Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Chevrolet Malibu owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
A church van was pulling out of a driveway and failed to yield the right of way. We t-boned them going 35mph. We hit them incredibly hard and yet the air bags did not deploy! Four of their passengers were sent to the hospital in the ambulance and the two of us in the Malibu went later. The car was totaled and the church van had significant damage as well.
I saw a recall on airbag deployment and a recall on something about the key in the ignition causing the cars engine to shut off. My car has been shutting off and shorting showing the battery light and them when I tap the gas pedal thr gas gage is a half tank but it goes as if its out of gas and the rpms only go up when I am not driving or idling and my ABS light for brakes keeps turning on but now doesnt turn off and this has just started happening oh and thr battery light now has shorted the stalk stereo and it only turns on every so often.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the steering wheel seized without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into the rear passenger side of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was repaired, but the results of the diagnostic testing were unknown. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 180,744.
Car electrical components don't work when car is started then begin working sometime after the car is running 5-15 minutes. Gauges, radio, ac, fan, do not work and I am worried the airbags are also not working. I see many complaints about this issue on the internet (http://repairpal.com/no-start-due-to-failed-passlock-sensor-300). I see the recall for replacing keys but this is the ignition switch that is failing.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle shut off without warning and the air bag indicator illuminated on the instrument cluster. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 150,000.
I was driving down a road with the speed limit being 55 MPH which I was doing and hit the edge of the road on the right side and when I turned the wheel slightly to the left the entire car went to the left and the car hit a tree head on at 55 MPH and the neither of the air bags deployed. The car totaled.
While waiting in the turning lane at a stop light, I suffered multiple injuries when I was rear-ended by an SUV traveling at a high rate of speed. I hit my throat and chest on the steering wheel twice due to the impact. My airbags did not deploy, nor was I restrained by the seatbelt.
Tl* the contact owned a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving 30 MPH around a curve, the contact was blinded by the headlights of an oncoming vehicle and veered off the road. The vehicle flipped over and landed into a ditch. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The driver sustained injuries to the right knee, but no medical attention was required. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system) and believed the crash was related to the recall. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown.
The above information is for a second and more serious accident on the same type and model of vehicle in my fleet. I'm concerned that this vehicle's air bags did not deploy and my dealer didn't indicate any known problems with this model and year. This needs further attention by someone that knows more about this type of issue and that is honest about what is actually going on. I'm not sure what I can do to aid in this but my obligation is to my drivers and my company to provide safe transportation. Thanks in advance for any help you May give me in meeting this obligation.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving 65 MPH the vehicle crashed into the rear end of a vehicle. The air bags did not deploy; however, the air bag cover opened and remained folded within the air bag area. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was towed by the police department. The driver received injuries to the neck and back. The passenger received injuries to the neck and was also transported to the hospital. The seat belts were worn at the time of the crash. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.
Airbag complaints in other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the air bags of the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu, 3% of the model year's 721 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Chevrolet Malibu airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Chevrolet Malibu airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 130,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 16 crashes, 0 fires and 16 injuries and 1 death to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.