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

57,040 miles · Jun 24, 2015

Latches/locks/linkages

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO UNLATCH THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED…

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NHTSA ODI #10727050

75,000 miles · Jun 23, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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I WAS DRIVING ON SR-512 NEAR PUYALLUP, WASHINGTON. I WAS JUST MOVING TO THE RIGHT AT THE BASE OF THE FREEWAY ON-RAMP, WHEN MY ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WENT OUT. AT NEARLY THE SAME TIME, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVATED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. EACH OF MY WHEELS BEGAN BRAKING INDEPENDENT FROM ONE ANOTHER. THIS LATEST FOR APPROXIMATELY 10-SECONDS AND DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THE POWER STEERING ALSO RETURNED TO NORMAL FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME. LATER THAT SAME MORNING, I WAS AT A STOP SIGN AND WAS WAITING TO TURN RIGHT. WHEN TRAFFIC CLEARED ENOUGH FOR ME TO BEGIN MY TURN I TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. ALMOST AT THE SAME MOMENT THE STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN, AND I HAD TO FIGHT TO COMPLETE THE TURN. HAD I BEEN AN ELDERLY PERSON, WITHOUT SUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN, I WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY CRASHED INTO THE CARS WAITING TO TURN LEFT AT THE INTERSECTION IN QUESTION. THE STEERING PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED EVER SINCE AND GOTTEN MUCH WORSE OVER TIME. I'VE NOTICED IF I STOP THE CAR...TURN OFF THE IGNITION...AND RESTART THE CAR THE ELECTRONIC STEERING RESETS AND WILL BE FINE FOR UP TO 10-15 MINUTES. BUT THE PROBLEM ALWAYS RETURNS. I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW THAT MALIBUS FROM 2004-2009 EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM AND WERE RECALLED. I WENT TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD EXTEND THE RECALL PROTECTION TO COVER MY 2010 MALIBU AND I WAS ADVISED THEY WOULD NOT. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY PROBLEM, AND WHILE I CAN'T AFFORD THE $2,000 REPAIRS TO GET IT FIXED, I CAN'T IMAGINE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE WHEN WINTER ARRIVES AND THE ROADS TURN ICY. THIS PROBLEM WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CAUSE AND ACCIDENT. I HOPE YOU CAN INFLUENCE CHEVROLET TO EXTEND THEIR EXISTING MALIBU RECALL TO COVER THE 2010 MODELS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THOSE MODELS FROM THE PREVIOUS SEVEN MODEL YEARS. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI #10726835

86,000 miles · Jun 17, 2015

Structure

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ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS SINCE THE 2ND WEEK IN APRIL I TRIED TO OPEN MY CAR DOOR USING MY KEY AS I TURNED, ALTHOUGH T2/15HE LOCK LOCKS AND UNLOCKS, THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY TRIED FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND IT JUST BOUNCED BACK OPEN. I TOOK IT TO A CHEVROLET SERVICE CENTER HERE IN PA AT WHICH TIME THE DOOR LATCH CONNECTED WITH NO SIGNS OF AN ISSUE. THE SERVICE TECH LOOKED AND THE LATCH AND SAID TO ME, "IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, JUST LIFT UP THE LATCH AND THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM. YESTERDAY, I GO TO LUNCH, OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE KEY AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I GO TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED FOR ABOUT 1/2 HOUR. I ASKED A TECHNICIAN FROM MY JOB TO SEE IF HE CAN OPEN THE DOOR TO LET ME OUT AND IT DID NOT OPEN, I HAD TO CLIMB OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND LEAVE ALL LOCKS SO I COULD GET IN THROUGH PASSENGERS SIDE TO GO BACK HOME. APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED WITH MECHANIC ON 4/22/15. TWO WEEKS AGO MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN GOING OFF AND ON. I'VE HAD OIL AND OTHER THINGS CHECKED TO NO AVAIL.

NHTSA ODI #10725797

55,000 miles · Jun 17, 2015

Electrical SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

CRUISE CONTROL RAMDOMLY WORKS. WHEN CRUISE CONTROL FAILS, THIRD BRAKE LIGHT AND TWO REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEN THE THREE LIGHTS THEN GO OFF. WHEN CRUISE CONTROL FAILS THE TRIANGULAR TSC WARNING LIGHT ALSO APPEARS ON THE DISPLAY AND A TYPED MESSAGE APPEARS STATING "TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM OFF". …

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NHTSA ODI #10725672

101,000 miles · Jun 16, 2015

Visibility/wiper

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WIPER MOTOR TRANSMISSION JUST WENT OUT FOR THE 3RD TIME YESTERDAY, 1ST OCCURANC WAS JAN 2013 AN DSTOPPED UNEXPECTEDLY GOING DOWN HIGHWAY. REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF $325. SECOND OCCURANCE WAS SEPT 2014 AND OCCURED ON EXPRESSWAY GOING 70MPH. GM WOULD NOT COVER AS I WAS OVER MILES AND DEALERSHIP WOUDL ONLY GUARANTEE PART FOR 1 YEAR. I AGAIN HAD TO REPLACE AT A COST OF $350. 3RD OCCURANCE WAS LAST NIGHT WITH MY SON! GOING 55-65 MPH ON OHIO TURNPIKE IN THE POURING RAIN. APPOINTMENT TOMOROW. EVERYONE DENIES RESPONSIBILITY

NHTSA ODI #10725511

69,700 miles · Jun 10, 2015

Electrical SystemFire

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, BURNING FUMES EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND PULL OVER SAFELY. WHILE PARKED, A POLICE OFFICER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED. THE TRUNK WAS MANUALLY OPENED BY THE FIREMEN AND THEY NOTICED THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE FUSE PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,700.

NHTSA ODI #10724501

125,454 miles · Jun 3, 2015

Unknown Or Other

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THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON THIS VEHICLE. IAW GM DOC# 2894053 TECHNICAL BULLETIN THIS IS CAUSED BY A BROKEN 3-5-R APPLY (WAVED) PLATE (507). THE MECHANIC STATED THIS PLATE IS TOO THIN FOR THESE VEHICLES AND WHEN THEY BREAK DOWN, THEY TOTALLY DESTROY A GOOD TRANSMISSION AND THE DRIVER WILL NEVER KNOW UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS POWERING DOWN TO SAFE MODE (GOING FROM 65 TO 40 IN LESS THEN A MINUTE) AND THERE IS NO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE GAVE A FALSE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODES AND NEVER SHOWED THERE WAS A INSIDE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. CODES WERE P0776 AND PI0780. IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE FACT THAT IT WAS NOT A BUSY DAY. I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN REAR ENDED AND THEN THIS 3-5-R DEFECT WOULD HAVE BEEN BLAMED ON THE CRASH. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THIS SHOULD BE REPALCE BY GM. THIS HAS COST ME $2,881.88, AND 3 LOST WORK DAYS. GM SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR SHODDY CHEAP PARTS.

NHTSA ODI #10723311

17,000 miles · Jun 2, 2015

Air BagsElectrical SystemService Brakes

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AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN PRESSING HARD ON BRAKE PAD AND WHEN MAKING TURNS. WARNING LIGHT IN DASH STAYS ON THE WARNING LIGHT MAY GO OFF BRIEFLY WHEN DRIVING AND IT IS REQUIRED TO BRAKE HARD, BUT ILLUMINATES AGAIN WHEN BRAKE IS PRESSED. SOMETIMES, IT COMES ON DURING NORMAL DRIVING WITHOUT BRAKING. SOMETIMES IT COMES ON WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVEN OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS MALFUNCTION MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE IF AIR BAGS ARE ACTUALLY ENGAGED AND WILL OPERATE DURING A CRASH. THE PROBLEM ONLY INCREASED AFTER BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) RECALL WAS FIXED ON THE VEHICLE. IT OCCURS EVERY 1-2 DAYS SINCE THE BCM WAS REPAIRED. LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY A PROBLEM AND HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO CONTACT GM FOR INFORMATION. EXTREMELY CONCERNED FOR PASSENGER SAFETY.

NHTSA ODI #10722872

55,000 miles · May 28, 2015

Engine

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MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RANDOMLY COMES ON AND SOMETIMES I WOULD HEAR A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I COULD FEEL THE ACCELERATION GIVE OUT RANDOMLY AROUND 60 MPH. I BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON. THEY STATED THAT THEY CAN'T SEE WHAT IS GOING ON UNLESS THE LIGHT IS ONE AND I ASKED FOR A TRANSMISSION FLUSH, SINCE IT WAS AROUND THE TIME THE BOOK DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO BE DONE, AND THEY STATED THEY NO LONGER PERFORM TRANSMISSION FLUSHES FOR THE 2010 CHEVY MALIBU AND IF I WANTED TO GO SOMEWHERE AND DO IT ON MY OWN THAT WAS UP TO ME. I WENT TO MULTIPLE PLACES WHO DOES TRANSMISSION FLUSHES AND THEY STATED THEY COULD NOT PERFORM THE TASK, ONLY THE DEALERSHIP COULD. SO NOW HERE I AM TODAY I PULLED INTO A DRIVE THRU AND MY CAR STARTED BUCKING REALLY BAD AND AS I STARTED DRIVING AGAIN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND NOW IT IS MAKING A CRUNCHING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR IF IT IS UNSAFE LIKE THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE MY WARRANTY IS UP AS WELL..

NHTSA ODI #10722083

131,000 miles · May 27, 2015

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON A FREEWAY, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY DECLINED TO PROVIDE ASSI…

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NHTSA ODI #10721755

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)