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

Steering complaints

213 reports

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71,000 miles · Dec 27, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)SteeringVehicle Speed Control

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AS I WAS DRIVING MY 2011 CHEVY MALIBU HOME TO TULSA OK FROM ARKANSAS MY CAR DROPPED SPEED, I LOST MY POWER STEERING, THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON, SERVICE TRACTION ESC LIGHT CAME ON TOO. WHEN THIS HAPPENED I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING 65 MPH AND THEN THE CAR LOST SPEED DOWN TO 15 MPH. I WAS ALMOST HIT ON THE HIGHWAY. I MADE IT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND STOPPED AT A STORE BUT COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. I MADE IT HOME BARELY AND THE NEXT MORNING MY CAR STARTED AND I'VE HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL MONDAY DEC. 22ND WHEN I WAS LEAVING WORK TO GO HOME THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I STOPPED AND TURNED MY CAR OFF FOR A LITTLE WHILE THEN WHEN I RESTARTED IT WAS FINE. HAD NO MORE PROBLEMS UNTIL CHRISTMAS EVE WHEN MY FIANCE AND I WERE HEADED TO TEXAS TO BE WITH RELATIVES. WE HAD TO PULL OVER ABOUT 5 TIMES DUE TO THE CAR HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. MY FIANCE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD TO SEE IF HE COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG AND ALL HE FOUND WAS THAT OUR BATTERY CABLES WERE LOOSE ON ONE SIDE. WE FINALLY DECIDED TO STOP AND BUY A NEW BATTERY CABLE. WE MADE IT TO TEXAS AND HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL WE WERE HEADED BACK HOME FROM TEXAS. WE MADE IT ABOUT HALFWAY HOME WHEN WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. WE HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD ABOUT 15 TIMES TOTAL. EACH TIME WE JUST TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR A MOMENT. WE WOULD GET BACK IN THE CAR AND MAKE IT ABOUT 10MILES DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE SAME ISSUE STARTED AGAIN. MY FIANCE FINALLY THOUGHT MAYBE OUR BATTERY WAS GOING BAD. WE STOPPED AND BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY FOR $120 AND REPLACED IT. AT FIRST WE THOUGHT THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT ONLY MADE IT ABOUT A MILE WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. WE WOULD PULL OFF THE ROAD AND TURN THE CAR EOFF AND IT WOULD RUN GOOD FOR A MILE OR TWO AND WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AGAIN. WE DIDN'T THINK WE WERE GOING TO MAKE IT HOME BUT WE FINALLY DID. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10668477

Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 2014

Steering

HAD ISSUES WITH STEERING PROPERLY, I HAD TO PULL OVER AND WAIT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL SOME ONE CAME OUT TO HELP PULL THE CAR HOME. THE SCARY PART WAS THAT THIS HAPPENED DURING RUSH HOUR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10663600

60,000 miles · Dec 10, 2014

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ESC AND EPS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS REQUIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E044000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ODI #10663475

190,000 miles · Nov 30, 2014

Steering

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I WAS DRIVING THE MALIBU ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING AND THE DASH BOARD INDICATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS OUT AND THAT THE ESC MUST BE SERVICED. I TOOK THE CAR TO CHEVROLET AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE BUT MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT MY ISSUE WITH THE MALIBU IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT IS CURRENTLY LISTED AS A RECALL FOR OTHER MALIBU (S) OF THE SAME YEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. I SEARCHED FOR THIS ISSUE WITH OTHER MALIBU OWNERS AND LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE HIGH MILEAGE BECAUSE I DRIVE 160 MILES TO WORK EACH DAY. PLEASE ADD MY CAR VIN TO THE RECALL LIST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10661325

18,000 miles · Sep 11, 2014

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE …

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NHTSA ODI #10632521

Mileage unknown · Sep 9, 2014

Steering

WHILE BACKING UP; STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON THE LEFT SIDE; DASHBOARD SCREEN READ POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION; SERVICE SOON; THE DEALERSHIP STATES PART IS NOT UNDER RECALL; BUT OTHER READINGS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT IT IS; ON JULY 25,2014; I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION THAT OCCURRED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN......ON 9/8/ ; STEERING C…

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NHTSA ODI #10631801

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

22,500 miles · Sep 8, 2014

Steering

APPROACHING A LEFT TURN LANE WHEN POWER STEERING FAILED AND I COULD BARELY TURN THE WHEEL TO GET THROUGH THE LEFT TURN. VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER CAR TO DRIVE THE 1 MILE BACK TO HOME. I SEE ON THE RECALL LIST MANY GM CARS WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE RECALL BUT NOT MY YEAR AND VEHICLE. I DON'T THINK THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM AND MY CA…

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NHTSA ODI #10631547

53,298 miles · Sep 8, 2014

Steering

2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO THE POWERTRAIN COMPONENTS WARRANTY COVERAGE AND REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER INCLUDED THE INVOICE FOR THE POWER STEERING HIGH PRESSURE HOSE, THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED, BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10630807

34,000 miles · Jul 18, 2014

EngineSteering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) BUT DID NOT CONFIRM IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

NHTSA ODI #10614512

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)