I have a 2001 chevy malibu. The theft system keeps coming on and prevents my car from starting. This has been going off and on over the last 3 years. This time I happened to be driving the car when it shut down. My door locks won't function properly because of this. I do not have the money to take this in to get repaired just for this to go out again. I had it done when I first purchased the car now it needs fixed again. Gm needs to do a recall on the passlock sensor. There are alot of people that are having this problem and you would think by now that gm would do a recall to fix this problem.
2001 Chevrolet Malibu: doors won't lock, open or latch
6 of the 720 complaints about the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu describe doors won't lock, open or latch.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 1 service bulletin covers this area of the car. See below
Doors won't lock, open or latch by model year
What owners say
About every three mo. The [xxx] car won't start because of the anti-theft system, and the door locks don't work right,also the power minors. The car is a piece of junk!!!!! Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Chevrolet malibu, year 2001. Repeated problems with pass lock / anti-theft system malfunctioning. Two separate conditions occurred 1. System will malfunction so that vehicle cannot be started , cannot bypass/reset the anti-theft system. 2. System will not arm itself, and theft system does not provide intended purpose. Addressed this with chevrolet , and they refused to acknowledge any service bulletin related to this problem. They could only recommend that I contact my dealer. My concern is with the possibility of the theft system malfunctioning and causing the vehicle to stall while in motion. This problem has reoccurred seven times since october, 2006. So far, it has been possible to reset problem (1) by keeping the key in the accessory position for 10 minutes, and "problem ; (2) by turning the driver door lock 3 times to the right, then once to the left, then starting the vehicle. (these measures were obtained from an internet search which revealed widespread problems of this nature with this vehicle type.
The horn will beep on its own, usually when car is first started or turned off, but will also beep (by itself) while driving. Also the automatic power door lock switch on the driver side door, which is supposed to lock all doors when depressed when I am leaving the vehicle doesn't work properly. Both of these problems have been "fixed" several times over the last 12 - 18 months by the dealer, but they keep recurring. Another problem, which the dealer had "fixed" a couple of times is that I would go out to start the car, it just wouldn't start. The dealer claimed it had something to do with the anti-theft system/ignition lock cylinder in that if you try three different keys or make three attempts to start the car, then the anti-theft system would lock the car out. Two times over the last 12-18 I've gone out to the car, put my car key in the ignition (once each time) and the car would not start, would not even turn over. I'm waiting for it to happen it again, because once the horn and locks start malfunctioning, the anti-theft system usually starts malfunctioning.
Problems with vehicle's turn signals, door locks and brakes.*mr the check engine light illuminated for six months until the dealership was able to service the problem. The door locks would freeze in the winter time and would open spontaneously while driving. The dealership responded by stating they didn't experience this while the vehicle was being checked. Thus, the problem wasn't handled by the company. Apparently, the door hinges were never properly greased until the consumer's father did it. This resolved that problem. Brakes were rough and unresponsive at times. The turn signal work when they wanted to or when the A/C was on maximum output. The vehicle started to use massive amounts of antifreeze. *ph
1) leaking coolant from intake manifold into engine, required gasket replacement and coolant / oil change 2) turn signals work intermittently, had to replace turn signal switch 3) A/C does not work, blows hot air, dealer unable to repair 4) brakes weak, vibrate. Replaced with after market components (powerslot rotors and performance friction carbon metallic pads) 5) automatic door locks inoperative, dealer unable to repair 6) poor fuel mileage, best is 28 mpg highway (cafe violation??) 7) starter failed, replaced with rebuilt unit.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu door locks
Is doors won't lock, open or latch a common problem on the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu?
6 of 720 owner complaints about the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu (1%) mention doors won't lock, open or latch. The model year with the most reports is 2008.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu?
There are 0 recalls and 1 service bulletin for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
Won't start 86Stalling 59Fuel pump 26Overheating 23No deployment 16Check engine light 15ABS 14Fuel gauge 13Engine failure 12Knocking 11Brake failure 10Power steering loss 10Grinding brakes 9Loss of power 8Adaptive cruise 7Premature wear 7Headlights 6Hesitation 6Ball joint 5Seat belt 5Steering lock-up 5Tire blowout 5
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