Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Chevrolet Malibu owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving and lost power randomly it came back in less than a minute but just lost power could certainly cause an accident... And the service airbag light is on and seemingly has the same issues as the 2010 Malibu Maxx which was recalled and replaced free of charge and frankly I don't have the 1200 $ to make sure it doesn't kill me I'm not sure why with as many 2007s that this is an issue in why it isn't recalled...
Tl* the contact owned a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently. The brake pedal was depressed, but failed to slow down the vehicle. The contacts son lost control of the vehicle and crashed through a steel gate and also into a tree. The driver air bag failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact sustained brain injuries, a lacerated liver, and loss of eyesight in the left eye. The contact required extensive medical attention. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123,798. The vehicle was destroyed. Updated 06/23/16.
Tl contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while making a left turn at a low speed, the vehicle accelerated independently. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop. As a result, the contact crashed into a building and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a scratch to the left arm that did not required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was inspected by a technician from the dealer. The contact was unsure about what needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,439. Updated 4/15/15
Vehicles cruise control was engaged when reaching and hill the cruise control sped up and as soon as it did I lost engine power completely it was not until I was able to safety make it to the side of the interstate coasting that I realized the engine had cut off. I then parked the vehicle turned off all electrical components and turned the ignition to the off position; and attempted to restart to engine switch resulted in nothing but the engine light coming on and the lights of the vehicle coming on but no firing of the engine or even a click from the starter at this point I was glad a had all my blankets and thing in the vehicle because in north dakota and montana its cold. …
Owner of a 2007 Chevy Malibu. Had to replace fuel pump out of own pocket yet recall has not been extended to my VIN#. Also, while driving at a high rate of speed my power steering cuts out and the steering wheel is physically turns itself and locks the wheel throwing me into adjacent lanes and erratically moving my car on the road. This has been a safety recall on other 2007 Chevy malibus with the identical part number that is also on my car but after contacting GM I have been told that this is normal wear and tear on a vehicle and that to their knowledge it is safe for me to operate my vehicle, even though I have already had to repair 2 other recalls out of my pocket, had 2 taken care of by GM, yet now have an additional 3 or more parts on my car that are under recall but not extended to my VIN# but already showing identical symptoms for failure for parts that have been recalled. …
Starting before May 2015 and lasting until 11/19/15, the yellow warning dashboard lights, gauges, and dic would occasionally go berserk while driving. The first time this happened, I was on an interstate around 8 am in the morning in May of 2015. At the same time during these episodes, the shifting of the automatic transmission would be jerky. The lights would "settle down" after long enough, but some combination of lights always remained on at the end of the episodes, such as the traction control light, check engine light, security light, and ABS light. The car would seem to return to normal sometimes after being restarted. I had a Chevrolet dealership check it out in 5/15/2015 and they found nothing. Sometimes during these episodes, the power steering would also lose power. The problem returned and I had a mechanic check it out and he put in a new ignition switch 11/19/15. …
My car was recalled and fixed on 3/17/15 for the cruise control cutting out and the brake lights coming on. It was fine until a month ago and it started doing the same thing again. I took it to smith Chevrolet in gallipolis ohio and they reset the computer, this did not help. Now they tell me they need to replace module 02560 part # 25861370 and sensor 04625 part # 13597430 at a cost of about $410.00. I fill they did a patch job last year and now want me to pay to fix it. If I pull the electrical system and plug it in and out a few times everything works fine for a couple of weeks. I have contacted Chevrolet and my reference # from them is 8-2180763999. James at phone #[phone] ext 5913683 is trying to help me. I can't drive around with my brake lights on all the time, it is not safe. I got pulled over by a state trooper once last year before it was repaired.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. While the cruise control was set to 60 MPH, the vehicle began to accelerate without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact also stated that the brake lights became inoperable intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000. Updated 06/14/16 the consumer stated the brake light stayed on continuously, and the battery light illuminated but the battery was found to be good. Updated 06/22/16.
Saturday I was running errand and all of a sudden my engine check light came on, before I could get home the engine power reduced notice came on and my power was barely at a crawl until I made it home. The good thing is I was on surface streets. Had I been on the freeway this could have been catastrophic. I am extremely disappointed because I make certain my car has the necessary scheduled maintenance and I was just at maita Chevrolet in elk grove less than a month ago and they never once indicated a potential problem.
My car was involved in a previous Chevrolet recall for the same problem about 2-3 years ago. The cruise control does not engage all the time when on interstate driving and works sporadically. Also the brake lights work in reverse where when you are driving at low and high speeds, the brake lights are on but when you apply the brake, the brake lights go off. Also, you have to apply the brakes hard to get the lights to come on. Just a slight tap on the brakes does not turn on the brake lights.
Related recalls
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…
Acceleration complaints in other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu, 3% of the model year's 977 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Chevrolet Malibu acceleration problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 14V-252 (cruise control, May 14, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2007 Chevrolet Malibu acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.