2000 Chevrolet Malibu

Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues

Service brakes is the leading concern among 944 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 9th highest complaint count among 26 Malibu model years with reports.

Complaints by model year
  1. 944

Of the 2000 reports, 47 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 37 people were injured and 3 people died.

Primary concernService brakes252 reports · 27% of complaints
Owner complaints944Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationship5 safety recallsNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Service brakes252
  2. Exterior lighting241
  3. Hydraulic230
  4. Electrical system207
  5. Engine and engine cooling174
  6. Fuel system67
  7. Gasoline56
  8. Steering44

Recalls and investigations

  1. Electrical system, ignitionJul 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.

    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.

    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.

    Campaign 14V400000 on NHTSA.gov

  2. Exterior lightingApr 7, 2009

    SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

    SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

    Campaign 09E012000 on NHTSA.gov

  3. Fuel system, other, storage, tank assembly, pressure relief devicesMar 12, 2007

    CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.

    FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

    DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.

    Campaign 07E021000 on NHTSA.gov

  4. Exterior lighting, hazard flashing warning lights, switchAug 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.

    WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS ARE INOPERATIVE, THE DRIVER CANNOT USE THEM TO SIGNAL INTENT TO TURN THAT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

    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.

    Campaign 03V327000 on NHTSA.gov

  5. Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assembly, filler pipe and capOct 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.

    IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY.

    Campaign 99V302000 on NHTSA.gov

Representative owner complaints: engine and engine cooling

174 reports, newest first. Show all

  1. Engine and engine cooling, May 25, 2001

    THERE IS A RATTLING NOISE IN ENGINE DUE THE PISTONS BEING TOO SMALL. ALSO, IT IS CAUSING GAS TO RUN OUT QUICKER. DEALER HAS FIXED PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER BELEIVES THIS PROBLEM IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, CONSUMER STATES THIS MOTOR WAS USED IN THE CEHVROLET LUMINA ALSO, SAME FACTORY PITONS WERE PUT BACK IN ENGINE WHEN OVERHAULED. *JB

  2. Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Equipment, May 23, 2001

    I BOUGHT MY 2000 MALIBU BRAND NEW IN SEPTEMBER 1999.... MY ENGINE WAS PINGING AND MAKING ALL KINDS OF NOISE, EVEN WHEN WARM.... BRAKES ARE VERY HAZARDOUS TO PUBLIC SAFETY... I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER NUMERIOUS TIMES FOR ROTOR AND PAD REPLACEMENTS AND EVEN GM'S SO CALLED NEW THICKER AND IMPROVED ROTORS THEY INSTALLED ON MY CAR WAS JUST AS BAD AS ALL THE OTHER ONES ... I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR WHEN I WAS TRAVELING 65 MILES PER HOUR ON OUR LOCAL HIGHWAY WHEN I WAS ALMOST HAD A WRECK DUE TO COMPLETE FAILURE OF MY BRAKES... MY CAR VIBRATED SO BADLY AND DID NOT SLOW DOWN...AT ALL!!....I THOUGHT I HAD 2 FRONT TIRE BLOWOUTS... I PULLED OVER ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND MY TIRES WERE FINE IT WAS MY BRAKES...... I WENT STRAIGHT TO A LOCAL AUTOZONE AND PURCHASED NEW ROTORS AND PADS....GM NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL ASAP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED!......I HAVE CALLED GM AND MADE A COMPLAINT AND WAS TOLD NO RECALLS WERE MADE..... ANOTHER ISSUE IM HAVING IS IT TAKES 3 OR 4 TIMES TO GET MY CAR STARTED ... NOT SURE WHY MY CAR IS HAVING ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS BUT IT IS AT A LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP AS I TYPE THIS .......I HOPE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO FIX THE NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AND MY CD PLAYER THAT GOES IN AND OUT OF POWER AND SOMETIMES WONT RELEASE MY CD'S .... I HAVE GIVEN UP ON GM BRAKES. *AK

  3. Engine and engine cooling, Apr 2, 2001

    VEHICLE WILL STALL AT SPEEDS OF 50-65 MPH, TO DEALER 5-6 TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *AK

  4. Engine and engine cooling, Mar 26, 2001

    WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE CUTS OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

  5. Engine and engine cooling, Mar 22, 2001

    AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR AN OIL CHANGE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD KNOCKING AND TICKING NOISE UNTIL VEHICLE WARMED UP. MANUFACTURER HAS RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM ,AND SAID THAT IT WAS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION, BUT IT WAS NORMAL. DEFECT WAS IN THE PISTONS.*AK

  6. Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Other, Mar 5, 2001

    REPLACED ROTORS AND PADS10/26/2000 AND02/09/2001.REPLACED FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT 03/02/2001 REPLACING PISTONS IN ENGINE 03/05/2001

  7. Engine and engine cooling, Mar 1, 2001

    WHEN IN ON POSITION THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

  8. Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Feb 27, 2001

    ENGINE MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE. DEALERR HAS CHECKED AND SAID IT MAY BE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR. *AK ENGINE WAS REPLACED, BRAKES MAKE NOISE. FIRESTONE AFFINITY TIRES MAKE NOISE IN THE FRONT, 15 INCH. *SLC

  9. Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Feb 23, 2001

    IN BOTH FAILURES THE SERVICE SUPPORT WAS NOT IN EXCISTING,OR VERY INSULTING,BOTH PROBLEMS HAVE INJURY OR DEATH POSSIBILITYS,ROTOR WARRANTY ONLY 12.000 MILES,BUT THE PROBLEM IS A DEFECT WHICH IS IN ALL MODELS STARTING IN 1998 TILL NOW.IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE,EVERY 7000 MILES NEW ROTORS OR DIE?? ENGINE LOSING POWER AT HIGH SPEED AND GROUDED FREEWAY,NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES,NO WARNING. DEALER TELLS ME THERE ARE NO CODES AND IT RUNS WELL,AFTER DEALER TOLD WIFE TO REMOVE VEHICLE,18 MILES LATER ,CAR IS STUCK AGAIN,CHEVROLET ASSISTANT SERVICE SAID PERHAPS WIFE CAN PUSH THE CAR TO THE RIGHT.MUST WE TOLERATE THIS,AND A SALES PERSON KNOWS ABOUT THE BULLITINS,AND WILL SAY THAT THERE IS NO ROTOR PROBLEM,BRAND NEW VEHICLE,NEVER MISS WORK ,LOSING JOB ,HOME AND WIFE BECAUSE OF NO ERROR CODES.SO MUCH FOR EMPTY PROMISES.SERVICE MANAGER DONT CARE IF YOU DIE OR LIVE ,DEALER HAS HIS 22.000.00 AND TELLS YOU TO REMOVE YOUR JUNK.CHEVYS IMAGE IS CLOUDED AND NOT HONEST. *AK

  10. Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Jan 26, 2001

    WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A NOISE WHEN BRAKING WHICH MAY INDICATE A PROBLEM WITH BRAKING SYSTEM. ALSO A NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

  11. Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Exterior lighting, Latches/locks/linkages, Jan 23, 2001

    ENGINE KEPT KNOCKING AND THE FIRST DEALER SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT IT , THEY PUT A NEW ENGINE IN BUT STILL HAVING PROBLEMS, THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED (ROTORS AND PADS) 2 TIMES AND STILL ARE NOT RIGHT, THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FROM PARK TO REVERSE ON 2 OCCASIONS, I HAVE HAD LIGHTS NOT WORKING, DOOR LATCHES BROKEN. *AK

  12. Engine and engine cooling, Oct 19, 2000

    NO SUMMARY

  13. Service brakes, Air, Engine and engine cooling, Oct 10, 2000

    ROTARS CONTINUE TO WARP, AND THE ENGINE KNOCKS BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHY

  14. Engine and engine cooling, Oct 9, 2000

    VEHICLE EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE CARBON BUILD UP ON THE PISTON RINGS, CAUSING ENGINE KNOCKING AND ERRATIC OPERATION. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK

  15. Engine and engine cooling, Sep 29, 2000

    WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ENGINE WILL COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

  16. Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Tires, Aug 23, 2000

    TIRES WORE OUT FAST, CAR STALLS, BRAKES WENT TWICE ,COMPUTER HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED AND THE CAR LOCKED UP ONCE NOTHING WOULD WORK DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD( DOT NUMBER: )

  17. Engine and engine cooling, Aug 3, 2000

    GM PLACED SMALLER PISTONS IN THE MOTOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MAKE A TAPPING NOISE ON COLD STARTS. NLM

  18. Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Jul 28, 2000

    VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING WHILE DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 TIMES. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM OF STALLING. HAD REPLACED THE FUEL MODULATOR & THE FUEL PUMP 3 TIMES. BUT, STALLING PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

  19. Engine and engine cooling, Jul 18, 2000

    INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A REAR END CRASH. NEED TO WAIT BEFORE RESTARTING VEHICLE. PROBLEM OCCURRED 3 TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. BUT INSTALLED A CHIP TO VEHICLE SO IT CAN RECORD THE PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

  20. Engine and engine cooling, Jun 19, 2000

    VECHICLE MADE A RATTLING NOISE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER & FOUND THE PISTONS HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALER SAID THAT THE NOISE WAS COMMON. *AK

  21. Engine and engine cooling, Jun 13, 2000

    VEHICLE STALLS/COMPLETELY DIES WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK

  22. Steering, Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Apr 20, 2000, crash

    VEHICLE FIRST TOWED TO SHOP ON 04/04/00 FOR VEHICLE OVERHEATING. TOP RADIATOR HOSE SPLIT. INFORMED DEALER OF VIBRATION IN FRONT END AT 30 MPH AND UP, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE. ON 04/11/00 HEARD THUMPING NOISE FROM FRONT AND WHILE PULLING IN DRIVEWAY LOST CONTROL OF LEFT FRONT WHEEL. TOWED TO DEALER AND LEFT SIDE OUTER TIE ROD END REPLACED. PICKED UP FROM DEALER ON 04/12/00 AND 2 MILES AWAY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. PARKED VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY AND NEXT MORNING LIGHT WAS OFF. LEFT FOR WORK AND GOT 6 MILES AWAY WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND TRANSMISSON STARTED SLIPPING. CALED AND NOTIFIED CHEVY AND THEY SAID DRIVE VEHICLE THEN HAVE IT TOWED IN THE NEXT DAY. ON 04/14/00 WAS DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT 40 MPH WHEN I LOST CONTROL OF STEERING AGAIN AND HIT A TREE. REPAIRS TO STEERING/ABS LIGHT/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/TRANSMSSION SLIPPING NOT TAKEN CARE OF YET.

  23. Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Feb 3, 2000

    VEHICLE SHUT DOWN MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING, AND OCCASIONALLY DID NOT START. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TWICE, THE O2 SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND THE IGNITION SWITCH, WHICH WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, WAS ALSO REPLACED. *AK *ML

  24. Engine and engine cooling, Exterior lighting, Nov 17, 1999

    TURNING SIGNALS AND FLASHERS HAVE BEEN FIXED. THEY WANT ME TO BRING THE CAR IN ON MONDAY SO THEY CAN REPLACE THE PISTONS. I THINK THEY SHOULD GIVE ME ANOTHER CAR. *AK