Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that the ignition switch was lose and could be wiggled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician stated that the ignition switch was not part of the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). The recall only covers the modification of the keys. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
1998 Chevrolet Malibu electrical complaints
Page 2 of 5: complaints 11 to 40 of 130, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. The contact received a notification for recall the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v40000 (electrical system). However, the dealer declined to perform the recall repairs. The contact was concerned about the safety risk and refused to continue driving the vehicle. The vehicle had not experience the failure.
I received my chev recall letter ref recall 14350 today. This is not a complaint, just info that may be important in reference to this safety recall. Problems I have had with my 1998 chev malibu is : engine shuts off while traveling at highway speeds-sometimes engine won't start ( ignition key will not go all way to start position)-sometimes engine want shutoff (ignition key want turn back to off position). As a retired truck mechanic I know that the problem is in the ignition switch lock cylinder (tumblers are worn excessively causing the lock cylinder to jam and/or be come loose allowing ignition key to rotate off) . I have attempted to make repair myself but all parts outlets tell me that the lock cylinder is not available (must purchase $350.00 ignition switch assembly) if this recall does not include replacing the lock cylinder,the problem will not be corrected. Experienced mech/tech can replace the lock cylinder in about 10 minutes.
Tl* the contact owns 1998 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact also mentioned that after numerous attempts the vehicle would start and then stalled as the anti-thief warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.
Key can be removed from the ignition lock cylinder while the engine is running.
The anti-theft light comes on at sporadic times and does not allow car to start. You then have to wait at least 10 minutes to restart car. This could be a potentially dangerous situation depending where you are when car will not start. I had a small child with me on the way to the doctor and made a stop at the drug store, then tried to restart car to proceed to doctor and car would not start. Since I only recently acquired this car, I have done research on this problem and see that it is a big problem with chevy malibus. Why isn't there a recall for this--or, if there is one, please advise.
Anti-theft ignition system disabled starting of car. I put the key in the ignition, the car turned over but would not start, manual says the fuel pump is disabled by anti-theft. By accident waited in car about 10 minutes while trying to reach manufacturer, the flashing antitheft light had gone out, I tried starting the car and it started fine. However further online research indicated that this is a pervasive problem went hundreds of complaints. My source was carcomplaints.com. Called chevrolet and filed a complaint was assigned a case number. This is not a safety issue per se, but it could be in the event of needed to get someone to an er, for example.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that the anti theft system would activate and prevent him from starting the vehicle. The failure recurred intermittently and would last between fifteen minutes to an hour. The contact did not inform the dealer of the failure and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. No repairs were performed. The current and failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
Went to start my 1998 chevy malibu, and it wouldn't start. It would turn over and start for like 2 seconds, but then shuts off. I tried starting it a few times, and then realized that the "theft system" light was flashing. After I tried the few times, the light shut off and then my car started up no problem. Has happened 3 days in a row now.
Passlock system malfunctions, causing the vehicle to not start for at least ten minutes.
1998 chevrolet malibu will not start due to passlock program. *kb the consumer stated normally he would drive somewhere and turn off the ignition, but when he tried to restart it, nothing happened. On the left side of the screen on the dash an icon flashed. He had to wait 10-15 minutes for the light to stop flashing, exit the vehicle, get back in and then the vehicle started.
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet malibu. Whenever the contact drove the vehicle at various speeds, he noticed that the theft system light would appear on the dashboard and the vehicle would shut off. The vehicle could not be restarted for approximately 10 minutes. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership. The current and failure mileages were 107,000.
Theft system malfunction.
When trying to start the car the anti theft system light blinks and car will not start. Wait about 10 minutes and car will eventually start. This happens a couple of times a week. The problem has not been corrected.
1998 chevy malibu more and more often, when I start my car, the theft light comes on and I can not start the car until it turns off about 10-15 minutes later.
1998 chevy malibu has a notorious issue with the theft system. I have read 1000's of issue with this light coming on and your not able to start your car. Tons of people online with this issue. Chevy needs to take responsibility for this default in their vehicles. You pay money to support american auto makers but where is the accountability when the car no longer works. This is not a safety issue. But I think starting a car when you have purchased it is as important. This theft light comes in and you have to wait 15 mins or more for it to cut off to start your own car!!! Chevy dealers charge $600+ dollars to replace this sensor. The faulty sensor in chevy vehicles are on tons of website and they are aware of this issue, but why has there been a recall !! You want to help the economy...helping.getting people to work on time is a great start. Next time, I'm going foreign. Japanese.....to many money hungry companies for me to support. I know better next time...if you google " theft system in a chevy" there are nothing but complaints. There are also people giving advise on how to disable this because there is no way to start your car with this issue. I'm disgusted with chevy....shame on them!!!!!!! A car that thinks the owner is stealing it.....what a shame!
Under normal usage, the vehicle will shut off, and the dashboard theft light comes on . At other times the vehicle will not start, and the theft light comes on. The failure occurs at least once a week. This can be dangerous, im afraid it will happen while driving. I have taken the car to a mechanic, and have found the problem. The problem is the gm passlock ii system. I did some research online and have found thousands of people with the same problem. I cannot believe that such a widespread problem has not been addressed.
I bought a certified used car from bill heard in plant city before they closed down,from day 1 I had a problem with the car ignition not starting and the anti theft,I have been left stranded several time s cause of this problem,I have taken it back to them twice and they kept telling me there is nothing wrong although at times there is then they told me if it happens again just let the car set for 10mins and it will be ok, well it should not happen in the first place,then after almost flipping the car I found out that the front rotors are totally shot and when I had to hit my brakes one caught before the other causing the car to go into a skid,then the ignition and the anti theft act up again and this time the horn is stuck so I had to pull the fuse to stop the horn tested the relay and it was fine the switch is stuck somewhere and know one seems to know where,so now I have a used certified used car with no horn and worn out rotors faulty ignition and oh I forgot that every now and then I will get shocked getting out of the car and a broke motor mount that I was told that I would have to fix own my own due to it was aware and tear apart that they won't cover, well it should have been replaced before the car was even sold. So now I have taken it to 2 other dealers to get it fixed and they told me I would have to pay for it well I don't think that's right due to the fact that all of that should have been checked and fixed before the car was ever sold and I guess since I was a first time buyer with no credit that it was ok for them to stick it to me which in turn I see why bill heard went out of business with people like that working for them,so now I need to know what I should do about this so called certified used piece of death trap I was sold?
I have a 98 chevy malibu. The car was running fine until a couple of weeks ago when I went to start it. The theft system light was on and the car wouldn't start. After the light shut off it started and this happens alot. Everyone I talk to that has a chevy seems to be having the same problem. The shop wants over $200 to fix it. I believe that the ignition tumbler is faulty and is set up to go bad so that they can get more money am very angry that this keeps happening to me. I have read over 1000 reports about people having this particular problem and chevy needs to fix it.
Vehicle passlock system prevents starting of vehicle. Has occurred numerous times, incident date shown is most recent. The vehicle is old, things will break, things will go bad. That is understood, but after visiting many websites and reading an untold number of identical complaints, two things are apparent: 1) gm is aware of the problem, and 2) gm is unable to give customers experiencing this problem constant, permanent, or satisfactory resolution. Not when you have different dealerships providing different diagnoses for the same problem, and not when, after components are replaced, the complaint resurfaces. It's not a worn out switch we're complaining about. It's a theft system which is preventing a lawful operator with the appropriate vehicle key from starting the vehicle. This problem should be recalled because it is the result of poor engineering and customers shouldn't have to pay for repairs due to faulty engineering. Particularly when the problem component/system was installed in vehicles even after the manufacturer became aware of the problem.
Passlock system failure. Happens very frequently (three to four times a week) and car cannot be started for at least 10 minutes while the system resets itself. This problem was misdiagnosed several times by different (well-qualified) mechanics and wound up costing over 1500 dollars in unneeded repairs to the fuel pump and fuel line several times. Gm is aware of this problem and refuses to do a recall.
I have a 1998 chevy malibu that does not start due to a faulty reset passlock system. Chevrolet does not know how to fix it. It is clearly dangerous since I am going to get mugged or worse waiting the 10 minutes it takes to "fool" the anti-theft system and get the car to start. There are over 1000 complaints all over the internet, in various years of manufacture of this defective chevrolet product. There must be some solution to this. The other night I was in a dark parking lot for 20 minutes waiting for my car to let me drive home. I called gm again and was told they still do not know why this is occurring in the malibu but just that it has something to do with the passlock system and the car "thinks" it is being robbed. Please rob my car. Then I will be safe!!
The complaint is for the electronic ignition and the taillights and brake lights. The brake lights and tail lights have already been fixed twice, I am told it is an electrical problem, they work when they want to. This is a problem at night when I have no tail lights or when the brake lights don't work. The other problem is the ignitions switch, the key won't move in the ignition, which makes it impossible to start. After reading on line, there are hundreds of other people with the same problem with malibu's and other chevy vehicles, but nothing is being done about this. I am unsure of the incident date because it has happened several times.
Someone needs to look into the theft security system in these cars!!
1998 malibu - theft system will activate for no reason and there is not a solution in the owners manual for this condition. If the internet search of 10 minute wait does not work, using another key, spraying the ignition switch with cleaner or kicking a tire - you will have to take a cab. There is not a way to disarm this system. I will not own another gm product because of this system and the inability to turn off my headlights.
I have no clue what has caused the failure. I am using the same key that came with the vehicle. I have only been using it for the last year and a half. Theft system is causing me a big headache with the ten to twenty minute waits for the light to stop flashing so I can start the car again. I have not been able to repair the problem because it is so expensive to fix and my financial status is preventing me from being able to repair it.
Once or twice a week when I turn the key to start the car, it cranks but doesn't start. The theft system light starts flashing. After 10 minutes I can try again and it usually starts. I've found dozens of other complaints for this problem with this car. I've called chevrolet (national 800 number) twice; each time they say they've never heard of it. I've called two dealers; they know what I'm talking about, but of course a diagnosis is still required.
I own a 1998 chevy malibu and it is one of the thousands with the anti-theft passlock system error. My car continually reads an error in the theft system and cuts off the fuel for 10 minutes before I can start it again.
Serveral times (5+) the left rear tail light would burn out. I replaced the bulb myself and note that the connection and bulb had overheated. Current, on going problem is the dash/instrument cluster lighting. The instrument lights go on and off, as they feel like it. The lights currently are out. I checked all fuses and breakers. All tested okay. I really hate this car and no more gm products for me, ever!
Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft controller the anti- theft system disabled the engine while the vehicle was being turned started. This anti-theft system has prohibited the car from starting two different times. Had to disable the anti-theft system in order to start car. Dealer could not fix this problem.
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