NHTSA Complaint #10217611 — 2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU

THIS IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-THEFT/PASSLOCK SYSTEM OF MY 2002 CHEVY MALIBU. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS AND HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, BUT HE REPORTED THAT ONE DEALER WAS FINALLY ABLE TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM. THE CAR EITHER SELECTIVELY WON'T START, AND THE THEFT LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE TO LET THE KEY SIT IN THE IGNITION FOR 10 MIN, AND THEN IT USUALLY STARTS. ONCE THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE, AND THE THEFT LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF ON ME AFTER I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 40 MINUTES. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALERS ARE GIVING ME A RUN-AROUND. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND IGNITION SWITCH, TOTALING OVER $1100, AND THE CAR IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THEN AFTER TALKING TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER, I DISCOVERED THAT HE HAD THE SAME 2 THINGS REPLACED WHEN HE OWNED THE CAR, ONLY 3-4 YEARS AGO. I TALKED TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY ARE GIVING ME A HARD TIME, AND I DON'T TRUST THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM THIS TIME EITHER, LET ALONE FREE OF CHARGE. I ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT WITH CHEVY, BUT THEY DO NOT SEEM TO BE VERY HELPFUL. I HAVE COME ACROSS SO MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE ON THE INTERNET AND FROM OTHER FRIENDS WITH THE SAME CARS. I'M WONDERING WHY THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A RECALL. PLEASE HELP!!! I'M OUT OF MONEY FOR MORE REPAIRS, AND I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT FEAR OF IT STOPPING OR NOT STARTING ON ME. *TR