Problems · by component

2000 Chevrolet Malibu engine and engine cooling problems

174 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Chevrolet Malibu cite engine and engine cooling, 18% of all 944 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
174
18% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“4-2007 GAS WAS POOLING AROUND ENGINE, REPLACED INTAKE GASKET, NEXT TIME I DROVE CAR , SAME PROBLEM,THEY HAD TO DO OVER ( THEIR DIME) BECAUSE FAILED TO REPLACE O-RING. 9-06-07 WOULD NOT START AT GAS STATION, 9-13-07 PASS LOCK SYS. INSTALLED IGNITION SWITCH LOCK CYLINDER. 11-13-09 TURN SIGNALS, TAIL LIGHTS NOT WORKING, BETWEEN 11-13-09 @ 4-07-2010 , I HAVE BEEN BACK SEVERAL TIMES, BECAUSE SIGNALS FAILED OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING. TOLD ME, THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THEY COULD SEE IT FAIL, WHICH IT DID ON 4-07-2010 WHILE I WAS CLOSE TO SHOP. FLASHER SWITCH/RELAY BAD, REPLACED. 6-10-10 HARMONIC BALANCER WORN AND SERPENTINE BELT & SEAL REPLACED. 2-23-12 WATER PUMP LEAKING, REPLACED. 6-14-12 REPLACED SPARKS PLUGS, WIRES, COMPLETE INJECTION FLUSH. 9-14-2012 STRONG FUEL SMELL (FUMES) INSIDE CAR AND UNDER HOOD, PERFORMED FUEL LEAK TEST, NO VISUAL SIGNS OF FUEL LEAK. CHECKED VENT CANISTER, GAS CAP, NO FUEL CODES. HAVE BEEN FUMES SEVERAL TIMES SINCE BUT BY THE TIME I DROVE TO SHOP COULD NOT SMELL FUMES. 4-22-13 FUMES VERY STRONG INSIDE CAR AND UNDER HOOD, DROVE TO SHOP AND THEY COULD SMELL FUMES , PUT IT UP ON RACK AND CHECKED ALL UNDERNEATH, NO SIGN OF LEAK UNDER…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 1, 2013Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10512133
“COOLANT IN THE OIL. HAS ALWAYS OVER HEATED IN STOP & GO TRAFFIC, NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO FIX BUT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM & SAYS GM COULD CARE LESS & WON'T FIX IT. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO YOU NEED BEFORE THIS VERY COMMON COMPLAINT IS RECOGNIZED & IS RECALLED???????? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 9, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10429241
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVY MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 90 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,010. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 11, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10411883
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THERE WAS A LEAKAGE WITHIN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WHICH COULD RESULT TO THE ENGINE OVERHEATING AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING A FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 02/23/11*LJ UPDATED 02/28/11”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 15, 2010Engine and engine coolingODI 10365791
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUTS OFF. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 135,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2009Engine and engine coolingODI 10280463

Showing 6 of 174 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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