2005 Chevrolet Malibu Exterior lighting Problems

The brake light stays on the whole time.

NHTSA ID

11593799

Incident

Jun 10, 2024

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 will keep turning. Rins battery dead. I'm scared power steering will go out while driving. It's a scary thought, think I will sell .It's the worse recall I've heard of can they be fixed. Consumer has all 7 recalls.

NHTSA ID

11442888

Incident

Dec 6, 2021

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 LIGHTS RANDOMLY STOP WORKING. REPLACED BREAK LIGHTS 6 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. HEADLIGHTS MELT THE PLASTIC HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2017. ALL OF THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN RECALLED BUT NOT ON MY VIN.

NHTSA ID

11279361

Incident

Aug 17, 2019

Mileage

99,000 mi

MY PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP LIGHT (TURN SIGNAL) ASSEMBLY KEEPS BURNING OUT AND MELTING THE BULB HOUSING AND ORANGE LENS. IT BURNED A HOLE IN THE ORANGE TURN SIGNAL LENS. I REPLACE BULB AFTER BULB BUT IT KEEPS FAILING. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL BECAUSE NO CAR OWNER SHOULD HAVE TO KEEP REPLACING BULBS CONSTANTLY ONLY FOR THEM TO FAIL OVER AND OVER AGAIN! THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY, MOVING, ETC..

NHTSA ID

11254046

Incident

Jul 17, 2019

Mileage

104,000 mi

THE CAR IS HARD TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK, THE BREAK LIGHTS STAY ON WHILE DRIVING AND GO OFF WHEN PRESSED.

NHTSA ID

11184220

Incident

Jan 21, 2019

Mileage

123,388 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALSO, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FAILED TO OPERATE AND WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN AND THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. FURTHERMORE, THE IGNITION KEY COULD BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND, AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND SHUT OFF. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID

11133439

Incident

Jul 1, 2018

Mileage

60,000 mi

REFERRED TO YOU BY GM AFTER DEALER REFUSED TO CONSIDER THIS A FREE REPAIR, AS MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED BY RECALL #13036D. VEHICLE IS EXHIBITING SAME CONDITIONS AS PER YOUR RECALL, BRAKE LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED .PANIC-BRAKE ASSIST MALFUNCTIONED 2 WEEKS AGO; ALMOST RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION. THIS OCCURRED ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY, AND VEHICLE BEGAN TO SKID. AT THAT POINT I RELEASED THE BRAKE, AND WAS FORCED TO PUMP THEM IN ORDER TO SLOW VEHICLE. PARK-BRAKE FEATURE ALSO MALFUNCTIONS RANDOMLY. THESE ARE ALL DUE TO VOLTAGE FLUCTUATIONS IN BODY CONTROL MODULE CONNECTION, REQUIRING A SPACER TO BE INSTALLED.

NHTSA ID

11124510

Incident

Aug 25, 2018

Mileage

70,500 mi

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT CONTINUES TO SHORT OUT EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE SOCKET ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ID

11124073

Incident

Aug 8, 2018

Mileage

158,331 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR HEADLAMPS WOULD FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTHERN CHEVROLET (5845 COLISEUM BLVD, ALEXANDRIA, LA), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE BULBS WERE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 131,000. **TR *JS

NHTSA ID

11119924

Incident

Aug 14, 2013

Mileage

131,000 mi

THE FRONT TURNING SIGNALS HAVE NOT WORKED FOR 2 YEARS I HAVE HAD THE HEAD LIGHTS COMPLETELY REPLACE TWICE. THE SECOND TIME I HAD THEM REPLACED WHEN THE LIGHT HOUSING OF THE TURN SIGNALS WERE OPENED THE LIGHT BULB AND HOOK UPS WERE MELTED TOGETHER.

NHTSA ID

11102393

Incident

Jun 8, 2015

Mileage

106,038 mi

HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING THEY GO OUT ONCE A MONTH AND NOW THEY JUST OUT AND THIS CAR IS DEFIANTLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE LOCKS GO UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING, AND AUTO LOCK IF LEFT RUNNING. GAS FUMES THROUGH OUT THE CAR. THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS, ALSO I HAVE TWO TODDLERS THAT ARE FORCED TO RIDE IN THIS DEATH TRAP!!

NHTSA ID

11083148

Incident

Apr 1, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TURN SIGNAL BULBS FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. UPON INSPECTING THE BULB AND WIRING HARNESS, THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE THAT THE TURN LAMP HOUSING WAS MELTED, WHICH CAUSED THE TURN SIGNAL TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BULB AND HOUSING WERE REPLACED ON THREE OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WHEELERS CHEVROLET GMC (2701 S MAPLE AVE, MARSHFIELD, WI 54449, (715) 502-4130) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL HOUSING AND BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BULBS AND HOUSING WERE BEING REPLACED EVERY TWO MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. *TT *TR

NHTSA ID

11061369

Incident

Jan 9, 2016

Mileage

85,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS AND FRONT BLINKERS QUIT WORKING. WHEN I WENT TO CHANGE THENERGY-SAVING LIGHTS THE CONNECTORS WERE MELTED AND WIRES WERE EXPOSED. THE ORANGE LENSE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HAS MELTED AND IS DISCONNECTED FROM THE FIXTURE AND IS LYING INSIDE THE LIGHT INCLOSURE. THE LIGHTS AND BLINKERS QUIT WORKING AS I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I CANNOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT BECAUSE I AM AFRAID TO HAVE THE LIGHTS ON FOR FEAR OF POSSIBLE FIRST HAZARD. THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AROUND THE END 2016

NHTSA ID

11011832

Incident

Apr 16, 2017

THE AMBER PLASTIC HOUSINGS ENCLOSING THE TURN-SIGNAL/DRL BULBS IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE ARE MELTING, APPARENTLY DUE TO THE BULBS GETTING TOO HOT. THE MELTING PLASTIC HAS DRIPPED DOWN ONTO THE BULBS AND THE FUMES FROM THE MELTING PLASTIC HAVE FOGGED UP PART OF THE HEADLIGHT LENS. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW. THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES AND BULBS ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, SO THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

10981698

Incident

Jan 23, 2017

Mileage

57,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT ON A FEW OCCASIONS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE STOP LAMP, BRAKE LAMP HARNESS AND BRAKE LIGHT POSITION SENSOR ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000.

NHTSA ID

10970459

Incident

Jan 9, 2017

Mileage

152,000 mi

THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS ARE BURNING OUT THE SOCKET AS WELL AS THE LIGHT COVERING. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BULB IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY MONTH.

NHTSA ID

10948818

Incident

Jan 4, 2016

THE AMBER PLASTIC HOUSINGS ENCLOSING THE TURN-SIGNAL/DRL BULBS IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE ARE MELTING, APPARENTLY DUE TO THE BULBS GETTING TOO HOT. THE MELTING PLASTIC HAS DRIPPED DOWN ONTO THE BULBS AND THE FUMES FROM THE MELTING PLASTIC HAVE FOGGED UP PART OF THE HEADLIGHT LENS. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW. THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES AND BULBS ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, SO THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE READ MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT OTHER 2005 MALIBUS IN VARIOUS INTERNET FORUMS, AND GM IS APPARENTLY NOT WILLING TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10947375

Incident

Jan 23, 2017

Mileage

57,145 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHTS STARTED TO FLASH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER IN AUGUST OF 2014 FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 02/03/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE, FOR THE SAME RECALL ISSUE. UPDATED 02/07/17.*JB

NHTSA ID

10924968

Incident

Aug 15, 2016

Mileage

120,000 mi

MY KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION AND I CHECKED FOR RECALLS. I CALLED THE DEALER TO FIX THE RECALL ON THE IGNITION, AND WAS NOTIFIED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY PUT A PIECE OF PLASTIC OVER KEY AND WOULD NOT FIX THE IGNITION TO TURN. I CAN HARDLY EVEN START MY CAR BECAUSE THE KEY WON'T TURN. THE KEY IS GOING TO BREAK OFF IN THE IGNITION. THE HORN AND RADIO DO NOT WORK EITHER. NOT HAVING A HORN FOR INCOMING TRAFFIC TOWARDS MY VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE TURN SIGNALS ONLY WORK AT RANDOM TIMES AND THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN SWITCHING LANES INTO TRAFFIC. ALSO, SOMETHING IN THE BACK OF THE CAR SQUEAKS FOR NO REASON WHEN GOING DOWN THE ROAD AT RANDOM AND WHEN GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS. THIS CAR ALSO DRAINS THE BATTERY WITH UNKNOWN ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE DRIVERS SIDE BACK PASSENGER WINDOW WONT GO DOWN EITHER. THIS CAR HAS WAY TOO MANY SAFETY ISSUES FOR ONLY 137,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

10855136

Incident

Feb 12, 2016

Mileage

136 mi

BOUGHT CAR USED AT 136,000 MILES. CAR RADIO DOES NOT LIGHT UP OR WORK, AND HORN DOESN'T WORK. DRIVERS SIDE BACK WINDOW WON'T GO DOWN. FIRST DAY DRIVING THE CAR, TURN SIGNALS STOPPED BLINKING AND THEN STARTED BLINKING AGAIN. SUSPENSION IN THE BACK SQUEAKS BADLY WHEN DRIVING AT RANDOM AND GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS. DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR FOR MORE THAN ONE DAY AND NOW CAR WON'T START AT ALL (NO CRANK, NO START). THESE ARE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES INCLUDING SERIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE BATTERY IS ONLY ONE YEAR OLD ON THE CAR WHEN PURCHASED, SO SHOULD BE GOOD. THESE ELECTRICAL ISSUES NEED TO BE RECALLED. NOW I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT HAS SO MANY PROBLEMS AND WON'T START AND IS DEFINITELY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

10837070

Incident

Feb 13, 2016

Mileage

136,000 mi

I'M HAVING AN ISSUE WHERE'S I'M SCARED I WILL BE IN A CAR ACCIDENT. MY ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN MY TC LIGHT THEN MY CAR SAY ENGINE POWER REDUCE IN THE CAR WILL JUST SHUT OFF.

NHTSA ID

10824697

Incident

Feb 6, 2016

Mileage

223,600 mi

TAKATA RECALL. STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING GOING AROUND A CORNER AND TOOK A FEW MINUTES TO GET IT TO UNLOCK. HAPPENED TO MY WIFE WITH OUR SON IN THE CAR. THIS HAPPENED BEFORE WE GOT THE RECALL. GOT THE RECALL FIXED AND NOW THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT IS COMING ON. HEADLIGHT ARE CONSTANTLY BLOWING BULBS. THE HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT SO I WILL GO TO REPLACE THE BUILD AND THEN IT COMES BACK ON. FRONT RIGHT TURN SIGNAL GOES OUT A LOT AND IF I TAP ON IT THEN IT COMES BACK ON. THE SAME WITH THE REAR TAIL LIGHT GOES OUT OFTEN. THIS SUMMER THE TRACTION CONTROL WOULD DING AND THE BUTTON WOULD NOT TURN IT ON OR OFF. WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN QUESTION DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. IT IS A ON GOING EVENTS.

NHTSA ID

10820716

Incident

Jun 12, 2015

Mileage

220,000 mi

I BOUGHT MY CAR IN 2013 AND IT'S BEEN A DECENT CAR. HOWEVER IT IS THE 2ND MALIBU THAT I'VE OWNED AND IT'S GOT THE SAME ISSUES. THE RUNNING LIGHTS HAVE AN ELECTRICAL ERROR WHERE THEY SHORT OUT AND MELT THE ACTUAL LIGHTS. I'M CONSTANTLY HAVING TO REPLACE THE BULBS. I'VE GOTTEN TO WHERE I JUST TURN THEM OFF. THE 2ND THING HAPPENED TODAY. MY FIRST MALIBU DIDN'T HAVE A SUNROOF BUT THIS ONE DOES. I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN ALL THE SUDDEN I HEARD THIS LOUD EXPLOSION, LIKE A GUNSHOT OR A SEMI TRUCK TIRE BLOWING UP. I LOOK ALL AROUND ME AND WHEN I LOOKED UP, GLASS WAS FALLING ON MY HEAD. MY SUNROOF RANDOMLY EXPLODED. AND ACCORDING TO SEVERAL MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, IT'S PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR AN OBJECT FLUNG BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TO SHATTER A SUNROOF. APPARENTLY MANUFACTURERS HAVE STARTED GETTING LAZY WITH SUNROOFS WHEN MAKING CARS, SO IF I WERE YOU, I WOULDN'T BUY A CAR WITH A SUNROOF.

NHTSA ID

10811799

Incident

Dec 22, 2015

Mileage

85,000 mi

THE PARK LIGHT/DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY MELTING THE AMBER LENS. THE BULB SOCKET MELTS CAUSING THE TURN SIGNAL NOT TO WORK. EVERY FEW MONTHS I HAVE TO REMOVE HEADLIGHT LAMP AND FIX BULB SO IT WILL WORK. I HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR MALIBUS. CHEVROLET NEEDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS MANY AS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10777679

Incident

Sep 25, 2015

Mileage

194,000 mi

THE FRONT DRIVER TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT WORK, IT HAS MELTED THE PLASTIC INSIDE. I HAVE CHANGED THE BULB SEVERAL TIMES AND IT CONTINUES TO BURN OUT. THE PASSENGER TURN SIGNAL IS NOW BLINKING VERY FAST AND THEN SLOW SO I'M GUESSING IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE THAT ONE DOESN'T WORK. ALSO THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR BLINKER AND BRAKE LIGHT DO NOT WORK. ALL OF THIS IS A HAZARD WHEN DRIVING AND COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE HEARD OF NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVING THESE SAME ISSUES AND THIS NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. CLEARLY THIS IS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE AND RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10763786

Incident

Feb 2, 2015