Problems · by component
2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx air bags problems
37 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx cite air bags, 3% of all 1,389 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
37
3% of all complaints
Crashes
20
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
18
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I got the car on June 12th on June 16th when I had a severe car vacation not deploy and the seatbelt did not buckle when I bought the car they stated in the paperwork that the airbags have never been deployed and or never been deactivated and I had to find out the hard way 4 days later and due to the transmission shift gear cable when I was driving the car it went out of control and I had to work well that day”
“There are many recalls for the year make and model of my vehicle. They just didn't recall my exact vin. The breaks are recalled, air bags were recalled and they were buying back the vehicles, the fuel delivery system was recalled, headlights were recalled, cruise control was recalled, steering column and yoke was recalled, and a few more. None were recalled for my vin number when it should have been. I took my car to the dealership today, Chevrolet did a few things under "warranty" instead of issuing a safety recall. (They issued 10 recalls on this year make and model) (one recall was the air bags, my vehicle is doing the same thing). The fuel delivery system and fuel pump was recalled but not on my vin number. I just really need help getting my car repaired. I cannot afford to fix all of this when there's records dating back to the purchase of the vehicle, showing that there are problems and Chevrolet neglectfully didn't recall it and instead tried to brush it off as a warranty instead of safety recall. My car leaks gas, the steering it messed up, headlights no longer work due to the electrical issue, the instrument cluster was damaged due to the ecm issue,…”
“THE CAR IS NOT FUNCTIONING RIGHT I AM HAVING MAJOR PROBLEMS SUCH AS MY MANUFACTURING CONTROL MY BATTERY LIGHT IT'S CONSTANTLY GOING ON AND OFF IT IS DRAINING MY ALTERNATOR I HAVE JUST RECENTLY SWITCHED OUT THE THROTTLE BODY AND IT WAS STILL GIVING ME MINOR PROBLEMS SUCH AS A BACK REAR END PASSENGER TIRE WELL I DON'T TECHNICALLY THINK THAT IT WAS THE TIRE BECAUSE IT MAKES A LOUD ROCKING NOISE HAVEN'T QUITE JUST FOUND OUT THE PROBLEM I HAVE CHECKED OUT EVERY OTHER THING THAT I COULD THINK ABOUT TO MY VEHICLE 2006 CHEVY MALIBU THAT IS BUT I MYSELF CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT AND HALF OF THE TIME IT STILL SHUTS DOWN OR WON'T COMPLY RIGHT AND ONE MORE OTHER THING MY ABS SYSTEM TAKES A 60% FUSE BUT THE ABS STILL COMES ON WITH THE FUSE IN AND WITH IT OUT AND I AM HAVING A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH MY TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR BUT NOW SO FAR MY CAR IS JUST DOWN AND NOT DRIVABLE AND ONE MORE THING MY CAR WAS DRIVING DURING THE SHUTDOWN SYSTEM ON THE CITY STREETS”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE HER SON WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND GOING AROUND A CURVE, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED HOWEVER THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE HEAD ON. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD, FACE, AND NECK INJURIES AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS PROVIDED. THE DRIVERS HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE FACE HOWEVER, MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT PROVIDED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT THEN TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTAL. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.”
“BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING PUSHED; THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE PEDAL IS PUSHED.; DIFFICULTY MOVING THE GEAR SHIFTER OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITIONS WITHOUT PUSHING THE BRAKE. GM SAYS THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL, BUT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED IN REGARDS TO THIS PROBLEM.”
“THE CAR CONSTANTLY SHOWS A DIGITAL MESSAGE SAYING "SERVICE AIR BAGS," IT WAS SERVICED OVER A YEAR AGO IN NY AT A BUICK DEALER, AND THERE WAS A RECALL RELATING TO CHANGING THE KEY FOB. DIDN'T WORK OR MAKE SENSE. IN MN MY MECHANIC HAS LOOKED AT THE ERROR SEVERAL TIMES, CAN'T FIND A CODE, RESETS THE COMPUTER AND THE MESSAGE STILL SHOWS. IN ADDITION, THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT NOW SHOWS AN AIR BAG MALFUNCTION TOO. I CAN'T FIND A RECALL BUT I AM GRAVELY CONCERNED THAT I HAVE NO PROTECTION FOR EITHER PASSENGER. THIS IS MY SECOND REGISTRATION OF THIS COMPAINT AND I HAVE HEARD NOTHING>”
Showing 6 of 37 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.