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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68,000 miles · Oct 7, 2020

Service BrakesSteeringCrash

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU LTZ, I EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE WAS ONLY TEMPORARY; WHILE DRIVING APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, I WENT THE APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL HAD ALMOST NO PRESSURE. IT ALMOST WENT THE THE FLOOR BEFORE I BEGAN PUMPING THE BRAKES. UNFORTUNATELY THIS DID NOT WORK, WHICH LED TO MY CAR REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, I MADE MY BEST ATTEMPT TO INSPECT THE BRAKES AND BRAKE FLUID, AND NOTICED ALMOST NOTHING. THE ONLY THING I HAD NOTICED WAS SLIGHT LOW BRAKE FLUID. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, I READ A FEW COMPLAINTS RELATED TO BOTH ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING RACK ISSUES, AND BRAKE FAILURE. BOTH OF THESE WHICH I EXPERIENCED. ALL OF WHICH HAPPENED AT SPEEDS BELOW 40 MPH ON A CITY STREET

NHTSA ODI #11363307

Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 2020

Air BagsSteering

IT HAVE THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON IN THE DASH SAY SERVICE AIR BAGS AND WITH THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN YOU DRIVE IT LIKE IT WON'T TO LOCK UP

NHTSA ODI #11352679

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2020

Steering

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I GOT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST (EPS) LIGHT SEVERAL TIMES. AS A RESULT, I WAN'T ABLE TO STEER THE WHEELS. I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO A RECALL. BUT THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM IF IT HAPPENS WITHIN 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES ON THE CAR. BUT SINCE THAT 10 YEARS JUST PASSED IN JUNE 2020 FOR MY CAR, I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET, THEY SAID. THEN I ASKED WHY I DIDN'T GET A NOTIFICATION ABOUT THE 10 YEARS/150,000 MILES COVERAGE. THEY SAID IT'S BECAUSE I'M NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. UNLIKE RECALLS, THEY SAID ONLY ORIGINAL OWNERS GOT THE NOTIFICATION (I BOUGHT THIS CAR SECOND HAND). I THINK THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. NOT BEING ABLE TO STEER WHEELS DUE TO THE MECHANICAL DEFECT IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. BUT IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO OPEN RECALLS YET. AND GM SETS AN ARTITRARY QUALIFICATIONS FOR FREE SERVICE AND DECLINES WARRANTY FOR CARS BEYOND THEM. I THINK NHTSA SHOULD ORDER OPEN RECALLS FOR THIS POWER STEERING PROBLEM SO THAT ALL VEHICLES SHOULD BE SERVICED REGARDLESS OF YEAR AND MILEAGE.

NHTSA ODI #11342941

Mileage unknown · May 26, 2020

Electronic Stability Control (esc)SteeringUnknown Or Other

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SINCE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE BACK IN 2015 (USED) I HAVE HAD ONGOING STEERING ISSUES. THE STEERING FEELS MUCH LOOSER THAN MOST VEHICLES. IT HAS ALMOST TAKEN ME OFF OF THE ROAD SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE HAD MECHANICS LOOK AT THE CAR AND THEY HAVE ALL SUGGEST I TAKE IT INTO CHEVY FOR DIAGNOSTICS SINCE IT IS ELECTRICAL STEERING. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE STEERING ON THIS EXACT YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL, THOUGH IT SAYS MY VIN WAS NOT AFFECTED. IT IS A HUGE CONCERN FOR MYSELF TO HAVE THIS STEERING CORRECTED AS I HAVE A TODDLER IN MY BACK SEAT. WHEN ROADS ARE WET, UNEVEN PAVEMENT, OR THE WEATHER WINDY.. MY CAR PULLS OFF THE ROAD DRASTICALLY I HAVE TO GRIP MY STEERING WHEEL SO HARD TO THE POINT MY HANDS TURN RED FROM GRABBING SO TIGHTLY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SOMEWHAT CONTROL OF THIS VEHICLE.. WITH THIS YEAR. MAKE AND MODEL HAVING STEERING RECALLS, I REQUEST CHEVY HONORS MY REQUEST TO HAVE MY VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A LICENSED CHEVY DEALER TO DETERMINE WHAT THE ISSUE IS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND I FIND IT UNLIKELY THAT I HAVE THE SAME EXACT ISSUES AS THE RECALL THOUGH A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ISSUE. I AM AFRAID THIS WILL CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR AND WRECK. HIGHER SPEEDS (FOR EXAMPLE ON THE FREEWAY) MAKE THE STEERING ALMOST UNMANAGEABLE AND DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. I HAVE SPOKE TO NUMEROUS CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS EXACT ISSUE WITH THEIR RECALLS. I HAVE REACHED OUT TO CHEVROLET DIRECTLY TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS AND IT WAS DISREGARDED, THEY SAID MY VIN WAS NOT EFFECTED SO IT COULDN'T BE THE ISSUE.*DT CONSUMER HAD THE PARTS REPLACED ON 6/19 AGAIN ON 6/29 BUT VEHICLE IS STILL UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND PROBLEM IS RECURRING.*JB

NHTSA ODI #11326018

170,000 miles · May 10, 2020

Steering

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN VEHICLE IS IDLING. ONLINE RESEARCH MENTIONS A TSB 15356.61722 AND RECALLS FOR EARLIER MODEL YEARS. WHY WAS I NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS BACK IN 2015? *TR

NHTSA ODI #11324055

90,000 miles · Mar 3, 2020

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL CEASED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ALMOST CRASHED INTO TWO VEHICLES AND BARELY COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR TWO DAYS AND LATER WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE CODE C0545 WHICH WAS A STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR MALFUNCTION, WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

NHTSA ODI #11315896

200,000 miles · Feb 29, 2020

Steering

POWER STEERING LIGHT DISPLAYS ON THE DASH THAN CAR LOST POWER STEERING CONTROL..WHILE DRIVING ABLE TO STEER WITH USING EXTREME STRENGTH TURNING BY DRIVER THIS HAPPEN ON CITY ROAD. *BF

NHTSA ODI #11312189

100,000 miles · Feb 20, 2020

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MILES PER HOUR, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING AND LOCKED UP, I ALMOST LOSS CONTROL OF THE CAR. THIS IS MY 2ND 2011 MALIBU AND THE OTHER CAR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING CONTROL. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY CANNOT BE DRIVEN.

NHTSA ODI #11310442

65,674 miles · Feb 15, 2020

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

PER ONLINE REVIEWS FROM RECALLS FOR 2011 MALIBU THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT FLASHED. THIS RECALL WAS NOT SENT TO ME, HOWEVER, MY CAR IS AFFECTED.

NHTSA ODI #11309401

130,000 miles · Feb 4, 2020

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE, THE STEERING WHEEL BECOME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE POWER STEERING SERVICE ESC WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED JONES FORD DEALER, (510 FLORENCE RD, SAVANNAH, TN 38372, (731) 925-4018) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA ODI #11306943

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)