1997 Chevrolet Malibu Electrical System

WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WHEN CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, LOST ALL POWER , NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. SECOND TIME, CAME TO A STOP ON CITY STREET AND CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN , NO POWER , NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES AGAIN. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED. THIS HAPPENED AFTER I PAID MODERN CHEVROLET TO FIX THE ISSUE WHICH IGNITION SWITCH WAS FOUND TO BE AT FAULT. (NHTSA REFERENCE NUMBER-14V400000) AFFECTED NUMBER- 5,877,718

MY IGNITION SWITCH AND CYLINDER KEPT TURNING MY CAR OFF WHEN I STARTED IT. ALSO WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR WOULD JUST CUT OFF..NOW IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE TO REPLACE THE PIECE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT HAD TROUBLE STARTING THE VEHICLE AND THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AFTER TEN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS OPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE A MONTH. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. *LN CONSUMER STATED HAD TO KEEP KEY IN IGNITION FOR 10 MINUTES IN A POSITION NOT GOOD NOT SAFE, CHANCE OF BATTERY DYING. I'M ALSO AFRAID THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WILL COME ON AND LOCK CAR UP WHILE DRIVING. UPDATED 7/25/18*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

IGNITION SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTO THEFT SYSTEM INDEPENDENTLY FUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER 10 TO 15 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS OPERABLE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE PASSKEY SENSOR AND IGNITION SWITCH WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.

1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AUTO WOULD NOT START OR WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. *TA THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE LEFT HER STRANDED DURING THE MONTHS OF MAY, JUNE, AND JULY. THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS FINALLY REPLACED. *JB

1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK AND SWITCH RECALL REPAIRS AND SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT. *SMD UPDATED 11/24/15*JB

I ONCE OWNED THE CHEVY MALIBU. INCIDENTS HAPPENED IN THE PAST. THREE TIMES WHEN I HIT A BUMP MY CAR SHUT DOWN. I BROUGHT IT TO DAVIDSON CHEVROLET IN MALDEN MASS. THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. SOMEONE DID SUGGEST THAT I REMOVE EXTRA STUFF OFF MY KEYRING. I NOLONGER OWN THIS CAR. I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE IT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE CHEVY COBALT IGNITIONS. FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I FEEL THAT YOUR CURRENT RECALL MAY NOT BE REACHING AS FAR AS IT SHOULD. *JS

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FROM CHEVROLET DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS SEPTEMBER 2014. GM RECALL 14350. IGNITION SHUT OFF PROBLEM. GM ADVISED ME BY LETTER TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIR BY OCT 1, 2014. COMPLIED WITH GM REQUEST ON OCT 1, 2014, BUT WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT GM HAD NOT SENT PARTS FOR REPAIR AND TO CHECK BACK IN ONE MONTH. COMPLIED WITH DEALER REQUEST AND RECONTACTED DEALER ON NOV 10, 2014 FOR REPAIR. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT GM STILL HAD NOT SENT PARTS AND THAT MY NAME WOULD BE ADDED TO A CALL BACK LIST. AS OF THIS DATE, NOV 21, 2014 HAVE NOT HAD A CALL BACK FROM DEALER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED AND WHEN THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED, THE FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE BECAME STUCK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. A PRIVATE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE COULD HAVE HAPPENED DUE TO A SPIKE IN VOLTAGE WHEN THE BATTERY WAS RECONNECTED WITH THE KEY LEFT IN THE RUN POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,930.

ANTI THEFT SYSTEM ARMS AND DISARMS RANDOMLY, CAUSING THE CAR TO NOT START OR STALL OUT. *TR

I HAVE A 1997 CHEVY MALIBU. RECENTLY, THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND DISABLING THE ENGINE. THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM PER THE DEALERSHIP AND THE ONLY OPTION I HAVE IS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AND RECONNECT IT. THIS ISN'T EVER CONVENIENT AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

THEFT SYSTEM CONTINUES TO COME ON INTERMITTENTLY AFTER MULTIPLE REPAIRS. I OWN A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU 3.1L. *TR

THE CAR HAS A THEFT SYSTEM IN IT WHICH ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS DOESN'T LET ME START THE CAR . IT IS A 1997 CHEVY MALIBU. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE MALFUNCTIONED, KEEPING THE VEHICLE FROM RESTARTING UNTIL THE DEVICE WAS RESETS WHICH USUALLY TAKES 10 MINUTES OR MORE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE PASS LOCK CYLINDER, TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE MALFUNCTION CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO REIMBURSE, OR REPLACE THE AFFECTED PART BECAUSE AN UNAUTHORIZED SERVICE MECHANIC HAD PERFORMED WORK ON THE DEVICE. THE CONSUMER WANTS THE DEVICE DISCONNECTED. UPDATED 08/14/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE IT FAILED TO START AND THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ONCE THE VEHICLE STARTED IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE PASS LOCK SENSOR, WHICH REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 06/16/06. *JB

THEFT LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING, THEN NEXT TIME I TRY TO START CAR IT FLASHES AND I CAN START CAR FROM 10 MINS LIKE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS TO TRY AFTER 10 MINS AFTER LIGHT STOPS FLASHING. I DO THIS AND THE LIGHT STARTS FLASHING. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE NOT BEING ABLE TO START A CAR LEAVING A MOTORIST STRANDED WHERE EVER THEY TURN THERE CAR OFF FOR HOURS AND IN MY CASE 1 1\2 DAYS WITH NO CELL SERVICE TO CALL FOR REPAIR I HAD TO SLEEP IN MY CAR UNTIL ANOTHER MOTORIST PASSED THE FOLLOWING DAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT NORMAL EQUIPMENT FAILURE IS AN ISSUE OF ITS OWN THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THERE NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM BUT TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED EVERTIME TO THE SHOP TO BE REPROGRAMMED WHICH HAPPENS EVERY 2-3 MONTHS. *JB

IGNITION FAILED. KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. MISSED WORK!!! BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN SEVERAL HOURS LATER.*AK

I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT FOR MY MOTHER. HER 1997 CHEVROLET HAS HAD TWO INSTANCES OF PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER. BOTH OCCURRENCES HAS REQUIRED MAJOR WORK AT THE DEALERSHIP IN ORDER FOR HER CAR TO START. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND AFTER PAYING ALMOST $400 THE DEALERSHIP APPEARED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. NOW ONCE AGAIN THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AND COST HER ANOTHER $400. IT'S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS BETWEEN THE TWO INSTANCES. I FEEL BASED ON THE NUMBER OF INSTANCES THAT THIS IS A DEFECT AND THAT SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PAY EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS TO FIX THIS ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH THE MALIBU. I TOO THINK SHE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED BY GM FOR THIS DEFECT.*AK

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE GAUGES BECAUSE THE LIGHTS SHUT OFF INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

PASSLOCK THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, CAUSING CAR NOT TO START. THEFT DETERRENT LIGHT WILL FLASH ON DASH BOARD. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES, CAR CAN BE STARTED. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT HAS OCCURRED FOR SEVERAL YEARS. DEALERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND SOURCE OF PROBLEM. *LA

APRIL 2000, THE PASS LOCK THEFT SYSTEM STRANDED ME THE FIRST TIME WITHIN 30-DAYS OF PAYING CASH FOR MY 1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS. THE FIRST 30-DAYS THE CAR SPENT MORE TIME IN THE DEALER SHOP THAN IN MY POSSESSION. I WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP MANAGEMENT THAT THEY HAD PUT TOO MUCH MONEY IN CAR ALREADY, NOT GOING TO FIX THEFT SYSTEM AND BRAKES, WHICH WERE COMPLAINTS WITHIN THE 30-DAY WARRANTY. TWO YEARS WITH THEFT SYSTEM DISABLING CAR NUMEROUS TIMES, FINALLY WOULDN'T START AT ALL, I TOOK TO CHEVROLET DEALER IN ONTARIO OREGON, THEY REPLACED IGNITION ASSEMBLY. LESS THAN TWO YEARS LATER I AM STRANDED ONCE AGAIN, IT WOULD NOT START FOR 3-DAYS, WENT TO DEALER IN PAYETTE IDAHO WHERE I PAID CASH FOR THE CAR, THEY AGAIN DIDN'T WANT TO PUT ANY MORE MONEY INTO THE CAR. ON 5/30/2004 CAR SPENT THE NIGHT IN PARKING LOT, WOULDN'T START. ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES, IN LESS THAN 4 YEARS 2-COMPLETE BRAKE ASSEMBLIES (ROTORS, PADS, CALLIPERS, ETC.), 6-SETS OF BRAKE PADS, ALL LES SCHWAB WORK. I'VE POURED ALMOST AS MUCH MONEY INTO THE CAR SINCE OWNERSHIP, THAN I PAID FOR THE CAR. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN, WE'VE BEEN STRANDED, LATE FOR SCHOOL, MISSING SCHOOL, LATE FOR WORK, LOST JOBS BECAUSE OF LOST HOURS. I LEAVE THE CAR RUNNING NOW, BECAUSE I'M SCARED THAT MY FAMILY WILL BE STRANDED. I'M SOOO FRUSTRATED WITH CHEVROLET, NO ONE CAN ANSWER ANY OF MY QUESTIONS, CHEVROLET OF BOISE, SAID THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A THEFT SYSTEM, WOW THIS HAS ALL BEEN MY IMAGINATION! I HAVE 3-CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN LATE FOR SCHOOL, MISSED SCHOOL, I HAVE LOST JOBS BECAUSE OF MISSING HOURS, EVERYTIME I GET IN IT I'M NOT SURE IF IT WILL START. I HAVE RUN OUT OF MONEY TO CONTINUE TO FIX THE SAME THINGS EVERY FEW MONTHS, LEAVE THE CAR RUNNING AT $2.09 PER GALLON, MY CHILDREN ARE SCARED OF GOING ANYWHERE AS AM I. PLEASE HELP!!*AK