2005 Chevrolet Malibu problems and complaints
Owners have filed 1393 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu. The most-reported areas: Steering (711), Electrical System (261), Exterior Lighting (210).
Key takeaways
- 1393 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 65 involve a crash, 45 a fire, 69 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 711 | 51% |
| Electrical System | 261 | 19% |
| Exterior Lighting | 210 | 15% |
| Seats | 102 | 7% |
| Service Brakes | 95 | 7% |
| Power Train | 70 | 5% |
| Engine | 62 | 4% |
| Fuel System | 47 | 3% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 46 | 3% |
| Gasoline | 45 | 3% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 44 | 3% |
| Hydraulic | 40 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Chevrolet Malibu w/SAB 4-DR. | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
| 2005 Chevrolet Malibu 4-DR. | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Steering - filed 2026-03-10
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to the U-joint in the steering column, which made the vehicle difficult to control. The d...
Steering - filed 2025-12-12
Power steering failing. As I was driving down the road I got a power steering message and chime. No dash light came on and I lost all ability to turn my vehicles steering wheel. I went to add power steering fluid just to learn that my 2005 Chevy Malibu maxx LS comes equipped with EPS(electric power steering). Then I ch...
Steering - filed 2025-11-20
The steering locked up when the brakes were pressed and the steering wheel was turned to avoid crashing with another car. The result is the crash happened and damage to both cars. Thankfully traffic was only going around 10 mph. If this had happened at high speed my son may have been seriously injured or even killed...
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More for the 2005 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.