Most common 2007 Chevrolet Malibu problems
Share of the 977 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Malibu complaints by model year
Best Malibu years: 2025, 2021, 2019. Years to avoid: 2010. Compare all years →
2007 Chevrolet Malibu recalls (3)
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.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2015.
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.
What 2007 Chevrolet Malibu owners say
Steering all 667 →
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact immediately pulled to the side of the roadway. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after turning off and restarting the vehicle, the steering wheel started shuddering, was making an abnormal ticking sound, and was significantly difficult to turn. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was charged a fee for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the power steering motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V064000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. …
I was driving in the country and my vehicle power steering and electronic setting started messing up while I was driving 50 miles an hour while it was locking up I was confused and then pulled over and thought it was just a glitch in the computer system I then turned off my car and then turned it back on and everything seemed fine while I was driving after a minute the steering wheel locked again and there was a deer in front of me my insurance went up because of this incident and I lost my car for a month once I got my car again from the body shop it stopped locking up on the steering wheel then last Friday I brought it to the mechanic and he told me the steering is electronic so there is nothing he can do and that I will have to take it to a dealer the computer system in these cars are messed up and they are dangerous to drive there are thousands of complaints just like this and …
Electrical system all 113 →
I was driving in the country and my vehicle power steering and electronic setting started messing up while I was driving 50 miles an hour while it was locking up I was confused and then pulled over and thought it was just a glitch in the computer system I then turned off my car and then turned it back on and everything seemed fine while I was driving after a minute the steering wheel locked again and there was a deer in front of me my insurance went up because of this incident and I lost my car for a month once I got my car again from the body shop it stopped locking up on the steering wheel then last Friday I brought it to the mechanic and he told me the steering is electronic so there is nothing he can do and that I will have to take it to a dealer the computer system in these cars are messed up and they are dangerous to drive there are thousands of complaints just like this and …
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the four doors would inadvertently lock and unlock, causing the battery to drain quickly. The contact used pliers to unlock and open the doors. Additionally, the headlights were dimmed, and the turn signals intermittently failed to operate as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the Body Control Module (BCM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Fuel & propulsion system all 87 →
My 4 year old son was in the vehicle with me helping to clean out the car when he was able to put the car into drive without any keys or anything. Luckily, I was in the car and was able to get the car back into park but only after it hit a fence and damaged the vehicle because of this issue. I am able to put the vehicle into drive while the car was not running and there were no keys in it. There have also been several instances where I was able to leave it in drive after turning the car off and taking the keys out. It will also allow you to put the vehicle into drive without pressing the brake first. There have been several computer related issues that have also began to happen such as the gas gauge not working properly. It says that I am on empty when in fact the tank is full. …
My fuel gauge goes up and down at random times. The gauge goes down when idling or at a stop. This in turn causes my check engine light to turn on. While the gas gauge will go back to its normal position after a little bit of driving. The check engine light remains on. There are no issues with the gas cap, but after a little research I have found it to be a faulty level sensor. As it's a reoccurring problem with many Chevy Malibu's, I don't know how there hasn't been a recall yet. Good thing I don't have to get my car tested until 2017 or I would not pass emissions due to the check engine light being on.
2007 Chevrolet Malibu engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 30 / 23 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu a good car?
Based on 977 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2007 Malibu rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Malibu 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 2007 Chevrolet Malibu?
The steering — 667 complaints, 68% of all complaints for this model year, most often about electric power assist system. Next are the electrical system (113) and fuel & propulsion system (87).
How many recalls does the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu, the most recent from February 4, 2015 (electric power assist system). 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2025, 2021 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010. See the full Chevrolet Malibu years comparison.
At what mileage do 2007 Chevrolet Malibu problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 15% 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.