2004 Chevrolet Malibu: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1639 complaints
1639
Total Complaints
69,000mi
Median Mileage
STEERING
Top Issue
78
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

20,800 25th Percentile
69,000 Median Mileage
111,454 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

STEERING
715
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
139
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
117
SEATS
68
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
60
POWER TRAIN
49
STEERING:COLUMN
43
SERVICE BRAKES
30
AIR BAGS
24
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
23

Severity Assessment

78
Crashes
11
Fires
36
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"AFTER PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT BECAME STUCK AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RELEASED RIGHT AWAY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN THE POWER STEER LOCKED UP, THE CONSUMER HAD TROUBLE TURNING THE WHEEL. *CB *J..."
"AFTER PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT BECAME STUCK AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RELEASED RIGHT AWAY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN THE POWER STEER LOCKED UP, THE CONSUMER HAD TROUBLE TURNING THE WHEEL. *CB *J..."
"AFTER PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT BECAME STUCK AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RELEASED RIGHT AWAY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN THE POWER STEER LOCKED UP, THE CONSUMER HAD TROUBLE TURNING THE WHEEL. *CB *J..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28