2004 Chevrolet Malibu problems and complaints
Owners have filed 1698 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The most-reported areas: Steering (1074), Electrical System (247), Seats (163).
Key takeaways
- 1698 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 81 involve a crash, 15 a fire, 55 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 1074 | 63% |
| Electrical System | 247 | 15% |
| Seats | 163 | 10% |
| Exterior Lighting | 132 | 8% |
| Power Train | 89 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 85 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 43 | 3% |
| Hydraulic | 42 | 2% |
| Suspension | 39 | 2% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 33 | 2% |
| Equipment | 30 | 2% |
| Engine | 29 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Chevrolet Malibu 4-DR. | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Steering - filed 2026-10-29
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, a whining noise was heard coming from the steering system when attempting to turn. The failure mileage was 133,000.
Steering - filed 2025-12-19
Electric Power Steering has failed on my car. Warning shows up saying power steering. Live in a snowy deer populated area impossible to turn wheel in these situations to avoid a collision. There was no actual accident that occured but there more than likely could be.
Steering - filed 2025-03-27
The steering system gets extremely sensitive towards highway speeds to where a slight touch of the steering wheel could cause the car to move a significant amount no warning lamps or messages
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More for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.