Steering. Review the 768 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 368 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 255 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

41 crash reports9 fire reports31 injury reports

Engine complaints

61 reports

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75,000 miles · Mar 18, 2015

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIF…

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NHTSA ODI #10695032

65,000 miles · Feb 27, 2015

EngineService Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE RPM METER FLUCTUATED INDEPENDENTLY. ALSO, THE BRAKE WARNING LAMPS ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS …

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NHTSA ODI #10691193

148,000 miles · Feb 4, 2015

EngineSteeringVehicle Speed Control

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ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 3RD 2015 I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHEN MY 2009 CHEVY MALIBU CUT OFF ON ME. THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACTION LIGHTS CAME ON AND A MESSAGE OF POWER STEERING SERVICE ESC CAME ON. CARS HAD TO SWERVE AROUND ME TO AVOID COLLISION LUCKILY I HAD NOT YET MADE IT ONTO THE INTERSTATE. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, WAITED FOR FIVE MINUTES AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. UPON RESTART ALL OF THE LIGHTS AND MESSAGES WERE GONE AND THE CAR WAS OPERABLE. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND FOUND THAT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND EVEN ON RECALL. I CALLED GM AND I WAS INFORMED BY A REP THAT WHILE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND IS A RECALL FOR MY MODEL MY VIN NUMBER DOES NOT MEET THE RECALL. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A KNOWN ISSUE THAT I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING IS NOT COVERED BY GM. THIS IS A EXTREME HAZARD TO MYSELF, OTHER DRIVERS AND MY NEWBORN CHILD THAT I TRAVEL WITH. I AM VERY ANGRY, DISAPPOINTED AND I FEEL BETRAYED BY GM AND CHEVROLET. I WILL BE CONTACTING MY LAWYER, SENDING LETTERS TO GM AND BLOGGING TO WARN PEOPLE OF THE DANGERS AND HASSLES OF PURCHASING AND DRIVING A CHEVY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10681160

147,000 miles · Feb 2, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineSteering

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FRIDAY MORNING AT 8AM, ATTEMPTED TO BACKUP CAR FROM PARKING SPACE AND GO TO WORK BUT HAD THE HARDEST TIME TURNING THE WHEEL AND GOOGLED INFORMATION AND FOUND RECALL ID # 105304 FOR STEERING ISSUE RECALLED JULY 21, 2014 & FOUND RECALL ID # 103669 FOR ESC RECALL DATE MAY 14,2014, I'VE CONTACTED CHEVROLET AT 800.680.7031 AND HAD CASE#: [XXX] INITIATED FOR STEERING AND HAD A REP CALL GMC ROYAL TO SERVICE MY CAR BUT FOUND OUT THAT THEY WOULDN'T FIX MY STEERING OR ESC ISSUE SINCE MY VIN# PERSONALLY HASN'T BEEN NOTIFIED AS A MASS RECALL BUT THEY WILL FIX TWO OTHER ISSUES AFFECTING A LAMP AND A CLAMP, IF I COULD HAVE SOMEONE RESEARCH THIS IN DEPTH I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT AS I WOULD HATE TO HAVE TO PAY MONEY TO HAVE THE CAR FIXED AND THEY SEND A RECALL LETTER FOR THE SAME SITUATION YEARS LATER AND THEN I'M STUCK OUT OF POCKET FOR THE PRIOR SERVICES THE MAIN ISSUE I EXPERIENCE IS WITH THE STEERING OUT OF NO WHERE THE CAR STATES POWER STEERING IN GREEN LETTERS AND FREEZES AND I'M SOMETIMES STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND CAN ONLY MOVE IF I KEEP RESTARTING THE CAR AND WITH THE ESC, THE CAR STATES ESC DISABLED WHICH AFFECTS STEERING AND NO TRACTION AND MESSES WITH THE PEDALS, IF I CAN HAVE THESE ISSUES ESCALATED SINCE THEY ARE THE SAME ISSUE AS THOSE OTHER RECALLS I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10680622

72,000 miles · Jan 30, 2015

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

I WAS PICKING MY LITTLE BROTHER UP FROM SCHOOL I WAS AT THE LIGHT AND THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND ENGINE REDUCED POWER LIGHT CAME ON IS DOES THIS ON AND OFF AND THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR ANY DRIVER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10680019

145,000 miles · Jan 7, 2015

Engine

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DURING A SEVEN DAY PERIOD THE CAR WAS TOWED THREE TIMES TO LUTHER BROOKDALE CHEVROLET BUICK GMC. THE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THERE WAS ONLY 2 QTS OF OIL IN THE CAR. MY DAUGHTER WAS DEALING WITH THE DEALER UNTIL THE THIRD TIME WHEN I CALLED GM. GM JUST TOLD ME (20 MINUTES AGO, [XXX] (SP) ON A GM RECORDED CONVERSATION) THAT HE KNOWS OF NO INTERNAL GM PHONE NUMBER TO CALL FOR LIFE AND DEATH SAFETY ISSUES. THE THIRD TIME THE DEALER STATED THE CARS ENGINE IS BAD AND NEEDS "PISTONS, CYL HEAD, CRANK AND ROD AND MAIN BEARINGS, NEEDS ENGINE" . THEY STATE THEY FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE ENGINE. I AGAIN ASKED THE GM SENIOR ADVISOR IF THERE WAS ANY MECHANISM TO REPORT LIFE AND DEATH SAFETY ISSUES FOR GM PRODUCTS AND HE STATED NO AND THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. HE WILL CALL THE DEALER AND TALK WITH THEM ABOUT REPLACING THE ENGINE. I STATED THIS IS A GM ISSUE AND NOT A DEALER ISSUE, HE STATED THIS IS WHAT HE WILL DO. THERE IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING WRONG HERE. MY DAUGHTER WAS STALLED THREE TIMES, 1 WHEN SHE TRIED TO START THE CAR AND TWICE DRIVING THE CAR - THE CAR STALLED ON THE INTERSTATE. I ALSO STATED FOR HIS OWN JOB SECURITY HE SHOULD ROUTE THIS CALL TO A QUALITY CONTROL DEPARTMENT FUNCTION - HE STATED THIS IS NOT HIS JOB - AGAIN THIS IS RECORDED. VALVOLINE CHECKED THE BATTERY AND CHANGED THE OIL. IF THE DEALER WAS ACCURATE, DOUBTFUL, THEN THE CAR LOSES OIL IN THREE MONTHS AND STALLS WHEN DRIVING. IF THE DEALER IS NOT ACCURATE, HAS OIL, WHICH IS THE PROBABLY THE CASE, THE ENGINE GOES BAD AND THE CAR STALLS. HELP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10670775

109,000 miles · Dec 30, 2014

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

NHTSA ODI #10668991

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 2014

EngineSeats

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SEATS - FRONT DRIVER POWER SEAT, THERE IS A BRACKET OR BRACE THAT GOES ACROSS THE FRONT AND SUPPORTS THE SEAT, IT IS WELDED, THE WELD IS BROKEN, AFTER DOING FORUM AND GOOGLE SEARCHES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR YEARS WITH THE BROKEN WELD, CAUSING THE SEAT TO BECOME UNSTABLE AND ALLOWED TO ROCK WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE - THE FRONT ENGINE OIL SEAL OR CRANKSHAFT PULLEY SEAL IS PRONE TO LEAKING, THERE IS SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR A 6 CYL MODEL, APPARENTLY THE 4CYL MODEL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FIX IS TO HAVE THE SEAL REPLACED WITH AN UPDATED STYLE CONSTRUCTED WITH A BETTER SPRING AND SEAL WIPER. THIS CAN CAUSE A SUBSTANTIAL OIL LEAK, EVEN THOUGH THIS COULD NOT CAUSE (TO THE BEST I KNOW) A SERIOUS PROBLEM, IT DOES CAUSE OIL TO LEAK ALONG THE FRAME AND ONTO THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE AND POSSIBLY ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPING BEHIND THE ENGINE. IT ALSO CAUSE AN ENVIRONMENT ISSUE CAUSING MOTOR OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE GROUND. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10637931

58,459 miles · Sep 4, 2014

Engine

GM: SOME DTC CODES MAY BE SET, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0008, OR P0009. 3.6 LY7 WITH CAM ACTUATOR DTC.THE RELUCTOR FOR THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR PRESSED ON THE CRANKSHAFT MAY HAVE MOVED. MY CODE IS P0016 CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10630584

26,000 miles · Jul 30, 2014

EngineVehicle Speed Control

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER THE FIRST ATTEMPT, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

NHTSA ODI #10617543

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)