2005 Chevrolet Malibu Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

461Steering complaints

47.3%Of all 975 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING461 · 47.3%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM159 · 16.3%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING130 · 13.3%

SEATS60 · 6.2%

POWER TRAIN57 · 5.8%

Share of the 975 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MAKES RANDOM KNOCKING NOISES. HE DISCOVERED TSB NUMBER 1973984, WHICH IS…”NHTSA complaint 10236364 — filed 07/30/2008

“WE HAVE A 2005 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 39,000 MILES. MY WIFE DRIVES THE CAR NORMALLY BUT I DROVE THE CAR FOR A FEW WEEKS AND…”NHTSA complaint 10235718 — filed 07/25/2008

“ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THIS VEHICLE HAS A DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINION THAT IS BASED UPON ENGINEERING AND COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL STEERING…”NHTSA complaint 10235581 — filed 07/24/2008

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu: 461 of 975 complaints on file (47.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu have in total?

975 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 46 involved a crash, 34 involved a fire, 55 reported injuries, and 3 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.