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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159,000 miles · Dec 8, 2016

Steering

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THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRIC POWER STEER FAILED WITH NO WARNING WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ALONG A NORMAL SUBURBAN ROAD. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUSLY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION AS SHE COULD BARELY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO TRAGEDY THAT RESULTED, BUT THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND WE TOWED IT TO OUR HOME THEN TO A GM STORE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED AS IT IS WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITHIN GM AND PUBLIC FORUMS ACROSS. I WAS INFORMED THAT GM HAS CREATED A SPECIAL POLICY #15356 TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WHEN I WAS AT THE GM STORE, EXTENDING THE WARRANTY, THEY SAID IT WAS ONLY TO 150K MILES & OUR VEHICLE HAS 159K MILES SO WE WEREN'T COVERED. I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY MAINTENANCE THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS, THERE WASN'T ANY PROCEDURE. FURTHER RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THERE IS NO SET MILEAGE THAT THIS CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE FACT THAT IS A FAULTY DESIGN & NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ! THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE A RECALL DUE TO THE SAFETY RAMIFICATIONS WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS AND THE STEERING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND IS SURE TO THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS/ INJURY/ETC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10933828

100,000 miles · Dec 5, 2016

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CHECK POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10929866

48,000 miles · Nov 28, 2016

Steering

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WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH ON CITY STREET, CHIME RANG AND POWER STEERING CUT OUT. CAR WAS STILL STEERABLE WITHOUT POWER ASSIST, BUT BECAME MUCH MORE DIFFICULT AT LOW SPEEDS. SUDDEN MANEUVER AT SLOWER SPEED WOULD BE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON NEXT TIME I STARTED THE CAR, BUT CUT OUT AGAIN AFTER A SHORT TIME. I AM AWARE THAT THERE ARE RECALLS FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE PREVIOUS FOUR MODEL YEARS OF THE SAME SERIES OF CHEVROLET MALIBUS. THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR IS ABOUT 48,000. CLEARLY, THE 2010 MALIBU NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10928404

17,800 miles · Nov 25, 2016

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FA…

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NHTSA ODI #10927828

98,800 miles · Nov 22, 2016

Steering

WHILE DRIVING APPROX 35 MPH, LOST POWER STEERING. POWER STEERING WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED, CAR VERY HARD TO MANEUVER. TURNED ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON, POWER STEERING RETURNED. POWER STEERING CONTINUES TO SHUT OFF RANDOMLY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. APPROX 98,800 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #10927355

65,000 miles · Oct 26, 2016

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND A SERVICE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE NATURE OF THE SERVICE INDICATOR ILLUMINATION. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, IT OPERATED NORMALLY EXCEPT THE SERVICE INDICATOR WAS STILL ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ODI #10919098

183,000 miles · Oct 10, 2016

Steering

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I WAS NOTIFIED BY MY OLDEST DAUGHTER THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IN HER CAR WOULD NOT TURN AND THAT SHE WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, SHE WAS IN MOTION AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, SHE AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I INSTRUCTED HER TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND THAT I WOULD HAVE IT TOWED TO THE SERVICE STATION THAT IT WAS PURCHASED FROM. WHAT SHE EXPLAINED TO ME IS EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 DATED MARCH 31, 2014.

NHTSA ODI #10915012

162,409 miles · Sep 28, 2016

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND I HAD TO STOP TO GET GAS. EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I PULLED AWAY FORM THE PUMP AND PROCEEDED TO THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN I LEFT THE PARKING LOT TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MPH. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON, ESC MESSAGE, AND SERVICE POWER STEERING SYSTEM WERE ACTIVATED. I DROVE BACK HOME AND WENT TO WORK IN MY OTHER VEHICLE. 162,409 MILES. I PURCHASED THE CAR BRAND NEW IN FEBRUARY 2010. ALL OIL CHANGES AND TIRE ROTATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AT A CHEVY DEALERSHIP. I'VE ONLY PURCHASED TIRES, TWO BATTERIES, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS FOR MY CAR UNTIL LAST WEEK. THAT WAS THE ENGINE COOLANT SENSOR. UNTIL NOW I ALWAYS BRAGGED AND SAID THAT MY MALIBU WAS THE BEST CAR EVER BECAUSE I NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH IT.

NHTSA ODI #10910305

Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 2016

Electrical SystemSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE AND THE RADIO TURNED OFF AND ON INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10898587

69,000 miles · Aug 12, 2016

Steering

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CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR APX 2HRS. GOT INTO CAR AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE WATER DRIPPED FROM UNDER THE DASH ONTO THE FLOOR JUST UNDER THE EMERGENCY BREAK PEDDLE. IT HAD RAINED WITHIN THE LAST HOUR. THOUGHT OF IT AS ODD BUT NOT A REAL ISSUE. WITHIN ONE MINUTE OF DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL SHUTTERED. STEERING LIGHT ON DASH ELIMINATED. STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. LIGHT WENT OUT. PARKED CAR. RESTARTED CAR AND LET IDLE S FEW MINUTES. STEERING LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN. SEARCHED ONLINE. LOOKED UNDER DASH. CLEAR FLUID ON EMERGENCY BREAK PEDDLE. A FEW DROPS OF MOISTER IN SAME AREA. PARKED CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10895300

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)