2005 Chevrolet MALIBU MAXX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
326 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
85,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 265 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 162 of 326 complaints (49.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 183 | 56.1% |
| Braking behavior | 32 | 9.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 25 | 7.7% |
| Engine operation | 14 | 4.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 2.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 1.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 162 |
| Exterior Lighting | 41 |
| Seats | 39 |
| Electrical System | 33 |
| Steering:Electric Power Assist System | 10 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 9 |
| Air Bags | 8 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 8 |
Steering: 162; Exterior Lighting: 41; Seats: 39; Electrical System: 33; Steering:Electric Power Assist System: 10; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 9; Air Bags: 8; Fuel/Propulsion System: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 21 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 48 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 41 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 54 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 61 |
| 150,000 and above | 40 |
Under 25,000: 21; 25,000 to 49,999: 48; 50,000 to 74,999: 41; 75,000 to 99,999: 54; 100,000 to 149,999: 61; 150,000 and above: 40
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (61). 61 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 20 |
| 2007 | 15 |
| 2008 | 20 |
| 2009 | 28 |
| 2010 | 58 |
| 2011 | 37 |
| 2012 | 20 |
| 2013 | 21 |
| 2014 | 34 |
| 2015 | 21 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2004: 1; 2005: 5; 2006: 20; 2007: 15; 2008: 20; 2009: 28; 2010: 58; 2011: 37; 2012: 20; 2013: 21; 2014: 34; 2015: 21; 2016: 8; 2017: 14; 2018: 14; 2019: 4; 2021: 3; 2022: 2; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 183 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 32 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 25 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10101113 · 2004-11-16 (November 16, 2004)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10101113 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10116323 · 2005-04-04 (April 4, 2005)
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 K…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116323 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10163854 · 2006-07-29 (July 29, 2006)
FRONT SUSPENSION IS CLUNKY AS IF THERE ARE LOOSE-FITTED PARTS. FRONT BRAKES PULSATE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS CAUSING STEERING DIFFICULTY IN CORNERS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10163854 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10201629 · 2007-08-31 (August 31, 2007)
I JUST PURCHASED A 2005 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX LS AND IM HAVING INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEMS. IT APPEARS TO HAPPEN MORE WHEN I'VE BEEN DRIVING WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON AND I STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WILL CRANK FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME LIKE ITS GOING TO START BUT WILL NOT START INITIALLY. AFTER A WHILE IT DOES START AND THEN APPEARS TO BE NORMAL. I'VE CHECKED THE STARTER, ALTERNATOR, AND THE BATTERY ALL CHECKS OUT GOOD. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10201629 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10205717 · 2007-10-15 (October 15, 2007)
AFTER THE FIRST 200 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE CAR HAD FRONT ROTOR PROBLEMS. THE DEALER TRIED TO FIX IT 2 TIMES BY TURNING THE ROTORS, ONLY TO RETURN IN LESS THAN 2,000 MILES EACH TIME. THEY FINALLY CHANGED OUT THE ROTORS FOR BRAND NEW ONES AFTER I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER OWNER AND MANAGEMENT ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE SECOND ISSUE WAS LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AT THE FUSE BOX, WHICH I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO REPAIR AND THE PROBLEM NEVER RETURNED. TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10205717 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10106259 · 2005-01-13 (January 13, 2005)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10106259 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10173699 · 2006-11-16 (November 16, 2006)
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 FAC…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10173699 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10478130 · 2012-10-01 (October 1, 2012)
A FUEL SMELL/ODOR BEGAN PERMEATING THE VEHICLE AND THE IMMEDIATE AREA AROUND IT. THE NEXT DAY, VEHICLE BEGAN REQUIRING TWO CRANKS TO GET STARTED. AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK, AND IT WAS COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP. THE PART WAS REPLACED, AND THE FUEL PUMP HAD A CRACKED PLASTIC PORTION WHICH THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN HAPPEN BEFORE. THIS KIND OF THING MUST HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF A DEFECT WITHIN THE FORMATION OF THAT PLASTIC PORTION OF THE FUEL PUMP. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10478130 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10482291 · 2012-10-26 (October 26, 2012)
I STARTED TO SMELL GAS AFTER PARKING MY CAR IN GARAGE ABOUT ONE MONTH AGO. CHANGED FUEL CAP, DIDN'T WORK. THE GAS SMELL BECAME MORE AND MORE STRONG AFTER FEW WEEKS. DID SOME SEARCH AND FOUND IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM OF FUEL PUMP LEAK IN 2004-2006 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX. THE HIGH PRESSURE LINE BREAKS AND THE OWNERS HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP COMPLETELY, WHICH COSTS MORE THAN $600. THERE WAS A RECALL OF FUEL PUMP BUT NOT FOR THE ORIGINAL ONE. GM/CHEVY SHOULD RECALL THE FAULTY FUEL PUMP, IT'S VERY DANGEROUS SINCE IT'S EASY TO CATCH FIRE AND VERY BAD FO…
Owner-reported narrative. 96,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10482291 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10452332 · 2012-03-20 (March 20, 2012)
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ALREADY ON THIS CAR, AND IT STILL IS NOT RIGHT. THE POWER STEERING WILL BE GONE NO MATTER THE TEMPERATURE, BUT THEN COMES RIGHT BACK. THE BRAKES ARE ALWAYS GOING BAD ON IT, I HAVE REPLACED THEM SEVERAL TIMES WITHIN THE 25K MILES OF OWNING THE CAR. THE DRIVER SEAT LEANS TO THE LEFT AND DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS NOT NORMAL UNTIL AFTER READING REPORTS OF IT BEING A PROBLEM IN THIS CAR. *KB
Owner-reported narrative. 136,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10452332 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10611279 · 2014-07-17 (July 17, 2014)
I WAS ADJUSTING THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT WHEN I HEARD A METALLIC POP. SEAT HAD A SLIGHT TILT TO RIGHT THAT BECAME WORSE WHEN SEAT WAS RAISED UP. SLIGHT ROCKING MOTION WAS NOTICED WHEN SHIFTING BODY WEIGHT. VISUAL INSPECTION FOUND THAT RIGHT FRONT WELD HAD FAILED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10611279 at NHTSA ↗