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

Traction Control System complaints

23 reports

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60,500 miles · Aug 26, 2013

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Traction Control SystemVehicle Speed Control

WHEN I START DRIVING MY CAR AT A LOW SPEED THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON SAYING SERVICE ESC. THEN IT TURNS THE TRACTION CONTROL OFF. WHILE THIS IS ON YOU CAN'T USE THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE CAR SHAKES, AND THE RPM'S FLUCTUATES ABNORMALLY. ALSO, WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON THE LIGHT IS OFF UNTIL I ST…

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NHTSA ODI #10537341

19,500 miles · Jun 24, 2013

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Traction Control System

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THE SERVICE ESC AND TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE SERVICED. THE TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ABOUT $700 TO FIX THE ISSUE. TWO DAYS LATER THE LIGHT WAS BACK ON. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND HE SAID "OH THAT IS BAD." I TOOK IT BACK IN AND HE APOLOGIZED FOR NOT CHECKING ANOTHER OPTION REGARDING THIS SERVICE. HE TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ANOTHER $500 TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL MODULE. THIS ALL HAPPENED ABOUT 2 MONTHS AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2010 MALIBUS. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT THE BRAKES COULD LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10521568

30,000 miles · Aug 17, 2012

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesTraction Control System

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I'VE HAD MY CAR IN THE WARRANTY REPAIR SHOP 6 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. FIRST OCCURRENCE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON FOR ESC OFF, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE ESC AT 20 MPH. THEY'VE REPLACED 4 PARTS ON MY CAR AND TODAY THE SAME LIGHTS SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE ESC HAVE COME ON ONCE AGAIN. IT VARIES (SPEED DOESN'T MATTER) WHETHER OR NOT GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OR STOPPING IN A DRIVEWAY WHEN IT COMES ON BUT WARNING LIGHTS WILL COME ON WHEN YOU TOUCH THE BRAKES. I ALSO OBSERVED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD (WHEN ITS DARK OUTSIDE) BUT WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES THE BRAKE LIGHTS GO OFF. I FEEL THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS IF SOMEONE IS FOLLOWING BEHIND YOU AND THINKS THAT YOU HAVE LET OFF THE BRAKES BUT YOU ARE ACTUALLY SLOWING DOWN. I DON'T THINK THAT THEY HAVE AN APPARENT FIX FOR THIS ISSUE AS I SEE SEVERAL REPORTS FROM VEHICLES RANGING FROM 2008 TO 2012 ONLINE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. I AM TO TAKE MY CAR BACK AGAIN FOR SERVICE NEXT WEEK TO HOPEFULLY GET IT REPAIRED BUT I AM NOT SO SURE THEY ARE GOING TO FIND THE PROBLEM AFTER ALREADY HAVING IT IN THERE SO MANY TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE. IT IS INTERMITTANT. WHEN YOU TURN THE CAR OFF AFTER THIS OCCURS THE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF. SOMETIMES ONLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OTHER TIMES FOR A WEEK TO 3 WEEKS BEFORE IT COMES ON AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10471337

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)