IllustrationFUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATION AND ENGINE LIGHTS COMES ON. I DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM UNTIL AFTER THE LAST RECALL CAR IS IN GOOD SHAPE AND I FEEL THAT SOMETHING WENT WRONG AND THEY FAILED TO TELL ME AT THE DEALERSHIP. I NEED HELP. *TR
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
4 reportsWHILE DRIVING HOME IN MY 2005 CHEVY MALIBU CLASSIC I HEARD A LOAD POPPING SOUND AND SMOKE CAME ROLLING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I THOUGHT AT FIRST THAT I HAD BLOWN THE TIRE OFF THE RIM SINCE I COULD SMELL LIKE BURNT RUBBER AND SEE THE SMOKE BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW ALL THE GAUGES LIT UP AND THE ENGINE HAD DIE…
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WHILE DRIVING HOME IN MY 2005 CHEVY MALIBU CLASSIC I HEARD A LOAD POPPING SOUND AND SMOKE CAME ROLLING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I THOUGHT AT FIRST THAT I HAD BLOWN THE TIRE OFF THE RIM SINCE I COULD SMELL LIKE BURNT RUBBER AND SEE THE SMOKE BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW ALL THE GAUGES LIT UP AND THE ENGINE HAD DIED. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP SMOKING AT FIRST. BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED IT HAD STOPPED BECAUSE THE OIL HAD BURNED OFF OF THE MOTOR. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED HOME AND THEN TO A REPAIR SHOP THE NEXT DAY IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CAP CAME OFF OF THE END OF A ROD WHILE THE PISTON WAS IN THE UP POSITION THE FUEL INSIDE FORCED THE PISTON DOWN CAUSING IT TO BLOW A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE MOTOR. HOW OR WHAT CAUSED THAT CAP TO COME OFF CAUSING THIS ISSUE? I NOW HAVE TO TRY AND LOCATE A MOTOR TO REPLACE THE ONE CURRENTLY DESTROYED. *TR
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POPPING SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEEL HAS OCCURRED SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS A PROBLEM WITH HIS BRAKES. THE CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY WORKED FOR A F…
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TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POPPING SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEEL HAS OCCURRED SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS A PROBLEM WITH HIS BRAKES. THE CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY WORKED FOR A FEW DAYS AND BEGAN TO SQUEAK EXCESSIVELY AGAIN. ALSO, THERE WAS AN EGG SMELL IN HIS CAR AND BEGAN A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THE ONGOING VEHICLE INCIDENTS/FAILURES. *AK
DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL POWER AND NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AROUND A SHARP CURVE WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A CRASH, THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE VEHIC…
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DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL POWER AND NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AROUND A SHARP CURVE WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A CRASH, THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER, BUT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. IN ADDITION TO THE STALLING PROBLEM, THE TRUNK LID LEAKED ALLOWING RAIN TO ENTER THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT. THE TRUNK CARPETING WAS REPLACED, BUT THE TRUNK LID CONTINUES TO LEAK. PRIOR TO THE PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE WAS EXPOSED TO A HURRICANE BUT DID NOT HAVE ANY FLOOD DAMAGE. *JB
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.