There are 50 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibuin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WELL MY IGNITION SWITCH WENT OUT I REPLACE THAT.NOW IT'S SHORTAGES IN WIRING AND LIGHTS HEAT ON AN OFF SOMETIMES SHOCKS
AFTER STARTING ENGINE, ENGINE WILL TURN OFF AND RADIO DISPLAY SCREEN WILL READ 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED.' ENGINE WILL NOT START FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, BUT THE LIGHTS, RADIO, DASH LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING WILL STILL WORK. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY. THE FIRST TIME THIS EVER HAPPENED I WAS ON A BUSY MAIN ROAD AT A STOP LIGHT IN THE LEFT TURN LANE. THE CAR SHUDDERED AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AGAIN, THE DISPLAY SCREEN DISPLAYED THE SAME MESSAGE. THE CAR WAS ROLLING BACKWARDS AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE ENGINE DID START AGAIN. THANKFULLY IT WAS 6:00 AM AND I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK SO THERE WAS VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC.
HAD TO REPLACE HEAD LIGHT BULBS HAS MELTED PLASTIC COVER DASHBOARD HAS WARNING LIGHTS THAT COME ON AND STAY ON
THE ANTI THEFT GAS CUT OFF FEATURE HAS RENDERED MY VEHICLE UNABLE TO START. I HAVE TRIED MANY METHODS BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. IT STARTS WHEN IT WANTS TOO, BUT NOT WHEN I DO. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT FAILURE WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT HAD TO JIGGLE THE KEY FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN JIGGLED THE KEY AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE MAY BE AN UNKNOWN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000. *DT*JB
O2 SENSOR, ING FUSE KEEPS BLOWING CAUSING CAR NOT TO START
TAKATA RECALL. MY RADIO STARTED DISPLAYING A SERVICE AIR BAG MESSAGE AND MY HORN STOPPED WORKING. THE WIRING IN THE CAR HAS STOPPED WORKING. I BEGAN TO REPLACE LIGHTBULBS THINKING THEY WERE BLOWN BUT JUST WILL NOT WORK. HEARD THIS CAR WAS RECALLED FOR THESE EXACT PROBLEMS I AM HAVING BUT FOR SOME REASON MY CAR HAS NO RECALLS. MY STEERING WHEEL MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING VERY SHARP. SOUNDS LIKE A PIECE IS BROKEN KNOCKING AROUND
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT HAD TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE "ON" POSITION FOR APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE AND THE THEFT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.
MY THEFT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. WHEN I TURN THE KEY OFF AND TRY TO RESTART THE CAR IT WILL NOT START BACK. I HAVE TO TURN IT TO THE ON POSITION AND WAIT UNTIL THE THEFT LIGHT QUITS FLASHING WHICH IS USUALLY 10 MINUTES AND THEN RESTART THE CAR. I WAS TOLD BY A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE IGNITION CYLINDER WHICH COST AROUND $180. WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL FOR THIS.
I TURN MY KEY YO TURN OFF MY CAR IN IT WANT GO PASS THE ACC.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN THE CONTACT REACHED HIS DESTINATION, THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK AND ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONTACT HAD TO MOVE THE KEY IN AN UP AND DOWN, SIDE TO SIDE MOTION FOR SEVERAL MINUTES IN ORDER TO REMOVE IT FROM THE IGNITION. THE IGNITION FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE JUNE OF 2017. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A NEW KEY, WHICH WORKED FOR A FEW MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED AT THE CHEVROLET DEALER BECAUSE SPECIFIC TOOLS NEEDED TO BE USED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
DUE TO THE PASSLOCK SENSOR INSIDE THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER CASE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AT ANY MOMENT AND ANYWHERE, WHICH MAKES MORE LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED IN A WRECK BECAUSE OF THIS. GM STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE STALLING WAS DUE TO THE KEY COMING OUT FROM THE IGNITION CYLINDER. GM ADDED WEIGHT TO THE PLASTIC PORTION OF THE KEY AS A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM BUT THE REAL PROBLEM FOR THE VEHICLE TO STALL IS NOT THAT, IT IS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE PASSLOCK SENSOR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS SUDDENLY TURNED OFF AND ON. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 23 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A CEMENT BARRIER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. TWO DAYS LATER, THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRING IN THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED OR TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE SECURITY PASS LOCK AND ANTI-LOCK WARNING INDICATORS RANDOMLY FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL AT RANDOM. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP REGULATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT CONTINUED TO STALL. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 252,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. AFTER THE KEY WAS INSERTED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO RESPOND. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD TRANSMISSION WIPER LINKAGE BUSHING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE IGNITION KEY PULLED OUT WHILE THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE CONTACT ALSO WAS ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF WITHOUT THE KEY TURNING TO THE OFF POSITION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER TO CHECK FOR RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE CONTACT INSISTED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,048.
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