Page 7 of 7 · complaints 301–326 of 326

2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2005 record →

Steering
Filed Dec 3, 200624,000 milesFL

MALIBU MAXX WITH 24,000 MILES I STARTED HEARING A POPPING OR CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE GEARS IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND SAID THEY FIXED. A WEEK LATER THE SAME NOISE WAS BACK. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY THEN SAID THAT THEY HAD TO ORDER A NEW RACK FOR THE STEERING. THE RACK WAS REPLACED A FEW DAYS LATER. THESE REPAIRS (ALONG WITH A LONG LIST OF OTHER REPAIRS INCLUDING REPLACING THE GAS TAKE) WERE COMPLETED ON 7/18/2006. NOW DECEMBER 3RD 2006 I AM HEARING THE SAME NOISE AND WILL HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK THIS WEEK. I DRIVE THIS CAR 60 MILES EVERYDAY AND AM VERY CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. *JB

Steering › Electric Power Assist System
Filed Dec 2, 200621,000 milesMS

WE BOUGHT OUR MALIBU MAXX IN FEB. OF 2005. STARTED HAVE IN PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING, IN OCT 05. THERE WAS A KNOCKING-CLUNKING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP IN DEC. OF 05. WE WHERE TOLD THERE WAS NO FIX FOR IT AT THAT TIME BUT ONE WOULD BE AVAILABLE THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR. AT THE TIME WE HAD 21,000 MILES ON THE CAR. FINALLY IN THE 3RD QUARTER OF THE YEAR THEY HAD A "FIX". THE INTERMEDIATE STEER SHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE "FIX" LASTED ONLY 3,000 MILES BEFORE THEY HAD TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. THIS "FIX" AGAIN ONLY LASTED 3,000 MILES. WE HAVE ASKED GM TO REPLACE THE CAR AND HAVE BEEN TOLD WE HAVE TOO MANY MILES ON THE CAR. 41,000 MILES. WE FEEL SINCE THE CAR CAN NOT BE FIXED AND THAT WE WAITED AS ASKED BY GM, THAT GM SHOULD REPLACE THE CAR OR GIVE US THE VALUE OF THE CAR WHEN WE FIRST STARTED HAVING THE PROBLEM. *NM

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed Nov 21, 2006NY

2005 MALIBU ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED IN REVERSE. *TS

Electrical System › Starter Assembly
Filed Nov 16, 2006MI

MY VEHICLE IS A 2005 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX. THE VEHICLE DOESN'T ALWAYS TURN OVER. I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE IN THE SHOP A COUPLE OF TIMES TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM AND THE CHEVY DEALER CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. I WILL TRY TO START MY VEHICLE BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS CRANK OVER. IT WILL CHUG A LOT AND THEN STALL OUT. OTHER TIMES IT WILL CHUG AND ACT LIKE IT WILL STALL AND THEN TURN OVER. SOMETIMES IT TAKES 2-3 TIMES FOR ME TO TRY AND GET THE VEHICLE TO START. I CALLED MY SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE CHEVY DEALER EVERY TIME IT HAPPENED AND THE ONLY COMMON FACTOR WAS THAT IT WAS HAPPENING EVERY 800-1000 MILES APPROXIMATELY. IT DIDN'T MATTER HOW COLD OR HOT IT WAS, WET OR DRY. IT HAS BEEN AWFUL! NOTHING HAS BEEN REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE TO TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM WITH IT STARTING. MY CAN HAS JUST OVER 32500 MILES AND IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE MOST RECENT TIME WAS LATE SEPTEMBER 2006. I AM NOT SURE ON THE EXACT DATE THAT I CALLED MY CAR DEALER. I ALSO TOOK MY VEHICLE IN ON 9-12-06 FOR A POPPING SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEN TURNING. WE FOUND OUT THAT THE CENTER STEERING SHAFT WAS BROKE. IT WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERIOR FRONT BLINKER NOT WORKING BUT THE EXTERIOR DID. THEN SHORTLY AFTER THE LEFT FRONT BLINKER BLEW. *JB

Exterior Lighting › Turn Signal
Filed Nov 14, 200629,999 milesNY

THE TURN SIGNALS KEEP BURNING OUT. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERS BUT WAS TOLD THAT MY WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT. SO I AM STUCK BUYING LIGHTS ALMOST EVERY WEEK. *NM

Steering › Rack and Pinion › Rack
Filed Nov 13, 200643,000 milesTN

STEERING POP WHEN TURNING CAR, ON 2005 MALIBU MAXX. *JB

Steering
Filed Oct 12, 200636,500 milesTN

STEERING LOCK AND KNOCKS WHEN TURNING THE CAR. VEHICLE HAS 44000 MILES ON IT. STARTED ABOUT THE TIME THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. *NM

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Sep 21, 2006MI

I WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2006. I WAS TRAVELING WEST BOUND ON LAKETON RD. THERE WAS A CAR COMING EASTBOUND IN MY LANE. I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO TURN ONTO THE STREET I WAS TURNING, BUT BY THE TIME I FIGURED OUT HE WAS COMING AT ME, IT WAS TOO LATE TO GET IN ANOTHER LANE OR GET AWAY FROM BEING HIT. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SINCE THE CRASH, I'VE BEEN HAVING BACK PAIN. *JB

Steering › Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)
Filed Sep 21, 200634,500 milesID

CLUNKING IN STEERING AGAIN. DEALERSHIP SAID THE STEERING BOX 'NEW IMPROVED" WENT OUT AND SAID THAT THE NOISE IS COMING IN FROM INSIDE OF THE BOX. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT KEEPS GOING OUT. THIS IS THE THIRD STEERING BOX. MALIBU ONLY HAS 34,500 MILES. DEALERSHIP TIGHTENED STEERING WHILE WAITING FOR THE NEW BOX. THE CAR WOULD NOT STRAIGHTEN FROM MINOR CORRECTIONS. IF YOU TURN TO THE LEFT IT WOULD KEEP GOING LEFT AND IF YOU CORRECTED IT WOULD GO TO TOWARD THE OPPOSITE SIDE INTO ONCOMING VEHICLES. RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP TOLD THEM IT WAS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND COULDN'T DRIVE IT. THEY FINALLY GAVE ME A RENTAL CAR. APPROXIMATE DATE 8 OF 06. *NM

Suspension
Filed Sep 14, 200629,000 milesVA

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION AND STEERING COLUMN, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. UPDATED *JB

Steering › Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)
Filed Sep 11, 200631,122 milesID

CLUNKING NOISE IN STEERING WHEN TURNING LEFT TO RIGHT. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED AND SAID STEERING GEAR BOX IS BAD. ONLY 33,122 MILES. *NM

Structure
Filed Aug 5, 2006CA

THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER PANEL OF MY CHEVROLET 2005 MALIBU IS NOT READABLE WHENEVER SUNLIGHT IS PRESENT. THE PANEL IS TOO DIMLY LIT TO BE READ BY THE DRIVER UNTIL YOU SHADE THE PANEL WITH YOUR HAND OR A MAP AND PLACE YOUR FACE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF IT. THIS CANNOT BE DONE WHILE DRIVING. THE SEVENTEEN WARNING MESSAGES THAT CAN BE GENERATED BY THE VEHICLE COMPUTER CAN ONLY BE PROVIDED TO THE DRIVER BY THE DIC PANEL DISPLAY. FIVE OF THESE WARNINGS ARE CRITICAL TO SAFETY. AFTER SUNDOWN, THE VEHICLE SENSOR ACTIVATES THE HEADLIGHTS AND ACTIVATES A RHEOSTAT ON THE DASH WHICH ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO SET DIC PANEL LIGHT INTENSITY ANYWHERE HE OR SHE WISHES SO READABILITY IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM. *JB

Suspension
Filed Jul 29, 2006ID

FRONT SUSPENSION IS CLUNKY AS IF THERE ARE LOOSE-FITTED PARTS. FRONT BRAKES PULSATE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS CAUSING STEERING DIFFICULTY IN CORNERS. *JB

Steering › Rack and Pinion
Filed Jun 15, 200632,000 milesKY

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS A POPPING OR KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 07/03/06. *JB

Steering › Rack and Pinion
Filed Jun 13, 200636,020 milesMO

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING COLUMN SHAKES AND LOCKS. THIS OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE STEERING RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

Steering › Electric Power Assist System
Filed Jun 12, 200630,000 milesOK

RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM. CONSTANT NOISES AND DETERIORATING STEERING CONDITION. PURCHASED VEHICLE IN MARCH AND HAVE HAD IT SERVICED FOR RELATED PROBLEM 3 TIMES IN 3 MONTHS. *JB

Steering1 injured
Filed Jun 12, 2006TX

2005 MALIBU MAXX HYDRAULIC SEAT MALFUNCTIONED AND THE BACK SEAT UNLOCKED. *KB ***NAR*** THE DRIVERS SEAT WOULD NOT STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. DUE TO THE MISALIGNMENT OF THE SEAT, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED RECURRING RIGHT KNEE JOINT PAIN AND INFLAMMATION, WHICH REQUIRED EMERGENCY MEDIAL CARE AND ULTIMATELY SURGERY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE MALFUNCTION OF THE SEAT IS WHAT CAUSED HER KNEE INJURY. THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WAS REPLACED. *JB

Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
Filed May 31, 200613,000 milesNJ

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE MOON ROOF VIBRATED VIOLENTLY ALONG WITH THE ENTIRE ROOF ANYTIME THE REAR WINDOWS WERE DOWN. THE PROBLEM IS MORE OBVIOUS AT SPEEDS OF 65-75MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED IT WAS NORMAL FOR VIBRATION TO OCCUR WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO ALERTED OF THE POTENTIAL HAZARD. *AK

Suspension
Filed Feb 22, 200616,500 milesPA

MY CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX (2005, 17K MILES) FREQUENTLY HAS A CLUNKING NOISE THAT APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION. THE NOISE IS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY THE FEELING OF A "HIT" UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S FEET AND ON OCCASION SEEMS TO BE CONNECTED TO A STEERING INPUT (STEERING WHEEL MOVES NOTABLY). THIS HAPPENS ONLY AT LOWER SPEEDS (BELOW APPROX. 35 MILES/HOUR) AND DURING OR AFTER LEFT TURNS AND IS ESPECIALLY STRONG ON UNEVEN ROADS. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CERTIFIED CHEVROLET DEALER FOR REPAIR AND HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS CLUNKING IS RELATED TO A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMITTENT SHAFT OF THE STEERING, THAT THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN TO CHEVROLET AND HAS BEEN ASSIGNED THE NUMBER PIC3747, AND THAT NO REPAIR IS POSSIBLE AT THIS TIME. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE NO DATA INDICATING THAT THIS PROBLEM IS AT THE SAME TIME A SAFETY ISSUE. BUT AS I HAVE A NOTABLE STEERING INPUT, AND AS THE CONSTANT CLUNKING IS ALSO INTERFERING WITH CONCENTRATION, I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THUS FILED THIS COMPLAINT REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. *JB

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash
Filed Feb 2, 20066,700 milesMO

UPON STARTING THE CAR, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS COMPLETELY DOWN EXCEPT FOR THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT HOWEVER THE CAR HAD A FULL TANK. POWER WOULD RETURN TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL WAS ENGAGED. THE FAULT CLEARED AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES. *NM

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Dec 23, 2005CA

IGNITION TENDS TO STICK AND CAUSES THE SOLENOID TO GRIND W/FLYWHEEL. I JUST RECEIVED A COPY OF A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM G.M. STATING THEY ARE AWARE OF A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME THE ENGINEERS WILL CONTINUE TO WOK ON A SOLUTION. *JB

Steering
Filed Nov 19, 200515,721 milesMO

POWER STEERING FAILED 2 TIMES IN LAST 3 DAYS AND BOTH TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED I WAS STOPPED. I HAD NO POWER ASSIST AND IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT TO MOVE THE WHEEL IN ANY DIRECTION. AFTER I DID MOVE THE WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES I REGAINED POWER STEERING AND WAS ABLE TO PROCEED ON MY WAY. I THINK THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE UPGRADED TO A RECALL ASAP! *JB

Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist System
Filed Sep 6, 200513,480 milesNC

OUR 2005 CHEVY MALIBU HAS HAD STEERING ISSUES SINCE IT WAS NEW. THE DEALER AND GM HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT AS OF YET. THE CAR HAS A CONSTANT PULL TO THE LEFT AND ON OCCASION (4 TIMES) THE CAR WILL VEER TO THE LEFT CROSSING LANES BEFORE YOU CAN GET CONTROL AND BRING IT BACK IT TO THE CORRECT DRIVING LANE. THE REPAIR SO FAR HAS BEEN TO REPROGRAM THE STEERING MODULE OR REPLACE IT. THIS HAS NOT WORKED AND IS WHAT THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO AGAIN. *JB

Steering › Electric Power Assist System
Filed Apr 4, 20051,000 milesWI

THERE WERE NO EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO THE FAILIURES. I HAVE THE PAPER WORK OF THE TWO TIMES I 'VE TAKEN MY CARE TO BE REPAIRED. THE DATE I INIDATE BELOW IS NOT ACCURATE HOWEVER, JUST AN ESTIMATED DATE.*AK THE FAILURE WAS THE ELECTRIC POWER STEARING HAS GONE OUT NUMEROUS TIMES. I'VE HAD IT IN TEH SHOP TWICE. THE FIRST TIME, THEY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN, THE SECOND TIME, THEY CLAIMED ITS NOT THE STEERING COLUMN, BUT THAT IT IS SOMETHING THEY CAN'T FIX BUT CAN CLEAR OUT THE "CODES" AND IT WILL BE "TEMPORARLY" FIXED. ACCORDING TO GM " THEY KNOW THE PROBLEM EXISTS IN THIS TYPE OF CAR BUT ARE UNABLE TO FIX IT" THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THE THAT THE STEERING IS PULLING TO THE LEFT. THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC CLAIMED IT BE TORQUE STEERING AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX THAT AS ITS "NORMAL" I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE PULL TO THE LEFT SO MUCH AS THIS CAR DOES. THEY ROTATED MY TIRES TO SEE IF THAT WOULD WORK BUT IT DIDN'T.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jan 13, 2005350 milesFL

CAR IS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS OLD AND UNDER 400 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. CONSTANT STALLING AND EVENTUALLY DIFFICULT TO START. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER SERVICE DEPT HAS DETERMINED THAT THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AWAITING DELIVERY OF REPLACEMENT PART. *NM

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipCrash1 injured
Filed Nov 16, 20048,000 milesMI

WHILE DRIVING 68 MPH AND HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO CONTROL; VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND VEHICLE ROLLED OVER INTO A DITCH. *AK RENTAL VEHICLE FROM ENTERPRISE CONTRACT #113732

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

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