Most common 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx problems
Share of the 326 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx complaints by model year
Best Malibu Maxx years: 2007. Years to avoid: 2004. Compare all years →
2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx recalls (3)
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
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…
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…
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…
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.
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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx:
Turn Signal Lamps
GM designed the MY 2004 and 2005 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx vehicles with a daytime running lamp (DRL) system that uses the same filament (the high power filament of a dual filament bulb) as the front turn signals.The high power filament operates at full battery voltage when functioning as a DRL.The DRL is illuminated whenever the headlamps are off, increasing the duty cycle of the front turn signal bulb.The…
What 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx owners say
Steering all 185 →
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that her husband manually steered the vehicle and veered to the side of the road. The contact stated that her husband turned off and restarted the vehicle and the power steering functionality returned. The contact's husband continued to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the power steering control module, steering control module, and torque sensors needed to be replaced. The dealer also advised the contact that she would be responsible for the cost of the repair as an unknown recall had expired in 2014. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated while driving on several occasions, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There were no warning lights illuminated; however, the power steering failure message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who provided the contact with a Technical Service Bulletin regarding the repair for the power steering failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced TSB: 14116 as a possible solution; however, the repair was not covered. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 235,000.
Lights all 51 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Malibu Maxx. While operating the vehicle, the passenger and driver side turn signals malfunctioned and would not illuminate. The vehicle was taken to lewis Chevrolet of garden city (1903 us 50 bus e., garden city , ks) where it was diagnosed that the headlight bulb sockets had melted and damaged the bulbs. The dealer stated that the bulbs could not be screwed out of the light bulb sockets and the entire headlight bulb assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact indicated that the failure occurred to both the driver and passenger side assemblies on multiple occasions. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Took car to the Chevrolet dealership, for NHTSA id: 14V252000/GM safety recall: 13036, to correct the issues in the body control module which impacted the brake apply sensor. Now rear top brake lights no longer illuminate when the brake pedal is being pushed. Front low-beam headlights goes on and off while driving. Replaced both low-beam lights on 12/6/2014. Front low beam headlights still goes off and on intermittently. Also upon visual inspection, the turn signal blinkers have melted the yellow plastic inside the headlight. Brought back to the same Chevrolet dealership on 1/2/2015, for vehicle recall NHTSA id: 14V224000/GM safety recall 14152 to have the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket installed. I notified the dealership that I was having issues with the electrical system tied to the exterior lighting system. They could not provide me the reason for the fault.
Electrical system all 40 →
Takata recall I was driving on route 19 just before the maple fork exit the light was red and I began to slow down. All of a sudden the brakes and steering would not work and the car hit the rear end of the car in front of me. Causing major damages to the front of my car. The other car was not affected nearly as much. It was like the car just stopped. No airbags was deployed.
Took car to the Chevrolet dealership, for NHTSA id: 14V252000/GM safety recall: 13036, to correct the issues in the body control module which impacted the brake apply sensor. Now rear top brake lights no longer illuminate when the brake pedal is being pushed. Front low-beam headlights goes on and off while driving. Replaced both low-beam lights on 12/6/2014. Front low beam headlights still goes off and on intermittently. Also upon visual inspection, the turn signal blinkers have melted the yellow plastic inside the headlight. Brought back to the same Chevrolet dealership on 1/2/2015, for vehicle recall NHTSA id: 14V224000/GM safety recall 14152 to have the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket installed. I notified the dealership that I was having issues with the electrical system tied to the exterior lighting system. They could not provide me the reason for the fault.
2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx a good car?
Based on 326 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Malibu Maxx rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Malibu Maxx at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx?
The steering — 185 complaints, 57% of all complaints for this model year, most often about electric power assist system. Next are the lights (51) and electrical system (40).
How many recalls does the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, the most recent from May 14, 2014 (cruise control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004. See the full Chevrolet Malibu Maxx years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 85,000 miles; 26% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.