2000 Chevrolet MALIBU: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
920 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
69,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: . 457 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 128 of 920 complaints (13.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 238 | 25.9% |
| Steering behavior | 77 | 8.4% |
| Engine operation | 62 | 6.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 60 | 6.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 58 | 6.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 23 | 2.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 128 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 78 |
| Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch | 74 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 65 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 57 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 56 |
| Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal | 56 |
| Exterior Lighting | 48 |
Electrical System: 128; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 78; Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch: 74; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc: 65; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 57; Engine And Engine Cooling: 56; Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal: 56; Exterior Lighting: 48
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 37 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 88 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 122 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 83 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 89 |
| 150,000 and above | 38 |
Under 25,000: 37; 25,000 to 49,999: 88; 50,000 to 74,999: 122; 75,000 to 99,999: 83; 100,000 to 149,999: 89; 150,000 and above: 38
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (122). 463 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 54 |
| 2001 | 112 |
| 2002 | 99 |
| 2003 | 113 |
| 2004 | 159 |
| 2005 | 76 |
| 2006 | 36 |
| 2007 | 34 |
| 2008 | 41 |
| 2009 | 25 |
| 2010 | 28 |
| 2011 | 13 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 60 |
| 2015 | 28 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 4 |
2000: 54; 2001: 112; 2002: 99; 2003: 113; 2004: 159; 2005: 76; 2006: 36; 2007: 34; 2008: 41; 2009: 25; 2010: 28; 2011: 13; 2012: 8; 2013: 8; 2014: 60; 2015: 28; 2016: 10; 2017: 4; 2018: 3; 2019: 5; 2020: 4
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 238 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 77 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 62 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000172 · 2002-12-17 (December 17, 2002)
VEHICLE HAS HAD THE BRAKE ROTORS TURNED TWICE AND REPLACED ONCE DUE TO EXCESSIVE VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING. CONSIDER THE BRAKES SYSTEM UNSAFE. THE AC CONTROL HEAD HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE UPPER STRUT MOUNTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TO TRY AND CURE FRONT END NOISE. FRONT WHEEL HUB AND BEARING HAVE BEEN REPLACED DUE TO NOISE. ENGINE IS EXCESSIVELY NOISY ON STARTUP WITH CLICKING AND TAPPING THAT THE DEALER CALLS NORMAL. TURN SIGNALS FAILED. POWER WINDOW IS INTERMITTENT. THREE SPARK PLUG WIRES HAVE FAILED. RADIATOR CAP HAS FAILED. INTAKE MANIFOLD G…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000172 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000217 · 2002-12-18 (December 18, 2002)
BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED IN SEPT, 2002 AND AGAIN IN DEC, 2002. BRAKES STILL SCRUB AND SQUEAL WHEN BRAKING. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT GENERAL MOTORS I HAVE BEEN TOLD KNOWS ABOUT. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL. THIS MAKES FOR A BAD REPUTATION. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MALIBU AND MAYBE NOT EVEN A CHEVROLET PRODUCT.
Owner-reported narrative. 74,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000217 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000925 · 2003-01-10 (January 10, 2003)
CAR SHAKES AND BRAKES PULSATE AND MAKE A LOUD THUMPING NOISE WHEN DEPRESSED FROM A HIGH SPEED.
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000925 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002313 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO OPEN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WITH THE CAR KEYS. AFTER THE KEY, WAS INSERTED AND TURNED, THE DOOR DIDN'T OPENED. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO REPLACE A PART IN THE DOOR(PART UNKNOWN). CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE VEHICLE WAS LIFTED IN THE AIR, WHEN REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE IT WAS NOT CORRECTED. THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION, BRAKES AND DOORS. *TS
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002313 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002316 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
PER CONSUMER VEHICLES' HORN INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT WORK. THIS IS UNSAFE, CAUSE HORN MAY NOT WORK IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, HICH CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002316 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002318 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THERE IS A LOUD NOISE. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE NOISE IS FROM THE ABS BRAKES, AND THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002318 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002451 · 2003-01-09 (January 9, 2003)
VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH DEFECTIVE ROTORS. AT 3000 MILES ROTORS WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE SERVICED. ROTORS HAVE BEEN SERVICED OR REPLACED 5 TIMES SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASE. PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING EVERY 3000-6000 MILES. *NLM. ALSO, HAS HAD TWO ACCIDENTS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002451 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002779 · 2003-01-16 (January 16, 2003)
1. COLD ENGINE KNOCK CYLINDER/PISTON DEFECT:MANUFATURER HAS SEVERAL BULLETINS ON THE PROBLEM YET HAS NO PERMANANT FIX AVAILABLE. COULD LEAD TO PREMATURE SCORING AND OR FAILURE OF ENGINE COMPONENTS. 2.ENGINE STALL UPON DE-ACCELERATION DUE TO COMPUTER OR COMPONENT DEFECT. COULD LEAD TO ENGINE STALL WHEN LEAVING ROAD INTERSECTIONS OR RAIL CROSSING RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT AS THOSE FOUND ON THE INTERNET. 3. HEATER FAN SPEED SWITCH ELECTRICALLY FAILS. MANY COMPLAINTS FOUND OF OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCE THE SAME 3 PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHCLE. SHOULD BE…
Owner-reported narrative. 29,876 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002779 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
03V327000 · Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch
Reported: 2003-08-28 (August 28, 2003)
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE HAZARD WARNING SWITCHES THAT MAY EXPERIENCE SOLDER JOINT CRACKING CAUSED BY RAPID TEMPERATURE TRANSITIONS AND THE SOLDERING PROCESS. IF SOLDER JOINT CRACKING OCCURS AND RESULTS IN AN OPEN CIRCUIT, THE TURN SIGNALS/HAZARD LAMPS BECOME INTERMITTENT OR INOPERATIVE.
Consequence: WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS ARE INOPERATIVE, THE DRIVER CANNOT USE THEM TO SIGNAL INTENT TO TURN THAT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.
NHTSA campaign record ↗14V400000 · Electrical System:Ignition
Reported: 2014-07-03 (July 3, 2014)
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.
NHTSA campaign record ↗99V302000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
Reported: 1999-10-29 (October 29, 1999)
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY." THE FUEL FILL FITTING IS NOT PROPERLY SECURED TO THE FUEL TANK. IN THAT CONDITION, FUEL LEAKAGE WOULD EXCEED THE PERMISSIBLE AMOUNT IN AN FMVSS TEST. FUEL LEAKS MAY OCCUR, PARTICULARLY AFTER REFUELING OR WHEN THE TANK IS MORE THAN HALF FULL.
Consequence: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY.
NHTSA campaign record ↗