Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Chevrolet Malibu problems

Owners filed 944 complaints about the 2000 Chevrolet Malibu with NHTSA between Nov 1999 and Dec 2020. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (242).

Complaints
944
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
47
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
37
People reported injured
Deaths
3
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Exterior lighting242
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic224
  3. Electrical system209
  4. Engine and engine cooling174
  5. Fuel system, gasoline56
  6. Steering44
  7. Equipment43
  8. Tires33
  9. Air bags32
  10. Suspension30
  11. Structure27
  12. Power train26
  13. Vehicle speed control21
  14. Engine19

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19992
200054
2001113
200299
2003113
2004161
200580
200637
200737
200841
200925
201028
201113
20128
20138
201466
201528
201613
20176
20183
20195
20204

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Exterior lighting

242 reports4 crashes1 fire2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD MALFUNCTION OR FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER FIDDLING WITH THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH, THE INDICATOR WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. STEVENS CREEK CHEVROLET (3640 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SAN JOSE, CA 95117; (408) 490-0013) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VIN. THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V327000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,900.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 2020Exterior lightingODI 11364507

Service brakes, hydraulic

224 reports13 crashes1 fire
“I PURCHASED MY 2000 CHEVY MALIBU IN MARCH OF 2001. IN EARLY 2003 I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE I HAD LOST STEERING ABILITY. I WAS TOLD THE SUB FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SO I HAD IT DONE. A WEEK LATER I HAD TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. I WAS THEN TOLD THE ABS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SO I HAD THAT DONE. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE MY BRAKES NUMEROUS TIMES. JUST LAST YEAR I HAD TO REPLACE THE PADS 3 TIMES IN A 9 MONTH PERIOD BECAUSE THE PADS HAD BEEN WORN ALL THE WAY DOWN. DURING THAT 9 MONTH PERIOD I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CALIPERS AND ROTORS ONCE THEN A WEEK LATER THE ROTORS HAD TO BE RESURFACE AGAIN. NOW I AM HAVING TO HAVE MY BRAKE PADS REPLACED AGAIN THIS WEEKEND. SO THAT MAKES A TOTAL OF 4 BRAKE PAD CHANGES IN LESS THAN A YEARS TIME. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2009Service brakes, hydraulic, EquipmentODI 10280449

Electrical system

209 reports4 crashes2 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, TURN THE SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION THEN BACK TO THE ON POSITION AND THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 OR 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE NEEDED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSS POWER BEFORE SHE COULD SHIFT OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND HAD THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO WEST CHEVROLET, INC., (3450 AIRPORT HWY, ALCOA, TN 37701) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS NOT REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE SAME DEALER AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE AND WAS ADVISED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 104,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 14, 2020Electrical system, EngineODI 11383345

Engine and engine cooling

174 reports2 crashes1 fire
“2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE FIRE AND ENGINE OIL MAY DEPOSIT ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT OF FIRE. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2016Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10876143

Fuel system, gasoline

56 reports2 fires1 related recall
“I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND IT MADE A LOUD NOISE/ SOUND LIKE IT CAME FROM THE HEATING AND COOLING VENT INSIDE. I WENT TO THE STORE AND THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I GOT IT OUT . START THE CARD AFTER I LEFT THE STORE. THE CAR SPEED WAS 10 MPH TO 25 MPH WITH NO METER MOVING FOR THE GAS, THERMOSTAT, THERE WAS NO ELECTRICITY. TRIPLE A PICK UP MY VEHICLE ON FEBRUARY 27, 2014. WEBER CHEVROLET REPLACED CYLINDER AND IGNITION SWITCH. THE TOTAL COST WAS $854.22. I HAD THIS IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED FOR THE 3RD TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AND REFUND ON MY IGNITION SWITCH. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 7, 2014Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical systemODI 10567812

Steering

44 reports6 crashes
“MY CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING IT, WHEN I TRY TO TURN IT ON IT WON'T TURN ON. I COULD SMELL GAS BUT IT WON'T TURN ON. IT'S A HAZARD WHEN I'M ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT JUST CUT OFF ON ME AND I'M STUCK IN THE MIDDLE LANE WITH INCOMING TRAFFIC. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES WITH ANY OTHER PARTS OF THE VEHICLE MY FUEL PUMP IS IN GREAT CONDITION MY TUNE UPS ARE UP TO DATE I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS THE ANTI-THEFT AFFILIATED WITH MY KEY IGNITION PLEASE ADVISE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 11, 2018Steering, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11150883
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.