Steering. Review the 460 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 231 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 106 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

30 crash reports5 fire reports15 injury reports

What owners actually said

987 reports

45,000 miles · Jun 6, 2016

Electrical System

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THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE FAILED IN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE DOOR LOCKS DO NOT OPERATE OR ONLY OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY WHEN USING THE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK FEATURE ON EITHER THE KEY FOB OR THE DOOR SWITCH. THE DOOR LOCKS ALSO DO NOT OPERATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO OR OUT OF PARK, POTENTIALLY LEAVING THE DOORS EITHER UNLOCKED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING OR LOCKED AFTER THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE BIGGEST CONCERN WITH THE LOCKS IS IN THE PLACEMENT OF THE MANUAL PULL ON THE REAR DOORS. I HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN IN CHILD SEATS THAT HAVE BEEN TEMPORARILY LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THE REAR DOORS FAIL TO UNLOCK. THE REAR DOOR LOCK PULL IS LOCATED NEAR THE "C" PILLAR OF THE VEHICLE INSTEAD OF A MORE CONVENTIONAL "B" PILLAR LOCATION, MAKING MANUAL ACCESS TO THE DOOR LOCK PULL IMPOSSIBLE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IF THE PASSENGER IN INCAPABLE OF UNLOCKING THE DOOR THEMSELVES (SUCH AS IN THE CASE OF SMALL CHILDREN OR THE DISABLED) ANOTHER PERSON HAS TO EITHER CLIMB OVER THE FRONT SEATS OR ACROSS THE REAR SEAT FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE TO ACCESS THE PASSENGER AND/OR DOOR LOCK PULL TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR CERTAIN VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AS WELL AS FOR THE VEHICLE OPERATOR, WHO MAY BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLES DOORS ARE IN A LOCKED POSITION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, WHEN IN FACT, THEY MAY NOT BE.

NHTSA ODI #10872871

124,000 miles · Jun 6, 2016

Power Train

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TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE FRACTURED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. WAS ABLE TO MOVE SHIFTER IN VEHICLE BUT GEARS DID NOT CHANGE TO THAT WHICH WAS INDICATED. GM HAD A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE BUT FOR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 16, 2003, THROUGH OCTOBER 5, 2007 (GM'S NUMBER FOR THIS RECALL IS 14152, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V224000). MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2008 (AS INDICATED FROM THE VIN) BUT I FEEL THE SAME ISSUE FROM THIS GM RECALL ALSO AFFECTED MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #10872868

109,000 miles · Jun 6, 2016

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, EITHER WHILE DRIVING OR IN PARK, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MOVE UP AND DOWN AND SIDEWAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

NHTSA ODI #10872813

31,851 miles · May 14, 2016

Steering

STEERING RACK HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES (2011, 2012, 2016) IN 32,000 MI. NOISE & CLUNK WHEN TURNING WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. ROUGHLY 8,000 PER FAILURE. DEALER REPLACED BEFORE TOTAL FAILURE AND/OR ACCIDENT. WORRIED ABOUT FUTURE FAILURES IN SHORT TIMES WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10864938

25,287 miles · May 11, 2016

Service Brakes

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE AND ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND REGAIN NORMAL BRAKE FUNCTION. THE LOW TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT TWO WASHERS LOCATED AT THE REAR BRAKE BOOSTER PEDAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,287.

NHTSA ODI #10864452

140,000 miles · May 9, 2016

Power TrainSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO DRIFT AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED ERRATICALLY WHILE SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS N…

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NHTSA ODI #10864048

87,000 miles · May 9, 2016

Electrical System

KEY WON'T TURN TO OFF POSITION IN IGNITION

NHTSA ODI #10864026

100,000 miles · Apr 22, 2016

Unknown Or Other

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THE POWER LOCKS ON MY CAR ARE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. THEY DO NOT LOCK/UNLOCK WHEN I NEED THEM TO. I PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE CAR DOOR AND/ OR ON MY KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTE AND SOME LOCKS UNLOCK/LOCK AND SOME DON'T. IT IS MORE PREVALENT WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS 60F AND ABOVE. THE ISSUE STARTED LAST SUMMER. I THOUGHT IT HAD SUBSIDED SINCE IT WENT AWAY DURING THE COOLER MONTHS. NOW THAT IT HAS WARMED UP AGAIN IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. THE PROBLEM USE TO BE LIMITED TO THE REAR DRIVER DOOR. NOW IT HAPPENS TO ANY DOOR WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. WHILE PRESSING THE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON THE LOCKS SEEM TO WANT TO WORK BUT THEY DON'T. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS FOR ME SINCE I HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD IN THE CAR WITH ME 90% OF THE TIME. DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH IT SEEMS THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE. OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES RANGE FROM THE 2008 TO 2012 MODELS SIMILAR TO MY CAR. INVESTIGATIONS THIS ISSUE AND FINDING A ROOT CAUSE MAY BE BENEFICIAL EVEN IF A RECALL IS NOT ISSUED. AT LEAST OWNERS WILL KNOW WHAT IS WRONG AND HOW TO FIX IT. I WAS QUOTED $350 PER DOOR TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND WAS NOT GIVEN A GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY REMEDIATE IT. WHICH IS QUITE RIDICULOUS.

NHTSA ODI #10860905

207,000 miles · Apr 20, 2016

Steering

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LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE ELECTRIC ASSIST STEERING, CAR WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER, I CONTACTED GM AND THEY HAVE NO RECALLS, HOWEVER DOING A SEARCH APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MANY OTHER GM CARS AS WELL AS THE MALIBU, THE PERSON I SPOKE TO FROM GM SAID THAT THEY OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO MAKE THE REPAIR, BUT ONLY UP TO 150,000 MILES, AND MY CAR HAS 207,000 AND SHE STATES THAT I AM OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL!

NHTSA ODI #10860604

127,000 miles · Mar 14, 2016

Electronic Stability Control (esc)SuspensionUnknown Or Other

DISPLAYS, ESC OFF, TRACTION CONTROL SERVICE, AND ENGINE POWER REDUCED. AND WHEN ACCELERATING IT DOESN'T REALLY MOVE . IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET SPEED UP. AND I WAS ALMOST RUN OVER BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. THIS JUST STARTED ALL OF A SUDDEN. AND I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR ABOUT A YEAR. IT IS STATED THAT THE MALIBU HAS RECALLS.

NHTSA ODI #10846469

Official recalls

14V252000 · Electrical System:wiring; Electronic Stability Control (esc); Exterior Lighting:brake Lights; Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch; Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control

May 14, 2014

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Additional source detail variants (5)

Electronic Stability Control (esc)