2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx Steering Problems
Owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, 57% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 85,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering column” (13% of reports).
- 185steering complaints
- 85,000median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $930typical repair cost reported by owners
- 25%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering column: mentioned in 24 of 185 complaints (13%)
- Clunking noise: mentioned in 11 of 185 complaints (6%)
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 11 of 185 complaints (6%)
- Electric power: mentioned in 10 of 185 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx at $930, and half of them between $550 and $1,050.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2015), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 155 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 185 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 Malibu Maxx | 10 | 23% | 64,000 |
| 2006 Malibu Maxx | 207 | 77% | 83,319 |
| 2005 Malibu Maxx | 185 | 57% | 85,000 |
| 2004 Malibu Maxx | 251 | 58% | 75,766 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.
Risk: 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.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated while driving on several occasions, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There were no warning lights illuminated; however, the power steering failure message was displayed. The…
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering assist fault message was displayed and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. Additionally, there was a ticking sound coming from the…
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road and stop the vehicle. The contact…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxxs have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 185 owner complaints about steering for the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx (57% of the 326 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 85,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx?
Owners report a typical cost of $930 (half paid between $550 and $1,050), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx?
The most frequent phrase is “steering column”, in 24 of 185 complaints, followed by “clunking noise” (11).
Other 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx problems
See all 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx problems or steering problems across all Malibu Maxx years.