2004 Chevrolet MALIBU problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,147 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
78,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 942 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 715 of 1,147 complaints (62.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 800 | 69.7% |
| Braking behavior | 94 | 8.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 85 | 7.4% |
| Engine operation | 70 | 6.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 35 | 3.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 10 | 0.9% |
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 | 715 |
| Steering:Electric Power Assist System | 139 |
| Electrical System | 117 |
| Seats | 68 |
| Exterior Lighting | 60 |
| Power Train | 49 |
| Steering:Column | 43 |
| Service Brakes | 30 |
Steering: 715; Steering:Electric Power Assist System: 139; Electrical System: 117; Seats: 68; Exterior Lighting: 60; Power Train: 49; Steering:Column: 43; Service Brakes: 30
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 201 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 102 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 155 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 141 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 232 |
| 150,000 and above | 111 |
Under 25,000: 201; 25,000 to 49,999: 102; 50,000 to 74,999: 155; 75,000 to 99,999: 141; 100,000 to 149,999: 232; 150,000 and above: 111
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (232). 205 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 |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 129 |
| 2005 | 50 |
| 2006 | 41 |
| 2007 | 34 |
| 2008 | 48 |
| 2009 | 65 |
| 2010 | 136 |
| 2011 | 108 |
| 2012 | 57 |
| 2013 | 86 |
| 2014 | 190 |
| 2015 | 69 |
| 2016 | 30 |
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2018 | 23 |
| 2019 | 23 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
2003: 2; 2004: 129; 2005: 50; 2006: 41; 2007: 34; 2008: 48; 2009: 65; 2010: 136; 2011: 108; 2012: 57; 2013: 86; 2014: 190; 2015: 69; 2016: 30; 2017: 17; 2018: 23; 2019: 23; 2020: 13; 2021: 13; 2022: 4; 2023: 5; 2024: 2; 2025: 2
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 800 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 94 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 85 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 10048032 · 2003-12-10 (December 10, 2003)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 3,035 miles reported. Look up ODI 10048032 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10052253 · 2004-02-19 (February 19, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING TO THE LEFT STEERING WHEEL FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION AT 15 MPH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE INFORMATION SCREEN INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A PARKING LOT AND TURN OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED BACK ON THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. TO DATE THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED. *NM PE04031_CAT
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052253 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10067060 · 2004-04-13 (April 13, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED FOUR TIMES IN FOUR MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN UNIT. ALSO, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKES MADE A SCREECHING NOISE WHEN DEPRESSED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ABS MODULE AND FRONT BRAKE HUBS. ALTHOUGH THE REPAIRS HAD BEEN DONE, THE SAME PROBLEMS RECURRED. *AK THERE WERE ELECTRICAL FAILURES WITH THE DASH DIMMER SWITCH AND HEADLIGHT DIMMER, THE KEYLESS ENTRY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND G…
Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10067060 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10067424 · 2004-05-11 (May 11, 2004)
WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL LOCKED UP. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE WHEEL. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE MAIN BOLT SHEARED OFF. THIS CAUSED THE CALIPER TO LOCK THE WHEEL. ALSO, MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. *AK *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 3,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10067424 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064930 · 2004-03-25 (March 25, 2004)
THE ELECTRIC STEERING COLUMN DID NOT RETURN TO THE CENTER AFTER MAKING A TURN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *JB TALKED WITH CONSUMER ON 3/26/04 TO OBTAIN DETAILS AND CUSTOMER SAID HE ALSO EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER AFTER MOVING CAR AT STOP LIGHT. CAT PE04031_CAT
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064930 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10062107 · 2004-03-13 (March 13, 2004)
POWER STEERING HAS FAILED ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME, THE DEALER REPLACED THE CAM SENSOR IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN 5 DAYS LATER. THE CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG.*AK PE04031_CAT CALL NOTES: BACKED CAR OUT OF GARAGE. STEERING WAS DIFFICULT. SAW 'POWER STEERING' ON DISPLAY. TURNED CAR OFF AND RESTARTED, BUT NO POWER STEERING. DROVE CAR TO DEALERSHIP, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONDITION, BUT THEY DID REPLACE CAM SENSOR. AFTER ABOUT 4 DAYS, DRIVER WAS BACKING …
Owner-reported narrative. 291 miles reported. Look up ODI 10062107 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10098645 · 2004-11-11 (November 11, 2004)
I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY 04 MALIBU. ROUGH IDLE, POWER STEERING FALIURE MANY TIMES TOOK TO DEALER 3 TIMES COULD NOT DUPLICATE, BROUGHT IN WITH POWER STEERING OUT AT IT WAS DUPLICATED, BUT COULD NOT FIGURE OUT FOR A WHILE TOLD ME TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE, NO SAFETY FACTOR.FINALLY THOUGHT THEY FIGURED OUT PUT IN A NEW STEERING COLUMN, 9,000 MILES LATER BACK TO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH HARD SHIFTING,AND ALSO WITH IGNITION STICKING OR CONTINUING TO TURN OVER AFTER LEETING GO OF THE KEY. I WOULD NOT RECOMEND THIS CA…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,383 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098645 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10161503 · 2006-07-05 (July 5, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A DETECTION OF GASOLINE ODOR COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DURING THE INSPECTION, THE GAS TANK WAS REMOVED AND THE GAS LINE ON THE TOP SIDE OF THE TANK WAS OBSERVED TO BE RUPTURED WHICH CAUSED GASOLINE TO SPEW UNDER VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161503 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10193660 · 2007-06-18 (June 18, 2007)
THERE WA SA CLUNCKING SOUND EVERY TIME I TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. I SENT THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS FOR REPAIRS, AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN BOTH TIMES, THE CAR STILL CLUNCKED. .THE DEALER SAID THE CLUNCKING SOUND WAS OKAY AND NOT TO BRING IT BACK.THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED, AND NOW THE GAS GAUG EFAILED. 1 WAS TOLD WHEN THE GAS GAUGE FAILURE WAS AN EARLY WARNING THAT THE FUEL PUMP WILL SOON NEED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10193660 at NHTSA ↗