assumed the vehicle was being stolen due to the ignition security switch feature. the contact stated that the ignition lock housing assembly was replaced just recently prior to the most current failure. the manufacturer would not provide any assistance. the failure mileage was 35,760. status update 11/15/11

2003 chevy malibu: the theft light comes on and the car will not start for a period of time. this happens just about every day, and we have to wait for the car to start. the car also dies on us while we are driving, putting us in a very serious and dangerous situation. without warning it just shuts off. *tr

For years, car stalls while driving and can not be re-started, or more frequently, just won't start. no warning except a fine, dim red anti-theft system light which is unlikely to be noticed at all, and certainly not immediately. can happen several times per day, or can go two weeks without a problem. short term remedy is reliable if inconvenient and in some situation, dangerous; with car in "park," turn off all system, turn on ignition switch but do not start, do not disturb for at least en minutes. system will then be reset. there is evidence that this problem had multiple causes. got partial, temporary improvement (less frequent failure) by replacing defective ds lock switch, which is also used to program that locking system features. because the users is supposed to initiate locking system programming by holding the switch closed, and the lock was sticking closed and opening unpredictably, it was surely creating inputs not anticipated by the system's programmers. i believe the ignition switch system, including the interface with the transmission selector system, is still causing this problem, and frequency of occurrence increases. have not found satisfactory solution. can't afford the $400 dealer says it will cost for (possible) fix, ambiguous explanations make me doubt the dealer really understands the cause. no actual property damage or crash yet, but obviously risk is high when car suddenly stall in traffic. *tr

2003 chevy malibu, 1 out of 3 starts forced to wait 10 minutes before trying a restart, usually twice before succeeding. forces waiting in the dark or in unsafe places at night, such as finishing work. extremely unsafe for any female. $300 quote at stealership to repair. fitted 20cent resistor to feed correct resistance value to anti-theft system, which is also guaranteed to fail eventually. will have to build a circuit to bypass this also to remove the problem completely. shame on the stealerships for not correcting this problem as a recall. the potential for criminal activity personal injury/death are high and the high cost of repair is a disgusting tactic for any company to use to coerce customers to line their coffers replacing defective equipment. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. the contact was driving 45 mph when the vehicle abnormally accelerated. the contact able to maneuver the vehicle as the engine exhibited an abnormally high increase in rpms. the manufacturer was contacted who informed him that his vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 04v528000 (vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 50,000. updated 02/23/11*lj the consumer also stated there were times when the vehicle would not start, unless he turned the key and let the vehicle sit for 15 minutes. the theft system light would stay on all the time. updated 06/02/11

There are paoblem with the chevy malibus having faulty ignition switches also. why have these not been recall yet.mine is a 2003. *js

Car failed to start. a local mechanic was aware of the problem that gm was having with the malibu's. he showed me how to turn the key to on for 10 minutes and then the theft light would stop blinking and you could then start the car. this past year it has been happening about daily or every 5 to 6 times that you go to start the car. mostly on short trips of less than 2 miles. i contacted 2 local chevy dealers and they claim to know nothing about the problem! i have been told to bring it in and they would check it out - at a charge. what if this happened in an area that was not safe for my family or me - we could not start the car and would have to just sit there for 10 minutes!

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. while parked, the vehicle failed to start and the anti- theft light illuminated. the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

03 malibu with electrical problems.... the car shuts itself off while in motion... *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the anti-theft system would engage sporadically causing the vehicle to shut down independently when the failure occurred. in addition, the directional lights were inoperable. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the mechanic was unable to diagnose the problem. the mechanic advised the contact on how to reset the alarm when the failure recurred. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and current mileage was 68,000.

The anti-theft light has been coming on and off for the last four years - and when it flashes i need to reset by turning ignition to on and wait ten min. - now the light stays on all the time and i'm concerned that at some point the car will not start and i will be stranded. *tr

Have a 2003 chevy malibu with an "passlock" anti theft system in it. this system is acting up considerably and when i bring it to the gm dealer i get charged more and more money but no solution to the problem, because their computers do not detect the problem. as i have done research on this issue, there are many many people having the same problem. there are also many instances where this system has caused cars to stall while being driven down the highway, and this has happened to me as well. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start intermittently. in order to start the vehicle, the contact would have to turn the key to the on position and allow it to sit in the ignition for approximately 10 minutes while the vehicle would reset itself. in addition, the rear tail lights would become filled with water whenever it would rain, causing the bulbs to blow. the manufacturer would not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the current and failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

I have a 2003 malibu the anti theft comes on alot to fix this u have to have the key in the on for about 10 min,then turn the key in the off and turn the car on, and it starts, but that trick is taking longer and longer each time one day it will leave me there, i think chevy should recall this and fix it... there is no way of knowing when and why this happens. chevy says they need more people to campaign about this before they will do anything so here it is... *tr

Car would not start , theft lamp flashing, went online and found issues with gm theft deterrent system[pass key] many others are having same issues, also some claim the car quits on them and they have to wait 10 min. to restart car. even in my owners manual it states that this system may fail. and it gives a procedure to follow. car may or may not start//recommend fix is a new ignition switch/passlock sensor at a cost of 500.00 to 800.00 dollars to the consumer i feel that gm should replace these on an as needed basis under warranty for any one who encounters this quitting//no start condition may cause accident if car just shuts down while driving???? *tr

I own a 2003 chevy malibu. in the last 6 months, the theft system light pops on and doesn't allow me to drive my car. i found out if i turn the key in the on position for 10 minutes, the light will stop flashing and will allow me to start my car. this has happened 4 times now where my car will not start and i have to do the 10 minute wait for it to restart. my car is the only means of transportation for me and my husband who is severely disabled. i have read online that this is a problem that has occurred to hundreds of chevy malibu owners. i need my car to function correctly. what if i have to take my husband to the emergency room or doctor and my car stops running? i believe chevy knows about this problem as they listed the 10 minute remedy in their owners manual. i would like chevy to fix this as it appears to be a ongoing problem with the chevy malibu. *tr

2003 malibu theft system light. this light was on all the time and finally just stopped while i was driving down the interstate. i looked online and it says to turn the key to on for 10 mins then re start but this as well doesn't always work. this is extremely dangerous!!!! someone could get seriously hurt in this matter. *tr

November 2009 my theft system light came on. replaced the ignition module with a cost of approximately $500.00. march 15 2010 the car doors unlocked and the car died in traffic. replaced faulty body control module. march 17 2010 theft light came on and car doesn't want to start. replaced rcdlr (i' don't know what this is an abbreviation for but it cost another $67.44 for the part. theft light still comes on and the car doesn't want to start. *tr

2003 chevy malibu anti theft system light comes on and car won't start. car is sitting won't start. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. the anti theft system has failed numerous times. the contact stated in order to start the vehicle he had to turn the ignition on and wait at least ten minutes before it would start. the vehicle had not been taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test. when he called the dealer, they would advise him to bring the vehicle in for the diagnostic test and he would have to pay the cost. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 70,000.

Anti-theft light continuously comes on. replaced ignition lock cylinder two months ago. now the car does not start at all and the anti-theft light is still on! this is a serious safety issue. i cannot travel with my kids, especially during the winter cold b/c i never know if i have to wait 10 minutes for the theft system to reset. i called the dealership today and they told me they need to hook it up to a $5000 computer to de-code the anti-theft errors. the gentleman said it sounds like the passlock module. with the cost of towing, the computer scan and parts/labor, i'm looking at $800. he also said there is no guarantee it couldn't happen again days or months down the road! *tr

I have a 2003 chevy malibu that i bought though a friend, it ran good and one day i went out to start it and the ignition locked up. i went out and got one and replaced it and now the anti-theft system will let it start but shuts off in 10 seconds. i have called the main office and there is nothing that they can do about it and they know about the problem but will not do nothing about it. i have been on the internet and there is alot of people complaining about the same thing what can i do about it. please help. thank you *tr

I have a 2003 chevy malibu with a passlock system. the "theft system" light comes on even while i'm driving! or the car simply won't start, even though it's in my own driveway and no one has messed with it. the only 'solution' is to wait 10 minutes (sometimes longer) until the car will start again. this is ridiculous! i've checked online and there's complaints about the passlock system everywhere. why has this not been recalled yet? i'm a single mother and i can't afford -- literally or figuratively -- to pay for unnecessary car repairs....especially when the passlock is a *known* problem and chevy refuses to do anything about it. i also can't afford another car and now i'm worried every time i shut off the car, will it let me start it back up again? help! *tr

During normal operation of my car, i will randomly have issues with the passlock theft system not allowing me to start my vehicle. i had the modules replaced at a gm dealership approximately 15 months ago. at that time, i simply parked my car for the night in my driveway. i came out the next morning to take my daughter to school and the car would not start. i had to have my car towed to the nearest chevy dealership. they called gm and it was recommended that i replace the ignition module and a sensor to the tune of over $500. i was told this would fix the issue. now, i find myself facing the same problem only 30,000 miles later. i stopped at a gas station and filled the vehicle up with gas. when i went to leave, the car would not start and the theft system light was on. being a veteran to this issue, i immediately turned the car off the waited for 10-15 minutes. this will sometimes work to allow the car to restart again. however, this time it did not. this same issue occurred and the results were the same. if you simply do a search for chevy malibu passlock, you will easily find the thousands of people affected by this problem on a daily basis. it puts everyone at an inconvenience and even some lives at risk (as it can turn the car off while it is in motion). *tr

Car is not starting. anti theft system light will not turn off. *tr

Okay, this complaint is about chevrolet malibu. they are having a huge problem with their anti theft system. the car would run perfectly and then the next time you turn the key it wouldn't start. this has happened 3 times to us within a week. and if you google it, you'll see that there are thousands of people who are having the same problem! it's a real safety issue and has to be taken seriously and dealt with. tonight my mom who owns the car was stuck on a dark parking lot at a temperature below 0 for over an hour. she's sick now, thanks to chevy. of course the technicians won't find anything but start replacing the ignition, reprogram the anti theft system, etc. but this all doesn't help. the problem is that there are single women out there in the dark not being able to start their car. there are elderly people who are unable to make their doctor's appointments. and there are people on the highways praying the car won't shut down in front of a truck this time. it is a huge safety issue and has to be dealt with. please confront gm with this and let them fix it. we don't want to wait for an incident like a rape, robbery, or even death to start them thinking. *tr

2003 chevrolet malibu. first ignition switch faulty, had work done at non gm dealership, consumer wants reimbursement. *ta the ignition lock cylinder was replaced. *jb

2003 chevrolet malibu signal and hazard lights have an intermittent failure. relay switch may be bad. *tr

Passlock system is not working properly. occasionally the theft system light comes on and occasionally the fuel system gets shut off so that the vehicle doesn't start. i have seen many complaints on the internet about this problem with all gm models that have this passlock system.