Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. Highlighted: 2004. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 Malibu Classic | 21 | 0 |
| 2007 | 15 | 0 |
| 2005 Malibu ClassicMost complaints | 92 | 1 |
| 2004 Malibu ClassicMost complaints | 116 | 1 |
| 2003 | 16 | 0 |
| 2002 | 16 | 0 |
| 2001 | 13 | 0 |
| 2000 | 11 | 0 |
| 1999 | 4 | 0 |
| 1998 | 5 | 0 |
| 1997 | 3 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Electrical system163
- Steering60
- Exterior lighting25
- Engine20
- Fuel/propulsion system16
- Air bags15
- Unknown or other14
- Power train11
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 54 Malibu Classic vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 49 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 34 | 30 |
| 2004 | 19 | 19 |
| 1972 | 1 | 0 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
In the Netherlands
163 Malibu Classic cars are on Dutch roads; 32% arrived later as imports. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 30 | — |
| 1979 | 68 | — |
| 1978 | 65 | — |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
Recalls
1 campaigns cover the Malibu Classic.
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
NHTSA recalls