Problems · by component
2005 Chevrolet Malibu electronic stability control (esc) problems
44 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Chevrolet Malibu cite electronic stability control (esc), 3% of all 1,393 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
44
3% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electronic stability control (esc)
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“CAR BATTERY KEEPS DYING EVEN THOUGH IT'S NEW AND WE HAVE CHANGED FUSES. WE TOOK THE CAR TO MECHANIC THEY CAN FIND WHY LOSING CHARGE ON BATTERY. KEEP JUMPING OF WON'T STAY CHARGED BIT 1 DAY .”
“THE THEFT SYSTEM KEEPS GOING OFF FOR NO REASON LEAVING ME STRANDED FOR 10-15 MINUTES. IT HAPPENED TO TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 3 TIMES IN THE PAST THE WHOLE DASH BOARD LIT UP AND THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WAS BLINKING. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHILE I INITIALLY START THE CAR UP.”
“STEERING SHAFT INADEQUATE SUPPORT OF U-JOINT. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES GOING DOWN THE ROAD. YOU CAN FEEL A CLICKING IN IT WHEN YOU TURN. IT'S LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL COULD BREAK OR SOMETHING. ALSO EVERY NOW AND THEN THERE IS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP. IT'S DONE THIS NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE YEARS. AND WHEN WE TAKE IT IN THEY SAY THE RECALL WON'T COVER IT. I'VE TRIED CALLING DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAY THEIRS NO OPEN RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE.”
“I TURNED MY CAR ON AND THE SERVICE LIGHT WAS ON AND THE MESSAGE ON MY CAR READ POWER STEERING. I COULDN'T TURN MY WHEEL AT ALL. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN AND IT WENT AWAY. A FEW DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN A LOCAL HIGHWAY THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING. IT SEEMS TO BE LOCKED UP”
“I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK DRIVING ON THE 405 FREEWAY IN CALIFORNIA GOING AROUND A RAMP IN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME I HIT THE BRAKE IT RELEASED THE NEXT MORNING ON MY WAY BACK HOME FROM WORK I WAS ON MY WAY ON THE FREEWAY SO I ACCELERATE ON THE GAS AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AS SOON AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE IGNITION GAS IT RELEASED. AND JUST RECENTLY ABOUT 3 DAYS AGO TODAY IS NOVEMBER 7TH SO NOVEMBER 2ND ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK ALL OF THIS HAPPENED ON MY WAY TO WORK IN FROM WORK BUT ON MY WAY FROM WORK I WENT DOWN TO START MY CAR AND STEERING WHEEL STARTS SHAKING REAL BAD START JERKING REAL BAD AND FROM THERE OTHER THINGS TO START HAPPENING TO THE CAR STEERING WHEEL STARTS SHAKING REAL BAD AS I PUT ON MY SEATBELT THE SEATBELT SIGN WILL NOT GO OFF AND WE'LL MAKE A BEEPING SOUND EVERY FEW MINUTES ALSO THE TOTAL CONTRACTION SIGN ALSO CUT ON AND THEN FOR SOME REASON I HAD A HALF TANK OF GAS IN MY TANK BUT THE FUEL LIGHT WILL COME CUT ON AND ON THE DASH WILL SAVE FUEL LOW WHEN I HAD JUST FILLED THE TANK UP”
“REFERRED TO YOU BY GM AFTER DEALER REFUSED TO CONSIDER THIS A FREE REPAIR, AS MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED BY RECALL #13036D. VEHICLE IS EXHIBITING SAME CONDITIONS AS PER YOUR RECALL, BRAKE LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED .PANIC-BRAKE ASSIST MALFUNCTIONED 2 WEEKS AGO; ALMOST RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION. THIS OCCURRED ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY, AND VEHICLE BEGAN TO SKID. AT THAT POINT I RELEASED THE BRAKE, AND WAS FORCED TO PUMP THEM IN ORDER TO SLOW VEHICLE. PARK-BRAKE FEATURE ALSO MALFUNCTIONS RANDOMLY. THESE ARE ALL DUE TO VOLTAGE FLUCTUATIONS IN BODY CONTROL MODULE CONNECTION, REQUIRING A SPACER TO BE INSTALLED.”
Showing 6 of 44 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.