Electrical System. Review the 235 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 213 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 174 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

40 crash reports17 fire reports30 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

93 reports

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41,749 miles · Mar 20, 2016

Air BagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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I PURCHASED A 2011 CHEVY MALIBU IN 2012. SINCE THE PURCHASE I'VE EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM, THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS COME ON WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE RESOLVED WITH THE RECALL FOR THE SEAT BELT LAP ANCHOR TENSIONER CABLE. I HAVE ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH THE CAR STALLING / LOSING POWER AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AND BEGIN TO ACCELERATE AGAIN INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE ALSO LOST TOTAL CONTROL DUE TO THE POWER STEERING GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP REGARDING THE CAR STALLING, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND I LEFT WITHOUT ANYTHING ELSE BEING DON;. I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. I ALSO HAVE A 2011 CHEVY CRUZE THAT I'VE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH, NOT TO MENTION ALL OF THE RECALLS ON IT. ALL OF THE ABOVE ISSUES HAVE BEEN WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, WHILE TURNING, AND ON HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS. I RECENTLY NOTICED THAT MY BACK SEAT IS LEAKING FROM SOMEWHERE. I CONTACTED GM AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE TECH AT THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THAT THE LEAK IS COMING FROM THE MOLDING ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR AND WANTED TO CHARGE ME $200 FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC AFTER I CLEARLY TOLD THEM THAT THE LEAK WAS NOT COMING FROM THE ROOF OF THE CAR. THEY TOOK DOWN THE HEADLINER ANYWAY AND SAID THAT THEY DID A TEST AND WATER COULD BE SEEN GUSHING FROM THIS AREA, BUT YET MY SEAT WAS NOT WET AS I HAD TOLD THEM WHERE THE SEAT GETS WET AT. THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THESE MALIBU'S I JUST WANT GM TO TAKE THE CAR BACK SO THAT I CAN PURCHASE A DIFFERENT BRAND OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #10850595

68,000 miles · Mar 18, 2016

Air BagsElectrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMAT…

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NHTSA ODI #10850464

Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 2016

Air BagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Seat Belts

I WAS STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND MY DASH READ SERVICE AIRBAG. I STARTED TO DRIVE OFF AND THE DASH STARTED FLASHING SERVICE AIRBAG. WHEN IN MOTION AND AS I START IGNITION. ALSO MY SEATBELT SOMETIMES LOCK OR NOT LOCK AND IS VERY LOOSE AS I ADJUST SEAT.

NHTSA ODI #10820339

47,000 miles · Oct 27, 2015

Air Bags

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IN DEC 2014 MY AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON, DEALERSHIP STATES THE SCAN FOR FAILURE CODE WAS B0014. DIAGNOSIS WAS BROKEN WIRE UNDER DRIVERS SEAT. PART USED TO REPAIR WAS 12355010, TUBE 8.965 ALONG WITH MISC SHOP SUPPLIES. OCTOBER 25TH 2015 "SERVICE AIR BAG" LIGHT COMES ON UPON TURNING ON THE IGNITION. BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP AND WAS DIAGNOSED TODAY AS A BAD SENSOR, SO BOTH AIR BAGS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. DEALERSHIP SAYS WARRANTY THAT S LEFT ON THE CAR DOES NOT COVER SAFETY ISSUES. DEALERSHIP SAYS IT WILL COST ME LESS THAN $500.00 LABOR AND ALL THE REST OF THE SENSOR AND PARTS, SUPPLIES IS OVER $1,000.00, THE TOTAL REPAIR IS OVER $1,500.00! THIS IS A 4 YEAR OLD VEHICLE AND IS TOTALLY OUT OF LINE. I HAVE ALSO CHECKED ON LINE AND THERE HAS BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS CAR FOR AIR BAG PROBLEMS. WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS? IT IS TRULY A HARDSHIP.

NHTSA ODI #10786536

81,735 miles · Oct 15, 2015

Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PRESSURE SENSOR FOR THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFAC…

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NHTSA ODI #10782284

44,000 miles · Oct 5, 2015

Air BagsInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED AND ENTERING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE FRONTAL DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE SUSTAINED A BURN TO HIS ARM AND STOMACH INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE…

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NHTSA ODI #10779750

72,824 miles · Jul 9, 2015

Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

MY DAUGHTER AND I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND A LADY REAR ENDED US AND HER SEATBELT NEVER CAUGHT AND SHE HIT THE DASHBOARD HEAD ON AND Y SEATBELT CAUGHT AND RELEASED AND I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL HEAD ON.

NHTSA ODI #10733035

40,000 miles · Jun 15, 2015

Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WA…

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NHTSA ODI #10725304

37,800 miles · Jun 2, 2015

Air BagsSuspension

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I BOUGHT IN JUNE OF 2014. IN OCTOBER OF 2014 WENT TO START VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NOT START. I CALLED GM WHO THEN CONTACTED MY LOCAL AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY TOWED THE CAR IN. THEY STATED THE FUEL PUMPED HAD SHORTED. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY SO THEY REPLACED IT. THE NEXT INCIDENT WAS JAN 13, 2015 WHERE MY CAR HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND ENGINE REDUCED POWER LIGHT WOULD COME ON ALONG WITH SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT. I CALLED GM AND GOT A CASE NUMBER. TOOK IT TO SAME AUTHORIZED DEALER THEY INFORMED M THE THROTTLE BODY HAD SHORTED THIS TIME. AT A MILEAGE OF 44836 THIS ISSUE NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY SO I PAID 464 DOLLARS OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FIXED. THE NEXT INCIDENT WAS MARCH 5, 2015 WHERE THE CAR ONCE AGAIN HAD THE ENGINE LIGHT ON, REDUCED ENGINE POWER, AND SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT. I CALLED GM AND THE AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TWICE BEFORE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY INSTALLED A NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM TO MY VEHICLE AND THAT IT SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO. 5/22/15, I CALLED TO GET AN OIL CHANGE AND I ALSO INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT IS COMING ON ONCE AGAIN BUT I AM NOT GETTING ANY OF THE OTHER ALERTS THAT HAD GONE ALONG WITH IT BEFORE. I CALLED GM AND SET A CASE AND TOLD THEM THAT I NO LONGER FELT SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE WITH THE SERVICE AIR BAG BEING ALERTED THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP PUT ME IN A RENTAL FOR TWO WEEKS WHILE THEY TRIED SEVERAL WAYS TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. JUNE 2ND I WAS CALLED TO COME AND PICK UP MY CAR. THE GM REP STATED THAT ENGINEERING TECH DEPARTMENT SUGGESTED TO CHANGE THE SENSORS IN THE SEATS OF THE CAR. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY WHILE RIDING IN THIS VEHICLE IF THERE IS IN-FACT AND UNDERLYING ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLES AIRBAGS.

NHTSA ODI #10723092

35,000 miles · Jun 2, 2015

Air BagsElectrical System

I OWN A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATES & SAYS TO SERVICE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO A GM REPAIR SHOP SEVERAL MONTH AGO & THEY COULD NOT FIX IT. IT WENT OFF FOR A WHILE & NOW IT'S BACK ON. IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED.

NHTSA ODI #10723050

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.

15V269000 · Seat Belts

May 8, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured April 8, 2010, to October 11, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cables that connect the seat belts to the vehicle at the outside of the driver seat and the front passenger seat may be bent from being sat on while entering the vehicle. This repeated bending may result in the cable breaking.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the cable breaks, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the outboard lap anchor mounting bracket and inspect the flexible steel cable, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 16, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15031.

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)