NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 1,389 owner complaints for the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. Most complaints involve steering (1,019) and electrical system (170). The EPA rates it 19–22 mpg combined.
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.
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 fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.
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 number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
“I was driving at a busy time of the day and my steering wheel became almost impossible to turn, and it felt as though my whole car turned off but I gave it gas and went to nearest place I could pull over and noticed my radio was showing that steering fluid or something like that was on the digital part of my radio, so I googled what could the problem be and it said the steering is being recalled or something like that for steering problems, I am driving the car as little as possible because that was very scary especially driving through main street in my town, thank god i was only going 25 miles an hour or this could have really caused major problems. Please let me know what to do next [XXX] [XXX] thank you”
“My power steering goes in and out as I'm driving depending on the speed. I have trouble swerving if needed because the power steering is not working correctly all the time.”
“The rack and pinion needs to be replaced at the speed of 65 the steering feels loose and I was told that the rack and pinion is out, so I am having to replace the entire thing, I dont have a receipt yet because it's going to the shop next week, it seems odd that a car with only 75k miles would need a new rack and pinion. Also the high mount brake light is out..which seems crazy on a car with low miles, I understand that the car is old but to me it's a new car, I only just purchased it in October 2020.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malibu Maxx Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 28 | 22 | $2,850 | 404 |
| Malibu Maxx Auto (S4), 6 cyl, 3.9 L · Front-Wheel Drive | 16 | 24 | 19 | $3,300 | 468 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
4 safety recalls as of Nov 9, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 1,389 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are steering (1,019), electrical system (170), exterior lighting (71). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx at 19–22 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).