2003 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Recalls & Reliability
791 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 35/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 82,158 miles.
Below average
Where 2003 sits among all Malibu years
What owners report
“Ignition module switch bad, car will not start, theft device will not re-set causing car not to start. Many complaints online. This has to be defect.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Malibu
“Ehgine dies while driving on the streets many times. Horn honks after turning on engine and not drive for about 1 minute. A/c automatically switched from fresh to recycle air buttons”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Malibu
“Accelerator pedal sticks causing engine to idle at 1500 to 2000 rpm. Engine will not idle back down to normal rpm's until trans is shifted into neutral. Causes additional braking in order to slow and stop vehicle.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Malibu
“100% of brake lines failed via rust also, control arms front/rear severely rusted.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Malibu
“Car shuts off while driving.Will start up when fuel gauge gets power also windows ,radio,lightening work airbag light&service engine soon light on”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Malibu
“I have been having problems with the anti-theft system. My car continues to not start until i complete a 10 minute procedure each time. This is very annoying and have left me stranded many times. I believe that this is a recall that needs to be corrected immediately. There have been numerous…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Malibu
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 584 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 72,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 46,984 and 110,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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.…
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 FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, 'ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS.' IN HOT AMBIENT CONDITIONS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM MAY STICK AT THE ATTACHMENT TO THE BRACKET AND NOT RETURN TO…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM AND REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT…
Technical service bulletins
409 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2003 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 2003 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
The 2003 Chevrolet Malibu drew 791 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 35/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2003 Chevrolet Malibu problems?
The top reported problems for the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu are electrical (343 complaints), engine (92), and speed control (87).
At what mileage do 2003 Chevrolet Malibu problems show up?
Owners most often report 2003 Chevrolet Malibu problems around 72,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 46,984 and 110,000 miles.
Does the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2003 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.