repaired · 2016 Q2
Electrical system: ignition
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.
2003 Chevrolet MalibuProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 569 owner complaints about the 2003 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.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 15, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu has problems
569 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
289Electrical system6 crash/fire/injury
85Vehicle speed control12 crash/fire/injury
47Engine2 crash/fire/injury
45Service brakes, hydraulic5 crash/fire/injury
41Engine and engine cooling
28Exterior lighting
27Air bags
24Fuel system, gasoline
23Suspension
11017 other systems9 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 289 | 6 |
| Vehicle speed control | 85 | 12 |
| Engine | 47 | 2 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 45 | 5 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 41 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 28 | 2 |
| Air bags | 27 | 17 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 24 | 0 |
| Suspension | 23 | 1 |
| 17 other systems | 110 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2003 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.
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. FAILURE TO RETURN TO IDLE COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
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?
80kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 223 electrical system complaints. 62% were reported before 100,000 miles.
13under 30k miles138under 100k miles85100k 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
30 owners mentioned a cost$500median
Middle half: $351 – $775
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
2003 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
0120245321134439767899227215675691,1489751,1199779891,5111,36397890783735127084170570119320390100734612
'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
2003 Chevrolet Malibu safety ratings
2003 Chevrolet Malibu 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Malibu owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact discovered that while driving at various speeds, the key could be removed from the ignition while the engine was still running. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The vehicle was…
Multiple times, the vehicle, while driving, electrically shuts down. security light comes on, sometimes, many attempts to restart will work. These shutdowns cause me to revet to manual bakes and steering.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the ignition switch was inoperable and had been replaced three times by the dealer; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with ignition switch failure. The contact was…
Own a 2003 Malibu?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.