2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
On the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, the failure owners report most often is other steering problem, with 8 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 82,500 miles. Overall it scores 53 out of 100, elevated risk for a 2007.
Elevated risk for a 2007 — 361st riskiest of the 365 2007 vehicles we can rate. 56 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 14 named failure modes on the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, and the three most-reported carry 38% of everything filed.
Other steering problem leads with 8 reports and about 0.1 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other body or interior problem follows with 7 reports, median 90,000 miles.
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure follows with 6 reports, median 80,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into electrical (12), steering (10) and body (8).
When these failures get reported
51 of the reports on the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 82,500 miles.
Cumulatively, 12% by 50,000 miles, 73% by 100,000 miles and 90% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 70,000 and 80,000 miles, which alone holds 20% of the dated reports.
8% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, so this is mostly a story about older, higher-mileage cars.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 14. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 1 a fire. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.23, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other steering problem at $350–$2,400, other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000, control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure at $700–$3,000 and other electrical problem at $250–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
4% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other steering problem | steering | 8 | 6 | — | 64k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 7 | 7 | — | 90k | — | 0.1 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 6 | 6 | — | 82k | — | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 6 | 6 | — | 113k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 5 | 3 | — | 65k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 2 | 2 | — | 106k | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 2 | 2 | — | 142k | — | 0.0 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Loss of power steering | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 100k | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,800 | Critical |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 8k | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 1 | 1 | — | 64k | — | 0.0 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 66k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 193k | — | 0.0 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 74k | — | 0.0 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 119k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Unclassified problem | other | 13 | 12 | 75k | 79k | 97k | 0.2 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx draws about 0.8 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 70th percentile of complaint rates among 2007 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 67,792 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2007 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other steering problem
I experienced a clunking sound from the steering since 9000 miles. I now have 69000 miles on the car and it's worse than ever. I have brought it in to the dealer regularly and complained about it every time. Every time they claim they cannot find anything. Once it came off warranty, the dealer had no problem finding the problem. I have spoken to gm about the issue and they refuse to do anything about it. This has been reported in the 2004 through 2006 model and a service bulletin issued. Gm refuses to recognize it as a problem in the 2007 model. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu maxx lt. The contact stated that when turning the steering wheel, it would exhibit a loud noise and become very difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Other body or interior problem
Driver seat frame welds snap, will have to weld and make new brackets. Mine did it on the left rear. Many people are having the same problems with their 04 through 05 chevy malibus. *tr
The weld on the right front of the driver's seat must have broken because the seat started leaning toward the console. I have to adjust the power seat all the way to the floor to get it to level out enough to drive. I see that there are other incidences of this reported but all on higher mileage cars. I only have 53,000 miles on it now and it was alot less than that when I first had the issue. *tr
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet malibu maxx. The airbag module light failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. The technician made repairs to the module at the owners expense. The failure mileage was 50000. The current mileage was 60000.
We learned that the brake lights were staying on when pedal was not pushed, but going off when brake pedal was applied. Cruise control wouldn't work in this situation of course. Also, at times, power windows won't work and other times the door ajar lights up, doors won't lock at this time, and check rear seat entertainment system will alert. I diagnosed that the 6 volt reference voltage was approx. 2-3 volts. Gm bulletin recommended cleaning BCM connector and applying dielectric grease. At times this would work, but no corrosion was ever evident at these connectors. These problems have been getting progressively more common, although the brake light problem hasnt occurred for 3-4 months. *tr
Recalls on the 2007 model year
NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, affecting an estimated 121,884 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover steering:electric power assist system, electrical system:wiring and power train:automatic transmission. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
69,633 vehicles 2015-02-04- Defect
- 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. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.
- Consequence
- If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14772. Note: This is an expansion of recall 14V-153 to cover additional vehicles built between April 1, 2006 and June 30, 2006.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
2,440,524 vehicles 2014-05-14- Defect
- 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 Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These…
- Consequence
- Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
- 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 pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1,131,113 vehicles 2014-04-30- Defect
- 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 year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total…
- Consequence
- If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the PARK position, the transmission may not be in PARK. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the…
- 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. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2007 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
Elevated risk for a 2007 — 361st riskiest of the 365 2007 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 4 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2007 comes out best at 53 and 2004 worst at 66, with 2007 itself at 53.
No other year of this model scores meaningfully better than 2007, so if this generation is what you want, the year is not the lever.
Within the 2004–2007 generation specifically, 2007 is the strongest year at 53 and 2004 the weakest at 66.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2004-2007 generation, 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx scores best at 53 and 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx worst at 66.
What this page cannot tell you
56 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 56 reports, 51 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 91% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx?
The most-reported failures are other steering problem (8 reports, median 65,000 miles), other body or interior problem (7 reports, median 90,000 miles) and control module (ecm/pcm/bcm) failure (6 reports, median 80,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx reliable?
It scores 53 out of 100 on our risk index, which is elevated — 361st riskiest of the 365 2007 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2007 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx is best?
Within the 2004–2007 generation, 2007 scores best at 53 out of 100 and 2004 worst at 66. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed