2001 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,022 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 43/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 78,649 miles.
Below average
Where 2001 sits among all Malibu years
What owners report
“Consumer notice turn signal would work intimately after repeated use. Dealer has been contacted. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Malibu
“While driving home from work in 90+ degree heat my car overheated to the point where i had to have it towed in and was told by the mechanics that my coolant had been leaking and causing the car to over heat there blowing the head gasket and causing me to have to pay $1200.00+ to have another engine…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Malibu
“Consumer states that the rotors and brakes were replaced at 18000 miles. Consumer feels there is something causing brake and rotors to wear so early. Please provide any further information. Mr”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Malibu
“Everytime i go to start my car my anti-theft system kicks on and i have to wait 15 xtra mins to get anywhere”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Malibu
“Elbow right arm/elbow became sore after driving a chevrolet malibu for a week. The steering is stiff and hard to turn. Have a bad case of elbow now. Info supllied by mike tomich 989-665-2311. Dt”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Malibu
“Takata inflators, the car that i own smells like gasoline everyday and each time that the car is started in the morning. When i turn on the heat or air the gas smell is even stronger i am afraid that the car will one day explode even without me smoking.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Malibu
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 621 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 70,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 49,000 and 104,957 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
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.…
Fix: 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.…
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…
Fix: 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.
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…
Fix: 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.
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…
Fix: 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…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 03V327000.
Technical service bulletins
380 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2001 Malibu TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
The 2001 Chevrolet Malibu drew 1,022 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 43/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2001 Chevrolet Malibu problems?
The top reported problems for the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu are electrical (439 complaints), engine (199), and brakes & stability (107).
At what mileage do 2001 Chevrolet Malibu problems show up?
Owners most often report 2001 Chevrolet Malibu problems around 70,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 49,000 and 104,957 miles.
Does the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.