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

130,000 miles · Dec 13, 2017

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE ESC INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OUTTEN CHEVROLET (1701 TILGHMAN ST, ALLENTOWN, PA 18104), BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADJUSTED THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO OUTTEN CHEVROLET, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DECLINED TO ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ODI #11054537

Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 2017

Electrical SystemService Brakes

IM HAVING ELECTRIC PROBLEMS WITH CAR. THE BRAKE LIGHT COME ON WHEN DRIVING AND NOT USING THE BRAKES. IT WILL GO OFF AND ON. THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AND OFF . THERE IS SOME KIND OF ELECTRIC PROBLEM GOING ON. I HAD PEOPLE AND POLICE FOLLOWING ME LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE BRAKING LIGHT COMMING ON GOING DOWN THE ROAD

NHTSA ODI #11054013

67,000 miles · Dec 7, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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TAKATA RECALL. THIS RECALL HAS BEEN CLOSED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. GM WAS SAID TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM IN MAY,2014. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN AFTER THE RECALL DATE, AND TOLD ITS CLOSED. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS, NOT FIXED. TOLD BY CHEVY THAT IF THERE IS MORE REPAIRS TO BE DONE, IT IS NOT COVERED BY RECALL AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. SAME PROBLEM IT HAD BEFORE BUT THE BCM WAS NEVER REPLACED. I WAS DRIVING AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING. WARNING CAME ACROSS STATED POWER STEERING & SERVICE ESC. HAD TO STOP, SHUT OFF ENGINE, START CAR, PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR 2 MINUTES AND HAPPENED AGAIN. I HAD MY DAUGHTER WITH ME AT THE TIME. SCARY.

NHTSA ODI #11052962

69,500 miles · Nov 30, 2017

Exterior LightingService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ALL THE TIME. SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT ON. SERVICE CVS LIGHT ON.

NHTSA ODI #11051487

65,505 miles · Nov 27, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power Train

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. AFTER A COMPLETE STOP WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED DUE TO NO WARNING SENSORS. A DAY LATER, AN UNKNOWN INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION INDEPENDENT DEALER. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (DON BROWN CHEVROLET, 2244 S KINGS HIGHWAY BLVD, ST. LOUIS, MO, 63110) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 8-3433690388. THE DEALER COULD NOT ASSIST AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,505.

NHTSA ODI #11048602

80,000 miles · Nov 25, 2017

Power Train

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I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2010 CHEV MALIBU 2LT SEVEN YEARS AGO. IT'S AUTOMATIC, HAS LOW MILES, WELL SERVICED, AND EXCELLENT UPKEEP. SINCE OWNERSHIP, I'VE NOT HAD ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, RECENTLY, WHILE DRIVING, AND GOING FROM LOW TO HIGHWAY SPEED, I NOTICED THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY "JERKED". IT SEEMED ALMOST AS IF GEARS WERE SLIPPING AND GETTING STUCK. I THOUGHT, THIS COULDN'T BE SAFE. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD TO GET MY TOWED FOR SERVICE AFTER THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T CHANGE GEARS. AFTER HAVING THE DIAGNOSED, I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO SOME "INTERNAL DEFECT" IN IT. I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! ABSOLUTELY UNCONSCIONABLE! I DID SOME RESEARCH AND LEARNED GM HAD SOME RECALLS BETWEEN 2008 - 2010 DUE TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I LOVED MY MALIBU 2LT PRIOR TO RECEIVING THIS NEWS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION. IT APPEARS, GM NEEDS TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE ON THE TRANSMISSIONS OF THE 2010 MALIBU.

NHTSA ODI #11048357

119,000 miles · Nov 22, 2017

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST STEERING FUNCTIONALITY WHILE BEING OPERATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE SERVICE ESC WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED BY MANUALLY RESTARTING THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE RECENT FAILURES WERE NOT REMEDIED USING THIS METHOD DUE TO THE FAILURE BEING MORE SEVERE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 119,000.

NHTSA ODI #11047963

96,000 miles · Nov 20, 2017

Exterior LightingSeat Belts

DRIVER TAIL LIGHT GOES IN AND OUT WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT, AND MY SEAT BELT LGHT COMES ON AND DINGS EVEN THOUGH I HAVE MY SEAT BELT ON. ALSO MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AS WELL EVEN THOUGH THE ROADS ARE DRY

NHTSA ODI #11047488

173,000 miles · Nov 20, 2017

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE REDUCE POWER, CHECK ENGINE, AND ESC SERVICE TRACTION INDICATORS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BOX, IDLE CONTROL SENSOR, MODULE CONTROL SENSOR, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, OXYGEN CONTROL SENSOR, AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.

NHTSA ODI #11047436

153,000 miles · Nov 18, 2017

Power Train

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WHILE IN MOTION ON THE FREEWAY, MY VEHICLE BEGAN WOULD NOT SPEED UP WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS. THE CAR REVVED UP BUT IT WOULD NOT SPEED UP. I CONTINUED TO SLOW DOWN AS CARS APPROACHED ME FROM BEHIND. I WAS AFRAID THEY MIGHT HIT ME SO I MOVED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TRIED TO ACCELERATE WHILE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT IT WOULD ONLY REV UP AND NOT MOVE. I SWITCHED THE GEARSHIFT SEVERAL TIMES BETWEEN PARK, NEUTRAL, REVERSE AND DRIVE. I COULD ONLY GO A FEW FEET AT A TIME. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MY PARENTS HOUSE AND SITS THERE TODAY BECAUSE MECHANICS SAID THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #11047193

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)