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

What owners actually said

977 reports

40,000 miles · Jul 15, 2016

Unknown Or Other

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CAR TURNS ITSELF OFF WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT. PUT IN PARK TO RESTART AND WILL NOT EVEN TURN OVER. MAY LAST AS LONG AS 5MIN. TO 40 MIN. THEN READY TO CALL TOW TRUCK, TRY ONCE MORE...STARTS RIGHT UP. HAPPENS MORE AND MORE THE LAST WEEK. HAVE HAD COMPLAIN TO CUSTOMER SERVICE, HAD VOUCHER TO PUT ON COMPUTER TO CHECK THAT. WAS TOLD CAR WORKING FINE. HAPPENED 5 TIMES ON TRIP, TURNED OFF GOING AROUND A CORNER, AT A STOP SIGN 3 TIMES, AND IN GARAGE, WOULD NOT TURN OVER. IT LOCKS ITSELF IN PARK. LAST TIME MY HUSBAND JUST PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AS ROLLING DOWN A HILL, AND NOT PARK AND IT STARTED UP. THE WORSE TIME WAS AT A STOP SIGN IN 90 DEGREE WEATHER AND IT TURNED ITSELF OFF, PUT IN PARK TO START, AND NO TURNING THE OVER AT ALL. LOCKED IN PARK WITH NO WAY TO GET IT OUT OF PARK. LOTS OF ANGRY DRIVERS BEHIND ME. HAVE NO PICTURES, AND HAVE BEEN KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH DEALERSHIP WITH THE ON-GOING PROBLEM. I THINK IT IS THE IGNITION OR SENSOR SOMEWHERE TO THE SHIFT LEVER. SO AFRAID IT WILL STALL ON THE HIGHWAY DOING THE SPEED LIMIT. ALL THIS STARTED AROUND 30,000 MILES TO DATE OF 43,000 MILES, ONLY GETTING WORSE.

NHTSA ODI #10885039

Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 2016

Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineFuel/propulsion System

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MY SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. TOOK MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY COULDN'T DUPRIVATE THE ISSUE. $240. PROBLEM CAME BK THE NEXT DAY. TOOK MY CAR BK TO SHOP WITH LIGHT ON AND THEY SAID I NEEDED AN ENGINE FLUSH. 180.00. PROBLEM STILL CAME BACK.TOOK MY CAR TO ANOTHER SHOP, BC I FELT I WAS GETTING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AFTER BEING CHARGED 180.00 JUST FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THIS SHOP CHANGED SPARK PLUGS AND CHECKED WIRES. 100.00. PROBLEM CAME BACK. GOT IN TOUCH W GM. NO RECALL. NO ASSISTANCE UNTIL I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP. THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR 4 DAYS AND FINALLY TOLD ME I NEED A NEW MOTOR! IT'S A 2011, WITH 110K MILES AND I NEED A NEW MOTOR?? THAT IT WOULD BE 4000.00 I LEFT WITH MY CAR, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY JUST LAYING AROUND IN HOPES THAT IT MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM. DRIVING A CAR THAT SCARES ME BC THE LIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY FLASHING AT ME ALL OF THE TIME NOW, CAR SPUTTERING OUT WHILE AT LOW SPEEDS OR IDLE, CO ENGINE FLASHING, AND MY CAR ACTING LIKE IT'S GONNA DIE ANY MINUTE! NOT TO MENTION THE GAS IT'S CONSUMING ON TOP OF THE ALMOST 700 I'M ALREADY OUT. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND QUITE DISHEARTENING TO BUT A CAR FROM CHEVROLET, IT ONLY BE 5 YRS OLD AND HAVE THIS MANY ISSUES WITH NO RESOLVE. SEEING ALL OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE, SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT. PLEASE HELP

NHTSA ODI #10884941

Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2016

Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10883190

89,000 miles · Jul 5, 2016

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

NHTSA ODI #10882506

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2016

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior Lighting

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MY CAR HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS ALL YEAR. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH SOMEONE WHO IN RETURN WAS SUPPOSE TO CALL CANNON MOTORS IN OXFORD,MS TO HAVE THE FRONT HEAD LIGHT ON THE DRIVER SIDE FIXED BECAUSE IT WAS ON RECALL. MY FATHER HAS REPLACED IT 3 TIMES AND IT KEEPS GOING OUT SO THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO CANNON TODAY AND NOW ITS A DIFFERENT STORY. THEY WAS TALKING ABOUT CHARGING 75.00 THEN THEY CHANGED IT TO 500.00 TO FIX A HEADLIGHT. I KNOW THE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM GOING ON WITH MY CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10876960

68,000 miles · Jun 27, 2016

Fuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START OR WOULD IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF ONCE STARTED. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS FAULTY. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REP…

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NHTSA ODI #10876748

83,000 miles · Jun 22, 2016

Power Train

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PURCHASED CAR 09/2015 HALEY BUICK GMC TRUCKS IN RICHMOND VIRGINIA WITH 75K MILES. IT WAS A PREVIOUS RENTAL CAR. WAS GIVEN CLEAN CARFAX AND MAINTENANCE RECORD THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN MAINTAINED PER MANUFACTURES SCHEDULE. IT HAS AN ENCLOSED TRANSMISSION AND CANNOT CHECK TRANSMISSION FLUID IT HAS TO BE MAINTAINED. A YEAR AFTER THE PURCHASE AND ADDING ONLY 8K MILES THIS CAR HAS A COMPLETELY BLOWN TRANSMISSION IN WILL COST $4,888 TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION ORDERED. MY ISSUE IS THERE IS NO RECALLS ON THE 35R PLATE WHICH IS THE CAUSE OF RUINING THE TRANSMISSION ON MANY FORM SITES FOR THIS YEAR OF CHEVROLET MALIBU. THEN THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL ON FORMS.

NHTSA ODI #10875761

72,000 miles · Jun 14, 2016

Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECREASE IN SPEED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WA…

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NHTSA ODI #10874152

66,140 miles · Jun 2, 2016

Seat Belts

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LOOSENED. THE CONTACT HAD TO READJUST THE SEAT BELT TO MAKE IT TIGHT. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO REPAIRED THE VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V269000 (SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,140. UPDATED 07/22/16*LJ *CN

NHTSA ODI #10872056

125,000 miles · May 27, 2016

Power Train

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

NHTSA ODI #10871156

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)