Worst 2003 Chevrolet Malibu Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 214 | 6 | 1 | 100,860 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 59 | 8 | — | 81,032 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE | 55 | — | — | 73,811 mi | |
| ENGINE | 47 | 2 | — | 89,698 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 25 | 3 | 1 | 76,253 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 24 | 1 | — | 63,962 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 21 | — | — | 17,031 mi | |
| STEERING | 21 | 1 | 1 | 70,664 mi | |
| AIR BAGS | 19 | 11 | 1 | 102,494 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 17 | — | — | 100,584 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 15 | — | — | 101,555 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 15 | — | — | 61,203 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 14 | 2 | — | 91,969 mi | |
| SUSPENSION | 14 | — | — | 61,178 mi | |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 13 | — | — | 94,022 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 12 | 2 | — | 28,424 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 12 | — | — | 15,422 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 11 | — | — | 85,100 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN | 11 | 1 | — | 79,861 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 10 | — | — | 73,048 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 10 | 1 | — | 21,636 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL | 8 | — | — | 88,179 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 7 | 5 | — | 35,260 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 7 | — | — | 46,742 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 7 | — | — | 83,598 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 6 | 2 | — | 32,250 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 4 | — | — | 72,000 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 4 | — | — | 87,443 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 4 | 2 | — | 109,250 mi | |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB | 4 | — | — | 46,366 mi |
Recalls for 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
1 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~5,877,718 vehicles.
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.
Other Chevrolet Malibu Years
Wider context: See the full Chevrolet Malibu reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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