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

What owners actually said

1,360 reports

30,000 miles · Apr 2, 2014

Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULD POTENTIALLY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AV…

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NHTSA ODI #10576701

7,800 miles · Apr 1, 2014

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

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ERROR 1. WARNING ERRORS ON DASHBOARD STATE SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION; NOTICED JUST AFTER OCT 2011 PURCHASE. BRAKE POSITION SENSOR REPLACED. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS ON AND OFF TO THIS DAY (APRIL 2014). TWO SERVICES HAVE NOT FIXED THIS PROBLEM. ERROR 2. CRUISE CONTROL WOULD STOP WORKING ON IT'S OWN WHILE AT HWY SPEEDS; NOTICED DEC 2011. CRUISE CURRENTLY (APRIL 2014) WILL NOT ENGAGE AT ANY SPEED. ERROR 3. BRAKE LIGHTS WILL TURN ON WITHOUT PEDAL DEPRESSION AT ANY SPEED AND CONVERSELY WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED BRAKE LIGHTS WILL TURN OFF; NOTICED APR 2012. PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING ON AND OFF TODAY (APRIL 2014) . THE CRUISE CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHT ISSUES ARE HUGE SAFETY CONCERNS AND WITH MORE THAN 20 ALMOST IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS DOCUMENTED AND AT LEAST ONE CRASH, WHY IS NOTHING BEING DONE? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576567

126,000 miles · Apr 1, 2014

Steering

SO GM RECALLS THE STEERING ON 2004-06, 08, 09....I HAVE AN 2010 THAT HAS THE SAME ISSUE THAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE STEERING. I FORTUNATELY KNEW WHAT TO DO WHEN I LOST MY POWER STEERING DOING 70+ MPH ON I-39. I ENDED UP PAYING OVER $500 TO HAVE MY STEERING FIXED AND THAT IS JUST FOR ONE OF THE SENSORS...WHAT ABOUT A RECALL ON ALL…

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NHTSA ODI #10576561

40,000 miles · Apr 1, 2014

Exterior LightingVisibility/wiper

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THE HEADLAMPS PROVIDE POOR VISIBILITY. THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LOW BEAMS IS ONLY ABOUT 15 FEET IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS REQUIRES US TO DRIVE WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON MOST OF THE TIME. HOWEVER, WHEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC ARE COMING, WE SWITCH BACK TO LOW BEAMS. WE HAVE TRIED VARIOUS LIGHT BULBS BUT THAT DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE. MY HUSBAND HAS PHYSICALLY TRIED TO TILT THE LIGHT BULBS, BUT THAT DOESN'T WORK EITHER. THERE NEEDS TO BE A REDESIGN OF THE HEADLAMPS TO PROVIDE BETTER VISIBILITY. POOR VISIBILITY CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AS A USED VEHICLE IN APRIL 2012. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD THIS PROBLEM, JUST DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO REPORT IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576472

92,000 miles · Apr 1, 2014

Steering

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND THE POWER STEERING JUST STOPED FUNCTONING AND BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A STORE AND AFTER A TIME RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS FINE . G.M. HAS A RECALL THAT STARTED ON 3/31/14 ON 2007, 2008, 2009, CHEVY MALIBU BUT NOT ON 2010 MALIBU I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER THEY SAID THAT THEIR HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER 2010 MALIBU WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. WE ARE OLDER 65 AND 67 AND CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR A REPAIR HOPE THERE IS NOT A ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576287

83,696 miles · Apr 1, 2014

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO ENTER INTO MANUAL MODE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE ELECTRIC STEERING MODULE AND SENSOR. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V153000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,696.

NHTSA ODI #10576279

63,000 miles · Mar 31, 2014

Seat Belts

WHEN BUCKLING SEAT BELT IT WILL CLICK BUT SEAT BELT LIGHT STAYS ON I HAVE TO TRY SEVERAL TIME FOR THE LIGHT TO GO OFF. THIS HAPPENS WHEN ITS WARM OR HOT OUTSIDE. ONLY DRIVERS SIDE IS EFFECTED WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576037

111,500 miles · Mar 31, 2014

Electrical SystemSteering

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AT FIRST I LOST POWER STEERING WHEN TRAVELING HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY. NOW THE POWER STEERING FAILS WITH JUST SHORT TRIPS AROUND TOWN. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY FOR MY WIFE. SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL AT SLOW SPEEDS. I DO NOT WANT TO PAY ACCIDENT SURCHARGES ON TOP OF THE REPAIR BILL FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS POWER STEERING ISSUE IS DOCUMENTED ALL OVER THE WEB AND AFFECTS MANY MODELS THAT HAVE THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING BOX. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING BOX RELATED TO THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) AND THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR. THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR CANNOT BE REPLACED AT THIS TIME (OR MAYBE NEVER). THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN MUST BE REPLACED. THIS IS AT A VERY COSTLY EXPENSE WHEN A CHEAPER REPAIR IS AN OPTION. I RESEARCHED A CAR OWNER WHO HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN THREE TIMES DUE TO FAILURE OF THE POSITION SENSOR AND THERE IS NO RECOURSE FOR US CONSUMERS. EVERY 20,000 MILES AFTER WARRANTIES WERE EXPIRED. I AM [XXX] YEARS OLD AND HAVE ONLY OWNED AMERICAN MADE CARS, JUST ABOUT ALL GM PRODUCTS. IF THIS ISSUE DOES NOT GET RESOLVED IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY I WILL BE GOING TO THE FORD PRODUCT. I HOPE I WILL NOT BE FORCED TO THE FOREIGN CARS FOR THE REASON I WILL NOT RETURN TO GM IF THEY DO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. I AM OPTIMISTIC AT THIS POINT I CAN REMAIN A HAPPY GM CONSUMER. I RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THE MINI COOPER HAD THE SAME ISSUE OF POWER STEERING FAILURE. THEY STOOD BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND OFFERED A 13 YEAR OR 200,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE POWER STEERING MODULE. HTTP://WWW.NORCALMINIS.COM/2013/05/MINI-POWER-STEERING-PUMP-WARRANTY.HTML THIS WOULD BE A VERY WISE CHOICE TO OFFER THIS SOLUTION WITH THE RECENT OF THE RECALL WITH THE IGNITION SHUTTING OFF WHILE THE CAR IS OPERATIONAL CAUSING FATALITIES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10575915

42,924 miles · Mar 24, 2014

Wheels

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RIGHT REAR TIRE CONSISTENTLY LOST 5 TO 10 LBS. PRESSURE EVERY TWO TO THREE DAYS, BELIEVED TO BE TEMPERATURE CHANGE RELATED, PERHAPS SLOW LEAK. TIRES HAD APPROXIMATE 20,000 MILES LEFT ON THEM ,BUT GREW TIRED OF THE CONSTANT PROBLEM. ON 09/21/2013 REPLACED BOTH REAR TIRES WITH NEW TIRES, PROBLEM PERSISTED. ON 09/28/2013 HAD DEALER REPLACE WITH FACTORY RIM ($339.32) PROBLEM SOLVED. ON 02/15/2014 SAME PROBLEM FRONT RIGHT, ADDED AIR EVERY TWO TO THREE DAYS FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS, AND ON 03/18/2014 LEFT FRONT BEGAN SAME ISSUE. NOW FORCED TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT RIMS, THEY WILL NOT BE FACTORY REPLACEMENTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10574517

45,000 miles · Mar 20, 2014

Service Brakes

I OWN A 2010 CHEVY MALIBU AND HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH MY BRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON WHEN I AM NOT APPLYING THE BRAKE. I TOOK MY CAR IN AND HAD THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED AND THE ISSUE IS STILL HAPPENING. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WHEN MY BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON WITHOUT ME APPLYING THE BRAKE. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE TIME THE LIGHTS D…

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NHTSA ODI #10573889

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)