YearToAvoid

2005 Chevrolet Malibu Steering Problems

NHTSA has 506 owner complaints about steering problems in the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu, 52% of all 975 complaints for this model year. That is #4 highest steering complaint count among 21 Malibu model years. These complaints report 22 crashes and 22 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 91,000 miles.

Steering complaints
506
52% of 975
Crashes reported
22
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
22
Median mileage
91,000 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2005 Chevrolet Malibu steering complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 12, 2004, latest Mar 10, 2026.

2005 Chevrolet Malibu steering complaints: complaints filed per quarter302004 Q42007 Q32010 Q12012 Q32015 Q12017 Q32020 Q12022 Q4
506 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2004 Q4 to 2026 Q1; peak 2010 Q1 (30).

Steering recalls for the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu

  1. NHTSA 14V153000Mar 31, 2014Steering1,373,177 vehicles

    Steering:electric power assist system

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

    Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.

Steering complaints by Malibu model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005506 (52%)
  2. 2006810 (73%)
  3. 2007667 (68%)
  4. 2008460 (47%)
  5. 2009768 (51%)
  6. 2010454 (33%)
  7. 2011214 (22%)
  8. 2012191 (21%)
  9. 2013181 (22%)
  10. 201426 (7%)
  11. 20159 (3%)
  12. 201642 (5%)
  13. 201747 (7%)
  14. 201841 (6%)
  15. 20192 (1%)
  16. 202016 (8%)
  17. 20212 (2%)
  18. 20222 (2%)
  19. 20234 (6%)
  20. 20241 (3%)
  21. 20251 (9%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu have steering problems?
NHTSA has 506 owner complaints about the steering in the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu, 52% of all complaints for this model year, including 22 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 91,000 miles.
Which Chevrolet Malibu year has the most steering complaints?
The 2006 Chevrolet Malibu has the most steering complaints (810), compared with 506 for the 2005.
Is there a steering recall for the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu concerns the steering: 14V153000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.