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2005 Chevrolet Malibu Classic

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

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

Service Brakes complaints

2 reports
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88,000 miles · Jun 20, 2014
Electrical SystemService BrakesSteering

WHILE CHECKING OUT MY DAUGHTERS 2005 MALIBU CLASSIC FOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT INTERMITTENT AIRBAG LIGHT I HAPPENED TO SLIGHTLY TUG ON HER KEYCHAIN WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. I LOST POWER STEERING. I LOST POWER BRAKES. I COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR WHILE IT WAS MOVING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL IT O…

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WHILE CHECKING OUT MY DAUGHTERS 2005 MALIBU CLASSIC FOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT INTERMITTENT AIRBAG LIGHT I HAPPENED TO SLIGHTLY TUG ON HER KEYCHAIN WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. I LOST POWER STEERING. I LOST POWER BRAKES. I COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR WHILE IT WAS MOVING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL IT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT WOULD NOT RESTART UNTIL I PUT THE SHIFT LEVER INTO PARK. I INVESTIGATED THIS ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OTHER GM VEHICLES BEING RECALLED BUT NOT THIS ONE. I CALLED GM'S RECALL LINE. THEY SAID TO CONTACT MY DEALER. I ASKED THE DEALER TO MAKE SOME KEYS WITH A CENTER HOLE RATHER THAN A SLOT (AT MY EXPENSE) TO PREVENT THE IGNITION SWITCH FROM ROTATING TO ENGINE OFF WHEN A KEYCHAIN IS ATTACHED. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT GM AUTHORIZATION. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY FAMILY MEMBERS USING THIS VEHICLE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10604868

62,013 miles · May 17, 2014
Service Brakes

THIS CAR HAS HAD THE CALIPERS REPLACED 2 TIMES NOW. THE FIRST IS RECORDED HERE AND THE SECOND OCCURRED ON JAN. 15, 2014. BOTH TIMES THE CAR LOST FLUID DUE TO CALIPER LEAKAGE. HAD DIFFICULTY STOPPING THE CAR THE SECOND TIME AROUND BUT WAS ABLE TO BRING IT TO A STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAVE A LICENSED MECHANIC TELLING ME THIS IS N…

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THIS CAR HAS HAD THE CALIPERS REPLACED 2 TIMES NOW. THE FIRST IS RECORDED HERE AND THE SECOND OCCURRED ON JAN. 15, 2014. BOTH TIMES THE CAR LOST FLUID DUE TO CALIPER LEAKAGE. HAD DIFFICULTY STOPPING THE CAR THE SECOND TIME AROUND BUT WAS ABLE TO BRING IT TO A STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAVE A LICENSED MECHANIC TELLING ME THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE FIRST INCIDENT PAID FOR WAS $285 AND THE SECOND WAS IN EXCESS $600. THIS IS NOT PART OF A RECALL BUT AM CERTAIN THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING. SHOULD THIS RESULT IN A DETERMINATION OF FACTORY ERROR, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE HEAVY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10592143

Official recalls

1

14V400000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.