2007 Chevrolet Malibu problems, complaints & recalls

Updated from NHTSA data · How we count

Owners have filed 91 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu, most often about steering. There are 3 recalls for this model year.

Complaints
91
Recalls
3
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
1
Median mileage
130,000 mi
at time of problem

Key facts

  • Steering is the most-reported problem area, named in 71 of 91 complaints (78%).
  • Electrical System (10) and engine (7) follow.
  • Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 130,000 mi.
  • Owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury.
  • The 2007 Chevrolet Malibu has 3 recalls on file.
  • It ranks 17th of 21 Chevrolet Malibu model years by our severity-weighted complaint score (1st = worst).
  • That is 22% fewer complaints than the 2006 model year (117).

2007 Chevrolet Malibu problems by category

  • Steering · 1 crash
    71 complaints
  • Electrical System · 1 crash
    10 complaints
  • Engine
    7 complaints
  • Airbags
    6 complaints
  • Transmission & Drivetrain
    5 complaints
  • Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion
    5 complaints
  • Brakes
    5 complaints
  • Acceleration & Cruise Control
    3 complaints
  • Lighting
    3 complaints
  • Other / Unknown
    3 complaints
  • Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
    2 complaints
  • Seats & Seat Belts
    2 complaints
  • Suspension
    1 complaints
  • Wheels & Tires
    1 complaints

A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.

Most-reported components

Component (as filed with NHTSA)Complaints
Steering70
Electrical system9
Engine7
Air bags6
Power train5
Fuel/propulsion system5
Service brakes5
Exterior lighting3

When problems happen (mileage)

1Under 10k10k–30k530k–60k1260k–100k15100k–150k16150k+
Mileage at the time of the problem, for 2007 Chevrolet Malibu complaints that list mileage.

2007 Chevrolet Malibu recalls (3)

  • Recall 15V064000Feb 4, 201569,633 vehicles
    STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

    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.

    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.

  • Recall 14V252000May 14, 20142,440,524 vehicles
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING · ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH · 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.

    Risk: 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.

  • Recall 14V224000Apr 30, 20141,131,113 vehicles
    POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · 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.

    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.

    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.

Recent 2007 Chevrolet Malibu complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

  1. Filed Jun 12, 2026MISteering
    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.
    NHTSA complaint #11743766 · source
  2. Filed Feb 5, 2026NYSteering
    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…
    NHTSA complaint #11715777 · source
  3. Filed Jan 22, 202690,000 miNCSteering
    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…
    NHTSA complaint #11712769 · source
  4. Filed Apr 19, 2025CASteering
    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…
    NHTSA complaint #11655619 · source
  5. Filed Mar 4, 2025NJSteering
    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…
    NHTSA complaint #11646333 · source
  6. Filed Feb 11, 2025135,000 miWYSteering
    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:…
    NHTSA complaint #11641947 · source
  7. Filed Feb 1, 2025CASteering
    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…
    NHTSA complaint #11640112 · source
  8. Filed Jan 26, 2025NCSteering
    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
    NHTSA complaint #11638678 · source

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Other 2007 Chevrolet models

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 10, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology