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#BS-2002-CHEMAL-5B50

2002 Chevrolet Malibu

Based on reports from 754 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
754
Crashes
28
Fires
1
Recalls
4
TSBs
391
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 754 complaints, 28 crashes, 1 fires, and 4 recalls. Complaint rate is 3.6x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

passlock problem wont start anti-theft light is on

119 complaints • Severity 8.4/10

$X,XXX
2

leaking coolant cracked intake manifold gasket

119 complaints • Severity 8.2/10

$X,XXX
3

engine is knocking

8 complaints • Severity 9.8/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the ElectricalHIGH

182 owners reported electrical issues — failures commonly reported around 69K miles.

!Inspect the Electrical System:ignition:anti Theft:control ModuleMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

63
0–30K
142
30–60K
153
60–90K
69
90–120K
53
120–150K
32
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (153 reports) • Median: 69K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Electrical (182 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Electrical182 (24%)
Electrical System:ignition:anti Theft:control Module62 (8%)
Lights50 (7%)
Engine50 (7%)
Exterior Lighting:turn Signal40 (5%)
Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights:switch36 (5%)
Other23 (3%)
Brakes22 (3%)

2002 Chevrolet Malibu: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 24% of all reports filed for the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu, with 182 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 68,900 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 69K-mile mark.

Electrical System:ignition:anti Theft:control Module Issues

Electrical System:ignition:anti Theft:control Module complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu, with 62 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:ignition:anti theft:control module-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Lights Issues

Lights complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu, with 50 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to lights-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu, with 50 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

2
01
21
02
21
03
62
04
96
05
69
06
67
07
62
08
61
09
46
10
17
11
19
12
10
13
99
14
55
15
18
16
12
17
8
18
4
19
3
20
2
21

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu. Recent trend: decreasing.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (4 recalls)

02V107000May 2002

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.

07E021000Apr 2007

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.

09E012000May 2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

14V400000Sep 2014

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. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Chevrolet Malibu is the 2010 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2002 Chevrolet Malibu vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

754

Class avg

208

3.6x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 754 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Chevrolet Malibu Model Years

20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991199019891988198719861985198419831982198119801979197819771976197519741973197219711970196919681967196619651964
View all Chevrolet Malibu years →

2002 Chevrolet Malibu: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu is related to the electrical, with 182 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
The 2002 Chevrolet Malibu has 754 complaints, 28 crash reports, and 1 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 3.6x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2002 Chevrolet Malibu problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?
Yes, the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu has 4 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Chevrolet Malibu problems start?
Based on 512 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 68,900 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 754 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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