IllustrationNo power steering for 25min drive home. Next day it worked. Dealership said it had an expired recall for power steering fix. No work was done by dealership.
2007 Chevrolet Malibu
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Malibu years
Owner complaints for the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu are substantially higher than the model-year median of 310.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Malibu 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
410–25K
7625–50K
11450–75K
16375–100K
260100–150K
153150K+
807 reports with mileage · 170 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.
- 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
Steering complaints
667 reportsThe power steering on my vehicle is not working. I believe it may be a malfunction with the torque sensor. It is available for inspection upon request. This was a safety risk because the steering wheel was shaking as I was driving. Thankfully, it never locked up on me while on the road, however if it had, it could've caused a li…
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The power steering on my vehicle is not working. I believe it may be a malfunction with the torque sensor. It is available for inspection upon request. This was a safety risk because the steering wheel was shaking as I was driving. Thankfully, it never locked up on me while on the road, however if it had, it could've caused a life-threatening accident as I am constantly driving on large 4 lane highways. I know that there is a safety recall open for 2007 chevrolet malibu's regarding the torque sensor and power steering, however my vehicle does not seem to fall under this safety recall for some reason? I attempted to have it serviced by my local dealer, but they do not want to service it under the recall. I believe that if this is a known issue on SOME 2007 chevrolet malibu's, then it should be repaired under the safety recall even if my VIN is not associated with it.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while reversing, the message "Power Steering Fault" was displayed, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The vehicle became difficult to steer, requiring extra effort in maneuvering the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the steeri…
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The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while reversing, the message "Power Steering Fault" was displayed, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The vehicle became difficult to steer, requiring extra effort in maneuvering the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the steering wheel was vibrating abnormally with the message “Power Steering Fault” displayed. While driving at an undisclosed speed on another occasion, the steering wheel continuously vibrated. The message "Power Steering Fault" was displayed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V064000 (Steering). However, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
After several years of instability, the power steering on my 2007 Chevy Malibu has started to lock up while driving. Turning of the vehicle is then difficult. The issue resolves only by turning the engine off and then on again, but does not remain resolved.The readout on the dash informs me that there is an issue with the power …
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After several years of instability, the power steering on my 2007 Chevy Malibu has started to lock up while driving. Turning of the vehicle is then difficult. The issue resolves only by turning the engine off and then on again, but does not remain resolved.The readout on the dash informs me that there is an issue with the power steering. I spoke with Chevrolet customer service and was told that they would not assist me financially in fixing the problem. They explained that there is no recall on vehicles with my VIN, although I see that there have been in the past. The number of issues reported on this website indicates that this issue is ongoing and widespread, and no one appears to be getting assistance by the manufacture. I suppose it's going to take a few fatalities to get the attention of Chevrolet and the NHTSA before some sort of action is taken.
The power steering fails. Chevrolet (manufacturer) and Pine Belt Chevrolet (NJ) both claim that our vehicle was in for the recall and did not have an issue. The power steering has failed since we bought the car new in 2006. The problem was intermittent for years, but recently the power steering fails 5 or more times during a …
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The power steering fails. Chevrolet (manufacturer) and Pine Belt Chevrolet (NJ) both claim that our vehicle was in for the recall and did not have an issue. The power steering has failed since we bought the car new in 2006. The problem was intermittent for years, but recently the power steering fails 5 or more times during a 10 mile trip. We shut the car off and restart it and the power steering comes back on. We contacted Chevrolet. They told us our car was repaired/checked for the recall and they are not responsible. We feel that since there was a recall for this that they should fix the problem. They told us that the parts are not under warranty but since it was a recall we think it should still be covered under the recall. We are currently in Florida and don't know if it is safe to drive the car back home to NJ.
My electrical power steering motor is no good on car it is at risk of causing harm to me
The contact's mother owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist intermittently failed to operate as needed with the "Power Steering Fault" message displayed. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the power steering failure occurred, and excessive force was n…
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The contact's mother owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist intermittently failed to operate as needed with the "Power Steering Fault" message displayed. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the power steering failure occurred, and excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact was informed that the vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V064000 (Steering). The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
My 2007 Chevy Malibu began experiencing intermittent power steering failure at around 103,000 miles. This issue makes the vehicle extremely dangerous to drive, even though it is not classified as an official recall because it only affects certain VIN numbers. However, I see multiple other owners reporting the same problem, provi…
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My 2007 Chevy Malibu began experiencing intermittent power steering failure at around 103,000 miles. This issue makes the vehicle extremely dangerous to drive, even though it is not classified as an official recall because it only affects certain VIN numbers. However, I see multiple other owners reporting the same problem, proving this is a widespread defect. I had the issue diagnosed as a failing torque sensor, which was previously covered under Chevrolet’s Special Coverage Adjustment 10183. Unfortunately, this coverage expired in 2022 or at 120,000 miles—yet my vehicle has significantly less mileage and still exhibits the defect. Chevrolet has refused to take responsibility for this known issue. The previous owner of the vehicle passed away before the car transferred ownership to me, so it was impossible to have this defect fixed while coverage was still active. This leaves me, and others in my situation, vulnerable to a sudden and unexpected loss of steering assistance. This defect poses a severe safety risk. If the power steering fails at high speeds, in rainy conditions, or on the freeway, it could lead to an accident. I strongly urge NHTSA to investigate this issue further and pressure Chevrolet to extend coverage or issue an official recall.
UNKNOWN Power steering randomly shakes and turns and goes out even if fire is stealing is in the common fluid. It is super dangerous and stops working on the highway periodically and I cannot turn it. I’ve saw other safety concerns about this and it has been recognized so I’m hoping that someone will do the same
Hello, my 2007 Malibu has a problem with the power steering. The steering wheel becomes hard. This is a problem that has already been detected, but why does this campaign not appear on my car? I am attaching a link to the information: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)…
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Hello, my 2007 Malibu has a problem with the power steering. The steering wheel becomes hard. This is a problem that has already been detected, but why does this campaign not appear on my car? I am attaching a link to the information: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Official recalls
315V064000 · 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)
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: 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.
Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control
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: 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.
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
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: 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.
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights
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: 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.
Electrical System:wiring
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: 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.
14V224000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
Apr 30, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the PARK position, the transmission may not be in PARK. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.
Consequence: If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the PARK position, the transmission may not be in PARK. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.
Power Train:automatic Transmission
General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.
Consequence: If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the PARK position, the transmission may not be in PARK. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.
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.