Steering. Review the 454 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 294 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 227 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 reports14 fire reports35 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

227 reports

Clear category filter

152,000 miles · May 8, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR DISPLAYED "OFF" AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THREE INDEPENDENT MECHANICS. THE FIRST INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS AN INNER TIE ROD FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A TIRE SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A TIRE ROD AND SWAY BAR MALFUNCTION. THE BRACKETS ON THE SWAY BAR WERE REPLACED, BUT THE ISSUE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A THIRD INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A POSSIBLE RACK AND PINION MALFUNCTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT OF A RECALL AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A GENERAL MOTOR DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 152,000.

NHTSA ODI #10984201

172,360 miles · Mar 22, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)SteeringTraction Control System

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED AND THE ESC, POWER STEERING, AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR ALL SYSTEMS TO RETURN TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT, DUE TO THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE, THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,360. UPDATED 05/30/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPAIR TOO EXPENSIVE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE FAILURE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. UPDATED 08/07/2017 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10967802

86,000 miles · Mar 20, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

THE POWER STEERING DISENGAGES RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING. THE RESULTING EXTRA WORK REQUIRED TO TURN THE CAR, LEADS A CAR THAT IS INCAPABLE OF SAFE TRANSPORT BY MOST PEOPLE. I WAS ON A CITY STREET THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, PREPARING TO GET ON THE INTERSTATE. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE PRESENT EACH TIME THE…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10967269

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2017

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

Read full complaint

WE OWN A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU LTZ, WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TO PERFORM A RECALL FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON BY THEIR SELF AND STAYING ON TILL YOU TOUCH THE BRAKE, THEN THEY WILL GO OFF FOR 6 SECONDS THEN COME ON AGAIN. WE TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN AND THEY SAID IT WAS BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH THIS TIME. I HAVE READ THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE CHANGED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND STILL HAD THE PROBLEM. I ALSO READ THAT THE BCM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AFTER THE RECALL WAS DONE. THE DEALER PUT SOME DIELECTRIC SILICONE GREASE ON THE CONNECTOR AS A BAND-AID ON THE REAL PROBLEM. I ASSUME IF THE BCM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED THAT WOULD COST GM TO MUCH MONEY. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2004 ON MANY DIFFERENT MODELS. PLEASE HELP US.

NHTSA ODI #10965974

90,000 miles · Mar 7, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

Read full complaint

MY VEHICLE WAS PART OF THE FOLLOWING RECALL: * ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL RECALL FOR 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU * RECALL ANNOUNCED MAY 14 2014 * NHTSA REFERENCE #14V252000 THE RECALL WAS INITIALLY "REPAIRED" IN MAY 2014 AT PENSKE CHEVROLET IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN. ABOUT A MONTH LATER I HAD TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK BECAUSE THE ESC ERROR WAS STILL HAPPENING. I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER RECALL BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN "REPAIRED", AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE "REPAIR" OUT OF POCKET. AFTER SOME NEGOTIATION THEY AGREED TO PERFORM THE SAME "REPAIR" FOR FREE. IN 2016 THE ESC ERROR STARTED AGAIN. THIS TIME I TOOK IT TO BILL ESTES CHEVROLET IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN. THEY DIDN'T LISTEN TO MY COMPLAINT OR ISSUE WITH THE RECALL BECAUSE MY VIN SHOWS NO CURRENT RECALL FOR THE ESC ISSUE. THEY CONVINCED ME THAT IT WAS A SENSOR ISSUE AND "REPAIRED" THE VEHICLE TO THE TUNE OF $500+. WITHIN THE WEEK THE VEHICLE AGAIN HAD THE ESC ERROR, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND ENGINE BUCKING. RETURNED THE CAR TO BILL ESTES CHEVROLET AND AGAIN MY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ESC ERROR RECALL WAS OVERLOOKED. I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD A CRACKED MANIFOLD AND DAMAGED O2 SENSOR. THEY "REPAIRED" THE VEHICLE TO THE TUNE OF $800. FOR THE NEXT WEEK, EVERYDAY AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABOUT 6 MILES THE ESC ERROR WOULD OCCUR. CURRENTLY WE ARE CALLING FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO GET THIS "REPAIRED" AT BILL ESTES CHEVROLET. AFTER MUCH INTERNET RESEARCH, I AM GOING TO SPECIFICALLY ASK THAT THEY PERFORM AGAIN THE PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN THE RECALL. I THINK THAT THIS A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT MAY NEED TO "REPAIRED" OFTEN UNTIL GM/ CHEVROLET COMES UP WITH A PERMANENT SOLUTION. FOR NOW MY WIFE DRIVES THE VEHICLE TO WORK MORE THAN 20 MILES A DAY. AT ANYTIME BECAUSE OF THIS ESC ERROR, SHE COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HAVE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10959063

130,000 miles · Feb 28, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

Read full complaint

AT FIRST, WHEN STARTING VEHICLE, DIC WOULD DISPLAY SERVICE ESC AND POWER STEERING. TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON WOULD USUALLY CLEAR THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, WHILE DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD RANDOMLY START MOVING AN INCH OR SO TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS, WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE SERVICE ESC AND POWER STEERING MESSAGES WOULD DISPLAY AGAIN, AND POWER STEERING WAS LOST. THIS STARTED HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN'T COMPLETE A TRIP WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING DROPPING OUT. RESEARCH SHOWS GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND MY VEHICLE WILL BE FIXED UNDER GM SPECIAL COVERAGE 15356, SINCE I AM UNDER 150,000 MILES. HOWEVER, I FEEL THIS IS HAPPENING TO ENOUGH TO WARRANT A GENERAL RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #10957628

66,000 miles · Feb 16, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL AND TRACTION CONTROL FEATURE MALFUNCTIONS AND SHUTS OFF EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR. ALSO, THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT TURN ON WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES WITH NORMAL PRESSURE. THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO TURN ON ONLY IF A VERY GREAT ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALSO, OCCASIONALLY…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10955171

5 miles · Feb 15, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

ESC LIGHT IS COMING ON AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND WON'T TURN WHILE DRIVING AND ALSO WHILE PARKED. SHUTTING OFF CAR THEN TURNING BACK ON SOMETIMES RESETS IT BUT THE STEERING COLUMN IS ALSO VIBRATING AND ALMOST FEELS AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS GOING TO FALL OFF. STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO TWITCHING EVEN WHILE AT A STOP. MY VEHI…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10954979

109,000 miles · Feb 4, 2017

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

Read full complaint

BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING AND TURNS OFF WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS ENGAGED. IT IS ALSO ILLUMINATED WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING AND WHILE IDLING IN PARK. THIS HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS. THERE HAS BEEN NO RESOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE DESPITE BEING ASSESSED BY A TECHNICIAN ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE ESC AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ON CLUSTER CONSTANTLY STAYS ILLUMINATED AS WELL AS THE TIRE SENSOR INDICATOR. THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS TOO. NO ONE EVER KNOWS HOW TO REPAIR THESE ISSUES. I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO PUT INTO THIS VEHICLE ANY LONGER. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE EVERY TIME I GET IN IT. IT IS A DANGER TO ALL ON THE ROADWAYS WHEN A VEHICLE'S BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS IN ANY WAY. I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE AS THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE MY FAMILY OWNS AT THIS TIME. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, GM HAS MULTIPLE VEHICLES IN OPERATION WITH THE SAME ISSUES. WHAT MAKES IT SO BAD, THE PROBLEMS DATE BACK AS FAR AS 2004. HOW DO YOU KEEP PRODUCING CARS WITH THE SAME ISSUES YEAR AFTER YEAR? ARE THERE NO REPERCUSSIONS? PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ODI #10949568

90,000 miles · Jan 9, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

ECSLIGHT COME ON AND THEN YOU LOSE POWER STEERING AND GET A ERROR SAYING POWER STEERING IF YOU TURN CAR OFF AND MAKE ON IT AGAIN LIGHT GOES OFF AND THE POWER STEERING COMES BACK CAR WAS ON HIGHWAY THIS AS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIME IN THE LAST TWO SATS

NHTSA ODI #10943778

Official recalls

19V019000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Jan 16, 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, the air bag inflator may explode due to being overpressurized.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the inflator explodes, sharp metal fragments may strike the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 25, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N182206630.

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)

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.

Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control

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

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

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

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights

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

Electrical System:wiring

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

12V460000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Sep 18, 2012

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.