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

What owners actually said

1,509 reports

60,000 miles · Apr 2, 2013

Power Train

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BOUGHT VEHICLE NEW 01/09, 3 MON. LATER RECEIVED LETTER FROM GM CITING RECALL FOR TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED. RECALL ID # 78844 - POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT NO PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE UNTIL 12/12 DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 50 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHIFT HARD/ERRATIC WITH RPM GAGE GOING TO 6-7 BEFORE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT/ACCELERATE, CHECK ENGINE, ABS, CHECK TIRE PRESSURE LIGHTS ALL CAME ON. CALLED ONSTAR WAS TOLD THERE NOTHING INDICATED ON DIAGNOSTICS REPORT AND TO CONTACT GM. CONTACTED GM WAS TOLD THERE WAS ANOTHER RECALL ON MY VEHICLE FOR RECALL ID # 94402 - POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL). TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING AND WOULD NOT HAVE PARTS UNTIL LATE JAN. TO FIX RECALL IF THAT WAS IN FACT THE ISSUE. TOLD BY DEALER THAT ERRATIC SHIFTING IS A NORMAL PROBLEM WITH THOSE VEHICLES. ON 4/2/13 CAR WILL NOT GO IN PARK COMPLETELY AND IGNITION WILL NOT TURN TO "OFF" POSITION, CANNOT REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION. CONTACTED GM WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO ACTIVE RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE BECAUSE ORIGINAL RECALL FROM 2009 FIXED THE SHIFT CABLE AND REPLACEMENT PART WAS ONLY COVERED BY GM FOR 12 MONTHS. GM SAID SECOND RECALL WAS NOT ATTACHED TO VIN# AND THEREFORE MY VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED ALTHOUGH GM REP AND DEALER VERIFIED IT WAS IN NOV 2012. GM SAID TO TAKE TO DEALER AND GET DIAGNOSTIC REPORT AND THEY WOULD GO FROM THERE BUT ISSUE WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE COVERED IF IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SHIFT CABLE BECAUSE WARRANTY OF 12 MON. ON REPLACEMENT PARTS HAS EXPIRED. IF GM KNOWS THERE IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL AND THIS COMPONENT THEN IT SHOULD BE COVERED REGARDLESS. HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD YOU HAVE TO TAKE VEHICLE IN FOR SAME SET OF ISSUES. IF GM DOES NOT OWN THIS PROBLEM I WILL NEVER BUY A GM VEHICLE AGAIN! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10505439

97,000 miles · Mar 26, 2013

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

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THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM, BEGINNING NEARLY 2 YEARS AGO. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE LAST DOCUMENTABLE INCIDENT IS MARCH 9, 2013. ESC SERVICE LIGHT COMES ON, CRUISE CONTROL SHUTS DOWN, BRAKES LIGHTS ILLUMINATING WHEN THEY SHOULD NOT, AND NOT ILLUMINATING WHEN THEY SHOULD. THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOME "THING" THEY FIND WRONG, FROM RE-CALIBRATION OF THE ESC SYSTEM TO THIS LAST INCIDENT, WHERE THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH! I HAD JUST HAD THE VEHICLE IN TO HAVE A HEADLIGHT REPLACED THE PRIOR WEEKEND AND I NEVER NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING, AND THE DEALER THAT REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT NEVER MENTIONED IT EITHER. I'M THINKING THEY WOULD HAVE IF THEY COULD CHARGE ME TO FIX SOMETHING ADDITIONAL ON THE CAR. I JUST PAID $250 TO REPLACE WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS A BURNED OUT BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON MARCH 9TH, (PALMEN MOTORS, KENOSHA, WI), AND ITS ALREADY RECURRING. I HEARD PART OF POSSIBLE RECALL ON WNN ABC NEWS AND STARTED RESEARCHING AND ENDED UP AT YOUR SITE THIS MORNING. I WANT TO REPORT THIS. THERE'S NO TELLING HOW MANY DOLLARS HAVE BEEN PAID TO MECHANICS TO FIX UNNECESSARY REPAIRS BECAUSE OF THIS! I AM FURIOUS! I AM HOPING THAT IF THIS IS A RECALL, OR MADE ONE, I CAN AT LEAST GET SOME OF MY MONEY BACK! THANK YOU, *TR

NHTSA ODI #10504508

6,000 miles · Mar 21, 2013

Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes

I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT FUNCTION. WHEN DRIVING, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD BE ON. WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE, THE LIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF. I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE A SWITCH REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10503943

35,000 miles · Mar 16, 2013

Electrical System

CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED. THIRD BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. WOULD NOT GO OFF. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME ( 30 MINUTES OR SO ) THE BRAKE LIGHT WENT OFF. PEOPLE HAVE TOLD US NUMEROUS TIMES WE HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. THIS HAS HAPPENED A LOT OF TIMES SINCE THEN. DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG.

NHTSA ODI #10503240

53,900 miles · Mar 2, 2013

Electrical SystemSeats

HEATING ELEMENT OF HEATED SEAT FEATURE BURNED A HOLE COMPLETELY THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK. THE HOLE IS CENTERED IN THE LOWER LUMBAR AREA OF THE SEAT BACK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10501018

54,000 miles · Feb 28, 2013

Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL THE DOOR HANDLE SEVERAL TIMES IN BEFORE IT WOULD OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSI…

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NHTSA ODI #10500832

Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2013

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

WHILE DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD THIS ESC LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND TELLS ME TO SERVICE TRACTION SOON. I DON'T NOTICE ANYTHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THE WAY IT HANDLES OR DRIVES BUT WHEN THIS LIGHT IS ON YOU CANT SEE THE ODOMETER. TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON THE LIGHT GOES OFF, YESTERDAY IT DID THE SAMETHING. MY CAR ONLY HAS 24000 MILES ON …

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NHTSA ODI #10496674

37,000 miles · Jan 30, 2013

Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS HAVE FAILED. INTERMITTENTLY, OPENING ANY OF THE FOUR DOORS AT ANY GIVEN TIME WILL CAUSE ALL LOCKS TO ENGAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10495265

65,000 miles · Jan 29, 2013

Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

MY REAR DRIVER DOOR LOCK WILL NOT ACTIVATE. ONLY MANUALLY. VERY DANGEROUS. IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON THING WITH THESE CARS. THEY HAVE BAD ACTUATORS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BY GENERAL MOTORS... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10495124

66,421 miles · Dec 28, 2012

Steering

ERRATIC STEERING WHILE TRYING TO PARK. CHIMES WERE HEAD, MESSAGE CAME ACROSS SPEEDO, MAJOR CLUNK ALSO STARTED AT SAME TIME. SOUNDS LIKE RIGHT FRONT. ANOTHER ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILURE FROM A CAR BARELY BROKEN IN, FROM GM. WHEN WILL THEY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUBSTANDARD PARTS THEY IMPORT FOR AMERICAN CARS? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10490350

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)