Problems with 2007 Chevrolet Malibu ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car drives without key turned all the way to 111. brakes are unreliable...scares my wife and i!! car dies out upon acceleration. *tr

There are so many issues with this car and i am not at all happy. just received 2 recalls on it for the electrical system and for the transmission shift cable. there are issues with the steering having a clunking sound and now i have to replace a tire because of it. tires were purchased last october. i have read several complaints on this specific vehicle and other recalls. my son has to use this car to go back and forth to work which is only 7 miles one way, and i do not even trust it that far. we get told we will be contacted when the parts for the recalls are available, meanwhile something can happen and if it does you may just have a lawsuit on your hands. i just want to give the car back and get something else without having to add the remaining balance due to a new loan. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. the contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 14v252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control); however, the parts needed to do the repairs were unavailable. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure.

The power steering assist suddenly quit several times while driving; both at freeway speed and while exiting the freeway at about 15 mph. when the power steering fails the steering column would make a clicking sound, sometimes there would be a chime and the battery light indicator on the dash. only one time the center console displayed "power steering." we narrowly avoided a crash while going around a curve in the freeway. the loss of power assist required exerting more force than normal to avoid colliding with the divider. when the power steering re-engaged without warning we swerved towards a truck in the adjacent lane. we took it to the nearest dealer who said it's a faulty ignition coil causing a short in the power steering. cost quoted was $500 to fix in addition to $450 for the shifter cable that also went out. *tr

It's happened 3 times, driving various speeds the steering locks up. first time i was making a right turn and the car instantly locked up. i put the car in park and powered car off then started it back up it was fine. second time about 3 months after the first time went threw a stop light started up a hill and the dash lights all flicker the radio powered off and the seat belt noise went off 2 or 3 times and the car locked up. i parked the car powered it off. started it again it was fine. last time it happened i was at a stop light making a right turn and again the steering locked up and i had to park my car and power it off on a main street where it's very busy. i started it again and it was fine this last time was on july 15, 2014 . this car with all the recalls i feel is a death trap. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. the contact received recall notifications for nhtsa campaign numbers: 14v252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control) and 14v224000 (power train). the parts needed to repair the vehicle would not be available for months. the dealer did not provide a specific date for when the parts would become available. the manufacturer was notified. the contact had not experienced a failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an intermittent loss of power steering. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 174,000.. updated 09/02/14*lj the consumer stated the steering tightens up and wants to turn on the acceleration and loss of power occurs. at this time, a clicking sound could be heard from the steering column. the battery light flashed from the steering column. the battery light flashed on and off at times with a dinging sound. updated 11/4/2014 *js

There appears to be an issue with the ignition on the 2007 chevy malibu's. i've been told by several dealerships that the starter needed to be replaced in my car. i had it replaced twice and the vehicle still does not always start. the battery is brand new. *tr

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.

My brake lights go on after about 7 seconds when i am driving and not touching the brakes. the brake lights go off when i apply the brakes and then go back on when i am stopped. this is very dangerous and when i entered my vin it does not show up on the recall list. i also have the issues with power steering going out and have also had to replace the shift cable last fall when i could not put the car in park- it was ripped in half. cruise control stopped working years ago. power mirrors do not work. check air bag reminder goes on randomly. this car is a piece of garbage and very unsafe. *tr

While turning onto a freeway on-ramp the power steering failed entirely for several seconds and a clicking sound similar to when the turn signal comes on came from the steering column. after traveling about 100 meters, the power steering came back on causing us to over-correct and narrowly miss the barriers. *tr

The fuel sending devise keeps going bad and shows an empty tank then comes back on. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the horn failed to function and the air bag light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the body control module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. the failure mileage and vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. while driving various speeds, the ignition suddenly switched to the off position and caused the vehicle to stall. the ignition was turned back to the on position and the vehicle operated as normal. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure was unable to be diagnosed. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure recurred. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

Tl- the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that she would like to be reimbursed for work that was already done on her vehicle. referred contact to chevrolet manufacturer. lnc

My steering wheel pulsate whenever it feels like it. my steering wheel locks up while i am driving. i have to turn my car off and then turn it back on in order to have power steering. i have spent money for rotors resurfaced, alignment, and tie rods. i am worried about this situation causing an accident. i have taken it to dealer where i was informed there was nothing wrong. there are a ton of complaints. *tr

i notice my wires smoke some times when i drive, and when i put my foot on the brakes i have to do it more than two times and i had that fixed in february 2013. my fuel pump went out and i replaced it( onfebruary 15, 2014). just about a week after getting my car fixed it seems to hesitate when i put my foot on the accelerator. i took it to get it looked at and no one could find anything wrong and it is yet doing this. *tr

My fuel gauge shows low fuel most of the time .my lights on the dash change check engine light comes on sometimes then gas gauge works.then it goes off and things change air bag warning comes on.things just jump around never the same mix of things. *tr

Air bag warning lite stays on.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. while driving approximately 55 mph, the power steering failed and the warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. the contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and deactivated the engine. once restarted, the vehicle operated normally. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that a part associated with the power steering needed to be replaced. the ignition switch was also defective. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 200,000. updated 09/02/14*lj the consumer stated while attempting to avoid a pothole the steering became difficult to maneuver. the tire hit the pothole and broke the hub cap. the consumer pulled a muscle in the right arm. the consumer did seek care with a physician. the vehicle's ignition began to fail making it difficult to start up. the vehicle may or may not have been included in a recall. updated 09/16/2014 *js

Randomly losing power steering. happened once briefly in august 2013. took it for a diagnostic test immediately after this incident and was told nothing was wrong. started happening on 12/7/13 and hasn't stopped. i had the car looked at by a mechanic on 12/10/13 who disassembled the steering column/dashboard, etc. and was told that nothing is wrong. on 12/16/13, it was taken to another mechanic, who test drove it and ran another diagnostic test and once again told me nothing is wrong and to pick up my car. since then, i have been randomly losing the power almost daily to multiple times daily. i commute approx. 30 miles to and from work and have had to drive with no power steering at high rates of speed. to make it worse, the weather has been very bad the past week so i have been a nervous wreck not knowing when the power steering is going to go out. within the past year, both my airbag and door ajar warnings have come on randomly when i have no door ajar. i wasn't as concerned since they are not an immediate danger. when i lose power steering the car does "ding" and "power steering" flashes on my audio system. if i am able to(not on the freeway)then i pull over, turn the car off and then back on. sometimes this corrects the problem and sometimes it does not. sometimes it will go awhile without this happening and sometimes it happens multiple times in a row. i am planning on taking it to a local dealership this weekend and hoping i don't get into an accident in the meantime. when i just spoke to the dealership the gentleman on the phone said that this is a common problem and he knows there are some recalls. from what i can see there are recalls on every year surrounding mine. this is extremely dangerous and something needs to be done. i hope the dealership is able to correct the problem and i don't end up spending hundreds of dollars and this is still going to happen. *tr

I was driving my 2007 malibu and turning a corner when the power steering went out. luckily i was in an area with no other vehicles at the time. i was able to get the vehicle home, when i started it again the power steering was working. this seems to be a common problem with this make and model from what i have read. the power steering goes out while driving and comes back on after restarting the car. the issue recurs without warning. it is very dangerous and could cause a serious accident. there should be a recall on the 2007 for this known issue. *tr

Since purchasing my car in august 2013, i have had to make three fairly costly repairs. each time the mechanic told me this was a "known problem" for chevrolets. the first was the intake valve. i hadn't experienced problems but took the car in for what i thought was a squealing belt. the squealing turned out to be the water pump. since that was secondary in importance to the intake valve, i had that replaced first. followed by the water pump a couple of months later. then about a month ago, i was out of town and my car suddenly would not shift into park or reverse. it was a worn and stretched shifter cable. however gm says my car is not part of the recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that after the gear shift was switched into the park position, the vehicle stalled as the lock and signal error warning lights illuminated. the vehicle failed to restart. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

I was getting ready to leave my house in my 2007 chevy malibu and when i went to turn my wheel to get out of my driveway i could not turn it. i pulled back in the driveway and tried again, same thing. we had a friend come over with a diagnostic and it was the electrical power steering. from reading all of the other numerous comments, i am surprised there is not a recall on this issue. hoping gm does something about this.

2007 chevrolet malibu. consumer writes in regards to driver door lock malfunction caused by poor wire connection and consumer seeks reimbursement for repairs. *smd the consumer stated while driving, the tire traction light illuminated and he was unable to turn it off, and then the check engine light illuminated. he was also unable to use the speed control setting, during that time. when he arrived home, he was unable to get out of the vehicle, because the driver door auto lock wouldn't operate properly. two days later, when he put the vehicle into drive, the driver side door didn't lock automatically, but all the other locks worked properly. the dealer informed the consumer the harness came loose and it caused the wiring under the driver's seat to chaff and expose the wiring which then touched each other and caused the malfunction. he further advised that, as part of the repair, the harness and wiring were moved over from its original location so that the problem would never occur again.

The buckle for the passenger side seat belt stop working on my 2007 chevy malibu, airbag light on for no reason , i lock the car come back all doors are unlocked. *tr

The brake lights stay on while driving and turn off while applying the brakes. cruise control does not always work. car is hard to put in gear - you have apply brakes hard to put the car in gear. *tr

The power steering had gone out repeatedly at different times, both while driving and not. it would come back on at times and now for the last 5 months has been out completely and is a danger to drive. it is my only vehicle and i drive 3 children around regularly. it is nearly impossible for someone of my strength and size to drive. i fear it is a matter of time before we have an accident. i was absolutely amazed to see there was not a recall on my make and year but every other year malibu. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr updated 10/21/2014 *js

I have a 2007 chevy malibu and am having problems with my brake lights. currently my brake lights don't illuminate when i step on the brake pedal, but will illumnate when i take my foot off the brake pedal. sometimes brake lights will stay on during my entire drive whether or not i'm using the brake pedal. happens randomly, with no discernable causes. article in fox news dated 3/13/2013 ( http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/03/13/bad-brake-lights-could-force-recall-over-one-million-gm-cars/#ixzz2nus7qu5s ) indicates nhtsa is actively researching possible recalls, but calls to my dealer and gm customer care we of no use. both my dealer and gm customer care told me there were no active recalls, and that i just need to get the problem fixed myself and then i could request reimbursement at a future date if any recall did happen. it's disappointing that a company as large as gm wouldn't proactively help their customers when a known problem exists in a large number of vehicles. also mentioned in this article were problems concerning the cruise control. my cruise control will randomly stop working, or not even allow me the option of using cruise. this is not as big of a safety concern as the brake light issue, but again, mention of this problem occuring is one more reason i believe gm should be more proactive in helping their customers deal with the specific issues and concerns already being address/investigated by the nhtsa. *tr

2007 chevrolet malibu. consumer writes in regards to ignition switch recall. *smd the consumer stated when he turned off the ignition, the vehicle continued to idle. the ignition switch and relay were replaced. *jb the consumer stated the ignition switch, was replaced before the recall was announced. he believed the replacement switch was defective. updated 10/28/14

In 2012, i was having issues with the cruise control disengaging and refusing to re-engage. i noticed that the brake lights would be lit without the brakes being activated, as long as the vehicle was not in "park" (automatic transmission). the chevrolet dealer applied dielectric grease to a connector in november 2012, and the problem went away. the problem reappeared this year (2013), including an instance when the brake lights did not light when the brakes were activated! the dealer charged me over $250 in parts and over $300 in labor to replace two parts. on my way to the dealer, i saw another malibu with the same body design with the same problem. this is obviously a design, part, or manufacturing defect, and i should not have to pay to fix a faulty design, replace a faulty part, or due to poor manufacturing. *tr

When filling up the car to full with gas. the gas gauge reads low fuel and on e and then the maintenance light comes on. sometimes it will bounce back up to show how much gas is remaining only to fall back to low fuel and e again. had this computer checked and they said it had to do with the fuel sensor located in the gas tank. the estimated cost to fix this would be around 600. i think this should be the responsibility of gm since they recalled their suv's for the same problem. i can't tell how much gas is actually in the car and i don't know how to use the trip for this. with the low mileage on my car, i think it is outrageous that i should have to put out that kind of money for faulty problems on gm parts. *tr

Service the airbag light kept coming on intermittently for a couple of years until it stayed on constantly. mechanic says the (box) is burned out and must be replaced at cost of$300. i understand 07 malibu have this problem. i want to know why it hasn't been recalled since airbags save lives and without them we are at risk. *tr

The brake lights come on while driving without pressing brake pedal. when brake pedal is pressed, brake lights go off. first noticed this because cruise control would not set. took it in for repairs at local dealership. they found the stoplamp switch to be faulty and replaced. three days later, brake lights are on again without pressing brake pedal. took it in again. this time they found a bulletin on problem and applied dielectric grease to the bcm connectors. within a month, the problem occurred again intermittently, but did not take in. since may 2014, brake lights are almost always on while driving even though brake pedal not pressed. looked up similar problems on safercar.gov and found recall notice on vehicle. called gm, gave them my vin and gm recall number (13036) and they said that my vehicle was not included in the recall because they could not find any documented problems in my service history and i should go to local dealership to have electrical diagnostic test done. went back to dealership and showed them printed copy of recall from safercar.gov and relayed conversation with gm. dealership stated, after an afternoon with car, that recall number did not exist and they could not find any active recalls for my car. i asked about the service record and how come the 2012 services were not included, they said that it was only electrical and not really significant so they did not to document it. they also stated that because safercar.gov is not gm, they could not believe its reliability. after a long conversation, i asked if there was a recall on the malibus in general, they said they did not know unless they had specific vin. dealership applied dielectric grease to bcm connectors. frustrated at not getting answer, did own research and found recall numbers (103652, 103653, 103654) and a service bulletin (sb-08-05-22-009a) on the problem within 30 minutes. *tr

My brake lights are on when the brake is not applied and turn off when the brake is applied. cruise control will turn on but will not set. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. while driving at approximately 35 mph, the engine rpm gauge started to move independently in an erratic manner. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the technician diagnosed an electric fluctuation in the speed that caused the failure. the vehicle's computer system was restarted. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 52,000.

On my 2007 chevy malibu, the cruise control will shut off by itself going down the road, the brake lights work backwards by step on brake they are off, foot off brake the lights are on. the steering wheel will lock up and have to shut car off and restart to get it to unlock and idling the car the steering wheel shakes and while driving down the road it shakes also. the part of the fuel pump that controls the gas gauge no longer works. i have taken to the dealer and they don't know of any recalls as of yet. but i have researched and have found this to be common problems, so why aren't there any recalls? *tr

I was driving my malibu when suddenly the steering became uncontrollable. i managed to pulled the car to the side of the road. i shut the engine down. i pulled out my manual for the 2007 car and i was directed to the kind of power steering that was supposed to be installed in my car. the manual indicates that the 2007 manual for my chevrolet malibu ltz with a v6 engines should have a hydraulic power steering system in place. it also shows by illustration the position of the power steering reservoir. i took the car to a chevrolet dealer in arlington, ma. and the mechanic said this car has no power steering reservoir. i showed him the manual and he said there's something wrong here. call gm customer care and maybe they can resolve the problem because they wrote the manual. *tr

While making a turn and accelerating in my 2007 malibu, the electric power steering went out and the car continued to go straight, almost causing me to go up the curb. after letting off the gas, the steering came back and i was able to gain control. during this time, the dash displayed "power steering" and made a chime. *tr

2007 chevrolet malibu. consumer states problems with gas gauge *tgw the consumer stated when she re-fueled the vehicle, the gas gauge reached approximately 3/4 full, the fuel gauge needle dropped to empty and the check engine light illuminated. the gas gauge continued to read empty and the engine light stayed on until three to four gallons of gas was used. the gauge would then begin to read the correct amount of gas in the tank and would continue to do so until the tank was filled again. the check engine light would remain on for several days until gas was put in the tank above 3/4 full. the consumer believed the fuel gauge lever sensor was poorly designed. *jb updated 06/19/12 *jb

The brake lights come on and do not shut off (this is an intermittent problem but has gradually worsened to the point where it is happening almost all of the time now). also, the cruise control does not work and at times it is difficult shifting out of park. we have brought the car to two different chevy dealerships twice each, and to a private mechanic twice (for a total of 6 service trips). despite spending several hundred dollars, none of them have fixed the problem. someone almost hit me from behind a couple weeks ago because my brake lights did not change - he followed me to a gas station and yelled at me! it is so bad now that we don't dare drive the car for safety reasons, and cannot sell it for the same reason. my girlfriend bought this car when it was brand new and it is not only unsafe and dangerous, but unbeleiveably frustrating that they just keep charging us more money but don't fix the problem. *tr

The fuel sensor on our 2007 chevy malibu only works occasionally. it will typically read empty regardless of the fuel level and the check engine light comes on. obviously a major problem with this car as many owners are seeing the same problem. the sensor is inside the gas tank so this issue cannot be due to excessive wear and tear, it is simply a bad design or a bad part. either way gm needs to accept responsibility for the mistake and fix their mistake. with cold winter driving an inaccurate fuel sensor is a hazard. the trip meter can give a rough estimate, but as mpg changes considerably between highway and city driving as well as winter vs. summer this is not a very safe solution. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. the contact stated that according to the owner's manual, the anti theft system was not calibrated correctly when the vehicle was manufactured. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but only offered to cover half of the repair costs. the failure mileage was unknown.

The first incident occurred in 2010, but has progressively become worse and most constant. the vehicles electrical steering will shake and jerk uncontrollably at times. the car does not always shake and jerk, but this occurs at least once per day. some days it will shake and jerk non stop for long periods of time, others it will be short and quick. the car generally will shake and jerk for a few minutes, then will display on the display "power steering" and chime. the shaking occurs while driving and also when in park. depending on the severity, the jerking can jolt the car into that direction. this is a safety hazard as it is very possible that this could cause an accident. the jerks are not controllable by two hands. often while driving, the car looks as if it is jerking back and forth in its lane due to the rough jerking of the steering wheel. this is the most nerve racking while driving in weather such as snow or rain, where the road is slick or slippery. having the car jerk around on ice is just an accident waiting to happen. when the problem first occurred, i took my vehicle to a gm dealership and had it inspected. the mechanic told us that the only option was to replace the entire steering column but they could not say if this would fix the issue. after reviewing many complaints and concerns online, i researched for recalls. i found that many models similar to ours have been recalled, but not our specific year. *tr

I had got in a crash in 2010 since then my electrical system and air bag indicator lights are always going on and off. now my airbag lights stay on saying there not on. i also do not have a working fuel pump sensor. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated the vehicle tail lights and dash board lights would not illuminate. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was purchased. the dealer made unknown repairs to correct the failure yet the failure persisted. the failure and current mileages were approximately 40,000. updated 6/21/10 *cn the consumer stated the taillight, dashboard and license plate lights never worked and the dealer made no attempt to correct the problem, except to tell the consumer he needed to purchase a $400.00 part from them. updated 06/24/10.*jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the power steering assist failed with the illumination of the power steering warning light. the contact stated that the steering wheel became hard to turn. the electronic power steering assist was previously replaced however the failure was not corrected. the manufacturer advised the contact that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number 14v047000 (air bags, electrical system). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 89,000 and the current mileage was 149,000. updated 05/19/14*lj the steering wheel positioning sensor needed to be replaced.

I purchase this car in 2009 in 2010 i was driving and the steering wheel lock up and then there was a display on the radio power steering i did not have any power steering. so i take the car to the dealer to see what going on and they told me i needed a power steering motor and shaft on steering column worn so i ask is there a recall for this and they said no not on your car.ok so i paid 801.99 to have the car repaired so in dec,2014 i was driving to work and the same thing happen again my steering wheel lock up it was hard for me to keep the car in the lane because the steering wheel would jerk and to turn was very hard so i called gm corporate office to file a complaint are to see if there is a recall. only on 04,05,06,08,09 but not the 2007.but when i google power steering on the malibu all these cars had done the same as mine but there is no recall for 07 malibu. so corporate tells me to take the car to the dealer to get diagnoses and now its the torque sensor which is still in the steering column gm cant pay for it because it a different code then the first time it happen i think it is very dangerous to be driving and the steering wheel lock up while you are driving there should be a recall on 2007 malibu power steering and torque sensor. *tr

I know that this safety issue doesn't rank up there with sticking gas pedals, etc., but i feel it is important enough that someone should look into it. actually, there are two interrelated design flaws with the 'driver information center' on the 2007 chevy malibu ls i bought last year. the driver information center ('dic') is the green led display in the radio that normally displays such info as time and temperature, etc., but it is also used by chevy to display warning messages. the two problems are: a). critical warnings ' in my case a warning message to 'service airbag' popped up one evening on the dic ' but it was only displayed once (it did not appear again the next morning or thereafter). since chevy considered this issue important enough to suggest that i not continue to drive the vehicle until the problem was fixed, i think that they should have programmed this warning (or any safety related warning) to stay on until the problem is fixed. b). the dic is far too dim to see clearly during most daylight hours (even on many cloudy days) and is for all intents and purposes totally invisible if the driver is wearing sunglasses. just a quick search on the internet will show that this is not a recent or isolated complaint'.i see complaints about the dic being too dim going back to at least 2004! when i complained to chevy about the dimness issue they told me this was 'normal' (i in turn told them that it may be 'normal' but it certainly is unacceptable ' especially given that had the critical safety warning come on during daylight hours i probably would never have even seen it and would still be driving around with an unresolved safety issue). *tr