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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79,984 miles · Jun 23, 2014

Steering

POWER STEERING ASSIST SHAKES STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH WHILE OPERATING AT LOW SPEEDS. WHEELS TURN RAPIDLY LEFT TO RIGHT. HAVE ALSO HAD TIMES IN THE PAST WHERE STEERING LIGHT CAME ON IN DASH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND POWER ASSIST STEERING DOES NOT WORK. SEEMS LIKE 2010 MODEL MALIBU SHOULD ALSO BE ADDED TO THE RECENT STEERING RECA…

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NHTSA ODI #10605184

78,000 miles · Jun 21, 2014

Steering

STARTED THE CAR ONE MORNING AND HEARD A CHIME, THEN OBSERVED POWER STEERING WARNING ON THE DISPLAY. STEERING NEEDS MORE EFFORT THAN USUAL EVER SINCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10604948

89,000 miles · Jun 16, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainSteering

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2010 CHEVY MALIBU LT (ECOTECH ENGINE), THE ENGINE STARTS TO STUTTER AND THE ESC SHUTS OFF AND CLAIMS IT NEEDS SERVICING. THE ESC WILL GO ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AS WELL. I HAVE HAD THE CODES READ MULTIPLE TIMES AND CHANGED MULTIPLE PARTS BUT TO NO AVAIL. IT KEEPS STATING THAT THERE IS A MISFIRE IN CYLINDER 1. HAVE CHANGED SPARK PLUGS AND COIL PACKS. THE STUTTERING HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS, INCLUDING WHILE ACCELERATING AND IDLING. THERE'S ALSO BEEN TIMES OF TOUGH STEERING AS IF THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I HAVE NOTICED IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN IN LATE SPRING THROUGH SUMMER WHEN THE TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE ARE HIGHER. I HAVE CHECKED AND THERE IS NOT A CRACK IN THE HEAD GASKET OR THE HEAD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10598655

75,000 miles · Jun 14, 2014

Steering

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WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE ON MY 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, THE INFORMATION CENTER DISPLAYED THE MESSAGE "POWER STEERING" AND SERVICE ESC" AND WHEN TRYING TO DRIVE THE CAR, IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 200 FEET IN A PARKING LOT, I REALIZED STEERING WAS TOO DIFFICULT AND DRIVING THE CAR WAS UNSAFE. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE, AND LUCKILY THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY WENT AWAY. HOWEVER, I HAD THIS PROBLEM REOCCUR AGAIN OVER 20 TIMES BETWEEN 2/2014 TO 4/2014. FOR MY OWN SAFETY AND FEAR THAT THE ISSUE COULD WORSEN AND APPEAR AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING, I PROACTIVELY TOOK THE CAR INTO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER, WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED AND FIXED THE PROBLEM. HERE IS THEIR DIAGNOSIS AND FIX: CAUSE CODE: C0545 TORQUE SENSOR CORRECTIVE ACTION: REPLACED STEERING COLUMN I HAVE ALSO OPENED A CASE# WITH GENERAL MOTORS/CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND REPEATEDLY CONTACTED THEM ABOUT THE ISSUE BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS THE SAME SYMPTOMS AND RESOLUTION AS OUTLINED IN THE RECENT 31MAR2014 (ELECTRIC) POWER STEERING RECALL FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: [ HTTP://MEDIA.GM.COM/MEDIA/US/EN/GM/NEWS.DETAIL.HTML/CONTENT/PAGES/NEWS/US/EN/2014/MAR/0331-POWER-STEERING.HTML ]. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, HOWEVER, INDICATED THAT MY VIN NUMBER/VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPAIR. I AM CONTACTING THE NHTSA TO INFORM THEM THAT VEHICLES NOT LISTED UNDER THE ABOVE RECALL, NAMELY THE 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, POTENTIALLY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM/SAFETY ISSUE AND REQUIRE THE SAME REPAIR. I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA ENCOURAGES GENERAL MOTORS TO REASSESS THE VEHICLES COVERED UNDER THE CURRENT RECALL AND EXTEND THE RECALL TO ALSO INCLUDE THE 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU MODEL YEAR. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10598259

96,000 miles · Jun 12, 2014

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO MANEUVER AS THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIM…

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NHTSA ODI #10597942

1,000 miles · Jun 12, 2014

Air BagsPower TrainService BrakesCrashInjury

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THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY ROUGH TO TURN. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY AND THE BATTERY CONTINUED TO DRAIN PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION WAS UNSTABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE SWAYED VIOLENTLY TOWARD THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND AS THE CONTACT APPLIED FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS ONLY PARTIALLY DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES AND THE JAWS OF LIFE WERE USED TO REMOVE AN INJURED PASSENGER FROM THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V460000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATION AFTER THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES SEVERAL TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000. *TR UPDATED 3/3/15*CN UPDATED 07/06/2017 *CT

NHTSA ODI #10597851

113,500 miles · May 20, 2014

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AS THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEH…

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NHTSA ODI #10592645

60,000 miles · May 19, 2014

Steering

POWER STEERING PROBLEMS. POWER STEERING ISSUES HAVE HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS. LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10592345

90,000 miles · May 16, 2014

Service BrakesSteering

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE BRAKES ENGAGED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ESC AND THE ABS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. …

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NHTSA ODI #10588980

96,000 miles · May 13, 2014

Steering

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I WOULD BE DRIVING AND THE CAR STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP AND THE CAR WOULD CUT OFF SOMETIMES. SETTING AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT THE WITH FOOT ON THE BREAKS THE CAR FEELS LIKE ITS GOING TO TAKE OFF EVEN WHEN ITS IN PARK DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IT WOULD SLOW DOWN BY IT SELF AND THEN SPEED UP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY THING WRONG ONES SAID I JUST NEEDED A BATTERY TRIED TO SALE ME ONE FOR $268.00 I END UP BUYING ONE FROM A AUTO STORE. AFTER THAT WENT BACK PAID THEM $542.00 FOR SERVICES AND THE CAR STILL DOING THE SAME THING. LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE A RECALL ON THE 2010 MALIBU WITH THE RECALL NUMBER 93696 ON THE POWER TRAIN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR THE POSITION INDICATION BUT THEY SAID THAT'S NOT MY VEHICLE SAID THEY HAVE HAD NO RECALLS ON THE 2010 CHEVY MALIBU LT. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON ESC LIGHT COMES ON SOME OTHER 3 LETTER ALPHABET LIGHT COMES ON. WHEEL TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE TIME IF IT READS THE FRONT DRIVER TIRE IS LOW WHEN YOU CHECK IT IT'S THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE THAT'S IT READING ALL INDICATORS ARE WRONG. I'M STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON A CAR THAT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IF I TRADE THE CAR IN THEN I WOULD BE UPSIDE DOWN PAYING FOR THAT CAR STILL. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO PUT THE CAR TOGETHER SO THEY SHOULD FIGURE IT OUT. I KNOW THEY ARE AWARE THAT SOMETHINGS IS WRONG THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. BUT KEEP TELLING ME TO BRING IT BACK MEAN WHILE THEY JUST KEEP MAKING MONEY OFF OF ME, AND THE CAR STILL NOT RUNNING RIGHT THIS NEED TO BE ADDRESS BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE GET SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED, DRIVING THESE DEFECTED CHEVY VEHICLES. THEY NEED TO RECALL THE WHOLE CAR OR REPLACE THEM. LOOK LIKE CHEVY MADE A LEMON THAT THEY CAN'T FIX ARE WANT FIX. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10588207

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)