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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54,000 miles · Jun 9, 2015

Electrical SystemStructure

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DRIVER'S DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE AND LATCH PROPERLY OR UNLOCK/UNLATCH TO OPEN. THIS HAS STARTED OCCURRING FREQUENTLY. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING DOOR LATCH MECHANISM FAILURES THAT DEALERS ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO FIX FOR HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS EACH TIME THE CAR IS STARTED, IT IS A GAMBLE, AS TO WHETHER THE DOOR WILL LATCH, OR UNLATCH, PROPERLY, AS NEEDED. IF THIS VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, I AM NOT CONFIDENT THAT THE DOOR WILL OPEN, EVEN IF IT IS AN UNDAMAGED ONE, DUE TO THE FAILING LOCK/LATCH MECHANISM. I AM REPLACING THIS AT MY COST BUT FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER BEARS RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAULTY PARTS/DESIGN. THANKFULLY, NO ONE IN MY FAMILY HAS BEEN INJURED, YET. I FEAR THAT THIS COULD BE AN ISSUE DURING TIMES OF GREAT STRESS THAT CAN AND WILL LEAD TO FATALITIES, IF LEFT UNADDRESSED.

NHTSA ODI #10724216

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

65,000 miles · Apr 27, 2015

Electrical System

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE UNKNOWN SENSORS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, A YEAR LATER, THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING OVER A RAILROAD WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED AFTER TWENTY MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ODI #10713114

42,421 miles · Apr 21, 2015

Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

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FUEL PUMP FAILED(STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY) WHILE PARKED AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. LUCKILY I WAS NOT DRIVING WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THIS IS AS SERIOUS AN ISSUE AS THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM IF NOT MORE SO. I,SEE MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THEY ARE DRIVING AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. CARS SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS MANY FUEL PUMP ISSUES AT THE TIME THEY ARE OCCURRING. THE PROBLEM IS COMPOUNDED WHEN THE VEHICLE RUNS POORLY AND IS MISDIAGNOSED FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM AND UNNECESSARY REPAIR. PLEASE MAKE GM ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10711993

48,000 miles · Apr 16, 2015

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel/propulsion System

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SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON (ECS AND TRACTION CONTROL) AND THE DISPLAY READ, "LOSS OF POWER". I WAS AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND THE CAR SLOWED TO ABOUT 15MPH. I WAS UNABLE TO INCREASE MY SPEED. AFTER TURNING OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH IN A PARKING LOT, AND WAITING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, I STARTED THE CAR AND IT RAN FINE. HOWEVER, ON THE FOLLOWING MONDAY THE SAME THING HAPPENED 6 TIMES WHILE TRYING TO GET IT TO BERGSTROM CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM ONLY MADE IT WORSE, AND THE SECOND TIME A NEW THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WAS INSTALLED. THIS REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. ON MY SON'S CHEVY TRUCK THE SAME PROBLEM WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL, BUT ON MY MALIBU I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT. ON THE INTERNET I WAS ABLE TO FIND SIX PAGES OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS THAT OTHER MALIBU OWNERS HAD. THEY TOO WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM COULD HAVE, AND MAYBE HAS, CAUSED NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS AND I ASSUME INJURIES. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND I SHOULD BE COMPLETELY REIMBURSED FOR MY REPAIR EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10706189

50,000 miles · Apr 9, 2015

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

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2011 MALIBU 2LT 3600 VVT. I HAVE MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THE SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL & ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGES APPEARING. THE LAST TIME, TODAY, ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE REAR ENDED DUE TO THE ENGINE FLUCTUATING BETWEEN ABOUT 200 AND 1500 RPM. AFTER THE FIRST INSTANCE I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A DEALER TO HAVE RECALL #14V252000 ADDRESSED. THIS SEEMED TO SOLVE THE ISSUE BUT AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS IT ALL HAPPENED AGAIN TELLING ME THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING ELSE WRONG. THROUGH ON-LINE RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH ALMOST AS MANY SUPPOSED CAUSES. THERE IS NO WARRANTY LEFT ON MY CAR AND I CAN'T AFFORD A MECHANIC TO GUESS. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT GM NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10704601

38,000 miles · Mar 10, 2015

Air BagsElectrical System

SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT TURNED ON AND HAS REMAINED ON WHEN CAR WAS STARTED ONE DAY. IT WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS, COLLISIONS, ETC. COINCIDENTALLY, THE LIGHT APPEARED AFTER THE OIL WAS CHANGED AND THE COMPUTER RESET FOR OIL CHANGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10693415

52,000 miles · Mar 3, 2015

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

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THIS MORNING I WAS DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SUDDENLY CAME ON AND CAR WENT INTO REDUCED ENGINE POWER MODE AND WAS VIOLENTLY SHAKING. IT IS SNOWY CONDITIONS AND FREEZING. WE WERE NEARLY REAR ENDED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR A MINUTE AND IT RAN FINE ONCE I RESTARTED. HOWEVER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON. WHEN IN REDUCED POWER MODE IT GAVE A MESSAGE ABOUT THE TRACTION AND SERVICE ESC. ALSO, FOR ABOUT A WEEK, DASH LIGHTS HAVE NOT BEEN WORKING AT TIMES. DANGEROUS AND COMMON PROBLEMS FROM WHAT I SEE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10691826

64,320 miles · Mar 1, 2015

Electrical System

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I STARTED A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU WITH 64,000 MILES ON A THURSDAY EVENING AFTER WORK. IT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 12 HOURS. THERE WAS A WARNING MESSAGE STATING REDUCED POWER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON AND THEN ANOTHER MESSAGE FLASHED STATING SERVICE TRACTION. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I COULD NOT GO OVER 10 MILES PER HOUR. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THE THROTTLE BODY (POSITION SENSOR) WAS DETERMINED TO BE BAD. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND SAW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN COUNTLESS ISSUES WITH THIS THROTTLE BODY SENSOR ACCORDING TO MANY OTHER CHEVROLET CUSTOMERS, BUT CHEVROLET SAID THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON IT, YET. THIS IS THE 3RD ISSUE IN 6 MONTHS I'VE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN IN A CRASH. ONE ISSUE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WAS A BAD WATER PUMP AND THE OTHER ISSUE FROM THE LAST 6 MONTHS WAS A BRAKE LIGHT MALFUNCTION. THIS CAR IS 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS 64,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR COST OVER 30K AND HAS BEEN MAINLY USED FOR EASY HIGHWAY DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10691320

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2015

Electrical System

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL), THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE LOW ENGINE, THE POWER TRACTION AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE PEDAL SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10690940

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)