U.S. public vehicle records

2007 Chevrolet MALIBU problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

977 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

100,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2007 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 804 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 657 of 977 complaints (67.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	671	68.7%
Braking behavior	94	9.6%
Electrical and battery issues	61	6.2%
Fuel system concerns	42	4.3%
Engine operation	31	3.2%
Transmission and shifting	26	2.7%

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.

Steering

657

Electrical System

104

Air Bags

Fuel System, Gasoline

Power Train

Fuel/Propulsion System

Service Brakes

Vehicle Speed Control

Steering: 657; Electrical System: 104; Air Bags: 75; Fuel System, Gasoline: 47; Power Train: 42; Fuel/Propulsion System: 36; Service Brakes: 36; Vehicle Speed Control: 29

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

114

75,000 to 99,999

163

100,000 to 149,999

260

150,000 and above

150

Under 25,000: 41; 25,000 to 49,999: 76; 50,000 to 74,999: 114; 75,000 to 99,999: 163; 100,000 to 149,999: 260; 150,000 and above: 150

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (260). 173 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.

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

209

2015

188

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2006: 1; 2007: 12; 2008: 8; 2009: 15; 2010: 55; 2011: 60; 2012: 48; 2013: 62; 2014: 209; 2015: 188; 2016: 55; 2017: 56; 2018: 70; 2019: 47; 2020: 33; 2021: 15; 2022: 12; 2023: 15; 2024: 7; 2025: 6; 2026: 3

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 671 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 94 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 61 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 10206251 · 2007-10-18 (October 18, 2007)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU LT. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE FAILURE IS INTERMITTENT AND HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE MOST RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DEALERS AND BOTH WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO KEEP TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER UNTIL THE FAILURE CAN BE DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,415 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000. UPDATED 11/1/07 *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206251 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10209592 · 2007-11-20 (November 20, 2007)

STEERING CUTS IN AND OUT IN AN UNPREDICTABLE WAY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10209592 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10171238 · 2006-10-18 (October 18, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. ALL OTHER GEARS WERE SMOOTH AND QUIET. THREE SEPARATE SERVICE DEALERS HAD INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND WERE AWARE OF THE KNOCKING SOUND, BUT INFORMED THE CONTACT THE NOISE WAS COMMON WITH THE VEHICLE AND WOULD DIMINISH WITH TIME. COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF A VIBRATION WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE DEALER RESURFACED THE ROTORS. UPDATED 12/01/06 *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 2,048 miles reported. Look up ODI 10171238 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10187379 · 2007-04-09 (April 9, 2007)

PURCHASED CAR 5/06 ,RETURNED TO THE DEALER 30 DAYS LATER WITH WITH SEVERE BRAKE AND ROTOR DAMAGE. I HAVE SINCE THEN REPLACED THE BRAKES AND ROTORS 3 TIMES, AND MY CAR WAS A ANOTHER DEALER WHO FOUND THAT A CLAMP WAS LEFT ON THE BRAKE LINE WHICH CAUSED ALL OF THE DAMAGE. PURCHASING DEALER WAS NORM REEVES HONDA , HUNTINGTON BEACH,CA , AND SERVICING DEALER COMMUNITY CHEVROLET, BURBANK CA. THE PURCHASING DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST ME WITH THE REPAIRS AFTER THE INITIAL REPAIR WHICH I SPLIT THE COST OF THE REPAIRS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10187379 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10383034 · 2011-02-17 (February 17, 2011)

THE POWER STEERING FAILED, I WAS ADVISED BY DEALERSHIP THAT THE REPAIRS ARE $864.00 I WAS ADVISE THE POWER STEERING IS AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 106,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10383034 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10477207 · 2012-09-26 (September 26, 2012)

I HAD GOT IN A CRASH IN 2010 SINCE THEN MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS GOING ON AND OFF. NOW MY AIRBAG LIGHTS STAY ON SAYING THERE NOT ON. I ALSO DO NOT HAVE A WORKING FUEL PUMP SENSOR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10477207 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10280049 · 2009-08-10 (August 10, 2009)

THE GAS TANK ON MY 2007 CHEVY MALIBU IS COMING APART AT THE SEEMS. I NOTICED A BAD GAS SMELL WHILE ON A TRIP TO MY BROTHERS IN UNION, KY. THE SMELL GREW AS I DROVE, AFTER I RETURNED HOME A MECHANIC LOOKED UNDER MY CAR AND INFORMED ME THAT MY GAS TANKS IS SPLITTING AT THE SEEMS. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED ABOUT POSSIBLE RECALL AND POWERTRAIN WARRANTY INFORMATION SINCE I AM OVER 36000 MILES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 43,536 miles reported. Look up ODI 10280049 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10296681 · 2009-12-22 (December 22, 2009)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE FUEL GAUGE INACCURATELY DISPLAYS THE AMOUNT OF FUEL PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO DROP THE FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 59,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10296681 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10303463 · 2010-01-31 (January 31, 2010)

2007 CHEVY MALIBU LOSS OF POWER STEERING AROUND TURNS UNDER ACCELERATION. DEALER CAN NOT DUPLICATE. DATE OF INCIDENT AROUND JAN. 09 AND HAPPENS 2-3 TIMES PER WEEK. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10303463 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10319223 · 2010-03-12 (March 12, 2010)

LOSS OF POWER STEERING. HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN 3 MONTHS SO FAR. CALLED LOCAL DEALER AND SOUNDS LIKE SAME ISSUE AS THE COBALT. SAID NO RECALL BECAUSE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 86,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10319223 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10266599 · 2009-04-24 (April 24, 2009)

I HAVE A 2007 CHEVY MALIBU THAT SHUDDERS AND WANTS TO JERK FORWARD WHEN I COME TO A STOP. THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE AND I ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS; ALWAYS AFTER A TRIP OF MORE THAN 50 MILES. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS ON A TRIP TO LAS VEGAS WHEN WE GOT OFF THE FREEWAY. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AND AFTER WAITING 45 MINUTES, HE RAN SOME TESTS AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WE DROVE HOME TO CA AND THE SAME THING OCCURRED WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE FIRST STOP. TWO WEEKS AGO WE DROVE 98 MILES TO MOORE PARK AND…

Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10266599 at NHTSA ↗