2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx Suspension Problems

“Ball joint worn out in vehicle at little over 50k miles--had to replace lower ball joint and control arm. Very light and small in size for such a powerful v6 fwd---I suspect not heavy enough for this vehicle--have found many others with same problem. Lucky that as a former service mgr. I recognized steering problem or could have been an uncontrolled crash possible---called GM---they said normal wear and tear---I have had several other GM products and all ball joints lasted about 100k miles.”

“2005 Malibu Maxx hatchback / v6 / at 30,000 miles on odometer steering problems intermittent for a month, mechanic could find no code when I took it to him and he drove to confirm with power steering having failed - dealer knew right away and replaced the entire steering column although no failed parts were provided to me - power steering still seems weak at times of low RPM - now at 32,000 miles both front bottom ball joints need replacing - they are a sealed unit with no grease fittings. Toyota isn't the only manufacture with safety problems.”

“My husband and I purchased a used certified 2005 Malibu Maxx in july of 2006, by the time the weather got cold, I noticed a clunking noise in the front end. It was taken in to the dealership and they replaced the steering box. The second time was in march 07, they could not verify the noise, then again in april I took the car back and they replaced a front sway bar link. The noise is still there. It gets so much worse in cold weather it can be really scary on the highway, it also has a inconsistent pull to the left and has been aligned, and tires rotated to no avail. …”

“I own a 2005 Malibu Maxx and after one year old it began making clunking noises in the front. I took it to the dealership and they said they had to replace a part of the steering shaft. They did what they did and the noise was gone. They also replaced struts. A few months later it did it again. This time they replaced tie rod ends. By this time my warranty had expired. Then 2 months later it did it again! They lubed something and now it has been 8 months and it has not returned yet. Now my engine light is on and I keep getting a message to check my gas cap. I check it and nothing is wrong.”

“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. …”