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

43,283 miles · Sep 17, 2015

Unknown Or Other

Read full complaint

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE DEALERSHIP WROTE ON THE PURCHASE ORDER IT READS AS FOLLOWS; DASHBOARD PANEL INSERT TOWARDS WINSHIELD WAS DETACHED AT TIME OF CAR PURCHASE WE OWE HEAT COLD CHECKING- INSERT WAS DETACHED CONCERNED IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. I ASSURED HER IT WILL NOT. NOTHING IS BROKEN ON IT. IF IT OCCURS AGAIN, WE WILL REATTACT AT NO CHARGE. THAT IS ONLY THE FIRST OF MANY INCIDENTS THAT HAS OCCURED WAS THIS VEHICLE THAT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THREE RECALLS THAT HAVE YET TO FIXED. IF THE PROBLEM DOSN'T GET RESOLVED AS SO AS POSSIBLE AND COMPENSATION AS WELL I WILL ASSUME THIS IS A LEMON LAW CONCERN OR PROBLEM WITH THE GM/GENERAL MOTORS OR WITH THE DEALERSHIP THAT HAS BEEN BOUGHT OUT NOT ONCE BUT TWICE AND THEY ARE SO HATEFUL AND I'M RUDE BACK TO THEM. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE SOON I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL AFTERNOON.

NHTSA ODI #10764571

Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2015

Seat Belts

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V269000 (SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSU…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10764468

Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2015

Seat Belts

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V269000 (SEAT BELTS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10764256

45,000 miles · Sep 15, 2015

Seat Belts

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS BENT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V269000 (SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUN…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10763890

30,000 miles · Sep 10, 2015

Seat Belts

GM ISSUED A RECALL FOR MY 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU ON MAY 6, 2015. IT IS NOW MID SEPTEMBER 2015 AND THEY HAVE NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10762998

20,000 miles · Sep 9, 2015

Seat Belts

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SAFETY BELT CABLE SLEEVE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V269000 (SEAT BELTS), HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/09/15*LJ

NHTSA ODI #10762598

Mileage unknown · Sep 9, 2015

Seat Belts

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10762395

72,806 miles · Sep 8, 2015

Electrical System

Read full complaint

AUGUST 12 2015, COMPLETE POWER LOSS WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WENT INTO LOGIC LOCKUP. ALL MODULES RESET. AUGUST 17, SAME CONDITION OCCURS. TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE AT 70 MPH ON HIGHWAY. DEALERSHIP DETERMINED "INTERNAL FAULT IN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE P0606. ECM REPLACED. SEPTEMBER 6 SAME SITUATION OCCURS ON HIGHWAY; COMPLETE POWER FAILURE. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND CURRENTLY BEING TESTED. COMPLETE FAILURE OF SYSTEM IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND UNCONSCIONABLE FOR A 2011 VEHICLE!

NHTSA ODI #10762053

105,000 miles · Sep 1, 2015

Power Train

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DOWNSHIFT INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND RESTART THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 11/06/15*LJ *CN

NHTSA ODI #10760848

52,000 miles · Sep 1, 2015

Power TrainUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed ControlCrash

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A SIDE RESIDENTIAL STREET, WHEN I WENT TO PARK NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. I WASN'T ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE SHIFTER BEGAN SHIFTING INTO DIFFERENT GEARS AND FELT AS THERE WAS NO CATCH. I TURNED THE CAR OFF BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION, BECAUSE COULDN'T PUT THE CAR IN PARK. I EXITED THE CAR AND THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS AND HIT THE CAR BEHIND ME. I APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE CAR STILL ROLLED IN REVERSE. SO I UNHOOKED THE BATTERY CABLES AND APPLIED BRICKS BEHIND THE TIRES. I HAD A MECHANIC COME TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND HE STATED THAT THIS HAD BEEN A RECALL ON PRIOR YEARS OF THIS MODEL, BUT NOT THE YEAR OF MY CAR. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AND I WENT TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP IN WHICH THEY NOTHING ABOUT THIS PART, BUT STATE MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. IT IS UNSAFE WITH THIS DEFECT. THE CABLE COMES OFF THE HOOK AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO APPLY A SHIFT TO ANY GEAR AND THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE REGARDLESS. I DON'T WANT TO PUT MY INFANT IN THIS CAR KNOWING THAT IS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT CHEVY SHOULD FIX. NOT TO MENTION THE CAR SEATBELTS ARE A MALFUNCTION. CHEVY THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL.

NHTSA ODI #10760840

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)