2005 Chevrolet Malibu Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 153 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 76,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “turn signal” (30% of reports).
- 153exterior lighting complaints
- 76,500median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 28%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.
- Turn signal: mentioned in 46 of 153 complaints (30%)
- Electrical electronic stability: mentioned in 10 of 153 complaints (7%)
- Brakes hydraulic control: mentioned in 10 of 153 complaints (7%)
- Exterior lighting service: mentioned in 10 of 153 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 112 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 153 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 22 a fire, 2 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Malibu | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 Malibu | 2 | 2% | 1,900 |
| 2020 Malibu | 1 | 1% | 61,000 |
| 2019 Malibu | 4 | 2% | 16,180 |
| 2018 Malibu | 9 | 1% | 800 |
| 2017 Malibu | 21 | 3% | 51,888 |
| 2016 Malibu | 19 | 2% | 41,500 |
| 2015 Malibu | 4 | 1% | 39,346 |
| 2014 Malibu | 5 | 1% | 35,000 |
| 2013 Malibu | 28 | 3% | 70,000 |
| 2012 Malibu | 202 | 22% | 99,750 |
| 2011 Malibu | 130 | 13% | 103,000 |
| 2010 Malibu | 194 | 14% | 96,573 |
| 2009 Malibu | 172 | 11% | 94,236 |
| 2008 Malibu | 106 | 11% | 90,000 |
| 2007 Malibu | 29 | 3% | 105,000 |
| 2006 Malibu | 63 | 6% | 72,759 |
| 2005 Malibu | 153 | 16% | 76,500 |
| 2004 Malibu | 84 | 7% | 66,000 |
| 2003 Malibu | 28 | 5% | 80,000 |
| 2002 Malibu | 143 | 25% | 61,000 |
| 2001 Malibu | 108 | 15% | 63,600 |
| 2000 Malibu | 241 | 26% | 67,000 |
| 1999 Malibu | 58 | 7% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Malibu | 79 | 8% | 45,000 |
| 1997 Malibu | 40 | 9% | 74,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electronic stability control (esc); vehicle speed control:cruise control; exterior lighting:brake lights:switch; electrical system:wiring
Problem: 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.
Risk: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The brake light stays on the whole time.
1st when got car from local dealer cruise control worked next day still hasn't, interior lights not working with new bulb, brake light on, leaking oil from pan, front end drifting, than at station no power steering, didn't know wtf, wheels didn't turn, shut off he later was there ignition switch…
Steering wheel started shaking slightly in august. Now it shakes and then power steering goes out. This happens on the highway, city streets anywhere going any speed. As soon as the car starts the steering wheel shakes, of you turn the wheel in either direction it will clam it a little. Break…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Chevrolet Malibus have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 153 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu (16% of the 975 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 exterior lighting?
Yes: 1 safety recall list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems start?
The median reported mileage is 76,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “turn signal”, in 46 of 153 complaints, followed by “electrical electronic stability” (10).
Other 2005 Chevrolet Malibu problems
- Steering problems (506)
- Electrical System problems (180)
- Power Train problems (65)
- Seats problems (62)
See all 2005 Chevrolet Malibu problems or exterior lighting problems across all Malibu years.