Problems · by component

2003 Chevrolet Malibu exterior lighting problems

31 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu cite exterior lighting, 5% of all 611 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
31
5% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the exterior lighting

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 27, 2017Exterior lightingODI 11010957
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHT LENSES WERE FOGGED. THE FIXTURES WERE REPLACED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE LENSES AND PLUGS WERE MELTED. THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 10, 2015Exterior lightingFire reportedODI 10789522
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE KEY WOULD NOT EJECT FROM THE IGNITION. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO A RECALL FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE AIR CONDITIONER DID NOT FUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,345.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 13, 2015Electrical system, Exterior lighting, EquipmentODI 10733789
“I TURNED MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL ON, AND IT WOULDN'T WORK. SINCE THIS THE TURN SIGNALS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO.I TOOK IT TO HAVE IT TESTED AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE CONTROL BOARD AND I REPLACED THAT. BUT STILL THE SIGNALS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. I WAS TOLD ABOUT ANOTHER MALIBU THAT WAS A YEAR OLDER THAT DONE THE SAME THING. BUT I HAVE A YOUNG SON AND A BABY ON THE WAY, I DON'T WANT TO BE REAR-ENDED BECAUSE I HAVE NO TURN SIGNALS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2014Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10638912
“TURN SIGNAL SWITCH DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME WILL ALSO MAKE THE TURN SIGNAL SOUND WHEN NOT USING IT AND IF YOU LET IT GO TO LONG BEFORE GETTING A NEW ONE IT STARTS TO SMOKE I HAVE REPLACED IT TWO TIME AND IT IS OUT AGAIN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 3, 2014Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10595757
“WHEN IT RAINS THE TAIL LIGHTS FILL UP WITH WATER AND THE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK CORRECTLY. AND SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT WORK AT ALL. IT HOLDS WATER AND THE LIGHTS FLASH IN A CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHT MANNER. ALSO WHEN THE BREAKS ARE STEPPED ON THE BLINKERS DO NOT WORK. ALSO WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BREAK THE BLINKER INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REMAIN LIT UP GREEN. I HAVE REPLACE BULBS AS WELL AS THE WHOLE LIGHT HOUSING. EVEN DRILLED WHOLES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE LIGHT HOUSING UNITS SO THE WATER CAN DRAINED. NOTHING CAN REMEDY THIS PROBLEM IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 26, 2013Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Service brakesODI 10532045

Showing 6 of 31 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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