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

Engine complaints

115 reports

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79,000 miles · Dec 2, 2016

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE'S TIMING CHAIN BEGAN TO MAKE A RATTLING NOISE AND JUMPED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE …

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NHTSA ODI #10929553

98,000 miles · Oct 11, 2016

Electrical SystemEngineTraction Control System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN THE WEATHER WAS BELOW 50 DEGREES, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE REDUCE ENGINE POWER AND TRACTION CONTROL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAIL…

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NHTSA ODI #10915206

55,000 miles · Sep 12, 2016

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE IDLING, THE ENGINE HESITATED AND THE RPM'S RANDOMLY INCREASED AND DECREASED. ALSO, THE SERVICE TRACTION, ESC, AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MMANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE…

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NHTSA ODI #10905753

120 miles · Sep 11, 2016

EnginePower TrainSuspension

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I HAD TO HAVE OVER $2500 WORTH OF WORK DONE TO MY CAR, WHICH HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH SOME TORQUE SENSOR AND OTHER PARTS - I SEE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON OTHER CHEVY MALIBU'S IN PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS. I AM WONDERING HOW LONG THIS RECALL WILL TAKE, MY YEAR IS 2010 AND NOT CURRENTLY ON THE RECALL LIST. PRIOR TO THAT, I HAD JUST PAID $2000 FOR OTHER WORK NEEDED ON THIS VEHICLE THAT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I'VE HAD SO MANY ISSUES W/THIS CAR. I HAVE RECEIPTS BUT THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN STORAGE - I AM UNABLE TO UPLOAD THEM RIGHT NOW.

NHTSA ODI #10905587

68,000 miles · Jul 29, 2016

Air BagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

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1 YEAR AGO MY CAR FLASHED ESC SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL REDUCE ENGINE POWER AND REDUCED MY SPEND TO 40MPH ON A BUSY INTERSTATE! CALLED GM STATED WHAT HAPPEN AND I KNEW THEY HAD A RECALL BUT OF COURSE MY CARS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. BROUGHT THE CAR TO A LOCAL GM DEALER SHIP TO PUT ON MACHINE TO SEE IF ANY CODES WOULD SHOW UP NOTHING CAME UP!!! I WAS TOLD THE MESSAGE WOULD HAVE TO BE SHOWING TO SERVICE VEHICLE. WELL HERE WE ARE A YEAR LATER WITH THE CAR IN THE SHOP BECAUSE MY CAR REDUCES ENGINE POWER WITHOUT WARNING STALLS AND MY ESC SERVICE TRACTION REDUCE ENGINE POWER CAME ON MESSAGE BOARD BUT DID NOT STAY AFTER I TURNED KEY OF COURSE BECAUSE IT SHUT THE CAR OFF AFTER 2-5 MINUTES. I HAVE VIDEO OF IT READING ESC TRACTION SERVICE BUT THAT DOES NOT HELP! CAR NOW NEEDS A NEW TIMING CHAIN AND HAS METAL IN THE OIL! MIND YOU OF I WOULDVE BEEN ABLE TO SERVICE THE ESC TRACTION CONTROL COULD THIS ALL HAVE BEEN AVOIDED? MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP MAYBE 6 MONTHS AGO AND WAS PUT ON THE MACHINE TO GET CODES MINOR CODES CAME UP AND NOT THE ESC TRACTION CONTROL REDUCE ENGINE POWER. CALLED GM TODAY AND WAS TOLD MY MILAGE PLAYED PART IN THIS BUT I DOUBT THAT ONLY BECAUSE AT 68000 IT FLASHED ESC AND SHUT OFF ON ME WITHOUT WARNING SO NOW THEY WILL CONTACT THE SHOP. THEY NEED TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES IT IS A HAZARD TO BE ON THE ROAD! WE CAN NOT AFFORD A NEW VEHICLE CAR THIS CAR WAS BRAND NEW BUT HAS BEEN PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM ! HEADLIGHTS GO OUT ALL THE TIME AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN AFTER BEING FIXED 3 TIMES TRUNK DOES NOT OPEN DEFROSTER THATS A JOKE I COULD GO ON AND ON

NHTSA ODI #10891747

67,000 miles · Jul 23, 2016

Air BagsEngineService Brakes

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TAKATA RECALL-MY AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN AUG. 2011. I AM TERRIFIED IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT THEY WON'T DEPLOY AND MYSELF OR A PASSENGER MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. MY SON AND I WERE COMING BACK HOME FROM DENVER AND MY CAR STARTED ACTING STRANGE LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE AND IT SURE DID WHILE WE WERE ALMOST OUT OF EISENHOWER TUNNEL ON THE WEST END, WE WERE ALMOST REAR ENDED BY AN 18 WHEELER! THANK GOD HE MADE IT AROUND US SAFELY AND NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. I AM SURE I REPORTED THIS ALREADY SHORTLY AFTER IT HAPPENED AND NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR STARTED AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTES AND DROVE HOME WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS, WAS SHAKING LIKE A LEAF ALL THE WAY....MY SON TOO. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SHIMMERING WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKE AT 55-60 MPH AND IT ISN'T JUST A LITTLE ITS SEVER AND DOESN'T STOP UNTIL I GET BACK UNDER THAT SPEED, I AM AFRAID OF LOOSING CONTROL. I DO WANT TO SAY I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE CAR, I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE I BELIEVED IT WOULD BE A GREAT VEHICLE TO OWN AND I WAS PROUD TO DRIVE IT....THE CHEVROLET EMBLEM MEANT SOMETHING TO ME. I DOUBT I WOULD EVER BUY ANOTHER ONE, I WOULD BE AFRAID TO! IT IS SO SAD THAT THE QUALITY OF PRODUCTS AND THE PRIDE IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THEM HAS TAKEN A BACK SEAT TO PROFIT.....THE RECALLS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE RIDICULOUS! CAN'T RECALL SPECIFC DATE AS TO TUNNEL INCIDENT, ITS BEEN A FEW YEARS BACK, THE OTHER TWO PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2011

NHTSA ODI #10887966

38,800 miles · Jul 1, 2016

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

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VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH WHEN THE DRIVERS INFORMATION CENTER INDICATED A ELECTRONIC STABILITY SERVICE, TRACTION CONTROL SERVICE AND ESC OFF MESSAGES. THIS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER A TWO DAY PERIOD. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND THEY SAID THAT THE COMPUTER HAD STORED A P0300 CODE WHICH IS ENGINE MISFIRE. THE ENGINE RUNS FINE HOWEVER THERE IS A SLIGHT VIBRATION AT IDLE WHILE IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. GM ALSO SENT OUT A LETTER TO ME STATING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE POSISTION SENSOR THAT MAY CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. THE DEALER DID NOT ATTEMPT TO DIAGNOS THE PROBLEM WITH THE SENSOR AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD A BAD #2 CYCLINDER WITH COMPRESSION AT 100LBS. THE P0300 CODE CAN BE CAUSED BY THE VARIOUS ELECTRONIC MESSAGES THAT HAVE APPEARED AND THE ENGINE IS NOT THE PROBLEM. THEY WANTED TO TEAR IT DOWN AT A COST OF $2300 TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT EXIST. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 39000 MILES ON IT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS SAME ISSSUE WITH NHTSA AND GM HAS NOT DEALT WITH THE PROBLEM. ANOTHER ISSUE RELATING TO THIS IS THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE REDUCED POWER MESSAGE COMES ON IN SOME VEHILCLE AND THE CAR SLOWS DOWN AND IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON THE HIGWAYS. SO FAR MY CAR HAS NOT DONE THAT. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE SOME PRESSURE EXERTED ON GM TO CORRECT THESE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VEHICLE SINCE THE GOVERNMENT BAILED THEM OUT ALONG WITH OUR TAXPAYER FUNDS.

NHTSA ODI #10882165

53,500 miles · Mar 11, 2016

EngineFuel/propulsion System

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SERVICE ESC, TRACTION CONTROL, AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CAR ALSO MISFIRED. TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR SHOP, THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. CODES FOUND AT GARAGE PO300, P2135. BEGAN 2/12/16 AND RANDOMLY HAPPENED THROUGH 3/9/16

NHTSA ODI #10846145

Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2016

EngineService Brakes

WHENEVER I PRESS THE GASS AND I LET IT GO THE CAR KEEPS GOING AND WHEN I TRY TO STOP THE CAR TAKES LONGER TO STOP BECAUSE THE ENGINE TRY TO KEEP GOING SO I HAVE TO PRESS THE BREAK HARDER AND WHEN FINALLY STOPS AFTER LIKE 5 MINUTES THE CAR GOES NORMAL.

NHTSA ODI #10846036

75,000 miles · Feb 7, 2016

EngineFuel/propulsion System

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DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SURROUNDED BY 18 WHEELERS. SUDDENLY MY TRACTION LIGHT AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE REDUCED POWER NOTIFICATION CAME ON, THE CAR SLOWED TO ABOUT 10 MILES AN HOUR VERY SUDDENLY AND THE CAR WAS SHAKING VIOLENTLY. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD, WAITED AND RESTARTED CAR, WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES ON HIGHWAY AND IN CITY - VERY DANGEROUS. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NO HELP TO FIX THE PROBLEM. REPLACED THROTTLE BODY AND TWO SENSORS AND ISSUE STILL REMAINS

NHTSA ODI #10824710

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)