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

Service Brakes complaints

184 reports

Clear category filter

160,000 miles · Feb 26, 2016

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesSteering

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT NORMAL TRAVELING SPEED THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SHUTS OFF AND THE CAR GOES INTO MANUAL STEERING WHICH MAKES THE CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED TWO ACCIDENTS AND HAS MADE ME ARK THE CAR BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS FAR TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THIS STARTED OCCURRING FEBRUARY15TH AND CO…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10838632

29,500 miles · Dec 28, 2015

Service Brakes

CENTER BRAKE LIGHT DOES NOT CONSISTENTLY LIGHT UP WHEN PROMPTED BY BRAKE PEDAL. SOMETIMES IT WILL WORK, SOMETIMES WITH A LITTLE MORE EFFORT ON THE PEDAL, SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. SERVICE ESC WILL ALSO AT TIMES COME ON. BOTH ISSUES WERE PART OF A RECALL AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. IT DID WORK FOR A WHILE, BUT STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN. I DO…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10816602

101,238 miles · Dec 6, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior LightingService Brakes

Read full complaint

12/4/15 NIGHT, DRY CONDITIONS, EXPRESSWAY: IN MOTION: CHIME SOUNDED AND 2 WARNINGS FLASH - SERVICE ESC & SERVICE TRACTION. 15 MINUTES LATER, - CITY STREETS, DRY, SAME ISSUE WITH ESC AND TRACTION WARNING LIGHTS GOING ON, PLUS ALMOST REAR ENDED. IRATE DRIVER BEHIND ME SAID MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE OUT, BUT THEY WERE ASTONISHED WHEN THE BREAK LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE I WAS OUTSIDE THE CAR. THEY ASKED ME TO PRESS THE PEDAL - NO LIGHTS. 20 SECS AFTER LIFTING OFF THE PEDAL, BRAKE LIGHTS ON. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. UPON DRIVING FOUND BRAKE LIGHTS ALWAYS GO OFF WHEN BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, GO ON AT OTHER TIMES RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING AND GO OFF AGAIN WHEN BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED.

NHTSA ODI #10808667

Mileage unknown · Nov 25, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM , ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL , EXTERIOR LIGHTING , SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC , VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND INDICATED THAT MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR, A FAILURE RELATED TO THE RECALL WAS EXPERIENCED AND THAT THE RECALL REMEDY FAILED TO DETER THE FAILURE FROM OCCURRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT APPLIED, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE, AND THE STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10806729

116,000 miles · Nov 18, 2015

Electrical SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

BRAKE LIGHTS WERE WORKING IN REVERSE AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE SO CHEVY CHARGED ME FULL PRICE FOR DIAGNOSTICS BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE ALREADY DONE, SO THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. WE REPLACED BRAKE SWITCH. A MONTH LATER PROBLEM PERSISTED, CHEVY DEALERSHIP CHARGED $50 FOR RELEARNING BRAKE POSITION, EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS ALL SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN FIXED IN RECALL REPAIRS. BRAKE LIGHTS ARE STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND THE TRACTION CONTROL/ESC LIGHT IS ON, AND CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK. I AM NOW TAKING IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE CHARGING ME AN ADDITIONAL $50 JUST TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT. I FEEL I SHOULDN'T BE CHARGED FOR ANY OF THIS SINCE IT ALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF DURING THE REPAIRS DONE FOR RECALL #: 14V252000. THIS IS A DANGEROUS MANUFACTURING ERROR THAT GM SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGING AND REPAIRING AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS. I KNOW I CANNOT BE THE ONLY ONE SUFFERING THIS ISSUE ESPECIALLY AFTER READING NUMEROUS CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS ONLINE.

NHTSA ODI #10794706

109,460 miles · Nov 13, 2015

Electrical SystemService Brakes

Read full complaint

THE CAR HAS CONSISTENT SERVICE ESC / SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT WARNINGS THAT CAUSE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. THE MOST SERIOUS NOW IS THAT THE BACK BRAKE LIGHTS BUEN CONSTANTLY AS IF I'M RIDING MY BRAKES. IT ALSO DISENGAGES THE TRACTION CONTROL. THIS HAS GONE ON FOR 3 YEARS, 7 REPAIRS AND IT'S NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. I TOOK IT MOST RECENTLY TO CAPITOL CHEVROLET IN AUSTIN. THEY SIMPLY REPLACED THE SAME MALFUNCTIONING PART AGAIN. I HAVE CASE COMPLAINT WITH GM, BUT NO RESOLUTION YET. IT OCCURS NOW EVERY TIME I START THE CAR. IT USED TO BE INTERMITTENT

NHTSA ODI #10790305

42,000 miles · Nov 9, 2015

Electrical SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INDEPENDENTLY, WHICH AFFECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND ABS. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY SHIFTING THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE SENSOR AND PEDAL POSITION SENOR MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ODI #10789293

70,000 miles · Oct 15, 2015

Electrical SystemService BrakesTraction Control System

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE SERVICE ESC AND TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE LAMPS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI #10782277

98,000 miles · Oct 1, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior LightingService Brakes

1. DIFFICULTY PUTTING CAR IN GEAR NEED TO PUT EXCESSIVE BRAKE PRESSURE TO CHANGE GEARS 2. "SERVICE ESC" "SERVICE TRACTION" LIGHT FLASH DAILY 3. BRAKE LIGHTS ARE OFTEN ENGAGED AND OR WON'T ENGAGE 4. CRUISE CONTROL WON'T ENGAGE EFFECTIVELY ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING AND IN A PARKED POSITION

NHTSA ODI #10778937

106,000 miles · Sep 21, 2015

Exterior LightingService Brakes

Read full complaint

I HAVE FILED ONE COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE, NOW AFTER HAVING THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED, I AM BACK AGAIN. MY 2010 CHEVY MALIBU,[XXX], THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDDLE IS NOT ENGAGED. BY PRESSING HARD ENOUGH ON THE BRAKES (WHICH CANNOT BE DONE WHEN SLOWING DOWN, OR A SIMPLE BRAKE), THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO COME ON. I HAVE HAD THE RECALL NOTICE ON THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED AND NOW HAVE HAD THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED, THIS PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY AND ARE ON WHEN THEY SHOULD BE OFF AND VICE VERSA. I HAVE CONTACTED CHEVY (GM) BY CHAT, EMAIL, AND PHONE AND STILL CANNOT GET HELP ON GETTING THIS FIXED APPROPRIATELY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10766334

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)