There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet Malibuin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE OURISMAN CHEVROLET DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,333.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND LOST POWER. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EGR VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO GILDNER DODGE-CHRYSLER-JEEP INC (1451 N 10TH ST, ARKADELPHIA, AR 71923 (870) 246-6800), BUT NO DIAGNOSTIC FAILURE CODES WERE FOUND AND THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED A CALL BACK. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,378.
PURCHASED VEHICLE USED FROM A DEALERSHIP. OVER HEATING ISSUES BEGAN WITHIN 3 MONTHS. HAD THERMOSTAT REPLACED. ALWAYS SEEMED TO HAVE TO BE ADDING WATER AS THE RESERVOIR WAS LOW OR THE INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON. 18 MONTHS LATER OVER HEATING ISSUES RETURNED WHILE DRIVING HOME ON HIGHWAY. WHEN VEHICLE COULD NO LONGER RUN, WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME. HAVE NOW REPLACED THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP. ISSUE REMAINS, BUT WORSE. LOW WATER AND NOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ARE ON. ALL INDICATIONS SUGGEST HEAD GASKET ISSUES WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY RESULT IN COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. AS SUCH, THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE SAFELY DRIVEN AND REMAINS PARKED. NO SUCH ISSUES WERE DISCLOSED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. ONLY LEARNED EXTENT OF PROBLEM AFTER RESEARCHING ISSUE ONLINE TO FIND MANY, MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE TYPE EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEMS. CHEVROLET SHOWED LITTLE CONCERN WHEN CONTACTED. REPRESENTATIVE APOLOGIZED, BUT AS THERE IS NO RECALL WOULD ONLY SUGGEST TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. OWNER IS A DISABLED VETERAN ON A FIXED INCOME. CHEVROLET'S SUGGESTION IS SIMPLY NOT FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE AND LEAVES THE OWNER WITHOUT RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM APPOINTMENTS. HE CANNOT USE THIS VEHICLE FOR THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH IT WAS INTENDED. FURTHERMORE, ONLINE REPORTS ALSO SUGGEST THE PROBLEM REMAINS OR RETURNS EVEN AFTER LENGTHY AND EXPENSIVE REPAIRS ARE MADE. ONCE AGAIN, CREATING CONSIDERABLE HARDSHIP TO THIS OWNER WHO NOW FEELS AS THOUGH HE WAS ROBBED FIRST BY THE DEALERSHIP WHERE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FOR THEIR NONDISCLOSURE AND NOW BY CHEVROLET FOR THEIR NEGLIGENT DESIGN, QUALITY AND WORKMANSHIP AS WELL AS THEIR COMPLETE LACK OF DESIRE TO REMEDY THIS YEARS OLD DEFECT. INSTEAD SHIFTING THE FINANCIAL BURDEN FROM ONE UNSUSPECTING OWNER TO THE NEXT AND THE NEXT AFTER THAT.
VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FINE. PARKED CAR FOR 1 HOUR WENT TO START CAR IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT START. AFTER CHECKING ALL FUSES AND FUEL PUMP I WAS ADVISED IT COULD BE AN ANTI THEFT MALFUNCTION. I FOLLOWED A PROCEDURE TO RELEARN THE SYSTEM AND THE CAR STARTED. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON 3 OCCASIONS AND I FEAR THE CAR WILL LEAVE ME STRANDED OR MALFUNCTION WHILE OPERATING WHICH COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS INJURY
THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN, OF THE UPPER AND LOWER MANIFOLDS, CAUSED BY THE DEX COOLANT, AND POOR ENGINE DESIGN. COOLANT GOT INTO MY ENGINE, AND NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED OR A REPLACEMENT ENGINE REPLACED. SENDING A PICTURE OF THE OIL CAP WITH FOAM ON IT, AND ITS LIKE THIS INSIDE THE ENGINE AS WELL.
2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING.* LD THE CONSUMER STATED GM USED DEX-COOL ENGINE COOLANT WHICH CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. THE REPAIR SHOP FLUSHED OUT THE DEX-COOL AND REPLACED THE COOLANT, WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF COOLANT. ALSO, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $477.31. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40-80 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A TUNE UP. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000. UPDATED 11/12/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE JERKING BECAME MORE FREQUENT. DUE TO THE JERKING GAS MILEAGE IS EXTREMELY POOR. UPDATED 7/27/2015 *JS
2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE JUST WOULD NOT START. *SMD THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,801.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 35MPH WHEN THE CAR JUST STARTED SMOKING. *TR
I BEEN RUNNING ERRANDS. I STOPPED THE CAR TO GO INTO THE STORE, GOT BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I WAS STRANDED WITH MY 5 YEAR OLD, HAD TO GET A TOW TO REPAIR SHOP. I WAS TOLD THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS BAD, COST ME $347.00. ON 12/29/11 SAME ISSUE, CAR WOULD NOT START THIS TIME LUCKILY I WAS AT HOME. I HAD TO GET A TOW TO THE REPAIR ANOTHER $51.00 AND WAS TOLD THE IGNITION SWITCH MUST HAVE HAD A DEFAULT AND I RECEIVED A NEW IGNITION SWITCH, AT NO CHARGE. TWO DAYS AGO, ALMOST 2 WEEKS AFTER LAST REPAIR, IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS TIME IN THE PARKING LOT 12 DEGREES OUTSIDE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER CALLED A TOW TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD ALL THIS TIME IT WAS THE AUTO THEFT SYSTEM WAS BAD AND CAUSED THE CAR TO NOT START AND ALSO WAS THE CAUSE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH TO NOT START THE CAR. I WAS CHARGED 388.00, PLUS A TOW FEE, FOR THE REPAIR OF A NEW IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER( THE PART USED A THE AUTO THEFT SYSTEM). BASICALLY , THIS AUTO THEFT SYSTEM HAS CAUSED ME OVER 700 IN A MONTH TIME AND LEFT ME IN DANGEROUS AREAS WITH NO WAY OF GETTING HOME. THIS NEEDS TO REIMBURSED BY GM BECAUSE IF THIS AUTO THEFT SYSTEM WAS PLACED ON THE CAR AS A BENEFIT AND PROTECTION TO THE OWNER OF THE CAR TO STOP THEFT IT IS NOT HELPING THE OWNER AT ALL ONLY PUTTING THE OWNER IN MORE HARM BECAUSE IT IS CAUSING THE OWNER TO NOT BE ABLE TO START THE CAR WITH THE KEY. HOW MUCH SINCE DOES THAT MAKE? THIS IS SOMETHING EXTRA ADDED TO THE CAR THAT IS NOT NEEDED; THAT IS WHY WE HAVE CAR ALARMS. I DON'T NEED THEM TO ADD AN AUTO THEFT SYSTEM TO MY CAR AND IT STOPS ME FROM BEING ABLE TO GET INTO THE CAR AND DRIVE. WHAT IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY I NEEDED TO DEAL WITH, I HAVE CHILDREN IN THE HOME. THE LAST TIME THE CAR WOULDN'T START IT WAS ONLY 12 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND FREEZING COLD. PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO GET A PETITION OF A RECALL FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. THIS IS UNSAFE! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT ANY ILLUMINATION OF THE WARNING INDICATORS. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE RECURRED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE MALFUNCTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES OF WAIT WAS NEEDED FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE ABLE TO RESTART. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
HAVING COOLANT LEAK, DID NOT SEE ANY COOLANT LEAKING ON THE GROUND. CHANGED WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, AND RADIATOR; STILL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. FOUND OUT INTAKE GASKET WAS CRACKED AND HAD IT FIXED. COOLANT STILL LEAKING, HAVING TO ADD COOLANT EVERY DAY TO EVERY OTHER DAY. WAS TOLD RESERVOIR CAP DID NOT FIT WELL. REPLACED RESERVOIR AND CAP AND HAD VEHICLE BLED. RAN FINE FOR 3 DAYS, THEN COOLANT STARTING LEAKING OUT AGAIN. CANT SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM OF WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE. FOR A 2002 THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE BAD MILEAGE, ONLY 84,000 MILES. THIS VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW. I HAVE READ SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE ON THE INTERNET. SOMEONE SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. CHEVROLET NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. CHEVROLET SOLD LEMONS WHEN THEY SOLD THESE CARS, THAT'S FOR SURE!!! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE ECM WAS REPAIRED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PASS LOCK SECURITY SYSTEM. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 110,000.
CHEVY MALIBU 2002 V6 - COOLANT LEAK PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD TURN OVER BUT WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY SIX TIMES WHERE THREE CRANKSHAFT SENSORS ALONG WITH TWO OTHER UNKNOWN SENSORS WERE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER YET THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.
2002 CHEVY MALIBU, 80,000 MILES BRAKES ALWAYS NOISY EVEN WHEN NEW..BRAKES AND CALIPERS HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY 2-3 MONTHS WITH MINIMAL USE......HAZARD LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL FAILURE...WORKS INTERMITTENTLY.....IGNITION LOCK-OUT....COULD NOT START CAR OR REMOVE KEY FROM THE IGNITION....LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE......LEFT HEADLAMP FIELD OF VISION NARROW AND SHORT. *TR
LOW COOLANT LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. HAD THIS CHECKED DURING AN OIL CHANGE AND OIL WAS FOUND IN THE COOLANT. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED FOR THE 2ND TIME. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED 2 1/2 YEARS AGO. STARTING IN THE SPRING/SUMMER OF 2008 STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TURN SIGNALS ONLY WORKING PART OF THE TIME. THIS WAS CHECKED AT A DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE SIGNALS SEEMED TO WORK FINE FOR THEM AND THE PROBLEM COULDN'T BE REPRODUCED THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG TO BE ABLE TO FIX IT. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. *TR
INTAKE GASKET WENT IN CAR COST $740.00 TO FIX,THE COOLANT WAS MIXING WITH OIL. I DIDN'T HAVE HEAT COULDN'T SEE OUT BACK WINDOW. THE SIGNALS WORK WHEN THEY WANT,THE REAR DEFROSTER DON'T WORK,MY HUSBAND HAS FIXED IT 2X AND PUT IN SHOP,STILL DON'T WORK. MY CAR GETS SERVICE WHEN ITS TIME. THERE'S A SOUND IN THE DASHBOARD SOUND LIKE WIRES RUBBING TOGETHER AND YOU GET A LITTLE SHOCK WHEN YOU GET OUT CAR. I HOPE I DON'T BE DRIVING AND MY CAR CATCH ON FIRE WITH ME IN IT. I THINK MY CAR WAS IN THE BAD BATCH SECTION. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026