Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Chevrolet Malibu owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
Headlights dim when brakes are applied such as coming to a stop or slowing down to negotiate turns. This creates a dangerous situation where visibility is compromised during night driving. It is very easy to miss turns, exit ramps, and road signs. Vehicle has been to GM service center, and was told this operation is normal. Battery, and charging system no problems found. New headlight bulbs installed no difference. Vehicle is like new condition; always garaged. No damage, rust, or modifications. It should be noted that there is a TSB #02-06-03-008a concerning the issue.
The turn signals work sometimes and sometimes they don't work. I researched this on the internet and it seams to be a serious problem with this car make. If there are no recalls on this there should be. This is a major safety hazard. I just bought this car for my teenage son.
On 6-24-2008 I was driving down the street, and I went to turn on my left turn signal, 100 feet before the turning lane (so as to warn the person behind me, that I was going to move into the left hand turning lane), and I went to turn on my left hand turn signal, and not realizing that it wasn't working, I went to move over into the left hand turn lane, and I almost hit the car that was behind me, because as he said "you didn't give me any warning that you wanted to go into the left turn lane, where I already was. You didn't turn your signal on"! The guy was really pissed off at me. I had my turn signal on way ahead of time. However ,after careful inspection, I noticed that the turn signals were "no longer working at all"! This really worried me, because if this guy had gone totally crazy on me, and had a gun, I have no doubt that he would have used it on us. …
I am the owner of a 2002 Chevy Malibu which I have owned since 2003. For the last two years (starting around approximately 90,000 miles) I've have been having problems with the turn signal and hazard light indicators. The malfunction leads to total failure or flickering of the turn signal lights, the hazard lights and the indicators on the instrument panel. The malfunction will occur at any time - sunny, rainy, dry, humid, snowy, hot or cold weather; daytime or nighttime; whether the engine is hot or cold. Occasionally the indicators will work for a couple of days but then the malfunction will occur again. I have no idea what caused the malfunction to begin. The original malfunctioning parts are available as they are currently still installed in my vehicle. I have also been having problems with the heater switch in my car. …
1. The turn signals would not illuminate. Just stopped working for no reason. Lights were not burned out. Then they mysteriously started working just as they had stopped. For no reason. Incidents became more frequent with no apparent cause. Not weather related. After reading complaints on this site, I found that if I turned on my hazard flashers, the blinkers would work again. 2. I was rear ended on 11/4/11 though and could not get the flashers to work. I don't know if my brake lights were working or not when the incident occurred. 3. The air conditioner and heater only work on the highest level. 4. The door locks will lock and unlock at random while driving. 5. The key fob will work sometimes, most times not lately. 6. The security system will honk the horn sometimes when the key fob does lock the doors, most times it does not honk though. 7. …
I turn the key to start my car. I drive to the corner to make a right turn onto the main street. The turn signal does not work. This has not happened before. I then turn on the turn signals left to change lanes and make a left turn and the signals don't work again. Then I come to a stop at a light and the horn goes of on its own and I had to pull over and tried to stop the horn by turning off the car. The horn is still going. I turn the car back on and the horn is still going and the lights still are not working. I hit with an open hand the horn twice and it stops, but the turn signals still doesn't work. Then a few weeks later, the headlights cannot be adjusted. The wheel that adjusts the lights from bright to dim doesn't work. You cannot adjust the lights and if you try, all the lights, inside and out go out. …
I bought my Chevrolet 2002 Malibu brand new and have owned it for three years, just two months ago it started having intermittent turn signal problems. I have tried little things like manually using turn signals and turning them off prior to turn completion, restarting the car, and using my hazzard lights to trigger the turn signals to work. Sometimes these things will work momentarily, other times they have no effect. Also I am noticing my hazard lights do not always work, and sometimes they will interrupt my turn signal from working and other times my turn signal will cause the hazard lights to turn off! This has almost caused several accidents for me, is a very dangerous situation. The dealership will not help me, my car is just past the warranty period and they want to test it for a rather large fee. …
Dt: the vehicle is a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu, the turn signals and the hazard lights only work about 25 percent of the time. This problem started after 32,000 miles and on around the first of April of 2005. Sometimes when flipping on the lights they will work, then go off without warning. At times after flipping the lights on they will not come on and then after driving further they will all of a sudden turn on. The lights would have to be in the on position before it will come on. The problem occurs in any type of weather and under any driving conditions. The consumer contacted GM and they told her to get a diagnostic test ran on the vehicle, and afterwards that they would get in contact with the dealer and get some kind of payment figured out. The consumer has not contacted the dealership as of now. …
Related recalls
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 investigations
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.
Headlight complaints in other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA has 143 complaints about the lights of the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu, 25% of the model year's 567 complaints. The component named most often is turn signal (40 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Chevrolet Malibu headlight problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 02V-107 (headlights, Apr 10, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2002 Chevrolet Malibu headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to lights 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.