IllustrationTHE THEFT SYSTEM KEEPS GOING OFF FOR NO REASON LEAVING ME STRANDED FOR 10-15 MINUTES. IT HAPPENED TO TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 3 TIMES IN THE PAST THE WHOLE DASH BOARD LIT UP AND THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WAS BLINKING. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHILE I INITIALLY START THE CAR UP.
2005 Chevrolet Malibu Classic
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Malibu Classic years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
30–25K
925–50K
1150–75K
1575–100K
15100–150K
15150K+
68 reports with mileage · 24 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints
5 reportsI CAN'T USE POWER STEERING FLUID IN MY CAR BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S ELECTRICAL. I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY APARTMENT BUILDING AND I CAME UP TO A RED LIGHT UP THE ROAD TO TURN LEFT. I STOPPED AT THE LIGHT FOR A MINUTE, AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I CONTINUED AN THATS WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. I COULDN'T BARELY TURN MY STEERING WHE…
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I CAN'T USE POWER STEERING FLUID IN MY CAR BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S ELECTRICAL. I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY APARTMENT BUILDING AND I CAME UP TO A RED LIGHT UP THE ROAD TO TURN LEFT. I STOPPED AT THE LIGHT FOR A MINUTE, AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I CONTINUED AN THATS WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. I COULDN'T BARELY TURN MY STEERING WHEEL AND ITS HARD AN THATS WHEN "POWER STEERING" POPPED UP ON MY DASH. MY STEERING WHEEL SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY AND I'M SCARED TO DRIVE IT AND ITS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM MY JOB.
THE POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING OUT WHILE I'M DRIVING. THE BRAKES FELL WHEN ALL OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON.. WHEN I TRY TO PUMP GAS THE GAS COMES BACK OUT AT ME. *TR
IGNITION KEY ISSUE IN MY 2005 CHEVY CLASSIC MALIBU WHEN THE CAR IS ON IN THE RUN POSITION WHEN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE AND PARK THE KEY CAN COME OUT BY TAKING IT OUT AND THE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. THE KEY IS ALSO LOOSE IT TENDS TO FALL OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. THE CAR SHIFT GEAR FOR PARK AND DRIVE AND NEU…
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IGNITION KEY ISSUE IN MY 2005 CHEVY CLASSIC MALIBU WHEN THE CAR IS ON IN THE RUN POSITION WHEN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE AND PARK THE KEY CAN COME OUT BY TAKING IT OUT AND THE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. THE KEY IS ALSO LOOSE IT TENDS TO FALL OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. THE CAR SHIFT GEAR FOR PARK AND DRIVE AND NEUTRAL WHEN YOU PULL IT BACK IT GETS STUCK ALL THE TIME SOMETIMES I ABLE TO MOVE IT FORWARD AND BACKWARDS WITHOUT HAVING TO PRESS THE BUTTON. THE CAR ALSO SHAKES DURING HIGH WINDS IT GOES LEFT AND RIGHT FROM HIGH WINDS. *TR
ON GOING PROBLEM. WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS IT MAINTAINS THE SPEED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL IS OFF. I HAVE TO BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO SLOW DOWN AND WHEN I'M FULLY BRAKED THE ENGINE SEEMS TO BE RACING. BY THE TIME I GET TO REPAIR SERVICE IT HAS STRAIGHTEN OUT AND SINCE IT ISN'T DOING IT THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *…
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ON GOING PROBLEM. WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS IT MAINTAINS THE SPEED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL IS OFF. I HAVE TO BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO SLOW DOWN AND WHEN I'M FULLY BRAKED THE ENGINE SEEMS TO BE RACING. BY THE TIME I GET TO REPAIR SERVICE IT HAS STRAIGHTEN OUT AND SINCE IT ISN'T DOING IT THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR
Official recalls
114V400000 · Electrical System:ignition
Jul 3, 2014
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.