RoadVitals

2007 Chevrolet Malibu Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jan 31, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
<1%
of 977 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 9 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.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

SteeringTransmission
Filed Jan 31, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE TORQUE SENSOR ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD THE TORQUE SENSOR ASSEMBLY REPAIRED LESS THAN TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ALSO ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SPITZER CHEVROLET AMHERST (200 N LEAVITT RD IN AMHERST, OH) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE SENSOR ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID
11066013
Incident
Jan 10, 2018
Mileage
180,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Jul 24, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FRACTURED TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V224000(POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA ID
10615993
Incident
Jul 10, 2014
Mileage
96,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed May 22, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO RELEASE FROM PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE CONTACT'S HOME. A PRIVATE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE, WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER CABLE HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID
10593332
Incident
Jan 1, 2013
Mileage
100,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Sep 21, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND PARKED, WITH THE KEY REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHEN IT BEGAN TO ROLL AWAY IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT ENTERED VEHICLE AND APPLIED THE BRAKES HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT REMAIN SECURED IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIANS DIAGNOSED A FAILURE WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 144,000. UPDATED 11/13/12 *CN THE SHIFT CABLE WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 11/19/12

NHTSA ID
10476627
Incident
Sep 6, 2012
Mileage
143,500 mi
AirbagsFuel systemTransmission
Filed Jul 13, 2010
Crash reported

MY 4 YEAR OLD SON WAS IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME HELPING TO CLEAN OUT THE CAR WHEN HE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE WITHOUT ANY KEYS OR ANYTHING. LUCKILY, I WAS IN THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR BACK INTO PARK BUT ONLY AFTER IT HIT A FENCE AND DAMAGED THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. I AM ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE WHILE THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING AND THERE WERE NO KEYS IN IT. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE I WAS ABLE TO LEAVE IT IN DRIVE AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND TAKING THE KEYS OUT. IT WILL ALSO ALLOW YOU TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE FIRST. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPUTER RELATED ISSUES THAT HAVE ALSO BEGAN TO HAPPEN SUCH AS THE GAS GAUGE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. IT SAYS THAT I AM ON EMPTY WHEN IN FACT THE TANK IS FULL. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR SWITCHES BACK AND FORTH FROM ON TO OFF SO I NEVER KNOW IF MY AIR BAG IS ACTUALLY ON OR OFF. ALL OF THESE ISSUES OCCUR ON A DAILY BASIS. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10342944
Incident
Apr 4, 2010
Mileage
50,000 mi
EngineTransmission
Filed Mar 26, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR HAD TO BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL SO THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD START UP. THE SHIFT LINKAGE MALFUNCTIONED WHICH CAUSED THE INABILITY TO SHIFT GEARS. FURTHERMORE, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD BEEN REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMNATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN DRIVABLE CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP REGARDING THE SHIFT LINKAGE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 91,000.

NHTSA ID
10322299
Incident
Mar 19, 2010
Mileage
91,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 24, 2009

I HAVE A 2007 CHEVY MALIBU THAT SHUDDERS AND WANTS TO JERK FORWARD WHEN I COME TO A STOP. THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE AND I ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS; ALWAYS AFTER A TRIP OF MORE THAN 50 MILES. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS ON A TRIP TO LAS VEGAS WHEN WE GOT OFF THE FREEWAY. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AND AFTER WAITING 45 MINUTES, HE RAN SOME TESTS AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WE DROVE HOME TO CA AND THE SAME THING OCCURRED WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE FIRST STOP. TWO WEEKS AGO WE DROVE 98 MILES TO MOORE PARK AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. LAST WEEK WE DROVE 48 MILES TO VICTORVILLE AND THE CAR KEPT SHUDDERING AT EVERY STOP SIGN AND TRAFFIC LIGHT WE CAME TO. IT DOES SO WHEN I DECELERATE AND START HITTING THE BRAKES. ACTS LIKE IT IS SEARCHING FOR GEARS AND WANTS TO LUNGE FORWARD OR PULL AWAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER YESTERDAY APRIL 23 AND AFTER PUTTING OUT $98, THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I CALLED GM YESTERDAY AND THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE ADVISOR WAS OF NO HELP. NOW I KNOW WHY AMERICAN CAR MANUFACTURERS ARE IN TROUBLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10266599
Incident
Apr 4, 2009
Mileage
57,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Dec 20, 2007

I PURCHASED MY 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU IN MARCH '07. FOR THE PAST MONTH OR SO I HAD BEEN HEARING A POPPING NOISE WHEN I WOULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I CALLED BARTOW CHEVROLET AND ASKED THEM IF ANYONE ELSE HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END ON THE MALIBU'S. THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD INFORMED ME THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT THEIR VEHICLES IN. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AND TOOK MY CAR THIS MORNING TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THEY REPLACED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. AFTER THAT WAS REPLACED ONE OF THE MECHANICS TEST DROVE THE CAR AND STILL HEARD A POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK NEXT WEEK SO THEY CAN ALSO REPLACE THE BUSHINGS IN THE FRONT END. *TR

NHTSA ID
10212431
Incident
Dec 20, 2007
Mileage
15,422 mi
BrakesTransmission
Filed Oct 18, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. ALL OTHER GEARS WERE SMOOTH AND QUIET. THREE SEPARATE SERVICE DEALERS HAD INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND WERE AWARE OF THE KNOCKING SOUND, BUT INFORMED THE CONTACT THE NOISE WAS COMMON WITH THE VEHICLE AND WOULD DIMINISH WITH TIME. COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF A VIBRATION WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE DEALER RESURFACED THE ROTORS. UPDATED 12/01/06 *JB

NHTSA ID
10171238
Incident
Oct 18, 2006
Mileage
2,048 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .