2007 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jun 12, 2026 · 977 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Malibu years
More complaints than other years 7th of 29 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 977 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. That ranks 7th out of 29 Malibu model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (667 complaints, 68%), typically at around 105,000 miles. Complaints mention 37 crashes, 2 fires, 34 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.

Chevrolet Malibu
Chevrolet Malibu (E2XX). Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Benespit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2007 Chevrolet Malibu problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Steering667 · ~105,000 mi
Electrical System113 · ~118,850 mi
Air Bags75 · ~97,000 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline47 · ~68,000 mi
Power Train47 · ~88,921 mi
Fuel/propulsion System36 · ~79,007 mi
Service Brakes36 · ~104,669 mi
Vehicle Speed Control31 · ~99,840 mi
Exterior Lighting29 · ~105,000 mi
Engine28 · ~92,434 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Steering problems66768%105,000“steering failed” (9%)$1,400
Electrical System problems11312%118,850“electronic stability control” (5%)—
Air Bags problems758%97,000“air bag” (55%)—
Fuel System, Gasoline475%68,000——
Power Train475%88,921——
Fuel/propulsion System364%79,007——
Service Brakes364%104,669——
Vehicle Speed Control313%99,840——
Exterior Lighting293%105,000——
Engine283%92,434——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)222%167,000——
Suspension222%77,800——
Seats162%125,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic141%33,000——
Seat Belts131%105,785——
Unknown or Other131%135,000——
Engine and Engine Cooling71%78,060——
Fuel System, Other61%72,000——
Structure61%32,000——
Traction Control System51%105,000——
Visibility20%50——
Wheels20%114,280——
Equipment Adaptive/mobility10%105,000——
Latches/locks/linkages10%50——
Service Brakes, Electric10%———
Tires10%190,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2014, with 209 complaints
2006: 120062007: 122008: 820082009: 152010: 5520102011: 602012: 4820122013: 622014: 20920142092015: 1882016: 5520162017: 562018: 7020182019: 472020: 3320202021: 152022: 1220222023: 152024: 720242025: 62026: 32026

n = 977 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2007 Chevrolet Malibu recalls (3)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Steering:electric power assist systemFeb 4, 2015 · NHTSA campaign 15V064000 · 69,633 vehicles

Problem: 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.

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 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.

Electronic stability control (esc); vehicle speed control:cruise control; exterior lighting:brake lights:switch; electrical system:wiringMay 14, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V252000 · 2,440,524 vehicles

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.

Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shiftApr 30, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V224000 · 1,131,113 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

No 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.

Steering · received Jun 12, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11743766

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…

Steering · received Feb 5, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11715777

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…

Steering · received Jan 22, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11712769

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…

Steering · received Apr 19, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11655619

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…

Steering · received Mar 4, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11646333

Other Chevrolet Malibu years

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See all Chevrolet Malibu problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu?

Owners most often report steering, electrical system, air bags problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 667 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu?

Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Malibu model years, the 2007 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.