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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Mileage unknown · May 10, 2014

Steering

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IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR AND JANUARY OF THIS YEAR I HAD SPORADIC PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING UNIT IN MY VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE IS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. IN PARTICULAR, I HAD DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE AND MANEUVERING THE VEHICLE WHETHER IT WAS IN PARK OR DRIVE. ONCE I STARTED THE VEHICLE I WOULD GET A FLASH MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD TELLING ME TO CHECK THE POWER STEERING AND I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE AND/OR TURN THE WHEEL ON THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. I HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED. THE WORK THAT WAS PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE, INCLUDED REPLACING THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN DUE TO A BAD TORQUE SENSOR. I PAID FOR THE REPAIR AND AM SEEKING A REIMBURSEMENT GIVEN THE FACT THAT OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE BEING COMPENSATED FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND THE 2009 VEHICLE IS RECOGNIZED AS BEING AFFECTED, BUT NOT THE 2010. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10587565

111,000 miles · May 8, 2014

Steering

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I OWN A 2010 CHEVY MALIBU. MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT NUMBER IN THE NHTSA DATA BASE IS 10575915. THIS IS AN UPDATE TO THE WELL KNOW INTERMITTENT ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) LOSS FOR RECALL BULLETIN: 14116. HOWEVER THIS BULLETIN ONLY COVERS UP TO 2009 CHEVY MALIBUS. I OWN A 2010 CHEVY MALIBU WITH THE DEFECTIVE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ISSUE. AFTER A PHONE CALL AND WAITING SEVERAL DAYS FOR A RETURN CALL FROM GM HELP DESK I CALLED BACK AND WAS INFORMED TO BRING MY CAR TO A LOCAL CHEVY DEALER TO CONFIRM THAT I HAVE THIS SAME ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ISSUE. IT WAS VERIFIED THAT I DO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE THAT THOUSANDS OF CARS ARE BEING RECALLED ABOUT. IT WAS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT I DO NOT TAKE THE CAR OFF THE LOT WITHOUT GETTING IT REPAIRED FOR THE REASON OF A SAFETY ISSUE LOSING POWER STEERING. I DID OBJECT TO THIS REPAIR BUT WAS ASSURED BY GM SUPPORT THAT A BULLETIN COVERING MY 2010 CHEVY MALIBU WOULD BE COMING OUT AT THE END OF THE MONTH AND I WOULD RECEIVE A REIMBURSEMENT FORM. HESITANT, I DID DO THE REPAIR OF $996. AFTER A WEEK OF CALLING GM SUPPORT WITH ESCALATING MY SITUATION AND MANY UNRETURNED PHONE CALLS I WAS PERSISTENT IN CALLING BACK. UNFORTUNATELY EVEN THOUGH THIS IS THE CONFIRMED ISSUE AS THE RECALL BULLETIN 14116 FOR THE DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING THAT IS COVERED ONLY UNTIL 2009. MY 2010 IS NOT COVERED AND THERE IS NO RECALL BULLETIN ANYONE IS AWARE OF THAT WILL COVER THIS ISSUE FOR THE REASON MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT COVERED. I WAS TOLD IT COULD TAKE YEARS, IF IT EVER WILL HAPPEN AT ALL. THIS IS HIGHLY DISCOURAGING THAT IT WAS OFFICIALLY VERIFIED THAT I HAVE THE SAME EPS ISSUE THAT THOUSANDS OF CARS ARE RECEIVING REPAIRS AND MY CAR IS NOT COVERED BECAUSE OF THE YEAR AND VIN NUMBER. EVEN MORE DISCOURAGING IS THAT GM WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT IN THIS ISSUE. WHY DID WE EVER BAIL THIS COMPANY OUT WITH TAXPAYER MONEY? TOO BIG TO FAIL? TOO BIG TO CARE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10587209

149,000 miles · May 8, 2014

Steering

WAS DRIVING A CURVY ROAD WHEN A DIGITAL WARNING ON THE COLUMN SOUNDED AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT, AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO NEGOTIATE THE CURVE. I CHECKED WENT A GOT THE STEERING FIXED AT A DEALER SHIP AND THEN FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ISSUED FOR THE 2008-2009 MALIBU, THE 2009 AND 2010 HHR AND THE 2010 COBALTS …

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NHTSA ODI #10587177

116,000 miles · May 1, 2014

Steering

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I STARTED MY CAR TO BACK UP AND THE SERVICE ESC INDICATOR CAME ON AND THEN THE SERVICE POWER STEERING CAME ON. I HAD NO POWER STEERING. I TRIED BACKING UP BUT COULD BARELY MOVE THE CAR. I ENDED UP SHUTTING THE CARE OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK. THIS WENT ON FOR A DAY OR SO. ONCE WHILE DRIVING THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING. LUCKILY I WAS ON A STRAIGHT PART OF THE HIGH WAY, WITH CHILDREN INSIDE. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND IF THERE ARE RECALL ON ALL MODELS PRIOR TO MY 2010 AND THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WHY DOESN'T GM EXTEND THE WARRANTY OR PAY FOR THIS. IT IS COSTING ME $700 TO BE FIXED. THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN IS BEING REPLACED. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 14 DAYS. THIS IS SO WRONG AND I WILL NEVER EVER BOY ANOTHER GM CAR! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10585832

68,000 miles · Apr 24, 2014

Electrical SystemSteering

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POWER STEERING WARNING PLUS THE CHECK ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAME ON WHEN WE STARTED THE CAR, AND THE STEERING WOULD NOT WORK. WE WERE AT THE TIME IN THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. WE TURNED THE IGNITION OFF, TRIED AGAIN, AND THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. NONETHELESS THIS MADE FOR A SCARY TRIP DOWN MOUNTAIN ROADS. THIS FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR AGAIN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THEN IN THE WINTER OF 2013-2014 IT BEGAN TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY. IN APRIL 2014 WE TOLD THE CHEVROLET SERVICE ADVISOR WHO SAID TO BRING IN THE CAR WHILE THE STEERING WAS NOT ON POWER. SO WE DID WITH DIFFICULT STEERING IN CITY TRAFFIC. THE ADVISOR DIAGNOSED STEERING COLUMN FAILURE. GM HAS OFFERED TO PAY PART OF THE PRICE OF REPAIR. THIS OFFER CAME AFTER EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH GM AND THE LOCAL DEALER WITH WHOM WE HAVE DONE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BUSINESS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10584665

77,000 miles · Apr 8, 2014

Steering

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I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY 70MPH AND MY POWER STEERING ALERT CAME ON AND MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I EXITED THE EXPRESSWAY AND STOPPED AT A GAS STATION TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON THE POWER STEERING WORKED AGAIN. HOWEVER, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED 3 TIMES THE NEXT DAY ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK (HOWEVER NOT ON MY WAY TO WORK THAT MORNING). EACH TIME I HAD TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD TO PAY OVER $600 TO HAVE MY STEERING COLUMN REPLACED. NOW THERE IS A RECALL FOR SEVERAL OF THE PREVIOUS MODELS OF THE MALIBU, BUT NOT MY 2010, ALTHOUGH I DID EXPERIENCE THIS SAME PROBLEM. I PURCHASED MY 2010 MALIBU IN NOVEMBER OF 2009. IF MORE INFORMATION IS NEEDED PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10578247

97,000 miles · Apr 3, 2014

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT AND RIGHT WHILE RESTARTING IT TO REGAIN THE STEERING WHEEL FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V153000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 97,000.

NHTSA ODI #10577145

79,231 miles · Apr 2, 2014

Steering

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ON MARCH 24,2014 AS I WAS TURNING THE CORNER MAKING A LEFT TURN AND MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT, LUCKILY THE CAR THAT WAS AHEAD OF ME WAS ABLE TO MOVE. I WENT UP ON A CURB BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AS I WAS TURNING. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO GORDEN CHEVROLET IN GARDEN CITY ON THE FOLLOWING DAY MARCH 25,2014 THEY VERIFIED MY CONCERN, THEY INSPECTED AND FOUND INTERNAL FAULT IN THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR AND MODULE. NECESSARY TO REPLACE STEERING COLUMN AND CONTROL MODULE $1259.00...THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THE RECALL LIST ALSO, I AM SO UPSET THAT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE NOW AFTER I PAID MY CAR NOTE LAST WEEK I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET MY CAR FIXED. REALLY GM??? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576969

18,762 miles · Apr 2, 2014

Steering

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I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO BACKUP. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING. I PUT THE VEHICLE INTO "PARK" AND THEN IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND THE POWER STEERING FUNCTION RETURNED AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON (3) OCCASIONS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER, BUT THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT ONLINE ON (3) OCCASIONS TO GM, BUT THEY NEVER RESPONDED. I'M SURPRISED THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECENT RECALL CONCERNING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. PS... SORRY, BUT I DON'T ANSWER PHONE CALLS THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576959

128,000 miles · Apr 2, 2014

Steering

DRIVING IN VERY BUSY CITY TRAFFIC AND I ALMOST WRECKED BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I DROVE IT HOME BUT IT WAS VERY HARD TO MAKE A TURN. THIS WAS VERY SCARY AND I PULLED IT UP ON COMPUTER AND I SEE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND YEAR. IT COST ME $ 823.63 TO GET THE STEERING COLU…

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NHTSA ODI #10576823

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)