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

50,000 miles · May 17, 2011

Steering

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STEERING WHEEL WILL "WOBBLE" LEFT TO RIGHT WHILE CAR IS STOPPED, IN PARKED POSITION, AT IDOL. EVENT OCCURS DAILY AND A NOISE WILL ACCOMPANY THE MOTION AT TIMES. "WOBBLE" MOTION SEEMS TO INCREASE WITH SLIGHT REV OF ENGINE. *TR WHILE DRIVING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED AND ON ANY ROAD SURFACES THE STEERING WILL JERK FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RAPIDLY SWIRVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. FEELS LIKE ALL CONTROL COULD BE LOST AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. I HAVE A 60 MILE COMMUTE TO AND FROM WORK AND IT IS EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING AS IT OCCURS WHILE OTHER VEHICLES ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MINE. I AM SURPRISED THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN CITED FOR CARELESS AND IMPRUDENT DRIVING BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR ULTIMATELY KILLED IN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. I FIRST MENTIONED THE EVENT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHILE THERE FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. EVENT DID NOT OCCUR UPON MECHANIC TEST DRIVE, HOWEVER, THEIR ANSWER WAS AN UNSCHEDULED TIRE ROTATION THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR AND THE EVENT OCCURRED AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. THE PROBLEM WAS MENTIONED FOR THE SECOND TIME WITH THE NEXT SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WHICH INCLUDED ANOTHER TIRE ROTATION. THE MECHANIC DID WITNESS THE FAULTY STEERING AT THIS TIME AND EVIDENTLY SOME TORQUE SOMETHING OR OTHER WAS RECALIBRATED AND THE STEERING ANGLE WAS READJUSTED. UPON LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, THE STEERING WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT CORRECTED. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THAT TIME. THE TECHNICIAN AND I WENT ON A 20 MILE DRIVE AND UNFORTUNATELY IT ENDED WITHOUT ANY OCCURANCES. THE MECHANIC MADE A COMMENT THAT IT WAS MORE THAN LIKELY THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MOTOR THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED IN OTHER CHEVROLET AUTOMOBILES AND HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE MALIBU WAS NOT INCLUDED. I CURRENTLY HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO LEAVE MY CAR WITH THEM SO THAT THEY MAY RANDOMLY DRIVE IT, "IN HOPES" TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BUT WANT TO GET AS MANY BILLABLE HOURS OF LABOR OUT OF ME IN THE MEANTIME. NOT HAPPY!

NHTSA ODI #10401204

Mileage unknown · May 11, 2011

Child Seat

THE SUPER LATCH BELT ON MY SUNSHINE KIDS RADIAN XTSL LOOSENS FAR TOO EASILY. DRIVING, BUMPING THE SEAT, EVEN JUST PUTTING MY DAUGHTER IN HER SEAT MADE IT LOOSEN. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD DO IN AN ACCIDENT. HAD TO INSTALL USING THE SEAT BELT. 2008 CHEVY MALIBU 2LT (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2008, MAKE=CHEVROL…

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NHTSA ODI #10400569

51,000 miles · Apr 24, 2011

Steering

2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU POWER STEERING FAULTY .VEHICLE IS HARD TO CONTROL AT ANY SPEED. HAPPENS QUITE FREQUENTLY. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER ,IT WILL BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI #10397247

31,000 miles · Apr 21, 2011

Suspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO TURN TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT DIRECTION INDEPENDENTLY. THE INTERMITTENT FAILURE OCCURRED FOR A BRIEF PERIOD WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD RESUME NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZ…

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NHTSA ODI #10397059

24,638 miles · Apr 20, 2011

Latches/locks/linkages

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK WOULD NOT ACTIVATE UPON THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE KEY FOB OR THE INTERIOR DOOR LOCK DEVICE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,638.

NHTSA ODI #10396910

50,499 miles · Apr 17, 2011

Steering

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THE POWER STEERING IS ACTING UP, THERE IS NO WARNING OR ENGINE LIGHT SIGNALS, I HAVE LOOKED UP FOR RECALL AND ALL I HAVE FOUND IN MANY OTHER CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS 2004 -2009 HAVING THE POWER STEERING ISSUES. IN SOME CASES THIS HAS CASED SOME OF THE DRIVERS TO LOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THEIR VEHICLE POWER STEERING AN RESULT IN A CRASH. TODAY MY WIFE SWERVED OFF THE ROAD AND JUST BARELY HIT A GUARD RAIL AND ALMOST RAN INTO THE BRIDGE DUE TO THE POWER STEERING JUST GOING OUT WITH OUT ANY NOTICE AND NO WARNING LIGHTS. GM HAS NO RECALL FOR THIS BUT IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO MANY OF PEOPLE FOR ALMOST A DECADE NOW, WHAT ARE THEY WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT. GM SERVICE PERSONNEL TELL YOU TO TURN OF THE CAR AND A WILL WORK AGAIN FOR A LITTLE WHILE, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT GOES OUT AGAIN? ALSO THEY SAID IT RUNS ABOUT 800.00 TO FIX THEN THERE ARE REPORTS OF IT GOING RIGHT BACK TO NOT WORKING, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE I DON'T HAVE 800.00, I SPENT 24,000 ON THIS VEHICLE I SHOULD HAVE TO TURN MY VEHICLE OFF TO JUST POSTPONE A SERIOUS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10396573

37,000 miles · Apr 14, 2011

Steering

STEERING WHEEL JERKS AND SHAKES LEFT AND RIGHT EVEN AT A STOP WITHOUT HOLDING WHEEL. WHILE DRIVING, THE WHEEL MOVES AND SEEMS STICKY WHEN TURNING, JERKS LEFT AND RIGHT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THIS PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT BUT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY CONSISTENT. VEHICLE IS AT SERVICE DEALERSHIP CURRENT…

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NHTSA ODI #10396488

37,000 miles · Apr 13, 2011

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED; THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE BRAKES WERE PARTIALLY ENGAGING AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO TOLD THE BRAKES WERE OVERHEATED WHILE THEY WERE PARTIALLY ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ADJUSTED TO TILT DOWNWARDS AT THE LOWEST SETTING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 37,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10395750

60,000 miles · Apr 11, 2011

Steering

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2008 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 60,000 MILES - I ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS WITH STEERING- THE CAR WAS PULLING, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS MOVING WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD IT NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. HAD THE ALIGNMENT, THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WAS TOLD IT WAS THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN THEY CALLED THE DEALER TO ORDER THE PARTS, THE DEALER ADVISED THEM THAT THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM 3-4 TIMES A WEEK ON THE MALIBU, BUT NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT IT. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $1300, YET THE PROBLEM IS STILL NOT RESOLVED. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THIS PARTICULAR PART IS ALSO THE SAME PART USED ON THE PONTIAC G6 WHICH HAS BEEN RECALLED, YET THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE CHEVY MALIBU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10395476

62,000 miles · Apr 7, 2011

Power Train

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MY 2008 CHEVY MALIBU'S SHIFTING CABLE BROKE. I WAS DRIVING IT AND WENT TO PARK AND IT WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK HOWEVER I HAD IT IN PARK ON THE GEARSHIFT. WHEN I EXITED THE VEHICLE IT ROLLED FORWARD. I HAD TO SET THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO KEEP IT STOPPED. MY CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT NOW AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. SINCE THE 2009 MALIBU HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SHIFTING CABLE CLIP, I FEEL THE 2008 CHEVY SHOULD BE INCLUDED AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10395113

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)