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

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

174 reports

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Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesSteering

MY SERVICE ESC LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHY IT WAS ON OTHER THAN SOME KIND OF GLITCH AND THEY MADE IT TURN OFF. IN JULY OF 2014 I GOT THE SAFETY RECALL LETTER AND HAVE YET TO HEAR ANYTHING. THE LIGHT US ON AGAIN AND STEERING IS FUNNY AND OTHER LIGHTS ARE COMING ON FOR NO REASON. …

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NHTSA ODI #10631729

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2014

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM , ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL , EXTERIOR LIGHTING , SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC , VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED TWICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS…

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NHTSA ODI #10628811

65,000 miles · Aug 11, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

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DRIVING ON BRIDGE AT 55 MPH...FELT LIKE I HAD A TIRE BLOW, CAR SOMEWHAT LOST POWER, THEN HEARD CHIME FROM DASHBOARD MESSAGE CENTER. TWO MESSAGES APPEARED ON MESSAGE CENTER.."POWER STEERING" AND "ESC SERVICE". NOTICED I HAD NO POWER STEERING...MADE IT TO WORK.....NOT ONLY DID POWER STEERING GO OUT, BUT I COULD BARELY TURN CORNERS AND HAD AN EXTREMELY ROUGH TIME TURNING THE WHEELS TO PARK. IT WAS AS THOUGH I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE RACK AND PINION STEERING...THE STEERING WAS DIFFICULT LIKE WHEN YOUR CAR DIES. I WENT OUT TO THE CAR AN HOUR LATER, STARTED IT, AND ALL MESSAGES/WARNING WERE GONE AND I HAD POWER STEERING BACK. CALLED DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID TO SCHEDULE APPT SO THEY COULD RESERVE A LOANER VEHICLE DUE TO RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10621520

80,000 miles · Jul 24, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

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CURRENTLY THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL NUMBER 13036 ON MY VEHICLE. I WAS DIRECTED BY GM TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP AND HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST RAN ON THE VEHICLE FOR POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING HARNESS. WHEN THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS DONE THERE WERE NO ISSUES FOUND IN REGARDS TO CODES BEING DISPLAYED. THIS TEST WAS NOT THE TEST THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE ACCORDING TO A GM REPRESENTATIVE SINCE THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION ON THE RECALL ITSELF, OTHER THEN WHAT WAS LISTED IN THE RECALL LETTER. WHEN I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY ISSUES SINCE I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THEM ALL ALONG I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, REGARDLESS OF THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INCREASED RISK OF A CRASH DUE TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE RECALL. I ALSO DID NOT RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THE TEST THAT WAS PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH I WAS TOLD BY THE GM REPRESENTATIVE WAS ALSO INCORRECT. II WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD BY A GM REPRESENTATIVE THAT THE PARTS WERE ALSO AVAILABLE REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE LETTER STATED AND THAT I SHOULD DISREGARD THAT PORTION OF THE LETTER. THIS WAS ALSO DETERMINED TO BE FALSE AS THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL MID AUGUST ACCORDING TO A GM REP AT A LATER DATE. AS OF YET THERE HAS BEEN NO RESOLUTION TO THE ISSUES I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED. THESE ISSUES INCLUDE THE INCREASED TRAVEL NEEDED TO STOP THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE ECS BEING DISPLAYED AS NOT FUNCTIONING WHILE PARKED AND DRIVING. ALTHOUGH MY WIFE AND I BOTH HAVE EXPRESSED OUR CONCERNS WITH THE VEHICLES SAFETY AND ITS CURRENT ISSUES GM HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE ANY RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OR THE ISSUE WITH THE RECALL, WHEN THEY COULD SIMPLY AUTHORIZE A RENTAL OR SERVICE LOANER ROM THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10616127

70,000 miles · Jul 7, 2014

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

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WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60-65 MPH ITS VERY HARD TO HAVE STABILITY IN THE VEHICLE. I HAVE 4 BRAND NEW TIRES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BALANCED AND ROTATED. I ALSO TOO VEHICLE TO BRAKE SPECIALIST WHO SAID EVERYTHING LOOKS OK TO THEM. ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT THIS SPEED THE VEHICLE ENGINE WILL START SHAKING AND THE VEH WILL DROP FROM 65 MPH TO 20MPH CAUSE THE SPEED CONTROL TO DROP AUTOMATICALLY. MY VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE RIGHT SIGNAL LIGHT HAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. 4 NEW TIRES AND EVERY 2 WEEKS THE AIR PRESSURE ON THEM IS LOW I THINK IT HAS SOMETHING TO SO WITH THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS MY 2ND REVIEW ABOUT THIS CAR. I DON'T WANT HAVE A WRECK AND KILL ME AND MY CHILDREN. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10608557

65,000 miles · Jun 11, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Vehicle Speed Control

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE FAILURE MENTIONED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 5 MPH. IN ADDITION, THE ESC WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ESC FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ODI #10597626

73,000 miles · May 21, 2014

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

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WHILE DRIVING MY CAR A SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. THE MESSAGE WAS "SERVICE TRACTION" AND "SERVICE ESC". THE CAR WILL LOOSE POWER AND ACT LIKE IT'S GOING TO DIE. I TOOK MY CAR TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND THE FIRST TIME THEY WOULD NOT LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT IF IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND ATTEND AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS THE WIRING HARNESS AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ON MAY 14, 2014 GM RECALLED CHEVROLET MALIBU'S FOR THE MODEL YEAR 2004-2014. I CONTACTED GM ABOUT THE RECALL AND WAS DENIED HELP TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. I INFORMED THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH THAT MY CAR HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME ISSUE AS THE RECALL. GM INFORMED ME THAT I COULD PAY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FIXED OUT OF MY OWN POCKET AND MAYBE GET REIMBURSE AT A LATER TIME. I EXPLAINED MY CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF MY CHILD THAT GETS TRANSPORTED IN THE VEHICLE AND THEY DID NOT CARE. THE LADY ON THE PHONE JUST KEPT REPEATING THAT I COULD PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE PROBLEM. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT IT WAS ALL MODELS RECALLED FROM 2004-2012 BUT I AM STILL GETTING DENIED HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10593003

59,000 miles · Mar 26, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Suspension

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AS I WAS DRIVING MY ESC POPPED ON MY MESSAGE BOARD ALONG WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND REDUCED ENGINE SPEED. SO I TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE AND THEY SAID IT WAS MY THROTTLE SENSOR. SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON AND IT STOPS THE MESSAGES FROM POPPING UP FOR ABOUT 5 MINS. THE CAR WON'T IDLE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WANTS TO CUT OFF. NOW NORMALLY I WOULDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT BUT TO GO GET IT FIXED. ME AND MY MOM HAVE THE SAME MALIBU SHE JUST HAD THE LT EDITION WELL HERS STARTED DOING THE SAME EXACT THING! YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT BOTH OF THESE CARS WAS JUST GONNA START DOING THE SAME THING AT THE EXACT SAME TIME! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10575053

30,000 miles · Mar 3, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

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MY HUSBAND OWNS THIS VEHICLE AND FOR MONTHS HE WOULD BE DRIVING AND THEN ALL THE SUDDEN ALL THESE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE ENGINE WOULD SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 10MPH. HE COULD HAVE CRASHED MULTIPLE TIMES. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY CHANGED A SENSOR AND SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE COLD. THEN WHEN IT KEPT HAPPENING WE TOOK IT BACK AND THEY SAID THAT WE NEEDED A NEW THROTTLE BODY AND IT HAPPENS ON THESE CARS ALL THE TIME. MY QUESTION IS IF THIS CAR HAS A HISTORY OF THIS SAME PART GOING AT LOW MILEAGE WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ON THIS PART. WE NOW JUST HAD TO SPEND $600 SO MY HUSBAND COULD DRIVE SAFELY TO WORK AND SUCH AND WITH OUR CHILDREN. FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU PAY FOR A VEHICLE IT SHOULD WORK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10566796

47,300 miles · Feb 26, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineVehicle Speed Control

I WAS DRIVEN IN HIGHWAY 40 MPH SUDDENLY I LOST CONTROL OF THE CARS' SPEED BECAUSE THE ENGINE STOPPED RESPONDING TO ITS NORMAL FUNCTIONS. THIS ULTIMATELY LOWERED MY SPEED DOWN TO 11 MPH. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN ME GETTING INVOLVED IN A HIGH SPEED COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10566184

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)