2007 Chevrolet Malibu Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year report electric power steering problems far more than anything else — the assist drops out at random, often with a warning message, and the wheel can become very hard to turn until the car is restarted. Many complaints also describe the steering wheel shuddering, jerking or vibrating. A second, smaller cluster covers electrical faults (body control module, gauges, no-start conditions), fuel gauge and fuel delivery trouble, and airbag warning messages tied to the passenger seat sensor.

1. 1
   Steering

   Electric power steering assist cuts out

   • 527 complaints (54%)
   • median 106,650 mi at 8.2 yrs old (461 state mileage)
   • 16 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 30 quotes)
   • filed 2007–2026

   The most common report by far: the power steering assist quits while driving or right after start-up, the wheel suddenly needs heavy effort, and a "Power Steering" message appears on the instrument panel. Many owners say restarting the car restores assist, sometimes only for a few miles, and the failure repeats. Complaints also describe the steering wheel jerking, shaking or veering on its own, and some say a dealer or independent shop replaced the steering column, torque sensor or power steering motor without a lasting fix. Several owners note that their VIN was not included in the power steering campaign. Reported across a wide mileage range from under 40,000 to over 200,000 miles, on both city streets and highways; one complaint ties it to temperatures below about 50°F.

   Recall 15V064000

   What to check: On a test drive, watch for a "Power Steering" message and try steering at parking speeds; ask whether the car has had the power steering assist repair under campaign 15V064000 and keep the receipt. Have a shop scan for steering control module and torque sensor codes before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Loss of power streering. Driving on the freeway and the power steering stopped working. Got off the freeway and used back roads to get home safely. Looking up recalls, I wondered why my vehicle is not on it. Even though it was the same year for the recall issued for chev Malibu with the same thing happening with the power steering going out.”

   NHTSA complaint #11402675, filed 2021-03, 96,000 miles

   “I was driving and my power steering went out making it extremely difficult to turn the wheel. I had to pull over turn the car off and the problem stopped for a few miles then happened again. My steering wheel is now shaking and pulling to one side without being touched. This problem has happened on both city streets and highways, as well as when I start the car.”

   NHTSA complaint #11300774, filed 2020-01, 40,000 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Steering wheel shake and judder

   • 147 complaints (15%)
   • median 112,500 mi at 8.5 yrs old (120 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,199 (median of 11 quotes)
   • filed 2009–2026

   Separate from the assist dropping out, owners describe the steering wheel vibrating or shaking while stopped, while driving, or right after start-up, occasionally with a ticking or clunking sound when turning. Some say it pulls to one side without input. Shops have diagnosed the electric power steering unit, control module or torque sensor, and repairs were sometimes repeated without ending the vibration. Appears from roughly 40,000 miles upward, at idle and at highway speeds, and sometimes immediately after starting the engine.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Start the car and watch the steering wheel at idle, then drive at highway speed and feel for shake or wander. Ask whether the steering column, motor or torque sensor has been replaced and whether the shake returned afterward.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The power steering will occasionally not work when you start the car but if you turn it off and start it up again it will work. I'll occasionally get a burning smell through my vents and my steering wheel will periodically shake as well.. I recently bout new tires over the summer and it stopped happening so I thought nothing of it but after washing my car the other day it started doing it again”

   NHTSA complaint #11292388, filed 2020-01, 200,000 miles

   “The Malibu steering wheel shakes while running while stopped and sometimes while driving locks up and stops allowing me to turn, this has happened while driving on city streets as well as on the highway and it is impossible to steer when the steering wheel doesn't turn. I have seen reports that the electronic steering assistance is recalled on newer models of this Malibu but I am having the same issue on this one and I am upset that Chevrolet didn't recall all of the vehicles with this same system and issues.”

   NHTSA complaint #11405192, filed 2021-03, 149,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults: no-start, gauges and body control module

   • 77 complaints (8%)
   • median 115,000 mi at 8.1 yrs old (55 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $455 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2024

   Owners report the car cranking but not starting, intermittent no-crank with the security light on, and clusters where the gauges quit, the odometer shows an error and cruise control shuts off. Others describe the doors locking and unlocking on their own and draining the battery, or dim headlights and intermittent turn signals. One complaint says a shop traced the trouble to the body control module and another that a no-start condition could not be reproduced or diagnosed by the dealer. Mostly reported between about 130,000 and 170,000 miles, occurring both while driving and when the car sits overnight.

   Recall 14V2520003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that all gauges and the odometer read correctly when started, and ask whether the body control module or ignition-related modules have been replaced. Confirm the security light goes off after start and that the battery holds charge.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10995482, filed 2017-06, 136,420 miles

   “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”

   NHTSA complaint #11299311, filed 2020-01, 163,000 miles
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Fuel gauge reads wrong, stalling and hard starting

   • 113 complaints (12%)
   • median 79,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (93 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $625 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2009–2024

   Owners describe a fuel gauge that swings up and down, drops to empty after a fill-up, or stays on low, along with hard starting or a feeling that the car is not getting fuel. Dealers replaced the fuel level float sensor in at least one case and the problem came back. Other complaints describe stalling while driving with the check engine light on, traced to a mass air flow sensor and fuel pump, with the fault returning after repair. Reported from very low mileage (one complaint at 25,000) up to about 150,000 miles, during normal driving and after refueling.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Fill the tank during the test drive and watch whether the gauge settles and reads full; note any long cranking or rough idle. Ask for fuel system service records, including injector cleaning and any fuel pump or level sensor replacement.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The fuel gauge is not working properly. Ok in filled the tank up today and put in a locus fuel cleaner (01/22/2021) only because it was like my car was gasping for gas. My fuel gauge keeps moving up in down. Even though I had just filled the tank up it would chime drop to empty acculerate like it was having a hard time breathing spike back up to the fuel level start driving fine then all of a sudden drop down to e. Now the car is having a hard time start lik it is not getting any gas at all. I have read severl complaints about this issuse”

   NHTSA complaint #11389508, filed 2021-01, 100 miles

   “The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving approximately 20 MPH and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the master air flow sensor and the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10809310, filed 2015-12, 136,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Passenger airbag 'Service Airbag' message

   • 76 complaints (8%)
   • median 97,500 mi at 7.4 yrs old (54 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $750 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2007–2024

   Owners describe a "Service Airbag" message on the radio display, often at start-up, and a passenger airbag indicator that stays on "off" even with someone in the front seat. In one complaint a dealer traced it to a failing passenger seat occupancy sensor, and in another the dealer said the module needed is no longer available. Some say the message disappears after a few miles of driving and returns later. Reported from about 49,000 up to 200,000 miles, typically at start-up or when a passenger sits in the front seat.

   What to check: With the key on and an adult in the passenger seat, confirm the airbag indicator reads "on"; ask whether the seat occupancy sensor or airbag module has been replaced and whether parts are still available.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I used to get a warning to service airbags on the stereo display, and a chime, typically when I first started up the car. This started when I was living in southern illinois. I drove with my backpack on the passenger seat, and occasionally that seat would chime for passenger to buckle up. The service air bag message would stay up for about 5 miles of driving, then would not illuminate again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11337926, filed 2020-07, 75,000 miles

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11321349, filed 2020-04, 97,000 miles

Buying note. Because electric power steering complaints dominate this model year, a scan for steering codes and a check of campaign 15V064000 status are the most useful steps before buying. Records for body control module, fuel gauge and seat sensor work are worth asking about, since several owners report repeat repairs.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.