What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2004 Chevrolet Malibu

Typical pattern

16.2% of complaints about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2004 vehicle — around the middle of the 236 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.0 yr in service. The most-reported system is steering (926 complaints), typically at 6.4 yr or about 62,158 miles.

Complaints
1,622
Median age at failure
7.0 yr
Median mileage
70,000 n=1298
Crash / fire / tow
5.6% of reports
Safety recalls
9

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Steering
926 reports · 62,158 mi
6.4 yr
3.7%
Electrical system
154 reports · 90,000 mi
8.9 yr
5.8%
Exterior lighting
89 reports · 70,000 mi
5.1 yr
5.6%
Seats
68 reports · 96,000 mi
9.6 yr
0%
Power train
66 reports · 100,000 mi
10.0 yr
9.1%
Suspension
30 reports · 36,300 mi
2.6 yr
0%
Service brakes
30 reports · 100,000 mi
10.7 yr
23.3%
Service brakes, hydraulic
27 reports · 15,000 mi
1.3 yr
7.4%
Air bags
27 reports · 91,000 mi
9.9 yr
55.6%
Speed control
26 reports · 91,000 mi
10.7 yr
11.5%
Electronic stability control (esc)
21 reports · 129,662 mi
11.1 yr
4.8%
Engine cooling
19 reports · 33,751 mi
2.1 yr
0%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

14E044000 2014-07-21
Steering

Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers 425-167, 2425167, and 7-3074, for installation on 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6, and 2007-2009 Saturn Aura vehicles. The affected steering shafts may have a yoke that inadequately supports the u-joint bearing resulting in a premature failure.

A joint bearing that fails prematurely may cause separation of the u-joint resulting in a complete loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

14V252000 2014-05-14
Electrical system:wiring

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

Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

14V224000 2014-04-30
Power train:automatic transmission

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 r

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

14V153000 2014-03-31
Steering:electric power assist system

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

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.

11E009000 2011-02-28
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

TI AUTOMOTIVE IS RECALLING CERTAIN FUEL PUMPS, PART NUMBERS TU456 AND TU303, SOLD UNDER VARIOUS BRAND NAMES AS AFTERMARKET AND REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE MOTOR VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP MAY SEIZE, STOPPING THE FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE CREATING A STALLING CONDITION.

A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL WHILE IN USE.

09E012000 2009-04-07
Exterior lighting

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

04V190000 2004-04-19
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module

SOME OF THESE PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) THAT MAY CALCULATE A HIGHER THAN ACTUAL VEHICLE SPEED BECAUSE OF AN ERRATIC REAR-WHEEL SPEED SENSOR SIGNAL, AND CAUSE ABS ACTIVATION WHERE IT IS NOT NEEDED OR NEEDED ABS ACTIVATION TO BE EXTENDED DURING BRAKING AS THE VEHICLE SPEED DROPS TO ABOUT 3 MPH.

UNEXPECTED ABS ACTIVIATION COULD INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE UP TO ABOUT 11 FEET DPENDING ON THE GRADE OF THE ROAD, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

04V188000 2004-04-16
Seat belts:front:anchorage

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, ANALYSIS OF AN A SIDE IMPACT CRASH TEST CONDUCTED BY THE NHTSA;S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) INDICATED THAT THE OUTBOARD ANCHORAGE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT COULD DISCONNECT BECAUSE OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE SEAT TRIM AND THE ANCHORAGE CONNECTOR WHEN THE SEAT WAS ADJUSTED TO ITS LOWEST POSITION.

IF THIS OCCURRED IN A CRASH, THE DRIVER COULD RECEIVE GREATER INJURIES.

04V094000 2004-02-24
Equipment:other:labels

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD (FMVSS) NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." SOME OF THESE VEHICLES THAT WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM (AORS) HAVE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISORS WITH AORS LABELS. THE AORS LABELS DO NOT INCLUDE STATEMENTS AND THE ILLUSTRATION REQUIRED BY FMVSS NO. 208 FOR VEHICLES WITHOUT AORS.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system 3,035 mi 0 mo in service
AFTER PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT BECAME STUCK AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RELEASED RIGHT AWAY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN THE POWER STEER LOCKED UP, THE CONSUMER HAD TROUBLE TURNING THE WHEEL. *CB *JB STEERING COLUMN AND STEERING POSITION SENSOR REPLACEDCW. PE04031_CAT
Electrical system mileage not reported 2 mo in service
KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION, WILL NOT COME OUT. CHEVY SERVICE BUFFED KEY, GRAPHITED LOCK, BUT STILL THE KEY IS GETTING STUCK! SERVICE SAID THERE IS NOTHING MORE THEY CAN DO WHICH IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!!! IT'S A BRAND NEW CAR!!*AK
Electrical system 129 mi 9 mo in service
TRAVELING DOWN STREET AT LOW SPEED WHEN A SUDDEN BUT LIGHT JOLT FROM THE ENGINE IS FELT. MOMENTS LATER SLOWING DOWN FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT TOTAL LOSE OF ELECTRICAL POWER. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. VEHICLE IS IN FOR REPAIRS ON THIS DATE. *AK EA04018_CAT
Steering 3,035 mi 0 mo in service
AFTER PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT BECAME STUCK AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RELEASED RIGHT AWAY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN THE POWER STEER LOCKED UP, THE CONSUMER HAD TROUBLE TURNING THE WHEEL. *CB *JB STEERING COLUMN AND STEERING POSITION SENSOR REPLACEDCW. PE04031_CAT

Other Malibu model years

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