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

39,250 miles · Jun 13, 2017

Visibility/wiper

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS TURNED ON, BUT THE AIR FAILED TO FLOW CORRECTLY. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD AS IT FOGGED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SULLIVAN-PARKHILL AUTOMOTIVE CHEVROLET & CADILLAC (440 W ANTHONY DR, CHAMPAIGN, IL 61821 (217) 352-4275) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A MALFUNCTIONING DRIVER SIDE ACTUATOR THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE MANUFACTURER AND THE LOCAL DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V634000 (VISIBILITY). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 39,250.

NHTSA ODI #10994938

20,835 miles · Jun 6, 2017

Electrical System

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROGRESSING FAILURE IN WHICH THE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK WITH THE FOB FOR THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK. THE OTHER THREE DOORS HAD BEEN ABLE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK WITH THE FOB. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE ALSO RECEIVED AN INSPECTION FROM AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT THE RESULTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,835. UPDATED 08/24/17*LJ *CN

NHTSA ODI #10993471

55,000 miles · May 30, 2017

Structure

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3 OF THE 4 DOOR ACTUATORS ARE FAILING. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS I DRIVE WITH A 2-YEAR OLD AND CANNOT OPEN THE REAR DOORS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY WITHOUT EXTREME HARDSHIP IN REACHING THE MANUAL REAR DOOR PEGS NEAR BACK OF EACH DOOR. THIS IS A HUGE COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET AND ALL ARE REFERENCING THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF IT WHICH THE NTSB IS DOING NOTHING AND GM IS OFFERING TO REPLACE AT FULL COST SAYING UNTIL THE NTSB PUSHES A RECALL THAT THIS WILL REST ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE CONSUMER. HTTP://WWW.CHEVYMALIBUFORUM.COM/FORUMS/6-PROBLEMS-SERVICE-ISSUES-TROUBLESHOOTING-GENERATION-7/7950-DOOR-LOCK-ACTUATOR-RECALL.HTML HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/CHEVROLET/MALIBU/2009/ACCESSORIES-INTERIOR/POWER_DOOR_LOCKS_MALFUNCTIONING.SHTML HTTP://WWW.GMINSIDENEWS.COM/FORUMS/F31/2008-MALIBU-DOOR-LOCK-ACTUATORS-107426/ HTTP://WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/CHEVROLET/MALIBU/POWER-DOOR-LOCKS-NOT-WORKING-PROBLEMS.PHP

NHTSA ODI #10992203

156,000 miles · May 24, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

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ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AS I'M DRIVING, MY CAR WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN GO INTO ENG PWR REDUCED MODE AND IT WILL SAY THAT ALONG WITH SERVICE TRACTION AND SERVICE ESC. TRAVELING ON THE HWY WHERE SPEED LIMIT IS 65 OR INTERSTATE WHERE SPEED LIMIT IS 80 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVING YOUR CAR POWER DOWN IS SO DANGEROUS!! MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS AND WHEN TAKEN INTO MECHANIC, IT SHOWS 8 DIFFERENT CODES. I HAVE BEEN ON THE CHEVY FORUM REGARDING THIS AND IT SEEMS THERE IS NO ANSWER TO THIS. I ALSO CALLED GM AND WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THEM FOR 45 MINUTES. NO RECALLS OR SPECIAL WARRANTY ON THE MALIBU'S FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT YET THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE DISCUSSING THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE ON THEIR WEBSITE. THE CHEVY DEALER IS NOW TELLING ME IT IS THE INTAKE & EXHAUST SOLENOID BUT WITH A PRICE TAG OF OVER $300 TO DO THIS, I'M SCARED THIS WILL NOT CORRECT MY PROBLEM. IN THE DATE FIELD BELOW I USED TODAY'S DATE BUT IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL MONTHS.

NHTSA ODI #10991415

125,900 miles · May 18, 2017

Electrical SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

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WHILE IN MOTION GOING TO FL ON RT 95 MY SPEED CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I GOT TO FL. THAT MY BREAK LIGHTS WERE ON ALL THE TIME AND WHEN I WOULD HIT THE BREAKS THEY WOULD GO OFF AND THEN COME BACK ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER IN FL AND THEY COULD NOT DUBLACATE THE PROBLEM. THEY DID REPLACE THE THIRD BREAK LIGHT AND AFTER RESEARCHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM I TOLD THEM TO CHANGE THE BREAK PEDDLE SWITCH. I DROVE BACK FROM FL TO PA. WITH NO PROBLEMS. I KNOW THERE WERE RECALLS ABOUT THE BCM AND DID RECEIVE OTHER LETTERS THAT IF A BREAK LIGHT PROBLEM LIKE ABOVE WOULD HAPPEN TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. SENT REINVERSMENT PAPERS TOCHEV. BUT THEY SENT ME S LETTER TELLING ME THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS.

NHTSA ODI #10990490

78,000 miles · May 12, 2017

Exterior Lighting

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THE CHMSL - CENTER HIGH MOUNT STOP LIGHT (3RD LED BRAKE LIGHT) WORKS FOR A SHORT PERIOD UNTIL IT OVERHEATS OR NOT AT ALL FAILING TO ILLUMINATE. IT IS NOT AN WIRING ISSUE BUT THE LED UNIT ITSELF. NOTE - THIS ISSUE IS NOT ASSOCIATED TO THE BCM (BODY CONTROL MODULE) GM IS ADDRESSING. I HAVE NOTICE THIS IS AN ISSUE NOT ONLY WITH MY INDIVIDUAL CAR BUT SEVERAL OTHERS I HAVE SEEN ON THE ROAD OF SAME MAKE/MODULE-GENERATION AND CORRESPONDING MODEL/YEAR PLUS ALSO MENTIONED IN FORUMS. I FEEL THIS IS AN VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL GIVEN IT IS AN LED LIGHTING SYSTEM TO ASSIST IN PREVENTING REAR END COLLISIONS. ONCE THE WARRANTY PERIOD EXPIRES, GM WILL NOT COVER AND IS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL TO COVER COSTS TO REPLACE/REPAIR AND IS REQUIRED TO WORK FOR SOME STATES SAFETY INSPECTIONS. LED LIGHTING UNITS LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT FAIL, SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE CAR MANUFACTURER FOR REPAIR/REPLACE COSTS AND NOT PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMER. PICTURES CAN BE PROVIDED IF REQUESTED.

NHTSA ODI #10985415

67,000 miles · May 12, 2017

Electrical SystemVisibility/wiper

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE WINDSHIELD STARTED TO FROST. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE DEFROSTER, BUT THE HVAC DEFROSTER FAILED TO FUNCTION. AS A RESULT, THE INTERIOR WINDSHIELD BECAME FOGGY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CONTROL HEAD MODULE FAILED TO FUNCTION AND FAILED TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT SHE NEEDED THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

NHTSA ODI #10985093

209,410 miles · May 11, 2017

Electrical SystemSteering

MY POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND AT THE SAME TIME MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AS WELL AS THE ESC LIGHT MY CAR VIN IS NOT ON THE RECALL BUT IT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE RECALLED CARS

NHTSA ODI #10984810

216,000 miles · May 5, 2017

Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

CAR TURNED OFF WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVE THRU LINE. CAR TURNED OFF DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. SOMETIMES WILL START BACK, SOMETIMES WILL NOT START BACK AND HAS TO BE TOWED. AFTER WAITING A FEW DAYS THE CAR WILL DRIVE AS NORMAL AND THEN THE NEXT TIME THE CAR WILL TURN OFF AGAIN. THE CAR WILL TURN OVER, BUT NOT CRA…

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NHTSA ODI #10983658

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2017

Exterior Lighting

WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DIM LIGHTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE LAST NOVEMBER AND NOW MY LEFT SIDE DIM LIGHT HAS GONE OUT. IS THIS COMMON IN THESE CARS? SOMEONE SAID THAT THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL FOR THIS. HOW DO I FIND OUT.

NHTSA ODI #10981620

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)