Most common 2002 Chevrolet Malibu problems
Share of the 567 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Malibu complaints by model year
Best Malibu years: 2025, 2021, 2019. Years to avoid: 2010. Compare all years →
2002 Chevrolet Malibu recalls (2)
Electrical system › Ignition
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014.
Exterior lighting › Headlights
Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." some of these vehicles were produced with a left low-beam headlamp that does not meet the photometric performance requirements of the standard.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the left low-beam headlamp and replace it if it does not meet requirements. Owner notification began May 23, 2002.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu:
Turn signal failures
In December 2004, GM issued a special policy for my 1999-2000 alero, grand am and malibu vehicles not covered under recall 03V327. The policy covered turn signal/hazard flasher failure for a period of 10 years or 150,000 miles (whichever occurred first) to provide a no cost replacement of the hazard switch.
What 2002 Chevrolet Malibu owners say
Electrical system all 259 →
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, who reported the mileage at 105,000. The key was stuck in the ignition, but was replaced. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. The seller provided the VIN from the title and a Carfax report that the vehicle had only two previous owners. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 49,500. Upon research, the Good Car report indicated that there were several owners of the vehicle. The contact stated the seller was possibly deceiving buyers. A Carfax report was not provided. There were no other agencies contacted.
The anti-theft/ passlock system fault in this generation of GM vehicles is very widespread and effects a large percentage of vehicles in this generation. I am sure there have been hundreds if not thousands of complaints about same issue and GM refuses to fix the problem. The problem causes the car to randomly shut off due to anti theft fault and can happen on interstate, highway or in town driving. This is a very dangerous fault and very expensive for owners especially when dealerships themselves don't even know what they are dealing with. They will throw parts at the problem with no real knowledge. GM needs to be held accountable. Currently the ignition the BCM have been replaced and now the car will not start at all and I have no lights or gauges on my cluster.
Lights all 143 →
2002 Chevrolet Malibu turn signal works intermittently. My daughter drives this car and was involved in a minor accident in December 2004. She was trying to merge left in heavy traffic when a car just behind her ,and two lanes to the left, went for the same spot. Because the turn signal failed, the driver in the other lane did not know she was trying to merge and proceeded into the spot. My daughter had to swerve back into her lane to avoid the other car , and could not avoid rear-ending the vehicle ahead where traffic had suddenly stopped. I recently took this car to the dealer, who could find nothing wrong. A quick internet search reveals that this is a common problem, and in fact the previous two model years were recalled for this same problem, which is related to a bad hazard switch. I fiddled with the switch and found that tapping the switch causes the signals to malfunction. …
After reading other comments, I have to laugh. Why can't they fix this with so many complaints. The turn signals just stopped working one day. Three days later they worked. Then a few days after that they stopped working again and then just seemed to work when they wanted to. Took it in to jimmie johnson Chevrolet when the signals were not working. Picked up the car to hear they could not find a problem. Sure enough the signals were working. That lasted about a week before the turn signals stopped working again. Since then, two more times to the dealership with pretty much the same result each time. Now I notice if the weather is very warm, the turn signals work more part time and while it is cool they don't work at all. Now, I have read your comments here and began playing with the hazard flashing button. If I press the button on the upper right, the turn signals work. …
Engine & cooling all 85 →
The anti-theft/ passlock system fault in this generation of GM vehicles is very widespread and effects a large percentage of vehicles in this generation. I am sure there have been hundreds if not thousands of complaints about same issue and GM refuses to fix the problem. The problem causes the car to randomly shut off due to anti theft fault and can happen on interstate, highway or in town driving. This is a very dangerous fault and very expensive for owners especially when dealerships themselves don't even know what they are dealing with. They will throw parts at the problem with no real knowledge. GM needs to be held accountable. Currently the ignition the BCM have been replaced and now the car will not start at all and I have no lights or gauges on my cluster.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the engine hesitated when started. Also, the instrument panel lighting became very dim and the data on the screen was not visible. Also, the passenger door would not lock and the windows failed to roll down. All the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact jumped the battery and the engine restarted. Later, the vehicle decelerated while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the anti-theft system failed. The mechanic was currently performing a second diagnostic test. The manufacturer and dealer were not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 46,786.
2002 Chevrolet Malibu engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu a good car?
Based on 567 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Malibu rates better than average: 45% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Malibu at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu?
The electrical system — 259 complaints, 46% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition › anti-theft › control module. Next are the lights (143) and engine & cooling (85).
How many recalls does the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu, the most recent from July 3, 2014 (ignition). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Malibu?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2025, 2021 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010. See the full Chevrolet Malibu years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Chevrolet Malibu problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 31% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.