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

Electrical System complaints

235 reports

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65,000 miles · Jan 13, 2016

Electrical SystemFire

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO START. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED THAT SMOKE AND UNKNOWN FLUID WERE BUBBLING OUT OF THE BATTERY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A SHORTAGE WITHIN THE BATTERY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ODI #10819991

Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2016

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Vehicle Speed Control

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AFTER READING THE MANY MANY COMMENTS HERE, I CAN SAY I'M LUCKY. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT DRIVING MY CAR WHEN THINGS WENT HAYWIRE. I RETURNED HOME FROM WORK TODAY AND MY VEHICLE WAS FINE. I HAD TO RUN A FEW ERRANDS BUT WHEN RETURNING TO MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED THIS: VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. FAST CLICKING SOUND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN OVER. DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED BY THEMSELVES DURING THIS TIME. SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION, AND ESC OFF APPEARED. VEHICLE HAS YET TO START AND NOW HAVE NO POWER WHATSOEVER THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. VERY ODD THAT THIS IS NOT A CURRENT RECALL. HELP?'

NHTSA ODI #10819085

80,000 miles · Jan 6, 2016

Electrical SystemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ESC WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED IN COLD WEATHER NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT AND IGNITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE V…

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NHTSA ODI #10818370

105,000 miles · Dec 23, 2015

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

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2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU HAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WITH "HICCUPS" (TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER) WHILE DRIVING FOLLOWED BY FLASHING WARNING LIGHT OF TRACTION CONTROL THEN FOLLOWED WITH "SERVICE ESC... SERVICE ECM... ESC OFF". SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON AND STAYED ON. BY THE TIME WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GM SERVICE THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT WAS OFF AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR GET A CODE BUT RECOMMENDED A NEW ECM. PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AND RETURNED BACK TO GM SERVICE WITH SAME RESULT AND RECOMMENDATION. MY WIFE COMMUTES 1.5 HOURS PER DAY AND ALSO DRIVES OUR 3 CHILDREN TO SCHOOL EACH DAY. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE CONTINUE WITH THESE ISSUES, THE VEHICLE FINALLY STALLED COMPLETELY, ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC BUT WOULD EVENTUALLY START AND RUN AGAIN. SHE DID NOT FEEL SAFE AND WOULD NO LONGER DRIVE THE CAR SO I DROVE THE VEHICLE ONE WEEK EACH DAY TO WORK TO WITNESS THE PROBLEMS MYSELF. EVERY SINGLE DAY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD FLASH THE SAME ERROR CODES ON EACH TRIP TO AND FROM WORK FINALLY, ON THE WAY TO THE GM SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THE VEHICLE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY TRAFFIC AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. A NEW ECM WAS INSTALLED (WITH A COST OF $650+) AND WITHIN TWO DAYS OF DRIVING, THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED. GM SERVICE SENT A TOW TRUCK AND I AWAIT THEIR NEXT ATTEMPT AT FIXING THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #10811913

101,600 miles · Dec 15, 2015

Electrical System

REAR DEFROST STOPPED WORKING - CABLES AND FUSE MELTED.

NHTSA ODI #10810211

59,000 miles · Dec 9, 2015

Electrical System

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I RECENTLY NOTICED THAT MY REAR BRAKE LIGHT IN THE BACK WINDOW WAS FLICKERING ON AND OFF. THEN MY REAR DEFROSTER STOPPED WORKING. I DECIDED TO CHECK THE FUSES IN THE REAR FUSE BOX. I THEN REALIZED THE FUSE FOR THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS COMPLETELY MELTED AND OTHER FUSES WERE ALSO BURNT. UPON CALLING GM, THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE FUSE PANEL IS BURNT OUT, AND THAT I NEED A NEW FUSE PANEL, RELAY,CONNECTER(FIVE LEADS),CONNECTER(TWO LEADS), 10 AMP FUSE, AND A 30 AMP FUSE. A PROBLEM THAT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME HAPPENS A LOT. UPON CALLING GM BACK WITH THE NEWS. THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI #10809151

18,000 miles · Dec 2, 2015

Electrical System

WHEN DRIVING, GENERALLY ON THE HIGHWAY, MY CARS RPMS WILL FLUTTER BETWEEN 2200-2500. I HAVE TO CHANGE GEAR (SPEED UP QUICKLY OR SLOW DOWN) TO GET IT OUT OF THAT FLUTTER. CAR HAS A PICK UP AND SLOW DOWN REELING WHEN DOING SO. HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I GOT IT A YEAR AGO AT 17,000 AND STILL DOING IT. IT SHOULD BE A RECALL SO I DON…

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NHTSA ODI #10807922

100,000 miles · Nov 14, 2015

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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I WAS DRIVING AN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT IN A LARGE CURVE. 8 HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BUT LUCKILY WAS NOT INJURED. GM RECENTLY SENT OUT AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY" ON TH POWER STEERING MODULE ONLY. THIS WAS REPLACED. IN MAY OF 2014 GM SENT OUT RECALL 13036 THAT INCLUDED MY CAR. THIS RECALL IS NOT PULLING UP ON MY VIN. THE LETTER STATED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE FOR A FIX. I HAVE LIGHTS AND BELLS THAT MY ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL IS NOT WORKING. THEY FOUND AT YHE DEALER THAT AT LEAST ONCE I HAVE HAD A BRAKE ERROR. IN THE RECALL LETTER IT STATES THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS MAY FUNCTION WHEN I AM NOT BRAKING OR THEY MAY NOT FUNCTION WHEN I AM. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY OWN CAR! PLEASE PUSH FOR A RESOLUTION TO THIS RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #10790368

146,235 miles · Nov 10, 2015

Electrical SystemFire

THE HVAC RESISTOR IS MALFUNCTIONG, ONGOING ISSUE WITH NUMEROUS PRODUCTS, THE RESISTOR MALFUNCTIONS AND CREATES A SMALL FIRE A SHORTS OUT THE RESISTOR MELTS THE HARNESS THAT ATTACHES TO THE RESISTOR. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND AFTER REFUELING HVAC BLOWER NO LONGER WORKED.

NHTSA ODI #10789581

53,000 miles · Nov 3, 2015

Electrical System

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN IT WAS OPERATED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT REGISTER THE FOB KEY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE AND THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR FUNCTIONED ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V269000 (SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,000.

NHTSA ODI #10787932

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)