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

Exterior Lighting complaints

130 reports

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10 miles · Oct 31, 2020

Exterior LightingWheels

SINCE THE FIRST OF JANUARY I'VE HAD TO REPLACE MY HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHT 3 TIMES SO FAR , I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE MY BEARINGS ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER 2 TIMES ON MY PASSENGER. AND THE REASON I AM WRITING THIS NOW IS BECAUSE MY DRIVER SIDE NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN. THE HEADLIGHTS DIDN'T COME ON IN THE MORNING WHEN I WAS LEAV…

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NHTSA ODI #11372481

Mileage unknown · Oct 6, 2020

Electrical SystemExterior LightingWheels

THE HEAD LIGHTS IN MY VEHICLE DO NOT WORK AT ALL. I HAVE TO USE THE BRIGHTS TO SEE ANYTHING AT NIGHT. THE HEAT WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TOO AND WHEN I BUMP INTO A SMALL LUMP ON THE STREET IT TURNS OFF. THE WHEEL BARRIER IS BAD ON MY RIGHT TIRE.

NHTSA ODI #11363020

50,000 miles · Sep 23, 2020

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT EVER OTHER MONTH

NHTSA ODI #11360675

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2020

Exterior Lighting

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT FUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MILLER BROTHERS CHEVROLET OF ELLICOTT CITY, LOCATED AT 9035 BALTIMORE NATIONAL PIKE, ELLICOTT CITY, MD 21042, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #11360406

151,000 miles · Sep 7, 2020

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior Lighting

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MY VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ALL SYMPTOMS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 AND THERE IS NO ACTIVE RECALL FOR MY VIN. THAT PROBLEM HIS CAUSING HIGH VOLTAGE WHICH KEEPS CAUSING ELECTRICAL ISSUES LIKE BURNING CABLES TO THE HEADLIGHTS AND NOT GETTING POWER TO MULTIPLE INTERIOR EQUIPMENT SUCH AS THE IPC WHICH STOPS WORKING WHILE DRIVING AND I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO MY SPEED AND OTHER INFORMATION. I ALSO GET A ENGINE POWER REDUCED ERROR FROM A BAD CONNECTED FROM THE APP TO THE BCM, CODE P1238.

NHTSA ODI #11353572

Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 2020

Exterior Lighting

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE LOW BEAM BULBS OVER 10 TIMES WITHIN THE PAST 4 YEARS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONTACTED THE DEALER MCCARTHY CHEVROLET LEE'S SUMMIT (945 SE OLDHAM PKWY, LEE'S SUMMIT, MO 64081, (816) 356-6610) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSE NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #11348589

50,000 miles · Jul 6, 2020

Exterior Lighting

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THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON MY VEHICLE BURN OUT AND NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 3-4 MONTHS (3-4 TIMES PER YEAR FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE). THIS IS NOT ONLY AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR (BECAUSE MY MECHANIC NEEDS TO REMOVE THE BUMPER IN ORDER TO COMPLETE IT), BUT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. MULTIPLE TIMES MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AT NIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. SOMETIMES PULLING OVER AND HITTING THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WILL CAUSE IT TO HAVE A BETTER CONNECTION AGAIN, CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO WORK, BUT THIS FIX IS ONLY TEMPORARY. THE CONNECTORS KEEP MELTING, MY MECHANIC AND I NOW BELIEVE, DUE TO THE HIGH AMPERAGE CAUSED BY THE 70% REDUCTION IN POWER DURING THE VEHICLE'S DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT MODE. MY COMPLAINTS TO THE MANUFACTURER HAVE GONE UNHEARD. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO PROVIDE FOR A HEAVIER CONNECTOR THAN THE OEM PART, AND PERHAPS DIFFERENT BULBS, TO REMEDY THIS SAFETY ISSUE. IN THE YEAR 2020 IT SHOULD NOT BE SO DIFFICULT TO KEEP BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS RUNNING! I CAN GET AROUND THE ISSUE BY USING MY HIGH BEAM LIGHTS, BUT THIS IS HAZARDOUS TO OTHER MOTORISTS. IT IS A POOR DESIGN, AND I AM CONVINCED THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A SATISFACTORY FIX FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE UNTIL NHTSA COMPELS GM TO ISSUE A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #11337787

137,584 miles · May 14, 2020

Exterior Lighting

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HEADLAMPS BURNING OUT. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS AND HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED EVERY 3 MO.OR SO THE LAST BURN OUT HAPPENED ON 5/12/2020. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11324593

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2020

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior LightingUnknown Or Other

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THE ESC TURNS OFF PRETTY MUCH EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR. LAST MONDAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING M. THE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT AND THE SOLENOID IS STUCK OPEN WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. PROMPTING THE DEALERSHIP TO TRY AND SELL ME A WHOLE NEW $5,000 TRANS. WHEN THE CAR ONLY HAS 130,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN RUNNING SLOW ON ACCELERATION BUT HAS NEVER BEEN STUCK IN FIRST GEAR LEAVING ME LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAITING FOR HELP TO COME GET ME. THE HEADLIGHT BURN OUT LIKE EVERY 6 MONTHS RESULTING IN TAKING OFF THE BUMPER OR PAYING $200 FROM THE DEALERSHIP FOR A $5 BULB. I HAVE NO PICTURES SINCE MY CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR ME TO EITHER GO GET OR PAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #11309420

124,000 miles · Feb 3, 2020

Exterior Lighting

MY LOW BEAM LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT REPEATEDLY. IT STARTS WITH THE PASSENGER LIGHT THEN BOTH AND AFTER A FEW DAYS I HAVE NO LIGHTS. THEY BEEN GOING OUT EVERY 2 MONTHS AND THIS IS THE 4TH TIME I REPLACED THEM. NO SPECIFIC TIME WHEN THEY GO OUT I JUST NOTICE IT WHEN I TURN THE LIGHTS ON. THEY HAVE NOT LASTED LONGER THAN TWO MONTHS.

NHTSA ODI #11306630

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)