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

Exterior Lighting complaints

194 reports

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Mileage unknown · Dec 6, 2020

Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes

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THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING PUSHED. THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PUSHED. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM AND WE ONLY REALIZE IT STILL EXISTS WHEN ONE OF OUR FAMILY IS FOLLOWING THE 2010 MALIBU IN ANOTHER CAR. WE HAD BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO A CHEVROLET SERVICE CENTER IN THE PAST AND WERE CHARGED FOR A "REPAIR". WHEN WE AGAIN NOTICED THE PROBLEM WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO A FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER AND THEY CHARGED US FOR A "REPAIR". WE JUST NOTICED THE PROBLEM AGAIN AND NOW ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. A SEARCH OF THE VIN SHOWS NO UNREPAIRED RECALLS SO WE ARE NOT SURE IF THE ORIGINAL OWNER HAD ALREADY BROUGHT IT IN (WE ARE THE SECOND OWNER) OR IF THIS PARTICULAR VIN WAS NOT THOUGHT TO BE AFFECTED. REGARDLESS, IT SOUNDS LIKE A KNOWN PROBLEM AND WE ARE HOPING NOT TO HAVE TO PAY A THIRD TIME AND THEN STILL HAVE AN ISSUE. PLEASE LET US KNOW OUR OPTIONS. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

NHTSA ODI #11378087

Mileage unknown · Oct 28, 2020

Exterior Lighting

THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF.

NHTSA ODI #11366894

158,958 miles · Oct 13, 2020

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT, NO MATTER HOW MUCH I GET THEM FIXED. I CAN BANG ON THE FRONT END AND SOMETIMES THEY'LL COME ON, BUT SOMETIMES NOT. TIRED IF REPLACING AND OR FIXING THEM, EVERY FEW MONTHS! ALSO MY SVC TIRE MONITOR LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND SAY LOW TIRE PRESSURE AND MY TIRES ARE NOT LOW......

NHTSA ODI #11364199

135,000 miles · Sep 8, 2020

EngineExterior Lighting

MY LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. AS OF NOW I DONT HAVE ANY HEADLIGHTS. AND I KEEP HAVING TRANSMISSION KIND OF ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI #11353878

Mileage unknown · Aug 8, 2020

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

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BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS KEEPS GOING OUT I CHANGED BOTH HARNESS 4 TIMES AND THEY KEEP COMING ON AND GOING OFF. ALSO WINDOW BRAKE LIGHT LIGHTS UP WHEN IT WANTS TO WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE AND BOTH FRONT DOOR SPEAKERS KEEPS COMING ON AND GOING OFF. SOMETIMES THE SWITCH ON DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL LOCK/UNLOCK DOORS AND SOMETIMES IT WANT. AT THIS POINT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS THAT'S CAUSING THIS MY MECHANIC THINKS IT'S AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT'S CAUSING ALL OF THIS. ALSO KEY FOB STOPPED WORKING SO I CHANGED THE BATTERY STILL DIDN'T WORK TOOK TO SEE IF MAYBE IT NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED BUT WAS TOLD ONCE AGAIN MY CAR HAS SOME ELECTRICAL ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI #11344116

178,000 miles · Aug 6, 2020

Electrical SystemExterior LightingVehicle Speed Control

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WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK FROM HOME ON A MAIN INTERSECTION A POWER REDUCTION OCCURRED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER, SPEED, AND THE ABILITIES TO FUNCTION NORMALLY CLOSE TO WORK I PARKED IN THE NEAREST PARKING LOT AND SCHEDULED A REPAIR AT A AUTOMOTIVE SHOP... AFTER INSPECTING IT A MECHANIC REPLACED THROTTLE BODY, GAS PEDAL AND AIR INTAKE HOSE COSTING $860.. UPON PICKUP ABOUT 5 MINUTES INTO DRIVING A POWER REDUCTION STILL OCCURED UPON REINSPECTION AND NO CODES IN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME HE WASN'T ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM...I THAN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHO THAN RAN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND DID A FEW MINOR REPAIRS AND A CLUSTER INSTRUMENT COMING OUT TO $910..UPON PICKUP FROM CERTIFIED DEALER A POWER REDUCTION AGAIN REOCCURRING I HAD TO PAY A EXTRA $100 TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER SHIP FOR REPAIR FOR IT BEING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO TRANSPORT IT MANUALLY FEELING THE HEADACHE AND THE PAIN OF COSTLY REPAIRS FOR A PROBLEM WITHOUT A DEFINITE POSSIBLE WAY OF REPAIRING I FEEL ITS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN OVER LOOKED BY GM CHEVY NOW KNOWING THE STORY OF THE POWER REDUCING IN MANY GM VEHICLES I FORSURE WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS AUTO MAKER.

NHTSA ODI #11343593

35,000 miles · May 5, 2020

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior LightingPower Train

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IN 2012, WE WERE DRIVING ALONG AND ATTEMPTED TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPOT, WHEN THE CAR REFUSED TO REVERSE. IT STARTED GOING SLOWER THAN THE USUAL SPEED LIMIT, SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I PULLED OUT TO HEAD HOME, BUT THE CAR DIDN'T GET MUCH SPEED, NOR WOULD IT REVERSE AT ALL. I HAD IT TOWED AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS BURNED OUT. I'D ONLY HAD THE CAR LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. CHEVROLET REPAIRED OR REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. A YEAR LATER, I WAS PULLED OVER DUE TO THE TAIL LIGHTS NOT WORKING. 2016 THE CAR WOULDN'T PICK UP SPEED AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD BURNED OUT AGAIN. WE GOT IT REBUILT A SECOND TIME AND NOW THE LIGHTS, WIPERS, DOOR LOCKS, AND WINDOWS AREN'T WORKING AGAIN EITHER. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A MANUFACTURER ISSUE THAT NEEDS REVIEWING ON THIS YEAR MALIBU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11323439

90,000 miles · May 4, 2020

Electrical SystemEngineExterior Lighting

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VEHICLE GOES INTO POWER ENGINE REDUCED MODE/ESC OFF/ SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL MODE. THE CAR LOSES SPEED AND GOES ABOUT 20 MPH THE RPM GO CRAZY AND CAR SHAKES VIOLENTLY. IT HAS HAPPENED FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS AND IT HAPPENS WHILE IDDLE, WHILE DRIVING IT, WHILE THE AC IS ON OR OFF IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. IVE REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY TWICE, ACCELERATOR PEDAL 3 TIMES, BATTERY, MAP SENSOR, KNOCK SENSOR, BATTERY TERMINALS, POWER TRAIN RELAY, SPARK PLUGS, CLEANED ALL THE COROSION AND ITS BEEN AT THE CHEVY DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THIS SAME ISSUE AND STILL THE CAR IS NOT FIXED. IVE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY AND EVEN CHEVY CANNOT FIND WHATS WRONG WITH THIS CAR. ITS HAPPENED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, STREETS, WHILE TURNING OR STOPPED AT A LIGHT. ALL MY ELECTRIAL DOSENT WORK. MY PASSENGER LOW BEAM LIGHT KEEPS BLOWING OUT AND MY SPEAKERS KEEP GOING IN AND OUT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS CAR. THIS IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE AND VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI #11323304

164,000 miles · Apr 17, 2020

Exterior Lighting

MY HEADLIGHT WENT OUT, I CHANGED IT, AND IT WENT OUT AGAIN IMMEDIATELY. I LOOKED AT THE WIRING, AND IT HAD MELTED THE CONNECTORS. I REPLACED THE PIGTAIL WIRING PART, AND IT CONTINUES TO GO OUT AS SOON AS I PUT A NEW HEADLIGHT IN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11321400

Mileage unknown · Apr 13, 2020

Exterior Lighting

WITHIN A YEAR I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHT BULBS IN MY 2010 CHEVI MALIBU REPLACED 7 TIMES. THAT IS INSANE! IT IS TIME CONSUMING, EXPENSIVE AND UNEXCEPTIONAL. THE REPLACEMENT IS NO EASY FIX AS THE BUMPER AND WHEEL COVER HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO GET ACCESS. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND NEEDS A RECALL TO FIX THIS ONCE FOR A…

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NHTSA ODI #11321007

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)