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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

What owners actually said

92 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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

NHTSA ODI #10692675

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #10690900

65,000 miles · Feb 12, 2015
Fuel/propulsion System

FUEL SHOWS INCORRECT AMOUNTS. FILL IT AND SOMETIMES IS SAYS EMPTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10683107

111,975 miles · Dec 20, 2014
Seats

FRONT DRIVER SEAT WELD BROKEN. SEAT LEANS TO SIDE. UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING AND UNSAFE.

NHTSA ODI #10667420

175,000 miles · Dec 9, 2014
Electrical System

FROM THE TIME WE BOUGHT THIS CAR IN JUNE 2014 TO NOW, THE CAR HAS PERIODICALLY SHUT OFF WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. USUALLY IT HAS OCCURRED AT VERY LOW SPEED FORTUNATELY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET THE KEY TO THE TRUE OFF POSITION DESPITE THIS. THE RECALL ONLY CALLS FOR A PLASTIC INSERT TO BE INSTALLED ON THE KEY, WHICH WAS DONE ON…

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FROM THE TIME WE BOUGHT THIS CAR IN JUNE 2014 TO NOW, THE CAR HAS PERIODICALLY SHUT OFF WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. USUALLY IT HAS OCCURRED AT VERY LOW SPEED FORTUNATELY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET THE KEY TO THE TRUE OFF POSITION DESPITE THIS. THE RECALL ONLY CALLS FOR A PLASTIC INSERT TO BE INSTALLED ON THE KEY, WHICH WAS DONE ON 10/30/14. THE CAR STILLS HAS THE SHUT OFF ISSUE, IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE, AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT NEEDS THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED. THE INSERT ON THE KEY IS INSUFFICIENT TO FIX THE IGNITION SWITCH ISSUE. ONE STILL HAS TO KEEP NOTHING ELSE ON THE KEY RING, YET GM INSISTS THE PROBLEM IS TRULY FIXED BY PUTTING AN INSERT ON THE KEY. SOUNDS LIKE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY, TOO SENSITIVE AND THEY HAVE AN INSUFFICIENT FIX. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10663018

Mileage unknown · Nov 20, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. THE DEALER STATED THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT EXPERI…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. THE DEALER STATED THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #10659640

160,000 miles · Nov 19, 2014
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTIFICATION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH THE STEERING ABILITY SEIZED. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTIFICATION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH THE STEERING ABILITY SEIZED. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ODI #10659282

98,000 miles · Oct 23, 2014
Electrical System

MY CAR HAS BEEN STALLING OUT RANDOMLY USUALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS HAS DONE THIS ABOUT 5 TIMES IN TWO WEEKS I JUST HAD MY RECALL DONE BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS VERY DANGEROUS MECHANIC SEEM TO THINK ITS MY IGNITION SWITCH NOT JUST THE KEYS AND COVER GM DID ON RECALL I'M WONDERING IF OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE COME IN AND WHAT SHOULD I…

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MY CAR HAS BEEN STALLING OUT RANDOMLY USUALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS HAS DONE THIS ABOUT 5 TIMES IN TWO WEEKS I JUST HAD MY RECALL DONE BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS VERY DANGEROUS MECHANIC SEEM TO THINK ITS MY IGNITION SWITCH NOT JUST THE KEYS AND COVER GM DID ON RECALL I'M WONDERING IF OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE COME IN AND WHAT SHOULD I DO. I THOUGHT THIS IS WHY THEY RECALLED THE CARS FOR STALLING OUT, NO STEERING, BRAKES ETC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10649442

Mileage unknown · Oct 16, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #10648245

85,903 miles · Oct 11, 2014
Power Train

THE KNOB YOU CHANGE GEARS WITH HAS A PIN IT AND THE PIN HAS BROKEN. IT GOT TO BE A PROBLEM WHEN I WHEN TO THE JUNK YARD TO BUY A KNOB ALL OF THEM WAS BROKEN IT IS VERY HARD TO FIND IN THE JUNK YARD . WILL YOU PLEASE HELP ME FIND ONE I AM 75 YEARS OLD AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO SOME TIME WHEN I TRY TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR IT …

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THE KNOB YOU CHANGE GEARS WITH HAS A PIN IT AND THE PIN HAS BROKEN. IT GOT TO BE A PROBLEM WHEN I WHEN TO THE JUNK YARD TO BUY A KNOB ALL OF THEM WAS BROKEN IT IS VERY HARD TO FIND IN THE JUNK YARD . WILL YOU PLEASE HELP ME FIND ONE I AM 75 YEARS OLD AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO SOME TIME WHEN I TRY TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR IT WILL NOT MOVE. ONE AUTO REPAIRMAN SAY I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE DRIVE CONSOLE. PLEASE HELP ME!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644114

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.