NHTSA Complaint #10267329 — 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU

TWO MONTHS AGO WE BOUGHT A USED 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. TWO DAYS AFTER WAS SITTING, STRANDED BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTIONING PASSLOCK SYSTEM. THE FIRST TIME IT MALFUNCTIONED I TURNED THE KEY AND THE SECURITY SYSTEM LIGHT BLINKED SO I WAITED 10 MINUTES AND IT CRANKED AFTER IT RESET. WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AT A COST OF $470. THE VERY NEXT DAY I GET STRANDED AT THE GAS PUMP ONLY THIS TIME THE SECURITY SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON SOLID FOR 5 SECONDS THEN GOES AWAY. NO OTHER LIGHTS ON MY PANEL OTHER THAN THE MILEAGE SHOWS UP. I SAT FOR TWO HOURS WAITING AND TRYING TO CRANK IT BEFORE GETTING A RIDE HOME. WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY AND IT CRANKED RIGHT UP. YESTERDAY I WAS STRANDED AGAIN ONLY THIS TIME THE THING WENT DEAD. IT CRANKED RIGHT UP AND THEN AFTER A SECOND OR TWO WENT DEAD AGAIN. WENT TO RE-CRANK AND THE SECURITY SYSTEM LIGHT ONLY COMES ON FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND NO OTHER LIGHTS. I SAT FOR TWO AND A HALF HOURS TRYING TO CRANK THAT THING AND FINALLY HAD TO CALL THE POLICE TO GIVE ME AND MY TWO CHILDREN A RIDE HOME. WE WENT BACK THIS MORNING AND THE EVIL THING CRANKED RIGHT UP. WE DROVE IT HOME AND IT'S SITTING IN OUR DRIVE LOOKING INNOCENT AS EVER. IT WILL CRANK 20 OR SO TIMES BEFORE THE PASSLOCK KICKS IN AGAIN. THIS CAR RUNS GREAT AND I HAVE NO OTHER COMPLAINTS OTHER THAN THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM OF THE '!@#$%!!!!