2001 Chevrolet MALIBU: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
721 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
73,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 445 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 174 of 721 complaints (24.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 116 | 16.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 59 | 8.2% |
| Engine operation | 57 | 7.9% |
| Steering behavior | 50 | 6.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 35 | 4.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 12 | 1.7% |
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 | 174 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module | 74 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 47 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 41 |
| Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch | 28 |
| Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal | 28 |
| Steering | 27 |
| Engine | 26 |
Electrical System: 174; Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module: 74; Engine And Engine Cooling: 47; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 41; Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch: 28; Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal: 28; Steering: 27; Engine: 26
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 43 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 71 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 118 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 76 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 101 |
| 150,000 and above | 36 |
Under 25,000: 43; 25,000 to 49,999: 71; 50,000 to 74,999: 118; 75,000 to 99,999: 76; 100,000 to 149,999: 101; 150,000 and above: 36
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (118). 276 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 |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 30 |
| 2002 | 53 |
| 2003 | 88 |
| 2004 | 79 |
| 2005 | 61 |
| 2006 | 51 |
| 2007 | 66 |
| 2008 | 31 |
| 2009 | 36 |
| 2010 | 31 |
| 2011 | 25 |
| 2012 | 22 |
| 2013 | 15 |
| 2014 | 65 |
| 2015 | 32 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2001: 30; 2002: 53; 2003: 88; 2004: 79; 2005: 61; 2006: 51; 2007: 66; 2008: 31; 2009: 36; 2010: 31; 2011: 25; 2012: 22; 2013: 15; 2014: 65; 2015: 32; 2016: 12; 2017: 10; 2018: 6; 2019: 5; 2020: 2; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 116 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 59 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 57 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 10000395 · 2002-12-27 (December 27, 2002)
I PURCHASED A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU IN APRIL 2001 VIN [XXX] AND HAVE HAD THE FOLLOWING WORK/PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM REPAIRED AT CAPITAL CHEVROLET WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. DATEPROBLEM/REPAIRSMILEAGE NOV 2001ABS WARNING LIGHT ON, BRAKE PADS, ROTORS 7,754 JAN 2002FRONT SUSPENSION9,080 MAR 2002FRONT SUSPENSION12,000 MAY 2002BRAKE PADS & ROTORS14,555 JULY 2002ABS WARNING LIGHT ON17,170 OCT 2002BRAKE PADS & HUB21,055 NOV 2002ABS WARNING LIGHT ON, ROTOR, HUB KIT22,005 OCT 2002ROTORS21,310 DEC 2002CALIPER & BRAKE PADS24,066 …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000395 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000444 · 2002-12-31 (December 31, 2002)
THE FUEL GAUGE ON MY 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU BOTH REGISTER FUEL WHEN THE GAS TANK IS EMPTY CAUSING BREAKDOWN ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE MANUFACTURER STATES THE GAUGES SHOULD WARN DRIVER WHEN TANK IS LOW ON GAS. THIS WAS AND IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I HAVE FOUND OUT IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE AMONG OWNERS. CHEVROLET TSB 01-06-045-008C TS
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000444 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003655 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)
LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED, CAUSING WATER TO LEAK IN TO OIL.*JB..*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003655 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006310 · 2003-02-12 (February 12, 2003)
THE CALIPERS ON THE VEHICLE FLEXED, THE CASTING BENDED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED WHICH CAUSED MISALIGNMENT OF THE GUIDE PINS. *JG *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006310 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006566 · 2002-12-30 (December 30, 2002)
DEFECTIVE"O" RING AT FUEL LINE/INJECTOR PUMP CAUSED GASOLINE TO SPILL ON ENGINE BLOCK. THE CAR WOULD STILL RUN BUT STEADY STREAM OF GAS POURING ONTO THE ENGINE BLOCK. GAS FUMES WERE PICKED UP BY AIR/HEATER INTAKE FILLING CABIN WITH GAS VAPOR. ENGINE FIRE OR CABIN FLASH FIRE PROBABLE UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS. HOPEFULLY, THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH CHEVROLET MALIBU. I REQUESTED THE "O" RING FROM DEALER, AND WAS TOLD IT HAD TO BE SENT BACK TO GMC. ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. THANKS A MAURO LANZISEVE. ********DIMS 11 …
Owner-reported narrative. 38,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006566 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006991 · 2003-02-11 (February 11, 2003)
LEFT TURN SIGNAL STAYED ON CAUSING STOP LAMP ELECTRICAL WIRES TO BURN. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE FUSE BOX. *JB *TS
Owner-reported narrative. 39,141 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006991 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008334 · 2003-03-02 (March 2, 2003)
BRAKES PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED AND ROTORS TURNED AT 25K MILES. PREMATURE WEAR BUT DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY. NOW AT 46K MILES CAR IS AGAIN IN NEED OF BRAKE PADS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008334 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008810 · 2002-05-18 (May 18, 2002)
VEHICLE HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND TOLD IT WAS WEATHER CAUSING PROBLEM. NOTHING DONE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. PAST TWO MONTHS I HAVE TAKEN TO ALTERNATE BODY SHOPS, BECAUSE ENGINE FAILED TO START. MECHANICS FLUSHED OUT THE CAR AND HOOKED UP TO THE COMPUTER TO DETECT ANY PROBLEMS. NO FOUND PROBLEMS AND CAR CRANKED FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. CAR LAST FAILED ON MAY 3, 2002 AND IS STILL NOT WORKING AS OF TODAY. *TS ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***762043
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008810 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 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 ↗