2004 Chevrolet Malibu Reliability
The 2004 Chevrolet Malibu has 1,698 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. Compared with nearby Malibu model years (2002–2006), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Malibu's typical year, while the 2002 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
1,698
NHTSA owner complaints
9
Recall campaigns
81
Complaints citing a crash
15
Complaints citing a fire
2004 Chevrolet Malibu complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 model year, filed between 2003 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 1,074 | 63% |
| Electrical system | 247 | 15% |
| Seats | 163 | 10% |
| Exterior lighting | 132 | 8% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 89 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 85 | 5% |
| Air bags | 43 | 3% |
| Suspension | 39 | 2% |
2004 Chevrolet Malibu recalls
9 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2004 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04V094000 | Feb 24, 2004 | Equipment — other / labels | Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) no. 208, "occupant crash protection." some of these vehicles that were not equipped with an advanced occupant restraint system (aors) have driver… |
| 04V188000 | Apr 16, 2004 | Seat belts — front / anchorage | On certain passenger vehicles, analysis of an a side impact crash test conducted by the NHTSA;s new car assessment program (ncap) indicated that the outboard anchorage of the driver's seat belt could disconnect because of contact between the seat trim and the… |
| 04V190000 | Apr 19, 2004 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip / control unit/module | Some of these passenger vehicles have an electronic control unit (ecu) that may calculate a higher than actual vehicle speed because of an erratic rear-wheel speed sensor signal, and cause abs activation where it is not needed or needed abs activation to be… |
| 09E012000 | Apr 7, 2009 | Exterior lighting | Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety… |
| 11E009000 | Feb 28, 2011 | Fuel system — delivery / fuel pump | Ti automotive is recalling certain fuel pumps, part numbers tu456 and tu303, sold under various brand names as aftermarket and replacement equipment for the motor vehicles listed above. The defective fuel pump may seize, stopping the fuel flow to the engine… |
| 14V153000 | Mar 31, 2014 | Steering — electric power assist system | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there… |
| 14V224000 | Apr 30, 2014 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission | 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… |
| 14V252000 | May 14, 2014 | Electrical system — wiring | 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… |
| 14E044000 | Jul 21, 2014 | Steering | Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers 425-167, 2425167, and 7-3074, for installation on 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2010… |
How the 2004 compares with nearby Malibu years
Verdicts compare these Malibu model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 596 | 4 | Electrical system | Solid |
| 2003 | 611 | 3 | Electrical system | Solid |
| 2004 (this page) | 1,698 | 9 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2005 | 1,393 | 6 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2006 | 1,389 | 9 | Steering | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Seats: try every power and manual adjustment and check seat heaters if fitted.
- Lights: check headlights (low and high), brake lights and turn signals; condensation inside the housings is worth noting.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 9 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2004 Chevrolet Malibu can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2004 Chevrolet Malibu reliability FAQ
Is the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
The 2004 Chevrolet Malibu has 1,698 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. Compared with nearby Malibu model years (2002–2006), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Malibu's typical year, while the 2002 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2004 Chevrolet Malibu problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu are steering (1,074), electrical system (247), seats (163), exterior lighting (132). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu have recalls?
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu, including 04V094000 (equipment — other / labels) and 04V188000 (seat belts — front / anchorage). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu compare with the 2003 and 2005 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2003 has 611 complaints and 3 recalls (solid); the 2005 has 1,393 complaints and 6 recalls (avoid). The 2004 has 1,698 complaints and 9 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2004 Chevrolet Malibu?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Chevrolet Malibu research
Other Chevrolet Malibu model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2004 Malibu, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.