Read this if your Malibu WONT start!

[91celicaFB]

Hey, I just got a 2000 malibu ls with 130,000 miles. (yea i know,, how did they doit?? ) Im the second owner.
The second day i had the car, it spontaneously died. The gas gauge was at a quarter tank. I was cruising at 40 and it bogged down and after pulling over it would not fire again. Well, put some gas in it and after a lotta confusion with thinking its an ignition problem got it to fire the next day. Took it home and thought nothing of it cuz it ran like nothing ever happend after a tank of premium gas, i figured it was a lil clog in one the the injectors.
It happend again cruising on the highway at 70mph, gauge at a quarter tank again, pulled over straight into a gas station and filled her up.
Cranked right up. Figured it had to do somthing with the gauge. After some research and what not, i took a chance and went out to find a fuel sender unit. Found one with the pump for $75 at a junkyard and asked a friend to help me drop the tank. Did it in 1.5 hours and helped out my bud with 90 bucks i had left over and it worked fine!
It was the first time i saw the gauge go below a quarter tank. The light actually lit up.
If this is the problem with your malibu, its the fuel sender unit. I cant remember but on the reviews on 2000 malibu's, they mentioned this as a chronic problem.
Dropping the tank was easy, 2 straps hold the tank, some line that you can pop out and bring her down. Fuel pump assembly pops right out when you turn it.
I replaced the pump too cuz it was off of a car that had 55k.
There are many other problems that will cause your car to just turn over with out firing, theres an anti-theft lock problem, the quick fix post is on here somwhere, If anyone knows, please post. But i think your supposed to leave the key turned in acc for 20mins and turn to off, without removing the key, turn it on.
Anyone else who knows the specifics of MALIBU's NOT STARTING, please post here!
GOOD LUCK!!!

[ladyk325]

Actually, you just leave the key in the ignition switched on to ACC for 10 mins. The light stops blinking then you switch off then fire. I've been having this problem for months now.

[garync1]

yep did some work on the stereo one time and bump the motor a few times check for somthing and after that she did not start waited ten minutes and started right up.Also if you ever change the battery make sure you pull the negative side first because you will have to pull the gauge cluster out and put them back to the right place.electrical spike puts them out of place.