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2002 Chevrolet MalibuProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 567 owner complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-400 the manufacturer reports only 22% of affected cars repaired.

2002 Chevrolet Malibu
59
CarFlaw IndexSolid year29% below the Malibu median · #19 of 28 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 22%Owner complaints56732 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage78kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 15, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu has problems

567 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system2593
Exterior lighting1432
Engine and engine cooling630
Service brakes, hydraulic411
Engine220
Fuel system, gasoline221
Air bags1812
Suspension141
Equipment130
16 other systems949

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2002 Chevrolet Malibu recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

22%repaired · 2016 Q2

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 14V-400 · Jul 3, 2014 · 5,877,718 vehicles · 1,318,487 repaired

Risk. 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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Exterior lighting: headlights

Recall 02V-107 · Apr 10, 2002 · 10,168 vehicles

Risk. LIGHT INTENSITIES BELOW THE MINIMUM INTENSITY REQUIREMENTS CAUSE REDUCTION IN VISIBILITY DOWN THE ROAD FOR THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AND INTENSITIES ABOVE THE…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Mileage at failure

When do electrical system problems start?

78kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 193 electrical system complaints. 65% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
15under 30k miles126under 100k miles67100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Electrical system

20 owners mentioned a cost

$600median

Middle half: $472 – $1,025

Engine and engine cooling

10 owners mentioned a cost

$835median

Middle half: $533 – $1,425

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other Malibu year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Malibu median. How we score

'73'74'75'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'86'89'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Chevrolet Malibu safety ratings

2002 Chevrolet Malibu 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2002 Chevrolet Malibu frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2002 Chevrolet Malibu side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu, and the recalls they led to.

  1. TURN SIGNAL FAILURESPE05055 · closed Jan 13, 2006
    No recall
In owners' words

What Malibu owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, who reported the mileage at 105,000. The key was stuck in the ignition, but was replaced. It was discovered that…
Complaint 11750609 · Jul 15, 2026 · 105,000 miles
The anti-theft/ passlock system fault in this generation of GM vehicles is very widespread and effects a large percentage of vehicles in this generation. I am sure there have been hundreds if not thousands of complaints about same issue and GM refuses to fix the problem. The problem causes the car…
Complaint 11429635 · Aug 18, 2021
THE TURN SIGNALS WORK SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T WORK. I RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET AND IT SEAMS TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR MAKE. IF THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THIS THERE SHOULD BE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY TEENAGE SON.
Complaint 11354759 · Sep 13, 2020 · 137,800 miles

Own a 2002 Malibu?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.