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

Steering complaints

454 reports

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59,700 miles · Apr 12, 2018

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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I LEFT MY DRIVEWAY EARLY IN THE MORNING. AFTER GOING DOWN MY RESIDENTIAL STREET, I WENT TO TURN MY CAR TO THE LEFT AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. ON MY DASH THE MEASSAGE "ESC SERVICE POWER STEERING APPEARED". AFTER TURNING MY CAR OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS, I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND THE POWER STEERING WAS BACK TO NORMAL, AND THE MESSAGE WAS GONE FROM MY DASH. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I SEE THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE CHEVROLET MALIBU FOR THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER MY CAR'S VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN IT EVEN THOUGH IT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING.

NHTSA ODI #11084840

130,000 miles · Apr 9, 2018

Steering

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WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE I LOST ALL POWER STEERING. THE POWERING STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD TO TRY TO MOVE OVER TO THE SHOULDER WHICH WAS VERY DIFFICULT. VERY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT POWER STEERING. I'M JUST GLAD I WAS DRIVING AND NOT MY WIFE. THIS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE. AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE CAR IT WENT BACK TO NORMAL BUT WOULD HAPPEN MORE OFTEN OVER TIME. I ALWAYS KNEW THE CAR HAD STEERING ISSUES BUT ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE TIRES . FINALLY WHEN THE WHEEL WOULD JUST SHAKE WHILE IN PARK I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THIS IS A MAJOR RECALL IN MANY GENERAL MOTORS CARS WHICH INCLUDE EVERY MODEL YEAR MALIBU EXCEPT THE 2010. FOR SOME REASON THE 2010 MODEL THERE IS ONLY A SPECIAL COVERAGE WARRANTY, NOT A RECALL. GM ADMITS THERE IS A MAJOR DEFECT WITH THE POWER STEERING RECALL ON ALL THESE CARS BUT FOR SOME REASON DIDN'T RECALL THE 2010 MODEL. THEY ONLY DID THE SPECIAL COVERAGE BULLETIN. IF YOU ARE OVER 150,000 MILES OR 10 YEARS YOUR OUT OF LUCK. YOU PUT YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE DRIVING IT. SINCE THEY PUT THE SPECIAL COVERAGE ON IT THEY ARE ADMITTING IT HAS THE FAULTY PARTS IN THE CARS. UNEXCEPTABLE . ALL CARS THAT THEY KNOW HAVE THESE PROBLEM PARTS NEED TO BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD .

NHTSA ODI #11084239

80,000 miles · Apr 4, 2018

Steering

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FIST OCCURRED APPROX. 4YRS AGO THE STEERING WILL LOCK WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION TRACTION LIGHT POPS ON AND STEERING WILL LOCK CANNOT MOVE THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO PLACE IN PARK, TURN OFF AND BACK ON TO FREE STEERING. I REPORTED TO MAUNDY CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP I WAS THERE IS NOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON SO THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. THIS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE 4YRS MAYBE TWICE A YEAR UNTIL ENDING OF 2017 WHEN IT BECAME MORE CONSISTENT. AFTER MARCH OF 2018 AFTER IT HAPPENED 3 TIME WITHIN THAT MONTH, ONCE WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER IN THE CAR, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO PEP BOYS FOR A TUNE UP {PLEASE NOTE PREVENTANCE MAINTENENCE WORK IS BEING CONSTANTLY DONE ALL THIS WHILE } SPOKE TO THE ELECTRICIAN THAT WAS PERFORMING THE TUNE UP, AND EXPLAINED WHAT THE ISSUE WAS, HE DID PREFORMED A TUNE UP AND RAN A DIAGNOSE AND FOUND A C0561 CODE IN THE SYSTEM. HE ADVISE ME TO RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THIS INFORMATION WHICH I DID, ALONG WITH THE PAPERWORK FROM PEP BOYS. IRONICALLY DESPITE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NOT BEING ON MUNDY CHEVROLET " FOUND THE ISSUE" WHICH AMOUNTED TO $1400.00 IN REPAIR WORK. { AGAIN PLEASE NOTE I HAVE BEEN TAKEN MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE VARYING MAINTENANCE WORK DONE} I CONTACTED GM, I WAS ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER AND A SENIOR CASE ADVISOR BY THE NAME OF DESTINY, DESPITE SEVERAL CALLS AND VOICE MAIL, I AM YET TO RECEIVE A CALL FROM DESTINY. GM HAS SHOWN NO INTEREST IN AN ISSUE THAT IS LIFE THREATING. IMAGINE YOUR STEERING BASICALLY GOING "DEAD" WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. I AM LUCKY TO STILL BE ALIVE. THIS HAS HAPPEN ON CITY STREET, WHILE IN MOTION PARTICULARLY ON TURNS.

NHTSA ODI #11083353

10 miles · Apr 2, 2018

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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I GOT THE CAR IN 2015 AND FROM THAT I HAVE HAD PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING LIGHT COMING ON AND SHUTTING OFF THE POWER STEERING WHICH MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND ALMOST RAN INTO A POLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONE TIME AND WHEN SHE TURN OFF THE CAR, IT WORKS AGAIN BUT THEN HAPPENS AGAIN. I HAVE MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT OVER AND OVER AND THE SOCKET BEING BURNED OUT AND HAVE TO REPLACE THEM AS WELL NOW MY RADIO HAS POWER BUT DOESN'T COME ON, AFTER IT WAS JUST WORKING. I CAN'T HEAR ANY DOOR CHIMES OR TURN SIGNAL SIGNS. IT LIKE A PROBLEM AFTER A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN THIS CAR. I AM BUY THIS CAR BUT WE DON'T EVEN FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE IT. IT HAS ONLY 79000 MILES BUT THE PROBLEMS STARTED HAPPENING AROUND 50,000 MILES AND WHEN I GOT THE CAR IT HAD 43,000 MILES I BELIEVE.

NHTSA ODI #11082482

85,000 miles · Mar 31, 2018

Steering

SOMETIMES WHEN I START THE CAR THE POWER STEERING SIGN WILL BE ON THE DASH, IT WILL ALSO SAY SERVICE THE ESC =. THERE WILL BE NO POWER STEERING. I CAN TURN OFF FOR AWHILE AND RE START AND THE PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY. THERE IS ALSO A SHACKING IN STEERING WHEEL WHILE I'M IN PARK OR STOPPED AT A LIGHT

NHTSA ODI #11082289

86,466 miles · Mar 30, 2018

Steering

2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU POWER STEERING SHIMMY STARTED YESTERDAY. TODAY POWER STEERING QUIT. AFTER RESTART POWER STEERING WORKS WITH HANDS OFF SHIMMY AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI #11082166

150,800 miles · Mar 26, 2018

Steering

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH ESC, AND SERVICE ESC. I COULD NOT STEER MY CAR AS USUAL. I SHUT OFF THE CAR AND WHEN I STARTED IT BACK UP IT WAS FINE.

NHTSA ODI #11081201

101,000 miles · Mar 23, 2018

Steering

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I WAS DRIVING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHEN SUDDENLY, MY POWER STEERING FAILED. I HAD TO USE A GREAT DEAL MORE EFFORT TO STEER THE CAR TO AVOID PARKED CARS, AS WELL ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAD A COUPLE NEAR MISSES, BUT MADE IT TO MY DRIVEWAY. SINCE, I HAVE HAD THE SAME POWER STEERING FAIL 4 TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN NEIGHBORHOOD AND ON THE HIGHWAY EACH TIMEHIGHWAY. FORTUNATELY, I AVOIDED CONTACT WITH OTHER CARS WHILE MOVING, BUT ONLY DUE TO MY EXPERIENCED DRIVING. IF MY KIDS WERE DRIVING THIS CAR, THEY WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT! NOW, I LEARNED GM HAD AN EFFECTIVE RECALL FOR MY MODEL, BUT FOR EARLIER YEARS UP THROUGH 2009. HENCE, THEY HAVE CLOSED SAID RECALL AND LEFT ME WITH NARY AN OPTION. I AM TURNING TO YOU TO SEE IF A RENEWED RECALL CAN BE REOPENED!

NHTSA ODI #11081141

104,000 miles · Mar 22, 2018

Steering

CHEVROLET MALIBU 2010 4 CYLINDER ELECTRIC POWER STEERING HAVING INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING ISSUES BOTH WHILE STATIONARY AND MOVING IN OTHER WORDS AT TIMES DURING STARTUP IT WILL BE FUNCTIONAL AND SOMETIMES NON-FUNCTIONAL SAME WHILE MOVING. SUPPOSEDLY THIS VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF A POWER STEERING RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED IN 2014 AL…

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NHTSA ODI #11080942

178,000 miles · Mar 22, 2018

Steering

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JULY 2015, DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MILES AN HOUR, STEERING LOCKED UP ON ME AND HAD TO POWER THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD WITH THE DASH SAYING, "ESC POWER STEERING". IN BETWEEN STARTS, THE WHEEL UNLOCKED AND THE DASH MESSAGE WAS GONE. I STOPPED AT A GM AGENT AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD ONLY HELP IF IT WAS STILL SHOWING ON THE DASH. THIS PROBLEM COUPLED WITH A CONSTANT TWITCHING OCCURRED OVER 10 TIMES IN 3 YEARS; AND IN JANUARY 2018 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY IT LOCKED UP AND THE POWER STEERING IS SINCE GONE, AND THE TWITCHING IS SCARY WORSE. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY PARKED AS THE WHEEL WILL NOT TURN. THIS PROBLEM IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE IF NOT FIXED SOON. I AM GLAD I GET TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE.

NHTSA ODI #11080794

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)