Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 112 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 112, in the owner's own words
The steering wheel start shaking and then on the middle console it showed “POWER STEERING”. Now whenever I drive it it’ll pop up and the steering wheel locks up and it is scary because it doesn’t move. And when I turn of the car it’ll unlock but as soon as I start driving it again it does it again.
I bought the car and the next day it randomly locked up my steering in the middle of traffic. If I turn my car off then turn it on while jerking the wheel side to side it will allow me power steering for just a short moment. Once it worked for a month continuously without shutting off on me then it randomly started locking up again. There’s no symptoms or warning except for the car steers on its own while in park. The wheel moves and makes a screeching noise. It’s locked up on me in traffic numerous times. It’s a huge hazard. Trying to get off the street when it locks up is just a safety hazard for everyone around.
I am financing a 2007 chevy malibu from r n r car co on 411 gratiot in mt Clemens has had one problem after the other first the brakes went fix I told them there was a sway problem up front wanted it fixed before I took it off the lot they did not I could’ve been seriously hurt the sway bar tie rod n control arm went in the front of the car dealership said would help with half the bill didn’t help fixed now my car wants to shut down and hesitate to go over 45 miles an hour the crankshaft position sensor wire n some button might need to be fixed im on social security seeking4 help from the va to help me get it fixed told dealership abt this wants 100 an hour from me to fix it plz advise thank you monica wheeler
When I start my car my steering wheel dances vibrates. When I'm driving 30 mph it will pull me to the right side of the road and be hard to steer. It does this a lot it scares me I'm disabled and have a hard time driving.
I was driving in the country and my vehicle power steering and electronic setting started messing up while I was driving 50 miles an hour while it was locking up I was confused and then pulled over and thought it was just a glitch in the computer system I then turned off my car and then turned it back on and everything seemed fine while I was driving after a minute the steering wheel locked again and there was a deer in front of me my insurance went up because of this incident and I lost my car for a month once I got my car again from the body shop it stopped locking up on the steering wheel then last Friday I brought it to the mechanic and he told me the steering is electronic so there is nothing he can do and that I will have to take it to a dealer the computer system in these cars are messed up and they are dangerous to drive there are thousands of complaints just like this and recalls for GM but for some reason the 2007 Chevy Malibu didn't make the cut.
THE IS A MESSAGE THAT COMES ACROSS THE RADIO SCREEN TO SERVICE AIRBAG. IT IS REFERRING TO THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG. WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT THE AIRBAG ON LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON THE INDICATOR LOCATED ABOVE THE RADIO. IT CONTINUES TO STATE THE AIRBAG IS OFF. ACCORDING TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP THE PART REQUIRED TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS DISCONTINUED BY GM AND THERE ARE NO AFTERMARKET PART FOR THIS. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IT IS A MODULE. MY VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ANY CURRENT RECALLS TO MY KNOWLEDGE. MY CONCERN IS THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FEATURE TO HAVE AND THERE BEING NO REPLACEMENT PART IS TROUBLING. *TR
MY BODY CONTROL MODULE WENT OUT. I JUST PARKED ONE DAY AND WHEN I WENT BACK OUT TO START IT THE NEXT DAY IT WAS BROKEN. I LOVE MY MALIBU AND IT HAS BEEN PARKED FOR A MONTH. I LOST MY JOB BECAUSE OF IT. I HAVE A DISABLED HUSBAND AND TWO KIDS. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE BROKE BECAUSE OF THESE RECALLS. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT AND AM BEGGING FOR YOUR HELP. PLEASE HELP ME TO GET MY CAR FIXED FOR FREE. TEXT OR CALL ME @ [XXX]. I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
GAUGES WILL QUIT WORKING, LOW FUEL AND POWER STEERING POPS UP ON RADIO, THEFT DETERRENT LIGHT COMES ON, CRUISE CONTROL SHUTS OFF, SAYS ERROR ON ODOMETER. IT WILL DO IT WHEN DRIVING AND STATIONARY. ALSO WHEN IT DOES DO THIS YOU CAN FEEL THE ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY LOSE POWER
WHEN I AM GIVING MORE POWER FROM EXHALATION PADDLE. IT IS DEPLAYING ALL THE SIGN SYMBOLS WILL DISPLAYING ON SPEEDO METER DISPLAY AND ALSO MAINLY, ( IMPORTANT: WHEN I AM GIVING MORE EXHALATIONS MY STEERING HOLD AND SUDDENLY IT IS TAKING RIGHT SIDE CONTROL AND VERY HARD TO TURN ON UP HEAL. PLEASE ANY ONE HELP ME OUT FROM THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU
TAKATA RECALL AIRBAG SENSO ALWAYS ON; AUTO DRIVER SIDE WINDOW, SIDEVIEW MIRRORS; SEATBELT SENSOR & SOUND ALERTS WHEN SHOULDN'T; AC COOLING SYSTEM DOESN'T GET COOL; FUEL GAUGE DOESN'T WORK & ALWAYS ON LOW-FUEL INDICATOR EVEN WHEN WE'VE FILLED UP; DOME LIGHT DIM; POWER LOCKS DON'T WORK PROPERLY - ONLY DRIVER SIDE WORKS SOMETIMES
KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION BUY ENGINE STILL RUNNING WHILE PARKED. SEEMS OTHER YEARS HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM.
THIS VEHICLE HAS A SAFETY DESIGN FAULT WHERE THE PASSENGER PRESSENCE SENSOR(PPS) DEFAULTS CAUSING THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO COME ON DISSABLING THE WHOLE WHOLE AIRBAG PROTECTION SYSTEM. THIS CAR SHARES THE SAME PARTS WITH THE 2007 SATURN AURA WHOSE MODEL HAS BEEN SAFETY RECALLED FOR TE PPS.
POWER STEERING FAILURE. HEARING CLICKING NOISE. SERVICE AIRBAG
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ANTI-THEFT LOCK SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURES OCCURRED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURES, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES STOPPED WORKING AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE IGNITION WOULD NOT START AND THE ANTI-THEFT LOCK WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IT WAS UNKNOWN AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE. MCCARTHY CHEVROLET LEE'S SUMMIT (945 SE OLDHAM PARKWAY, LEE'S SUMMIT, MO, (816) 356-6610) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FALURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH REFERENCE NUMBER: 8-4569149800. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,480.
WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, ELECTRIC STEERING ASSIST GOES OUT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IF IT HAPPENS WHILE IN A CORNER IT COULD RESULT IN A COLLISION.
I FIRST ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. MY VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AND THE MESSAGE 'POWER STEERING' CAME ON THE DASHBOARD AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING ASSIST. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED UP THE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE SO I WAS HOPEFUL ABOUT THE SITUATION. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SUPPOSED 'WARRANTY' FOR MY VEHICLE AND I WAS OUT OF THE MILEAGE & TIME PERIOD FOR MY VEHICLE. AND ADDITIONALLY THE RECALL WAS NEVER GIVEN TO MY VEHICLE. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME THAT THERE IS A SPECIFIC RECALL FOR THIS MODEL OF CHEVY MALIBU'S AND I OWN ONE AND MY CAR JUST SO HAPPENS TO NOT HAVE THE RECALL. I'VE CALLED CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY INSIST THEY ARE NOT LIABLE FOR THIS AND IT WILL BE AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. MY POWER STEERING HAS CUT OUT ON ME ON THE HIGHWAY AND POSES A VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING EXPERIENCE. I WOULD LIKE TO SETTLE THIS BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. THE PHOTO THAT I'VE LISTED BELOW IS AN INVOICE FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHEN THEY DIAGNOASED MY CAR AND SAID IT WOULD BE OUT OF POCKET.
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ONE EVENING, MY CAR MADE AN ALARMING CHIMING NOISE TO SIGNAL ME THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I THEN SAW THE WORDS "POWER STEERING" APPEAR ON MY DISPLAY. AT THAT VERY MOMENT MY STEERING WHEEL FROZE UP TO WHERE I BASICALLY COULD NOT MOVE IT ANY MORE. I COULD NOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT, WHICH FORCED ME TO KEEP STRAIGHT. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND HAD TO KEEP GOING UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A STOP, TURN MY CAR OFF AND BACK ON, THEN IT ALLOWED ME TO DRIVE HOME. FROM THAT POINT ON, MY STEERING WHEEL ITSELF HAS BEGAN TO TWIST AND TURN BACK AND FORTH WHILE VIBRATING, WITH NO ASSISTANCE FROM ME, AND IT DOES THIS ALL WHILE I'M DRIVING. I'M FORCED TO BASICALLY HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL WITH A TIGHT GRIP TO KEEP IT STRAIGHT. SINCE THAT DAY, MY POWER STEERING HAS WENT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING ABOUT 4 OR 5 TIMES, AND MORE THAN THAT IF YOU COUNT WHEN I FIRST START IT UP IN THE MORNING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN IN WHICH THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY SERVICED MY VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM ON 11/26/16... WHICH WAS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, SO I AM NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN, DUE TO A POSTCARD I RECEIVED ABOUT A FEW RECALLS, I WAS NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING WHAT SO EVER. I AM ABOUT 3 MONTHS SHORT OF A YEAR AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IF THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXED PROPERLY, HOW IT WOULD BECOME A PROBLEM FOR ME SO QUICK! I HAVE 2 CHILDREN I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR AND I RELY HEAVILY ON MY VEHICLE. FROM READING ONLINE, THIS IS A SERIOUS, COMMON, AND VERY WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM. AS STATED BEFORE, AT THE TIME THEY SAY THAT THEY SERVICED IT, IT WAS NOT AN ISSUE FOR ME. SO IS IT COMMON FOR THIS TYPE OF WORK TO GO BAD WITHIN A YEAR? I REALLY NEED MY CAR AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY THE HIGH COST FOR THIS REPAIR, BUT MOST IMPORTANT I CAN NOT RISK DRIVING MY CHILDREN AROUND IN A VEHICLE THAT IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. I NEED HELP
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY USING THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE CRUISE CONTROL SUDDENLY WENT OFF AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE TRANSMISSION CYLINDER WAS OFF, I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AND RESEARCHED RECALLS ON THIS CAR THROUGH THE SAFECAR.COM WEBSITE AND SAW A TRANSMISSION RELATED RECALL (RECALL NUMBER 14152). I CALLED THE ASSOCIATED GM RECALL CENTER TOLD THEM MY ISSUE AND GAVE THEM THE RECALL NUMBER. THE REPRESENTATIVE PULLED UP THE RECALL DESCRIPTION FOR RECALL NUMBER 14152 AND THE CONSEQUENCES LISTED IN THE GM DIRECTORY WERE NOT THE SAME LANGUAGE AS THE CONSEQUENCES ON SAFECAR.GOV. SHE COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHY THE DESCRIPTION WAS NOT THE SAME IN THE GM DIRECTORY AS THE GOVERNMENT SAFECAR WEBSITE AND I FOUND THAT DISTURBING. SO THAT IS MY FIRST COMPLAINT--THE GM SYSTEM AND NATIONAL WEBSITE ARE NOT IN ACCORDANCE. SECONDLY, MY CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY AND THE TRANSMISSION CYLINDER IN MY CAR IS OFF, UNDER MY VIN THE CAR HAD THE TRANSMISSION RECALL FIXED IN 2015 BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. 3 YEARS LATER AND THERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT THAT IF THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR MULTIPLE PEOPLE A TRANSMISSION RECALL BE DONE ON THE "FIX" AND THAT COST OF FIXUPS BE RESTITUTED BY GM. HAVE OTHER "FIXED" MALIBU RECALLS BEEN AN ISSUE? THANK YOU.
THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, CITY STREET, TURNING. THE STEERING WHEEL WPULD TURN THE OPPOSITE WAY THAT I HAD TO TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD ALSO LOCK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO THE WALL. WHEN I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE TGE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE AND TURN BY ITSELF. I JUST DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS 9 RECALL NOTICES FROM 06/27/2014 TO 02/23/2015. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT OWNED UP TO THESE RECALLS. DUE TO MULTIPLE OF THESE RECALLS MY TWO CHILDREN (AGES [XXX] AND [XXX]), MY HUSBAND, AND MY LIFE (PREGNANT) COULD HAVE BEEN LOST DUE TO AN ALMOST VEHICLE COLLISION DUE TO THESE RECALLS. 06/27/2014 RECALL FOR TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. 06/27/2014 RECALL FOR POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT. 08/18/2014 RECALL FOR SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:SWITCHES:BRAKE LIGHT. 08/18/2014 RECALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING. 08/18/2014 RECALL EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS. 08/18/2014 RECALL VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL. 08/18/2014 RECALL ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL. 09/08/2014 RECAL FOR STEERING. 02/23/2015 RECAL FOR STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*CC
TL* THE CONTACT'S FATHER OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE CONTACT'S FATHER WAS DRIVING, HE WAS PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE BECAUSE THE CENTER THIRD BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO WORK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HEDRICK'S CHEVROLET (961 W SHAW AVE, CLOVIS, CA 93612, (559) 512-6549) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LAMP MALFUNCTIONED AND THE WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CALL NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
CAR DOES NOT START/ CRANK WHEN TURNING KEY TO START, BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED AND GAUGES WORK. POWER STEERING IS ILLUMINATED ON RADIO. WHEN LAST DRIVING STEERING FELT LOOSE AND NOISY. ERROR WHERE ODEMETER MILEAGE IS.WHEN TRYING TO START .
WHILE DRIVING YOU CAN FEEL STEERING TIGHTENING UP AND A SLIGHT HUM ESPECIALLY MAKING LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS, GAS GAUGE GOES UP AND DOWN FROM FULL TO EMPTY CONSTANTLY, ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON BECAUSE OF GAS CAP REPLACED 4 TIMES WORKS FOR AWHILE LONGEST WAS ABOUT A MONTH, ALSO STAYS ON BECAUSE OF DUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATING CONSTANTLY.
2007 CHEVY MALIBU ELECTRICAL HELL MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY FINE ASIDE FROM THE POWER STEERING RECALL THAT WAS FIXED ON IT. THEN ABOUT 4 MONTHS LATER MY CAR CRANKS BUT DOESN'T START! I WAS DRIVING IT 20 MINS PRIOR AND THEN THIS HAPPENS. THE RADIO,THE LIGHTS, THE HORN AND THE DINGING WITH THE DOOR OPEN, ALL STILL WORKED. UNSUCCESSFULLY TRYING TO START IT I LEFT IT ALONE TO GET TOWED. 5 DAYS LATER I RECEIVED MY CAR BACK SAYING IT STARTED JUST FINE THEY CAN'T DETECT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT, BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T READ THE CODE IT GAVE OUT, AND TO KEEP NOTES OF WEIRD THINGS TO BRING IT BACK IN. IN DOING SO MY CAR WAS FINE FOR A MONTH AND A HALF, THEY'RE WERE NO ISSUES. THE NEXT TIME MY CAR DID THE CRANK AND NO START I NOTICED THE SECURITY ICON LIGHTING UP, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT I LEFT MY RADIO AND AIR ON. IT'S LATE AT NIGHT, I'M ALONE AND MY CAR IS FAILING ME, AFTER TRYING FOR 15 MINUTES I GOT MY CAR TO START. THE THIRD TIME IS THE WORST TIME, BY THIS POINT IT'S ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER THE 2ND INCIDENT. SAME SCENARIO, JUST DROVE IT 20 MINS PRIOR AND IT WAS FINE, THEN ANOTHER CRANK NO START FOR HOURS. EVEN TRIED TO LEAVE MY KEY IN TO IGNITION. AFTER HOURS I GOT IT TO START AND MAKING IT HOME THE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND CAME TO A COMPLETE HALT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EXTREMELY BUSY STREET, PUTTING ON MY BRAKE LIGHTS I AVOIDED GETTING REAR ENDED. I TOOK THE KEY OUT AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT STARTED SOMEHOW. AFTER GETTING IT HOME I HAVEN'T DRIVEN IT SINCE AND A NUMBER OF MORE ISSUES STARTED HAPPENING. MY LOCKS HAVE NOW STARTED TO MAKE AN OBNOXIOUS BUZZING NOISE WHEN GETTING UNLOCKED, THE SERVICE AIR BAG NOTIFICATION WILL LIGHT-UP ON THE DASH AND DISAPPEAR QUICKLY, ALL ICONS LIGHT UP ON DASHBOARD , SECURITY ICON FLASHES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, CAR WILL NOT START ON CRANK, RADIO FADES OUT AND COMES BACK ON, HORN IS A FAINT NOISE. READING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS THIS IS AN OUTRAGE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE, WHICH CAUSED THE POWER STEERING TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING SEIZED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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