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Exterior lightingPart report

1999 Chevrolet Malibu Exterior lighting Problems

Complaints
58about this part
Share
7%of 789 total for the year
Median mileage
60,000miles
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 58 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 1999 Chevrolet Malibu, 7% of the 789 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 60,000 miles.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Turn signals and hazard lights work when they want to, which began last year 07/07. I replaced fuses to see if this was the problem. It continues to happen. After almost being rear-ended with my infant son in a carseat the back seat as my turn signals flashed twice and failed I found out later there had been a recall on the hazard/turn switch on the 2000 models of Malibu and not the 99's.”

NHTSA complaint #10222082, filed 2008-03, 125,000 miles

“. I bought car new. The rotors, calipers and brake pads on this car have been replaced 4 times. The passenger side tail lights have had to be replaced every year due to water getting into the assembly. The AC switch - blower resistor has had to be replaced. The first time I replaced the rotors - it only had 5000 miles on it. It has 61000 today.”

NHTSA complaint #10121776, filed 2005-05, 5,000 miles

“I just got my car in december of 2004.I went to get my state inspection and the mechanic told me that I needed to replace my brake lights because they were not working properly because water had gotten into the light.I go back a couple of days later after dumping the water out of my lights and my car passes the state inspection but my right brake light does not work because of a wire shortage.”

NHTSA complaint #10128517, filed 2005-07, 93,000 miles

“The rubber molding around the back light encasing is loose, so water is constantly seeping in causing the back lights to stop working. This is an ongoing problem. I have to constantly change out the bulbs. My brake light in my window is the only one working at this time.”

NHTSA complaint #10096211, filed 2004-10, 48,000 miles

“The turn signals work only once in a while, more often they do not work. The vehicle was purchased in 12/2009, the problem began later in 12/2009. With our extended warranty we took it back to where we purchased it, after 8 hours, they said they think they found the problem and corrected it. Two weeks later, the same problem began again and is still a problem. It is illegal to drive without turn signals and extremely dangerous. We were not told of the part put onto the car, but we did see them take a part off of another car to put into ours.”

NHTSA complaint #10339121, filed 2010-06, 109,000 miles

Related service bulletins

Exterior lighting: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202311%
202222%
202011%
201942%
201891%
2017213%
2016192%
201541%
201451%
2013283%
201220222%
201113013%
201019414%
200917211%
200810611%
2007293%
2006636%
200515316%
2004847%
2003285%
200214325%
200110815%
200024126%
1999587%
1998798%
1997409%

Other parts of the 1999 Chevrolet Malibu

Brakes
308 complaints
Electrical system
144 complaints
Engine cooling
138 complaints
Suspension
82 complaints
Tires
75 complaints
Air bags
40 complaints
Fuel system
38 complaints
Steering
37 complaints
Equipment
29 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
29 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
21 complaints
Body and structure
20 complaints

← All problems reported for the 1999 Chevrolet Malibu

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology