Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
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 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.
I am financing a 2007 chevy malibu from r n r car co on 411 gratiot in mt Clemens has had one problem after the other first the brakes went fix I told them there was a sway problem up front wanted it fixed before I took it off the lot they did not I could've been seriously hurt the sway bar tie rod n control arm went in the front of the car dealership said would help with half the bill didn't help fixed now my car wants to shut down and hesitate to go over 45 miles an hour the crankshaft position sensor wire n some button might need to be fixed im on social security seeking4 help from the va to help me get it fixed told dealership abt this wants 100 an hour from me to fix it plz advise thank you monica wheeler
I bought the car and the next day it randomly locked up my steering in the middle of traffic. If I turn my car off then turn it on while jerking the wheel side to side it will allow me power steering for just a short moment. Once it worked for a month continuously without shutting off on me then it randomly started locking up again. There's no symptoms or warning except for the car steers on its own while in park. The wheel moves and makes a screeching noise. It's locked up on me in traffic numerous times. It's a huge hazard. Trying to get off the street when it locks up is just a safety hazard for everyone around.
The steering wheel start shaking and then on the middle console it showed "POWER STEERING". Now whenever I drive it it'll pop up and the steering wheel locks up and it is scary because it doesn't move. And when I turn of the car it'll unlock but as soon as I start driving it again it does it again.
When I start my car my steering wheel dances vibrates. When I'm driving 30 mph it will pull me to the right side of the road and be hard to steer. It does this a lot it scares me I'm disabled and have a hard time driving.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system). Prior to receipt of the recall, the contact experienced a failure. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the ignition shut down without warning and the vehicle crashed into a pole. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed. There was one injury that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic who diagnosed that the ignition was faulty. The vehicle was repaired by a mechanic; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 137,000.
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. …
The vehicle was in motion, city street, turning. The steering wheel wpuld turn the opposite way that I had to turn. The steering wheel would also lock in the opposite direction which almost caused me to crash into the wall. When I pulled off to the side tge steering wheel would shake and turn by itself. I just discovered that there is 9 recall notices from 06/27/2014 to 02/23/2015. The dealership has not owned up to these recalls. Due to multiple of these recalls my two children (ages [redacted] and [redacted]), my husband, and my life (pregnant) could have been lost due to an almost vehicle collision due to these recalls. 06/27/2014 recall for train:automatic transmission. 06/27/2014 recall for power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift. 08/18/2014 recall for service brakes, hydraulic:switches:brake light. 08/18/2014 recall electrical system:wiring. …
While driving on the highway using the cruise control, the cruise control suddenly went off and the check engine light came on. I took it to the mechanic and he said the transmission cylinder was off, I bought the car used and researched recalls on this car through the safecar.com website and saw a transmission related recall (recall number 14152). I called the associated GM recall center told them my issue and gave them the recall number. The representative pulled up the recall description for recall number 14152 and the consequences listed in the GM directory were not the same language as the consequences on safecar.gov. She couldn't explain why the description was not the same in the GM directory as the government safecar website and I found that disturbing. So that is my first complaint--the GM system and national website are not in accordance. …
Electrical complaints in other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA has 113 complaints about the electrical system of the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu, 12% of the model year's 977 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Chevrolet Malibu electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2007 Chevrolet Malibu electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 120,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to electrical system 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.