2001 Chevrolet Malibu Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 108 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu, 15% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 63,600 miles. The words owners use most often: “turn signals” (43% of reports).
- 108exterior lighting complaints
- 63,600median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $310typical repair cost reported by owners
- 15%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Turn signals: mentioned in 46 of 108 complaints (43%)
- Hazard switch: mentioned in 22 of 108 complaints (20%)
- Work intermittently: mentioned in 13 of 108 complaints (12%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical exterior lighting repair on the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu at $310, and half of them between $310 and $560.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2009), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 63 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 108 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Chevrolet Malibu exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Malibu | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 Malibu | 2 | 2% | 1,900 |
| 2020 Malibu | 1 | 1% | 61,000 |
| 2019 Malibu | 4 | 2% | 16,180 |
| 2018 Malibu | 9 | 1% | 800 |
| 2017 Malibu | 21 | 3% | 51,888 |
| 2016 Malibu | 19 | 2% | 41,500 |
| 2015 Malibu | 4 | 1% | 39,346 |
| 2014 Malibu | 5 | 1% | 35,000 |
| 2013 Malibu | 28 | 3% | 70,000 |
| 2012 Malibu | 202 | 22% | 99,750 |
| 2011 Malibu | 130 | 13% | 103,000 |
| 2010 Malibu | 194 | 14% | 96,573 |
| 2009 Malibu | 172 | 11% | 94,236 |
| 2008 Malibu | 106 | 11% | 90,000 |
| 2007 Malibu | 29 | 3% | 105,000 |
| 2006 Malibu | 63 | 6% | 72,759 |
| 2005 Malibu | 153 | 16% | 76,500 |
| 2004 Malibu | 84 | 7% | 66,000 |
| 2003 Malibu | 28 | 5% | 80,000 |
| 2002 Malibu | 143 | 25% | 61,000 |
| 2001 Malibu | 108 | 15% | 63,600 |
| 2000 Malibu | 241 | 26% | 67,000 |
| 1999 Malibu | 58 | 7% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Malibu | 79 | 8% | 45,000 |
| 1997 Malibu | 40 | 9% | 74,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Exterior lighting:hazard flashing warning lights:switch
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles have hazard warning switches that may experience solder joint cracking caused by rapid temperature transitions and the soldering process. If solder joint cracking occurs and results in an open circuit, the turn signals/hazard lamps become intermittent or inoperative.
Risk: When the turn signals are inoperative, the driver cannot use them to signal intent to turn that could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the hazard warning switch. Owner notification began on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 03V327000 (Exterior Lighting) and 14V400000 (Electrical System) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
The blinkers randomly work; most likely needs a new hazard switch. The car's temperature gauge would rise when sitting in idle; needed a new water pump and thermostat as of 11/2020.
2nd cylinder is misfiring and something seems to be leaking antifreeze, causing my engine to overheat, which i see is a large issue in chevy malibus. My turn signal/hazards also don't work 85% of the time, which is a recall for my make, model, and year (chevrolet, malibu, 2001) but not my vin…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2001 Chevrolet Malibus have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 108 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu (15% of the 721 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu exterior lighting?
Yes: 1 safety recall list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems start?
The median reported mileage is 63,600 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix exterior lighting problems on the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners report a typical cost of $310 (half paid between $310 and $560), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “turn signals”, in 46 of 108 complaints, followed by “hazard switch” (22).
Other 2001 Chevrolet Malibu problems
See all 2001 Chevrolet Malibu problems or exterior lighting problems across all Malibu years.