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2004 Chevrolet Malibu MaxxProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 434 owner complaints about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, most often about the steering. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-224 the manufacturer reports only 54% of affected cars repaired.

2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
40
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.5× the Malibu Maxx median · #1 of 4 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 54%Owner complaints43448 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage70kSteering, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 25, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx has problems

434 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Steering25120
Seats931
Electrical system373
Exterior lighting375
Power train200
Air bags1310
Service brakes, hydraulic122
Service brakes82
Seat belts72
13 other systems617

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

60%repaired · 2015 Q4

Electrical system: wiring

Recall 14V-252 · May 14, 2014 · 2,440,524 vehicles · 1,455,582 repaired

Risk. Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

54%repaired · 2016 Q2

Power train: automatic transmission

Recall 14V-224 · Apr 30, 2014 · 1,131,113 vehicles · 606,589 repaired

Risk. If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

60%repaired · 2016 Q2

Steering: electric power assist system

Recall 14V-153 · Mar 31, 2014 · 1,373,177 vehicles · 825,020 repaired

Risk. If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Mileage at failure

When do steering problems start?

70kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 220 steering complaints. 68% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
38under 30k miles149under 100k miles71100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Seats

28 owners mentioned a cost

$1,000median

Middle half: $888 – $1,000

Steering

15 owners mentioned a cost

$700median

Middle half: $575 – $945

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2004 vs. every other Malibu Maxx year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Malibu Maxx median. How we score

'04'05'06'07
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, and the recalls they led to.

  1. LOSS OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERINGEA04018 · closed May 10, 2005
    No recall
  2. Turn Signal LampsEA09004 · closed Aug 12, 2010
    No recall
  3. LOSS OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERINGPE04031 · closed Jul 1, 2004
    No recall
  4. TURN SIGNAL LAMPSPE08062 · closed Mar 20, 2009
    No recall
In owners' words

What Malibu Maxx owners report

Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14E044000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by…
Complaint 11521181 · May 9, 2023 · 160,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with power steering failure. The…
Complaint 11463018 · May 2, 2022 · 117,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING ABILITY SEIZED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN…
Complaint 11229332 · Jul 3, 2019 · 100,000 miles

Own a 2004 Malibu Maxx?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.