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

120,000 miles · Mar 19, 2019

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)SteeringInjury

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ELECTRIC POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING ON MATCH 18, 2019. I WAS TURNING RIGHT ONTO BUSY 4 LANE CITY STREET FROM A PARKING LOT, SPEED < 5 MPH. COULD NOT TURN INTO RIGHT LANE, STRUGGLED TO SWING CAR INTO LEFT LANE W/O CROSSING MEDIAN. IT WAS NOT SIMPLY A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I'VE DRIVEN OLD CARS THAT NEVER HAD POWER STEERING AND THIS WAS 10 TIMES MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER. I THINK I STRAINED A MUSCLE IN MY SHOULDER. TURNING DID NOT GET EASIER AS I ACCELERATED, EVENTUALLY TO ABT 40 MPH. STRUGGLED THROUGH 3 MORE HAIR RAISING TURNS (ALL TURNS MADE) BEFORE PARKING IT AT HOME. THE ESC/TCS INDICATOR CAME ON IN THE PARKING LOT AND STAYED ON. ERROR MSGS DISPLAYED WERE POWER STEERING, SERVICE ESC, SERVICE AIR BAG. I HEARD NO CHIMES. WE GAVE MY DAUGHTER THIS USED CAR IN 2015. SHE HAD COMPLAINED A COUPLE OF WEEKS PRIOR THAT STEERING SOMETIMES BECAME DIFFICULT. A SEARCH BY VIN SHOWS NO INCOMPLETE RECALLS. IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY USEFUL TO KNOW IF THIS CAR WAS PART OF A RECALL(S) AND THEN REPAIRED. IF IT WAS, IT WAS REPAIRED INCORRECTLY, NOT ALL PROBLEMS WERE RESOLVED, OR THE PARTS USED HAVE A SHORT LIFE SPAN. IF GM ISN'T COVERING THIS SITUATION, THAT'S A CRIME. ALSO, IF NOT COVERED BY GM I'LL TAKE IT TO OUR REGULAR MECHANIC SINCE HIS WORK IS MORE RELIABLE THAN THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP'S. IF MY BABY HAD BEEN HURT IN THIS DEATH TRAP, HEADS WOULD'VE ROLLED - METAMORPHICALLY OF COURSE. I'LL ALSO BE CONSULTING A LAWYER.

NHTSA ODI #11190121

140,000 miles · Mar 19, 2019

Steering

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WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS MY STEERING WOULD GO OUT AND IT FELT LIKE I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING. ONCE I TRY TO BREAK THE STEERING FEELS REALLY OUT OF CONTROL. I TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY PUT IT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND FIND NOTHING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WITH THE MOST RECENT 3 WEEKS AGO. THEN IT DRIVES FINE. FYI MY ECM LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND I WOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WOULD JUST RESET THE COMPUTER AND SAY IT WAS A MALFUNCTION BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THREE WEEKS AGO WHEN THIS HAPPENED I WAS CLOSE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY INFORMED ME THERE WA A RECALL ON CERTAIN 2010 MODELS AND OF COURSE NOT MINE AND IT'S HAPPENING TO ME AND IT IS VERY FRIGHTENING.

NHTSA ODI #11189902

143,000 miles · Mar 18, 2019

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY. ENGINE POWER WOULD REDUCE AND THE SERVICE ESC LIGHT AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. ENGINE WOULD RUN ROUGH AND THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO GO FASTER THAN 30 MPH. AS SOON AS THE LIGHT CAME ON THE SPEED WOULD DECREASE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF TRAFFIC GOING 60 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAD TO MOVE…

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NHTSA ODI #11189672

Mileage unknown · Mar 18, 2019

Steering

HARD TURNING STEERING WHEEL STEERING WHEEL SHAKES

NHTSA ODI #11189671

96,000 miles · Mar 15, 2019

Power Train

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY CHANGE GEARS WHEN NEEDED. BYFORD CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (7755 US-81, DUNCAN, OK 73533, 1-(888) 397-6541) WAS CONTACTED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED 54 TSBS FOR THE POWER TRAIN, BUT NO RECALL WAS ISSUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V460000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA ODI #11187058

150,000 miles · Mar 14, 2019

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

I WAS DRIVING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WENT OUT. IT SAYS ESC AND POWER STEERING ON MY DASH.

NHTSA ODI #11186712

90,000 miles · Mar 14, 2019

Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

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THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUSE BOX LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. MY CAR HAS COMPLETELY LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE DRIVING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. FUEL PUMP, ALTERNATOR, AND BATTERY HAVE NEEDED REPLACED. THERE IS A SHORT IN OR NEAR THIS REAR FUSE BOX. FUEL PUMP RELAY HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND CONNECTIONS GREASED. TEMPORARILY FIXED, THEN A FEW DAYS LATER SHUTS OFF WHILE RUNNING. FROM RESEARCHING, THIS APPEARS TO BE EXTREMELY COMMON WITH THIS MODEL ACROSS MULTIPLE YEARS, WITH THE WIRE LEADING TO THE FUEL PUMP RELAY BURNING UP AND SHORTING. CLEARLY POOR WIRING. AT LEAST THREE TIMES MY CAR HAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE IN MOTION WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. MULTIPLE CRANK/NO START SITUATIONS AS WELL. MY NEXT OPTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUSE BLOCK, BUT THAT WILL NOT FIX WIRING DESIGN. HAVE BEEN TOWED MULTIPLE TIMES IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

NHTSA ODI #11186697

182,000 miles · Mar 13, 2019

Exterior LightingSteering

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WHEN I FIRST TURN THE CAR ON IT WILL FLASH SERVICE ESC AND POWER STEERING WHEEL ALSO FLASH AT THAT POINT I HAVE NO POWER STEERING, AND THEN I WILL TURN THE CAR OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON AND I HAVE POWER STEERING THERE IS NO FLASHING OF ESC OR POWER STEERING. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE WHILE STATIONARY. IN THE LAST YEAR I HAVE REPLACED ALL FOUR TURN SIGNALS AT LEAST TWICE AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS AT LEAST TWICE. WHEN I TURN ON THE CAR THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLASH AND THEN ONE WILL GO OUT WHILE THE OTHER ONE STAYS ON DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I DON'T HIT ANY BUMPS OR POTHOLES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND THE HEAD LIGHT WILL COME ON, AT THAT POINT IT STAYED ON FOR ONE DAY AND THEN IT WENT BACK OUT AGAIN. MY THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WILL WORK OFF AND ON, MORE OFF THEN ON. MY REAR DEFROSTERS DO NOT WORK AT ALL AND THE CONTROL ON THE DRIVER SEAT DOES NOT WORK EITHER. WITHIN THE LAST MONTH WE HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY AND CABLES FOR THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THAT THAT SHOULD FIX ALL THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND IT DID NOT. I HAVE 2 VIDEOS OF WHAT THE CAR DOES BUT CANNOT UPLOAD ON HERE.

NHTSA ODI #11186691

160,000 miles · Mar 11, 2019

Power Train

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TAKATA RECALL MY 2010 CHEVY MALIBU WAS IN PARK AND TURNED OFF. TURNED ON THE CAR PUT IT IN DRIVE AND DRIVE TONDRIVE FORWARD AND THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ACCELERATING BUT THE CAR WON'T MOVE AT ALL. PUT CAR IN PARK AND IT WILL REVERSE FINE. GOES INTO PARK AND WORKS IN NEUTRAL. ANYTIME I TRY TO GO FORWARD THE CAR WON'T GO ANYWHERE. IT'S NOT MAKING ANY SOUNDS EVERYTHING SOUNDS NORMAL. I HAVE BEEN TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION BY A COUPLE DIFFERENT CAR SHOPS AND THAT THE TRASMOSSION COOLING PIPE IS BROKEN BY CHEVY.

NHTSA ODI #11185721

157,000 miles · Mar 9, 2019

Electrical SystemService BrakesWheels

ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING BUT THE BATTERY/ELECTRONICS WERE STILL ON. I SAFELY STOPPED THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CHECK ENGINE + ABS + TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I FINALLY HAD TO CALL A TOW COMPANY. NO MECHANIC KNOWS HOW TO FIX IT. UPON…

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NHTSA ODI #11185584

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)