2003 Chevrolet Malibu: won't start

Filed Apr 10, 2021 · Electrical · 198,000 miles · IN

Experiencing intermittent failure of passcode system, service engine soon light. Vehicle repeatedly will not start due to activation of passcode system. Warning light will come on while driving, but goes away upon restart. Experiencing loss of dash controls while driving, but return within a few minutes vehicle mileage is 205000

Filed Jan 16, 2021 · Electrical · 241,000 miles · WV

Car won't start key switch sets off anti theft always leaving us stranded

Filed Dec 29, 2016 · WA

Theft system light, leaves me stranded, car won't start unless open door with key in ignition for exactly 10 minutes then car will start. I am a woman that is left stranded several times a week, at night and only way car will start is to have drivers door wide open with key in ignition and other doors will not lock, leaves me in a dangerous situation. Began a couple of years ago, approx. 50,000 miles, just getting worse and more frequent.

Filed Oct 28, 2015 · Electrical · 175,000 miles · PA

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.

Filed Sep 26, 2015 · Electrical · 43,000 miles · TN

Not sure what the problem is but there are other complaints for same vehicle. Some have noted repair and still the problem occurs. Car will not start (some have stalled while driving) and must leave key in certain position for 10-15 minutes before it will start again. This is my mother's car and I was with her several weeks ago and we pulled out of parking space and it died and would not start (anti-theft light also flashes). Thank goodness we were not in the line of heavy traffic and a nice man pushed our car out of the way of incoming traffic to the lot. And thank goodness we were at a dr's office (where my ill 85 year old mom had been) so we could go inside out of the 90 degree heat. This car needs to be recalled and don't know why it has not been. I am extremely concerned that my mom will be driving and this car will quit and she will be hit and god forbid there be a fatality. I have also just emailed gm about this as well. My mom obviously is not in a financial shape to run out and buy a new car. It only has 43k miles and she should not have to purchase another car just because gm will not take care of their improperly functioning cars! They must have seen all of the other complaints for this same thing. So, not sure if electrical, engine, but something is obviously wrong! And putting lives at risk!

Filed Sep 15, 2015 · Electrical · 82,611 miles · MI

Car tries to start, stalls and will not start. Security system light flashes. Have to leave key in run position for 15 minutes until security system light quits flashing, turn key off and then start the engine. Happens multiple times per week and is happening more frequently now. Was told the problem was caused by an after market remote starter, had it removed and am still having the same problem.

Filed May 8, 2015 · Electrical · 50,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet malibu. While starting the vehicle, the theft passlock sensor and the ignition lock cylinder lights illuminated and the vehicle would not start. The vehicle was able to start after ten minutes of holding the key in the ignition and restarting the vehicle. The failure recurred approximately 15 times. The vehicle was taken the dealer where it was confirmed that the theft passlock system malfunctioned and the remedy was to replace the ignition. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

Filed Mar 13, 2015 · Electrical · 16,800 miles · AL

First of all the car has never been in a wreck.the ignition switch and electrical switch was replaced by owners at their expense .the ignition started to not work.when the key was turned all gauges would fall and would not crank.while on road the car would shut off as if turned off by key..the owner decided to have car repaired before the recall ,,in 2012 and 2013.owner would like to know if there is or can be a refund of a portion of costs to him,he has the invoices of work on done car.thank you very much for your time.

Filed Mar 4, 2015 · Electrical, Engine · NC

The car was being driven and the engine suddenly shut off. Fortunately the car was being driven through a parking lot at the time rather than on a roadway. This evening the car wouldn't start at all. My personal mechanic has already advised that there is an ignition problem. However neither gm or the chevy dealership will fix the issue. They insist on charging for a second diagnostic even though we've already pd someone else for a diagnosis.

Filed Feb 25, 2015 · Brakes, Engine · 76,300 miles · CA

Car will not start. Solid "theft" light comes on dashboard and car will not turn over, or if it turns over, will cut out shortly after. This anti-theft issue causes the power steering and brakes to disable, and am not able to turn the steering wheel. Have also had car stall out in traffic and lose all power. Had to have car towed several times due to the issue. I have tried several fixes and mechanical repairs, but this issue continues to get worse. No matter what I try and do, at random times, my car will not start, while the "theft" light comes on and completely disables my vehicle. And sometimes while driving, the car just shuts off. I am the original owner of the vehicle, and am using an original key to start the car. I do not have any type of security system installed in my car. There is no reason for the "theft" light to come on when I am just trying to start my vehicle, not steal it. The ignition recall for my specific vehicle only involves replacing the keys, but this anti-theft issue, which I and other chevrolet malibu owners are experiencing, is a serious safety issue that could cause a crash or other accident to occur if it causes the car to cut out (lose power) for no reason while driving, and at the same time disabling the steering and braking systems. This should definitely be a safety recall.

Filed Dec 6, 2014 · Electrical · 89,590 miles · IN

Vehicle won't start and security light is on. I have to wait 10 minutes with key in the on position to restart anti-theft system and then engine will start. The car as well died and security light came on while driving on the highway at speeds of 60 MPH and had to coast over 2 lanes and was luckily not hit or injured. After this I took it to my normal mechanic to look at it. He fixed ignition switch on 3/3/2009 which I have documentation of problem I was having and him fixing it. This did not fix the problem and the car still does not start. I haven't had it stop while driving since then but in the back of my head I'm telling myself I need to get rid of this car before something terrible happens. Sometimes the car is fine for months and then it won't start twice in one week. This is especially a pain when it is freezing cold and I have no where else to wait 10 minutes but in my car. Seems to be very intermittent. But one thing is for sure that if I try to remote start the car with the key fab it will most likely ends in tripping the anti-theft system and the car will not start. I've seen so many complaints on-line about this issue. And I ask why has it not been recalled especially if the car can stop running while driving. This has made me lose confidence in gm, and if I buy another car I will think twice about buying another chevy even though I like everything else about my car. I am not about to take it in and spend hundreds of dollars getting it fixed when I can save my money and buy something more dependable besides a gm car. In the next couple of years I will be able to buy a new car and I will be glad when I don't have to deal with this problem again.

Filed Nov 19, 2014 · Electrical · IL

2003 chevrolet malibu engine refused to start due to ignition system, replaced ignition and key, reset computer.*cw the consumer stated the anti-theft light illuminated roughly 50 times within the last two years. On several occasions, the vehicle would not start and the vehicle had to be towed. The ignition was replaced. The vehicle ran fine for nine months, and then the problem returned.