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

94,000 miles · Mar 16, 2015

Steering

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THE POWER STEELING WENT ON THE CAR. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON IN THE VEHICLE. APPARENTLY THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR ALL OF THE CHEVY MALIBU'S. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE PART OF A RECALL LIKE THE PREVIOUS YEARS WERE. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME CHANGES TO THE POWER STEERING COLUMNS TO ENSURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE MAKES AND CHEVY NEEDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND ISSUE A RECALL ON THE 2010 MALIBU TO COVER THIS. IT IS ONLY RIGHT! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10694428

108,000 miles · Mar 11, 2015

Steering

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WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN A CAR FROM A SIDE ROAD, FAILED TO STOP AT THE SIGN. I SWERVED TO AVOID...WHICH I DID. AND MY POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON, ALONG WITH MY ECS. WARNING LIGHT. I NOW HAVE NO POWER STEERING. ALTHOUGH IT DOES RESET IT'S SELF AFTER SHUTTING IT OFF. BUT WILL COME BACK ON SORT AFTER IT IS RUNNING AGAIN. THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS IF IT WERE A 09, SINCE MINE IS A 2010 THERE'S NOT. NOTHING CHANGED BETWEEN THE TWO. SO U ASK WHY IS MINE NOT INCLUDED? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10693677

Mileage unknown · Mar 11, 2015

Steering

2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PROBLEMS. *SMD

NHTSA ODI #10693501

138,000 miles · Mar 9, 2015

Steering

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I WAS DRIVING MY 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, GOING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE CAR GAVE AN ERROR 'POWER STEERING" AND 'SERVICE ESC." I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. I TURNED MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. AFTER 10-15 SECONDS I TURNED THE CAR ON AND THE ERROR WAS GONE; HOWEVER MY STEERING WHEEL IS MAKING CLICKING NOISES AND JERKS TO THE RIGHT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR NOW BECAUSE IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I CALLED GM AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE RECALL FOR THE POWER STEERING ON MY MODEL OF CAR ONLY COVERED THE 2009 AND NOT THE 2010, ALTHOUGH IT IS THE SAME PART AND MALFUNCTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10693048

115,000 miles · Mar 9, 2015

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT SENDING THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE…

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NHTSA ODI #10692896

100,000 miles · Mar 6, 2015

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED MULTIPLE TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS REQUIRED. THE EPS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE TORQUE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V064000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10692411

78,000 miles · Mar 5, 2015

Electrical SystemExterior LightingFire

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OWNER WAS DRIVING CAR WAS INFORMED THAT TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING BY ANOTHER MOTORIST. STOPPED AT SHOP. REPAIR SHOP UNPLUGGED LIGHT HARNESS AND CUSTOMER LEFT THEN APPROXIMATELY 20 MINS. LATER SMOKE AND FIRE WAS NOTICED COMING OUT OF THE LEFT REAR TRUNK AREA AT LOCATION OF WIRING HARNESS AREA. THIS IS THE SECOND WIRING HARNESS TRUNK FIRE THIS INVESTIGATOR HAS INVESTIGATED ON A CHEVY MALIBU IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. A SECOND FIRE WAS INVESTIGATED WITH THE SAME SCENARIO ON A 2006 CHEVY MALIBU THAT OCCURRED ON 8-11-2014. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10692247

41,000 miles · Mar 5, 2015

Steering

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THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON THE CAR DURING A TURN MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. THE CONSOLE DISPLAYED POWER STEERING, SERVICE ESC. AFTER STOPPING AND RESTARTING THE CAR THE PROBLEM CLEARED BUT CONTINUES TO OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING NUMEROUS TIMES DAILY. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON CLEARS THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW MINUTES OR UP TO A FEW HOURS. I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS EXACT PROBLEM IS UNDER RECALL FOR MALIBU'S UP TO 2009 AND WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT IT NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED TO NEWER CARS AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10692219

9,000 miles · Mar 4, 2015

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF T…

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NHTSA ODI #10692167

101,000 miles · Mar 3, 2015

Steering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

NHTSA ODI #10691830

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)