repaired · 2015 Q4
Electrical system: wiring
Risk. Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
2005 Chevrolet MalibuProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 975 owner complaints about the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu, 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.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 10, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu has problems
975 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
506Steering24 crash/fire/injury
180Electrical system17 crash/fire/injury
153Exterior lighting25 crash/fire/injury
65Power train
62Seats
49Engine
43Service brakes
37Fuel system, gasoline
32Fuel/propulsion system
21118 other systems25 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 506 | 24 |
| Electrical system | 180 | 17 |
| Exterior lighting | 153 | 25 |
| Power train | 65 | 2 |
| Seats | 62 | 1 |
| Engine | 49 | 7 |
| Service brakes | 43 | 5 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 37 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 32 | 0 |
| 18 other systems | 211 | 25 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2005 Chevrolet Malibu 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.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Power train: automatic transmission
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…
repaired · 2016 Q2
Steering: electric power assist system
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.
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?
91kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 416 steering complaints. 54% were reported before 100,000 miles.
46under 30k miles223under 100k miles193100k 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.
Steering
32 owners mentioned a cost$800median
Middle half: $600 – $1,000
Seats
9 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $800 – $1,000
Electrical system
8 owners mentioned a cost$978median
Middle half: $575 – $1,671
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
2005 vs. every other Malibu 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 median. How we score
0120245321134439767899227215675691,1489751,1199779891,5111,36397890783735127084170570119320390100734612
'73'74'75'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'86'89'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2005 Chevrolet Malibu safety ratings
2005 Chevrolet Malibu w/SAB 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu, and the recalls they led to.
- Turn Signal LampsNo recall
In owners' words
What Malibu owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
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…
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…
Own a 2005 Malibu?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.