Seven problems related to engine shut off without warning have been reported for the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu based on all problems reported for the 2003 Malibu.
Yesterday I was driving on a straight road with a few turns in a rural community. All of a sudden the theft system light starts flashing, my speed drops by force, my steering wheel tightens, and the engine shuts off. Thankfully the driver behind me was not up to speed as he had just turned onto the street after me. Otherwise, he would have slammed into the back of my car. I put the car in park and started my routine of trying to get the ignition to turn over. This process calls for me to put the key in the igntion, turn it to the right, and wait for the board to light up. Once it is lit, the car usually starts again. This is the first time the engine was shut down when the theft light starts to blink. In the past I have had trouble getting the car to start when the light comes on. I have had several ignition switches replaced at the suggestion of their chevy technicians but each spring/summer I continue to have this costly problem. The managers and technicians seem to think that this is not a big issue and that I will need to continue to replace the ignition switches because the car thinks that I am stealing my own car. The only way for me to get the car to start up again is to put the key in the ignition and turn it to the right without actually starting the car. After 5-10 minutes the electrical board lights up and then I am able to start the car. While this car is a 2003 model, I have had this issue since the car was new but gm refuses to do anything about it. The only thing they have done is to replace the key fobs but that obviously is not the issue for many of their customers.
This has happened five times now, I am driving and the engine just shuts off, I can not brake I can not steer, I still have lights on the dashboard. It happens when I am gong about 20 to about 35 miles per hour. I am afraid to drive on the highway. I do not know if it will happen at a higher speed! it did it the first time back in June 2015 my daughter was driving, then again last Friday August 7th four more times with in 10minutes and a few miles apart. It is like someone just turned the car off while I am driving?.
When driving my car the the engine shutoff and the brakes failed.
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.
When I was leaving the regal Chevrolet dealership after having been there for 2 hours for them to place a piece in the key loop of my key ring my car shut off. I asked them why it was still cutting off after it suppose to have been fixed and they stated that they did not know. I had my 13 month old son in the car with me and the entire approximately 5 miles it took for me to get back to my residence the car cut off repeatedly. I was in fear of my child as well as my own safety and was very upset that the dealership did not do more to rectify my issue. My car was not doing this before and now it will not stop. I have replaced several parts on my car and still it is doing the same thing. After hearing about the recall I took my car to the dealership and still it is doing the same thing. I need my car but do not know what to do. I am so afraid to drive the car with my son who is special needs because I do not know when it will shut off.
Started having problems starting my car, theft light would come on and I would have to sit and wait to get the car started, very annoying problem having to play a waiting came to start your car. Then one day I was driving and the car just shut off in the middle of the high way, I had no idea the car was even off until I tried to acclerate or turn because the radio remains on. Have to stop and put my hazzards on and start the car again, some days it does repeat stalls which causes me to almost get hit by cars behind me (very very dangerous), some days it drives fine. Then one day while shutting my car off and returning home the horn started honking and would not turn off for about a 1/2 hour, and after that it hasnt worked again. Took the car in to the shop because im fed up and they said it is all linked to a faulty pass key/anti theft system that causes these electrical problems. Did some research and noticed this is and has been a reaccuring problem in the Malibu's.
As I was turning on a street the car shut off and would not crank back up. When it shut off it locked up and I was unable to turn the wheel. I was going about 30mph the next time it happened I was going over a bridge and the car shut off. It would not crank back up immediately and I had to engage the emergency brake so that the car did not drift backward. The next time that it happened I was on a main highway and the car shut off it would not crank back up immediately. My lights did not work so I was unable to engage my hazards the car locked and I was unable to let the windows up or down now was the locks working. I had to sit there for 15 min before the car crank back up. There are times when the car will not crank up and you have to let it sit for a while with the key turned to the on position. Each time that the car has shut off I have been in traffic helpless. It has shut off on me while I have had my infant child at the time in the car as well.