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

134,000 miles · Sep 10, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior LightingService Brakes

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I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND MY CRUISE CONTROL CUT OFF BY ITSELF THEN I NOTICED BY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON. SO I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND TURNED MY CAR OFF THEN TURNED IT BACK ON AND PROCEEDED TO WORK. MY BRAKE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. WHEN I CAME HOME LATER THAT EVENING MY BRAKE LIGHT WERE WORKING AGAIN, WHEN I TRIED TO USE MY CRUISE CONTROL IT WENT OFF AGAIN BY ITSELF AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO USE IT SENSE. NOW MY BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON ALL THE TIME I JUST HOPE NOBODY RUNS INTO THE BACK OF ME. WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE MY BRAKE LIGHTS GO OFF. MY INSIDE LIGHT DOESN'T WORK WITH THIS HAPPENING TO MY CAR. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS THINGS TO TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM. ITS GETTING TO BE A HEADACHE BUY A CAR AND NOW ITS DANGEROUS I JUST HOPE I CAN GET IT TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10762903

56,487 miles · Sep 5, 2015

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

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WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT IN THE REAR WINDOW WAS ONLY WORKING ON AN INTERMITENT BASIS. I HAD RECALL WORK DONE ON MY CAR IN OCTOBER OF 2014 UNDER RECALL 14V252000 OR CHEVY RECALL 13036 THEN IN MID JULY OF THIS YEAR MY CAR STARTED DOING WHAT THEY SAID THAT IT MIGHT DO IN THE RECALL LETTER. ON AUGUST 3 I TOOK MY CAR TO CARGILL CHEVROLET IN PUTNAM, CT. TO SEE WHY IT WAS DOING THIS I THOUGHT THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THEY THEN REPLACED A SWITCH ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AT A COST OF $272.03 THAT THEY SAID WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY IT WAS DOING THE SAME THING SO I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY SAID THAT THE WHOLE BRACKET IN THE REAR WINDOW NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $402.40. THIS SEEMS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID NEITHER REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. I WAS WONDERING WHAT YOUR OPINION WAS AND IF YOU HAD ANY OTHER REPORTS OF DEFECTIVE RECALL WORK ON THIS RECALL. THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI #10761755

66,880 miles · Sep 4, 2015

Electrical SystemExterior LightingUnknown Or Other

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WE GOT UP THIS MORNING, WENT TO GET INTO OUR CAR AND AS I TRIED TO UNLOCK IT I NOTICED MY KEYLESS ENTRY WOULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOOR. I ASKED MY BOYFRIEND IF HIS WAS WORKING, AND HIS WOULDN'T OPEN THE CAR EITHER. SO I UNLOCKED THE DOOR MANUALLY AND NO ALARM SOUNDED. THE DASH DIDN'T LIGHT UP AS IT USUALLY DOES EITHER. I TRIED STARTING MY CAR, THE IDIOT LIGHTS CAME ON AS DID MY STEREO, BUT THE CAR NEVER TRIED TO TURN OVER. WE HAD NO INTERIOR LIGHTS, NO HEADLIGHTS, AND NOT EVEN HAZARDS!! I THOUGHT HAZARDS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO WORK IN EMERGENCIES BUT APPARENTLY I WAS MISTAKEN. THANK GOD WE WEREN'T BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROAD OR FREEWAY. I'VE NOTICED OTHER YEARS OF THIS PARTICULAR CAR HAVE A RECALL FOR AN IGNITION SWITCH, WHY NOT THIS ONE? BECAUSE THEIR STORIES SOUND JUST LIKE MINE. THIS CAR IS BEING TOWED TO THE SHOP TOMORROW MORNING. IF IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH, CHEVY WILL BE HEARING FROM ME.

NHTSA ODI #10761729

89,421 miles · Sep 2, 2015

Electrical SystemService BrakesUnknown Or Other

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AS I WAS DRIVING A LIGHT CAME ON THAT SAID ESC, TRACTION, SERVICE ESC AT ONE POINT IT SAID TRACTION OFF. IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SOMETIMES I GO TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE LIGHT IS ON AND THE CAR WILL NOT BUDGE FROM PARK AND I WAS STRANDED FOR OVER AN HOUR IN THE EVENING ALL ALONE. OTHER TIME I WAS DRIVING AND THE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON THE WHOLE TIME AND PEOPLE WERE HONKING AT ME. MY WORST TIME WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING GOING ABOUT 55 ON A VERY DARK ROAD WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR HAD ABOUT 40 MILES TO DRIVE TO GET HOME AND THE LIGHT CAME ON AS I WAS DRIVING AND APPARENTLY THEN I HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS AT ALL ! ALL THE WAY HOME NO BRAKE LIGHTS I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS UNTIL A CAR DROVE UP ON ME ALMOST HITTING ME FROM BEHIND BECAUSE HE COULD NOT SEE ME UNTIL HE WAS RIGHT ON ME AND I HAD TO SWERVE OVER TO THE NEXT LANE TO AVOID BEING HIT THIS WAS A VERY SCARY AND TRAUMATIC INCIDENT FOR MY DAUGHTER AND I! THIS IS BEYOND DANGEROUS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THEIR WAS A RECALL BUT THAT THEY HAD FIXED IT DURING MY LAST OIL CHANGE WHICH I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF BUT CASE BEING IF IT WAS "FIXED" THEN WHY AM I STILL RIDING IN A DANGEROUS VEHICLE?! ONE DAY ITS OKAY AND THE NEXT DAY I MAY BE ON THE EXPRESS WAY DOING 55 HOPING NOT TO DIE DUE TO A FAULTY SYSTEM SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT! I AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE WAY THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IS JUST BRUSHING THIS OFF AS YES IT WAS A RECALL BUT WE TOOK CARE OF IT SUPPOSEDLY SO NOW THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM IN THEIR WORDS IT'S NOW YOUR PROBLEM! I CAN SAY THAT BY THE WAY I HAVE BEEN TREATED AND GETTING THE RUN AROUND AND BEING SCARED TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN HAS REALLY REALLY CAUSED ME TO DISLIKE CHEVROLET!

NHTSA ODI #10761090

70,000 miles · Aug 29, 2015

Engine

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I WAS DRIVING IN THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 65MPH. SUDDENLY I GOT A NOTIFICATION THAT THE ENGINE POWER HAS BEEN DECREASED. MY ENGINE WOULDN'T GO PAST 2000 RPM AND MY SPEED DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. I PULLED OVER AND AT THAT TIME I GOT ANOTHER NOTIFICATION STATING THAT MY ENGINE IS BEING DISABLED. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 8 TIMES. THIS STOPPED HAPPENING FOR A GOOD YEAR AND A HALF UNTIL THIS PAST WEEK. IT HAPPENED TO MY PREGNANT WIFE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY AND IT HAPPENED TO ME IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. I PUT A CODE SCANNER TO READ THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND IT DIDN'T READ ANYTHING. WHICH MEANS THE CPU ISN'T READING THE ERROR.

NHTSA ODI #10760117

100,000 miles · Aug 27, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior LightingService Brakes

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I HAVE HAD THE RECALL NOTICE (REPORT RECEIPT DATE: MAY 14, 2014 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 COMPONENT(S): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM , ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL , EXTERIOR LIGHTING , SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC , VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL ) PREVIOUSLY TAKEN CARE OF BY OAKLEY CHEVROLET BUICK REPAIR SHOP ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED , THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY (THEY ARE ON WHEN THE BRAKE IS NOT APPLIED & WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKE THEY GO OFF). I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THAT PROBLEM, BUT THAT IT MAY BE THE BRAKE APPLY SENSOR. THEY HAD MY CAR ALL DAY, AND COULD NOT TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.....I PICKED UP MY CAR AND NOW I AM TRYING THROUGH GM TO GET THE MATTER ADDRESSED. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED TO GET A SECOND OPINION. WHICH I WILL DO AND I WILL BE IN TOUCH. IN ADDITION TO THAT ISSUE, NOW THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT CHIMES THAT THE BELT IS NOT IN USE WHEN IT IS AND THE CAR IS DRIVING. ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #10759659

Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2015

Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, BUT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOUR TIMES AND THE BULB WAS REPLACED EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10749569

5,000 miles · Aug 17, 2015

Air BagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Wheels

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1) GM IS COVERING UP A DEFECT IN RIMS ( NOT COMPLETELY WELDED, I HAVE THE RIM AS EVIDENCE) 2) CURRENTLY MY SERVICE ESC, TRACTION, AIR BAG LIGHTS ARE ALL ON ( SO IS MY AIR BAG GONNA EXPLODE? IS MY CAR NOT STABLE ENOUGH TO BE DRIVEN?) 3) 2011 I PAID TO HAVE MY CAR FIXED BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYED ON. ( MAYBE HAD 3000 MILES) 4) MY BRAKE LIGHTS CURRENTLY STAY ON.( APROX 70,000 MILES) 5) I HAVE CONTACTED GM SEVERAL TIMES, HAVE NOT SPOKE TO ANYONE. 6) WHEN THE CAR BEHIND ME CAN NOT TELL IF I AM STOPPING BECAUSE MY LIGHTS STAY ON AND I AM KILLED ALONG WITH THE PERSON BEHIND ME... MAYBE SOMEONE WILL LISTEN.

NHTSA ODI #10749085

112,000 miles · Aug 10, 2015

Structure

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WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. AFTER SHUTTING IT SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT IT LATCHING, IT FINALLY STAYED SHUT. I HAVE NOW BEEN UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR SINCE. THE DOOR STILL WILL NOT OPEN. APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS AGO, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR DID THE SAME THING, AND I WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE DOOR. I HAD TO CRAWL TO THE BACK SEAT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPENS NOW, BUT STILL DOESN'T SHUT PROPERLY AT LEAST 2 TIMES A WEEK

NHTSA ODI #10747491

140,000 miles · Aug 9, 2015

Visibility/wiper

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WHILE DRIVING 65 MILES PER HOUR IN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ON THE I94 TOLLWAY HEADED TO CHICAGO THE WIPERS CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. I WAS COMPLETELY BLINDED AND IN THE 3RD LANE TO THE LEFT. I IMMEDIATELY PUT ON MY BLINKERS AND STARTED BEEPING MY HORN. MY DAUGHTER HAD TO STICK HER HEAD OUT THE WINDOW TO GUIDE ME TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD TO PULL OVER. WE WERE STRUGGLING THROUGH HEAVY TRAFFIC AND SCARED OUT OF OUR MINDS! AFTER WE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE SIDE, WITH MY 18 MONTH OLD GRANDDAUGHTER IN THE CAR WE HAD TO SIT THERE FOR MORE THAN 2 HOURS TO WAIT FOR THE RAIN TO STOP. AFTER RESEARCHING THE CHEVY FORUM WEBSITE I REALIZED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON CHEVY MALIBU'S OF VARIOUS YEARS AND A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE! IT APPEARS THERE WAS A RECALL ON PREVIOUS YEARS OF CHEVY MALIBU WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE!

NHTSA ODI #10747317

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)