YearToAvoid

2007 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

65/100

#8 most-complained of 21 Malibu years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2007 Chevrolet Malibu has 977 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 65 out of 100 — #8 highest of 21 Malibu model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is steering (667 complaints, 68% of the total). Complaints report 37 crashes, 2 fires, and 34 injuries.

Complaints
977
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
37 / 2
Injuries / deaths
34 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
23
19 city / 30 hwy

Top 2007 Chevy Malibu problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering667 (68%)
  2. Electrical System129 (13%)
  3. Fuel System87 (9%)
  4. Airbags75 (8%)
  5. Brakes69 (7%)
  6. Engine63 (6%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain47 (5%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires25 (3%)
  9. Structure & Body23 (2%)
  10. Other14 (1%)
2007 Chevrolet Malibu complaints: complaints filed per quarter1232006 Q42009 Q32012 Q12014 Q32017 Q12019 Q32022 Q12025 Q2
1214 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2006 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2015 Q1 (123).

2007 Chevrolet Malibu recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V064000Feb 4, 2015Steering69,633 vehicles

    Steering:electric power assist system

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured April 1, 2006, to June 30, 2006, and 2006-2007 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured April 18, 2006, to June 30, 2006. 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 replace the torque sensor assembly, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14772. Note: This is an expansion of recall 14V-153 to cover additional vehicles built between April 1, 2006 and June 30, 2006.

  2. NHTSA 14V252000May 14, 2014Brakes2,440,524 vehicles

    Electronic stability control (esc)

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

    Risk: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

  3. NHTSA 14V224000Apr 30, 2014Transmission & Powertrain1,131,113 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift

    General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.

    Risk: If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the ‘PARK’ position, the transmission may not be in ‘PARK.’ If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.

2007 Chevrolet Malibu fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
30 MPG
Combined
23 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2007 compared with other Malibu years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Caution60975324
2006Caution551,115623
2007Caution65977323
2008Avoid80987423.5
2009Avoid1001,509523

All Chevrolet Malibu years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu ranks #8 of 21 among Malibu model years (Complaint Index 65/100, verdict: Caution). It has 977 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most reported problem areas are steering (667 complaints), electrical system (129 complaints), and fuel system (87 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 100,000 miles.
Does the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu, most recently reported 2015, covering steering, brakes, and transmission & powertrain.
What is the fuel economy of the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu?
EPA rates the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu at 23 MPG combined (19 city / 30 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.