Steering. Review the 667 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 113 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

37 crash reports2 fire reports25 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

113 reports

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150,000 miles · Apr 5, 2013

Electrical SystemSteeringVehicle Speed Control

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ON MY 2007 CHEVY MALIBU, THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL SHUT OFF BY ITSELF GOING DOWN THE ROAD, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WORK BACKWARDS BY STEP ON BRAKE THEY ARE OFF, FOOT OFF BRAKE THE LIGHTS ARE ON. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP AND HAVE TO SHUT CAR OFF AND RESTART TO GET IT TO UNLOCK AND IDLING THE CAR THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT SHAKES ALSO. THE PART OF THE FUEL PUMP THAT CONTROLS THE GAS GAUGE NO LONGER WORKS. I HAVE TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DON'T KNOW OF ANY RECALLS AS OF YET. BUT I HAVE RESEARCHED AND HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE COMMON PROBLEMS, SO WHY AREN'T THERE ANY RECALLS? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10507309

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2013

Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes

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I HAVE A 2007 CHEVY MALIBU AND AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKE LIGHTS. CURRENTLY MY BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T ILLUMINATE WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT WILL ILLUMNATE WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. SOMETIMES BRAKE LIGHTS WILL STAY ON DURING MY ENTIRE DRIVE WHETHER OR NOT I'M USING THE BRAKE PEDAL. HAPPENS RANDOMLY, WITH NO DISCERNABLE CAUSES. ARTICLE IN FOX NEWS DATED 3/13/2013 ( HTTP://WWW.FOXNEWS.COM/LEISURE/2013/03/13/BAD-BRAKE-LIGHTS-COULD-FORCE-RECALL-OVER-ONE-MILLION-GM-CARS/#IXZZ2NUS7QU5S ) INDICATES NHTSA IS ACTIVELY RESEARCHING POSSIBLE RECALLS, BUT CALLS TO MY DEALER AND GM CUSTOMER CARE WE OF NO USE. BOTH MY DEALER AND GM CUSTOMER CARE TOLD ME THERE WERE NO ACTIVE RECALLS, AND THAT I JUST NEED TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED MYSELF AND THEN I COULD REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT AT A FUTURE DATE IF ANY RECALL DID HAPPEN. IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT A COMPANY AS LARGE AS GM WOULDN'T PROACTIVELY HELP THEIR CUSTOMERS WHEN A KNOWN PROBLEM EXISTS IN A LARGE NUMBER OF VEHICLES. ALSO MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE WERE PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE CRUISE CONTROL. MY CRUISE CONTROL WILL RANDOMLY STOP WORKING, OR NOT EVEN ALLOW ME THE OPTION OF USING CRUISE. THIS IS NOT AS BIG OF A SAFETY CONCERN AS THE BRAKE LIGHT ISSUE, BUT AGAIN, MENTION OF THIS PROBLEM OCCURING IS ONE MORE REASON I BELIEVE GM SHOULD BE MORE PROACTIVE IN HELPING THEIR CUSTOMERS DEAL WITH THE SPECIFIC ISSUES AND CONCERNS ALREADY BEING ADDRESS/INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10502790

52,000 miles · Dec 3, 2012

Electrical SystemSteering

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THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED IN 2010, BUT HAS PROGRESSIVELY BECOME WORSE AND MOST CONSTANT. THE VEHICLES ELECTRICAL STEERING WILL SHAKE AND JERK UNCONTROLLABLY AT TIMES. THE CAR DOES NOT ALWAYS SHAKE AND JERK, BUT THIS OCCURS AT LEAST ONCE PER DAY. SOME DAYS IT WILL SHAKE AND JERK NON STOP FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, OTHERS IT WILL BE SHORT AND QUICK. THE CAR GENERALLY WILL SHAKE AND JERK FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN WILL DISPLAY ON THE DISPLAY "POWER STEERING" AND CHIME. THE SHAKING OCCURS WHILE DRIVING AND ALSO WHEN IN PARK. DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY, THE JERKING CAN JOLT THE CAR INTO THAT DIRECTION. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE JERKS ARE NOT CONTROLLABLE BY TWO HANDS. OFTEN WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR LOOKS AS IF IT IS JERKING BACK AND FORTH IN ITS LANE DUE TO THE ROUGH JERKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS THE MOST NERVE RACKING WHILE DRIVING IN WEATHER SUCH AS SNOW OR RAIN, WHERE THE ROAD IS SLICK OR SLIPPERY. HAVING THE CAR JERK AROUND ON ICE IS JUST AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A GM DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN BUT THEY COULD NOT SAY IF THIS WOULD FIX THE ISSUE. AFTER REVIEWING MANY COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS ONLINE, I RESEARCHED FOR RECALLS. I FOUND THAT MANY MODELS SIMILAR TO OURS HAVE BEEN RECALLED, BUT NOT OUR SPECIFIC YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10486770

35,000 miles · Oct 16, 2012

Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

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WHEN FILLING UP THE CAR TO FULL WITH GAS. THE GAS GAUGE READS LOW FUEL AND ON E AND THEN THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT COMES ON. SOMETIMES IT WILL BOUNCE BACK UP TO SHOW HOW MUCH GAS IS REMAINING ONLY TO FALL BACK TO LOW FUEL AND E AGAIN. HAD THIS COMPUTER CHECKED AND THEY SAID IT HAD TO DO WITH THE FUEL SENSOR LOCATED IN THE GAS TANK. THE ESTIMATED COST TO FIX THIS WOULD BE AROUND 600. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GM SINCE THEY RECALLED THEIR SUV'S FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I CAN'T TELL HOW MUCH GAS IS ACTUALLY IN THE CAR AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE THE TRIP FOR THIS. WITH THE LOW MILEAGE ON MY CAR, I THINK IT IS OUTRAGEOUS THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PUT OUT THAT KIND OF MONEY FOR FAULTY PROBLEMS ON GM PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10480734

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2012

Air BagsElectrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemCrash

I HAD GOT IN A CRASH IN 2010 SINCE THEN MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS GOING ON AND OFF. NOW MY AIRBAG LIGHTS STAY ON SAYING THERE NOT ON. I ALSO DO NOT HAVE A WORKING FUEL PUMP SENSOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10477207

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2012

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON WHEN THE BRAKE IS NOT APPLIED AND TURN OFF WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED. CRUISE CONTROL WILL TURN ON BUT WILL NOT SET. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10459403

29,500 miles · Mar 3, 2012

Electrical SystemSteering

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I WAS DRIVING MY MALIBU WHEN SUDDENLY THE STEERING BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. I MANAGED TO PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. I PULLED OUT MY MANUAL FOR THE 2007 CAR AND I WAS DIRECTED TO THE KIND OF POWER STEERING THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE INSTALLED IN MY CAR. THE MANUAL INDICATES THAT THE 2007 MANUAL FOR MY CHEVROLET MALIBU LTZ WITH A V6 ENGINES SHOULD HAVE A HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM IN PLACE. IT ALSO SHOWS BY ILLUSTRATION THE POSITION OF THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CHEVROLET DEALER IN ARLINGTON, MA. AND THE MECHANIC SAID THIS CAR HAS NO POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. I SHOWED HIM THE MANUAL AND HE SAID THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG HERE. CALL GM CUSTOMER CARE AND MAYBE THEY CAN RESOLVE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY WROTE THE MANUAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10450145

72,500 miles · Feb 8, 2012

Electrical SystemSteering

WHILE MAKING A TURN AND ACCELERATING IN MY 2007 MALIBU, THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO GO STRAIGHT, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO GO UP THE CURB. AFTER LETTING OFF THE GAS, THE STEERING CAME BACK AND I WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL. DURING THIS TIME, THE DASH DISPLAYED "POWER STEERING" AND MADE A CHIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10447179

52,000 miles · Jan 12, 2012

Electrical SystemFuel System, Gasoline

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THE FUEL SENSOR ON OUR 2007 CHEVY MALIBU ONLY WORKS OCCASIONALLY. IT WILL TYPICALLY READ EMPTY REGARDLESS OF THE FUEL LEVEL AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AS MANY OWNERS ARE SEEING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SENSOR IS INSIDE THE GAS TANK SO THIS ISSUE CANNOT BE DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR AND TEAR, IT IS SIMPLY A BAD DESIGN OR A BAD PART. EITHER WAY GM NEEDS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MISTAKE AND FIX THEIR MISTAKE. WITH COLD WINTER DRIVING AN INACCURATE FUEL SENSOR IS A HAZARD. THE TRIP METER CAN GIVE A ROUGH ESTIMATE, BUT AS MPG CHANGES CONSIDERABLY BETWEEN HIGHWAY AND CITY DRIVING AS WELL AS WINTER VS. SUMMER THIS IS NOT A VERY SAFE SOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10443621

Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2011

Electrical SystemFuel System, GasolineFuel System, Other

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2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH GAS GAUGE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE RE-FUELED THE VEHICLE, THE GAS GAUGE REACHED APPROXIMATELY 3/4 FULL, THE FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE DROPPED TO EMPTY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE GAS GAUGE CONTINUED TO READ EMPTY AND THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON UNTIL THREE TO FOUR GALLONS OF GAS WAS USED. THE GAUGE WOULD THEN BEGIN TO READ THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE TANK AND WOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO UNTIL THE TANK WAS FILLED AGAIN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ON FOR SEVERAL DAYS UNTIL GAS WAS PUT IN THE TANK ABOVE 3/4 FULL. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FUEL GAUGE LEVER SENSOR WAS POORLY DESIGNED. *JB UPDATED 06/19/12 *JB

NHTSA ODI #10412691

Official recalls

15V064000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

Feb 4, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured April 1, 2006, to June 30, 2006, and 2006-2007 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured April 18, 2006, to June 30, 2006. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14772. Note: This is an expansion of recall 14V-153 to cover additional vehicles built between April 1, 2006 and June 30, 2006.

14V252000 · Electrical System:wiring; Electronic Stability Control (esc); Exterior Lighting:brake Lights; Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch; Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control

May 14, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Additional source detail variants (5)

Electronic Stability Control (esc)