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

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34,000 miles · Jul 16, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Traction Control SystemVehicle Speed Control

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WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AS DID THE ESC WARNING LIGHT. I TRIED TO ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT IT WOULD NOT WORK. WE STOPPED AT A REST AREA AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. WE RESUMED OUR TRIP WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AND TRAVELED FOR APPROX. 10 MINUTES. AT THAT POINT THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT WORK. EVERY TIME WE DRIVE THE CAR NOW, THE WARNING LIGHTS NOW COME ON WITHIN A QUARTER MILE. I SAW A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT WAS TOLD MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED.THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERS AND WILL BE REPAIRED. HOPEFULLY. I THINK MY CAR AND MANY OTHERS SHOULD BE UNDER A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10611104

90,000 miles · Jul 14, 2014

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

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I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE GM DEALER THREE TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. EACH TIME THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD REPAIRED THE "BRAKE SIGNAL" AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THE CURRENT RECALLS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, WHEN I CALLED GM DEALER LAST WEEK, THEY STATED THAT THE "CHARGES WOULD BE AT LEAST $150 TO CONNECT TO THE COMPUTER AND RUN DIAGNOSTICS". WELL, SINCE I HAVE ALREADY SPENT $500 FOR THE LAST 3 VISITS, WHERE THEY DID NOT LISTEN TO ME AND FIXED SOMETHING WAS NOT TORN UP, WHY WOULD I WASTE MONEY ON THE SAME ISSUE. THERE IS A RECALL.. GM STATES THAT THE RECALL IS NOT FOR MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD FOR ONE YEAR ARE THE SAME PROBLEMS THEY ARE RECALLING THE 2010 CHEV MALIBU FOR AT THIS TIME. SUPPOSEDLY, THEY WILL RECALL MINE LATER.. I GUESS I JUST WAIT AND HOPE I DO NOT HAVE A WRECK UNTIL THEN. DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY AT ANY SPEED, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY FEEL AS IF I HAVE PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PUMPED IT. THE ESC AND SERVICE TRACTION LIGHTS THEN COME ON. THE BRAKE LIGHTS THEN COME ON WHEN I DO NOT HAVE THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED. WHEN I DO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL THE BRAKE LIGHT GOES OFF. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY BRAKES CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THIS BEGAN. IT ALSO USES MORE GAS SINCE MY CAR THINKS I AM RIDING MY BRAKES AND PRESSING THE GAS ALSO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10610384

91,000 miles · Jun 30, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

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FIRST OCCURRENCE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON FOR ESC OFF, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE ESC AT 50 MPH. AT FIRST IT WOULD ONLY COME ON ONCE EVERY COUPLE WEEKS BUT NOW IT COMES ON ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. IT VARIES (SPEED DOESN'T MATTER) WHETHER OR NOT GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OR STOPPING IN A DRIVEWAY WHEN IT COMES ON BUT WARNING LIGHTS WILL COME ON WHEN YOU TOUCH THE BRAKES. I ALSO OBSERVED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD (WHEN ITS DARK OUTSIDE) BUT WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES THE BRAKE LIGHTS GO OFF. I FEEL THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS IF SOMEONE IS FOLLOWING BEHIND YOU AND THINKS THAT YOU HAVE LET OFF THE BRAKES BUT YOU ARE ACTUALLY SLOWING DOWN. I DON'T THINK THAT THEY HAVE AN APPARENT FIX FOR THIS ISSUE AS I SEE SEVERAL REPORTS FROM VEHICLES RANGING FROM 2008 TO 2012 ONLINE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. IT IS INTERMITTENT. WHEN YOU TURN THE CAR OFF AFTER THIS OCCURS THE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF. SOMETIMES ONLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OTHER TIMES FOR A WEEK WEEKS BEFORE IT COMES ON AGAIN. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP BUT THEY WERE NO HELP, DIDN'T EVEN TEST DRIVE IT. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED, OTHER PERSON IN CAR SCREAMING AT ME, YELLING I HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS. I JUST HOPE I DO NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10607087

89,000 miles · Jun 16, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainSteering

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2010 CHEVY MALIBU LT (ECOTECH ENGINE), THE ENGINE STARTS TO STUTTER AND THE ESC SHUTS OFF AND CLAIMS IT NEEDS SERVICING. THE ESC WILL GO ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AS WELL. I HAVE HAD THE CODES READ MULTIPLE TIMES AND CHANGED MULTIPLE PARTS BUT TO NO AVAIL. IT KEEPS STATING THAT THERE IS A MISFIRE IN CYLINDER 1. HAVE CHANGED SPARK PLUGS AND COIL PACKS. THE STUTTERING HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS, INCLUDING WHILE ACCELERATING AND IDLING. THERE'S ALSO BEEN TIMES OF TOUGH STEERING AS IF THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I HAVE NOTICED IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN IN LATE SPRING THROUGH SUMMER WHEN THE TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE ARE HIGHER. I HAVE CHECKED AND THERE IS NOT A CRACK IN THE HEAD GASKET OR THE HEAD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10598655

78,000 miles · Jun 13, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineExterior Lighting

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MY SERVICE ESC/SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR WAS FLASHING. IT CAUSED MY CAR TO STALL, THEN THE ENGINE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH TRAFFIC APPROACHING BEHIND ME. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND IT CAUSED MY BRAKE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE WHEN NOT DEPRESSED AND GO OFF WHEN THE BRAKES WERE PRESSED. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS WAS HAPPENING ALSO AS IT WAS LIGHT OUTSIDE AND I COULD NOT SEE. THE CAR STARTED AFTERWARD AND STILL PERIODICALLY STALLS OR DIES WHEN THE SERVICE ESC/SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR LIGHTS UP. AS OF 6-13-14, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED NOTICE THAT MY VIN IS AFFECTED BY THE LATEST RECALL FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10598239

21,500 miles · Jun 10, 2014

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

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FOLLOWING THE RECALL FIX FOR ID#93696 I EXPERIENCED THE "SERVICE ENC" WARNING. A SHORT TIME LATER I BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE "TRACTION" WARNING COMING ON. I NOW HAVE PROBLEMS WHEN TRYING TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE. AND JUST RECENTLY I GET A INTERMITTENT DINGING SOUND, THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE SEATBELT WARNING, THAT COMES ON IN SPITE OF THE SEAT BELT BEING HOOKED SECURELY. I HAVE REPEATEDLY BROUGHT THESE ISSUES TO THE ATTENTION OF THE RUDA CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP ONLY TO HAVE THEM BLOW ME OFF. I BECAME PERSISTENT AND CONTACTED GM DIRECTLY AND THEY INSTRUCTED RUDA TO REPLACE THE BREAK PEDAL POSITION SENSOR. HOWEVER THIS FIX HAS NOT MADE ANY DIFFERENCE. I CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. I AM BECOMING INCREASINGLY CONCERNED REGARDING THE SAFETY OF THIS $27,000 VEHICLE. I UNDERSTAND THAT I MAY, AT SOME POINT, ALSO EXPERIENCE BRAKE LIGHT ISSUES AS WELL. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. I AM A PANCREATIC CANCER PATIENT WHO HAS TO DRIVE 2 HOURS ONE WAY TO SEE MY SPECIALIST. I HAVE ENOUGH STRESS IN MY LIFE!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10597511

69,000 miles · Jun 3, 2014

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

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I CALLED GM AND WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS INCLUDED ON THE RECENT RECALL ISSUED MAY 14, HOWEVER THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE YET TO FIX. I WAS ALSO MADE AWARE THAT THIS RECALL FIX WOULD ONLY FIX THE BRAKE LAMPS AND THAT THE OTHER ISSUES I.E CRUISE CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, AND TRACTION CONTROL ARE NOT A PART THIS RECALL. I AM ISSUING ANOTHER COMPLAINT DUE TO READING MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME ISSUE AND THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY GM. THIS IS A POTENTIAL DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY, NOT TO MENTION WITH THE BRAKE LAMPS STAYING ILLUMINATED AND TURN OFF WHEN THE PEDAL IS PRESSED CURRENTLY. THERE SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL SINCE THE ISSUES INCLUDED IN THE RECENT RECALL WILL NOT BE ADDRESSED AND HAS MADE ME A DISSATISFIED GM OWNER. I HOPE THE NHTSA WILL FURTHER INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS AND PRESSURE GM TO COMPLETELY FIX THESE DEFECTS IMMEDIATELY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10595931

49,800 miles · Jun 2, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

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ALL IN ONE WEEKEND (WHILE OUT OF TOWN) FIRST THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO CRUISE CONTROL COMMANDS (ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE) IF ENGAGED THROUGH THE STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS. THE SERVICE ESC LIGHT KEEPS COMING OFF AND ON AT RANDOM WHILE EITHER SITTING OR DRIVING. THE ESC TRACKING IS TURNED OFF. BRAKE LIGHTS WILL ILLUMINATE RANDOMLY WHEN MY FOOT IS NOT ON THE BRAKES. TAPPING THE BRAKES GETS THE LIGHT TO TURN OFF, BUT IT TURNS ON AGAIN 5-6 SECONDS LATER. WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN OR TAP THE BRAKE THE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON. THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ONLY COMING ON WHEN I'M AT A COMPLETE HARD STOP. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS I HAVE OVER A 40 MINUTE COMMUTE INTO THE CITY EACH DAY. ALSO, THE SEATBELT LIGHT AND BEEPING IS ON EVEN WHEN MY SEATBELT IS SECURED. I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THESE ITEMS REPLACE, AND I HAVE 4 YEARS TO PAY ON THIS CAR! THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THESE ITEMS IN MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10595462

52,106 miles · May 28, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Vehicle Speed Control

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APPROACHING 4-WAY STOP SIGN AND CAR BEGAN TO JERK/COULD NOT ACCELERATE AND SERVICE TRACTION/ ESC LIGHT CAME ON...HAD ENOUGH POWER TO ROLL INTO A PARKING LOT AND SHUT THE CAR OFF..RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT STOPPED DOING THIS. I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT A CHEVROLET DEALER (I WAS ON A 6 HOUR TRIP AND THIS HAPPENED 2 HOURS INTO MY TRIP:-( I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR ABOUT 8 MILES TO THE DEALER. HAD TO HAVE A PART CALLED ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY. I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY...BEING SERVICED NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10594584

12,000 miles · May 21, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

DRIVING MY 2010 CHEVY MALIBU AT ABOUT 35MPH ENTERING A CURVE WITH BRAKE PUSHED THE ESC ACTIVATED AND FELT LIKE THE BRAKES WASN'T WORKING. SINCE MARCH 2013 IT DOES THIS CONTINUOUSLY OFF AND ON THEN IT TURNS ITSELF OFF AND SAYS SERVICE ESC, BUT NO CODES FOUND. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10592949

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)