Problems · NHTSA complaints
2001 Chevrolet Malibu problems
Owners filed 739 complaints about the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu with NHTSA between Jan 2001 and Jan 2023. The most-cited component is electrical system (297).
Complaints
739
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
37
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
29
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system297
- Engine and engine cooling148
- Exterior lighting111
- Service brakes, hydraulic79
- Steering43
- Engine27
- Vehicle speed control26
- Equipment26
- Fuel system, gasoline24
- Air bags22
- Suspension21
- Power train19
- Tires16
- Structure14
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
31
53
88
80
62
51
67
31
36
32
25
22
15
70
33
16
13
6
5
2
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 31 |
| 2002 | 53 |
| 2003 | 88 |
| 2004 | 80 |
| 2005 | 62 |
| 2006 | 51 |
| 2007 | 67 |
| 2008 | 31 |
| 2009 | 36 |
| 2010 | 32 |
| 2011 | 25 |
| 2012 | 22 |
| 2013 | 15 |
| 2014 | 70 |
| 2015 | 33 |
| 2016 | 16 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
297 reports4 crashes1 related recall
“THE BLINKERS RANDOMLY WORK; MOST LIKELY NEEDS A NEW HAZARD SWITCH. THE CAR'S TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD RISE WHEN SITTING IN IDLE; NEEDED A NEW WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT AS OF 11/2020.”
Engine and engine cooling
148 reports2 crashes
“OVER THE PAST MONTH, THE MALIBU HAS STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS OCCURRED BOTH ON ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION ONE TIME ALMOST CAUSING A BROADSIDE IMPACT AS MY SON PULLED OUT TO MAKE A LEFT ONTO A BUST STREET. HE WAS FORTUNATE AND THE ONCOMING DRIVER WAS ABLE TO BRAKE IN TIME. WE TOOK IT TO A GARAGE THAT SAID OUR IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WE HAD DONE. CURIOUS BECAUSE THIS IS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT HAS OCCURRED WITH THE OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THE CHEVY RECALL, BUT OUR VEHICLE HAS YET TO BE RECALLED FOR THIS OBVIOUSLY HAZARDOUS DEFECT. *TR”
Exterior lighting
111 reports2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 03V327000 (Exterior Lighting) and 14V400000 (Electrical System) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
79 reports3 crashes
“DANGEROUS BRAKE ROTOR WARPAGE EVERY 16,000 MILES LIKE CLOCK WORK. CAUSES WEAK BRAKES AND EXTREME WARE TO FRONT END MOVING PARTS. NEW TOP OF THE LINE ROTORS AND PADS WILL NOT CURE PROBLEM. IT IS AN ENGINEERING SCREW UP. THIS IS AN ONGOING ENGINEERING PROBLEM AND WHY GM IS GOING BROKE. *TR”
Steering
43 reports7 crashes
“WHEN I HAD MY RIGHT INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS REPLACED I LEFT THE SHOP AND I HEARD A CLUNCKING WHEN I WOULD MAKE A TURN I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID A SCREW HAD WORKED ITS WAY HALF WAY OUT AND THERE IS NO WAY TO GET IT IN OR OUT BECAUSE IT'S WEDGED UP AGAINST THE RACK AND PINION WITHOUT REPLACING THE RACK.AND WAS TOLD (OFF THE RECORD) WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM STILL DRIVING IT. I ASKED IF IT WAS SAFE AND WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE SCREW BREAKS I WILL FEEL A JERK BUT WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR.SO I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND LOST MY STEERING ALMOST COMPLETELY .MANAGED TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD AND TOWED HOME. I HAD ANOTHER SHOP REPLACE MY POWER STEERING PUMP AND MY RACK AND PINION.I WAS TOLD THAT THE DECREPIT A HOLE IN THE RACK AND WAS JUST SITTING THERE AND MY RACK AND PINION BRACKET HAD BROKEN AND THE RACK WAS ALSO JUST SITTING THERE.AND I WAS LUCKY I WASN'T KILLED.”
Engine
27 reports3 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE IGNITION HAD TO BE TURNED TO THE ON POSITION AND THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO LIGHT UP COMPLETELY FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE PROCESS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START EVERY TIME THE CONTACT WOULD ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.”
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.