Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
NHTSA data on file today
The 2001 Chevrolet Malibu has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns and 721 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #14V400000 Ignition Switch may Turn Off NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E012000 FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #07E021000 AFTERMARKET FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #03V327000 GM/HAZARD WARNING SWITCH NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Electrical System 285 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 148 complaints
- Exterior Lighting 108 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 78 complaints
- Steering 41 complaints
- Engine 26 complaints
Of the 721 complaints on file, 36 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 721 complaints, owners report 29 injuries and 2 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$7,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2001 Chevrolet Malibu has a high number of complaints (721) and four recall campaigns, indicating issues with reliability. Frequent complaints about the electrical system and engine cooling suggest recurring problems. However, other issues like steering and suspension have relatively fewer complaints, suggesting they are less common.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrical system | Unknown | $300–$600 | very common |
| engine cooling | Unknown | $400–$800 | common |
| exterior lighting | Unknown | $200–$400 | common |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake pad replacement
- Coolant system flush
- Transmission fluid change
- Timing belt replacement
- Tire rotations
- Air filter replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Ignition switch failure
- Overheating engine
- Flickering exterior lights
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.