2004 Chevrolet Malibu Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

715Steering complaints

62.3%Of all 1,147 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING715 · 62.3%

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM139 · 12.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM117 · 10.2%

SEATS68 · 5.9%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING60 · 5.2%

Share of the 1,147 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu overview page.

What owners report

“A KNOCKING/CLICKING NOISE CAME FROM THE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN WHEN TURNING. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED STEERING SHAFT , BUT PROBLEM RECURRED…”NHTSA complaint 10089981 — filed 09/28/2004

“WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT THE VEHICLES TILT STEERING UNLOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD EVEN WITH THE…”NHTSA complaint 10087747 — filed 09/14/2004

“POWER STEERING. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS UP TO 45 DEGREES, SIDE TO SIDE, IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. NO LOSS OF CONTROL…”NHTSA complaint 10088862 — filed 08/31/2004

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu: 715 of 1,147 complaints on file (62.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu have in total?

1,147 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 47 involved a crash, 7 involved a fire, 22 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.