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

71,783 miles · Mar 16, 2015

Engine

JUST GOT MY CAR BACK MID FEBRUARY AFTER THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. THE SIGNS AT THAT TIME WERE CK ENGINE LIGHT SERVICE TRACTION AND SERVICE ESC. GM DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A BRAND NEW ONE. ITS STILL UNDER THE 100,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. FORWARD 1 MONTH. NOW ALL LIGHTS COME ON...ENGINE, SERVICE TRACTION, SERVICE E…

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NHTSA ODI #10694412

88,500 miles · Mar 11, 2015

SteeringInjury

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2/28/15 TWITCH IN STEERING AT 55 MPH. (5 TWITCH/8 MI.) HAD BEEN SNOWY WITH SUBZERO TEMPS, AND SUSPECTED ICE IN STEERING LINKAGE. FOLLOWING DAY EXHIBITED SAME TWITCHES, BUT FEWER. BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE WHEN STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. MESSAGES ON DRIVER INFORMATION: POWER STEERING FAILURE, ESC REQUIRES SERVICE, AND A YELLOW TRIANGLE WITH WAVY MARKS WAS ILLUMINATED. DROVE 2.25 MI TO RELATIVE'S HOME. TURNED CAR OFF & RESTARTED; POWER STEERING WORKED AGAIN. NEXT DAY CHECKED FUSE CONNECTIONS ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CONSOLE, AND UNDER HOOD NEAR BATTERY. 80A POWER STEERING FUSE WAS LOOSE ON ONE SIDE. NUTS SECURELY TIGHTENED, BUT RIVETS ON FUSE BODY WERE LOOSE; LUG COULD BE MOVED APPROX 1/32". REPLACED FUSE, AND WORKED BETTER. THEN NOTICED THAT TWITCHING HAD RETURNED; WAS PREVALENT WITH VEHICLE STOPPED AND RUNNING. ON WED DROVE VEHICLE TO PICKUP LUNCH,; STEERING WHEEL WAS TWITCHING WITH CAR IN PARK AND ENGINE RUNNING. USED REMOTE START SYSTEM TO LET ENGINE RUN AS IT WAS NEAR 0 F AND HAD ONLY DRIVEN 3 MI. RETURNED TO CAR WITHIN 10 MIN REMOTE START RUN TIME, INSERTED KEY; POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK & SAME MESSAGES DISPLAYED. STOPPED & RESTARTED CAR; POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK. ARRANGED FOR REPAIR, AND DROVE CAR TO SHOP LATER THAT AFTERNOON; POWER STEERING WORKED, BUT LOTS OF TWITCHING. STEERING COLUMN REPLACED DUE TO STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR CODE C0545. POWER STEERING FAILED AND FOUGHT ME AS EVIDENCED BY UNEVEN JERKY TURNING FORCE. SYSTEM ALLOWED STEERING WHEEL TO RUN ABOUT 1/8 TURN, AND THEN DAMPENED TURNING. HAVE A SORE RIGHT SHOULDER. FORCE REQUIRED TO STEER WITHOUT POWER STEERING IS INEXCUSABLE. SYSTEM DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN IT FAILS, AND INTERMITTENTLY INTERACTS WHILE DISPLAY INDICATES IT'S OUT OF COMMISSION. SYSTEM IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS DUE TO FUNCTION DURING FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10693743

38,000 miles · Mar 10, 2015

Air BagsElectrical System

SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT TURNED ON AND HAS REMAINED ON WHEN CAR WAS STARTED ONE DAY. IT WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS, COLLISIONS, ETC. COINCIDENTALLY, THE LIGHT APPEARED AFTER THE OIL WAS CHANGED AND THE COMPUTER RESET FOR OIL CHANGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10693415

62,000 miles · Mar 9, 2015

EngineVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED AS THE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION AND REDUCE ENGINE CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUF…

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NHTSA ODI #10692915

80,578 miles · Mar 6, 2015

SteeringCrash

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN IT WAS NECESSARY TO DO SO. ONCE I MADE THE TURN I COULDN'T TURN WIDE ENOUGH BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10692676

115,500 miles · Mar 6, 2015

Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE…

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NHTSA ODI #10692408

91,500 miles · Mar 4, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineFuel/propulsion System

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I WAS DRIVING MY 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU AT ABOUT 40 MPH ON A FAIRLY BUSY 2 LANE STREET. WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR LOST POWER. A MESSAGE APPEARED IN THE INFORMATION SCREEN INDICATING SOMETHING LIKE "REDUCED POWER TO THE ENGINE". ALSO, A MESSAGE INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING UNDER REDUCED POWER MODE BECAUSE I NEEDED TO SERVICE ESC, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS DISPLAYED AS WELL ON THE DASHBOARD. I WAS FORTUNATELY ABLE TO GET THE CAR PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD AND INTO A PARKING LOT. I READ THE OWNERS MANUAL AND ESSENTIALLY FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING IN "LIMP MODE". I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND FOUND THIS TO BE A "COMMON PROBLEM" FOR CHEVY MALIBU MODELS. MY CAR WAS, OF COURSE, OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOT COVERED UNDER ANY SORT OF RECALL, SO I HAD TO PAY ABOUT $500 FOR THE REPAIR. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS I SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING LOST POWER. HAD THIS OCCURRED WHEN TRYING TO PULL ACROSS A HEAVY INTERSECTION OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS INJURY. FURTHER, I SEE REPORTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND I AM REPORTING THIS AS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN - HAD THIS SITUATION HAPPENED UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES IT VERY EASILY COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND SERIOUS INJURY TO SOMEONE. I SINCE FOLLOWED UP WITH CHEVROLET SERVICE AND THEY ESSENTIALLY TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE "AWARE" OF THE ISSUE BUT THERE ARE NO RECALLS ETC... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10692104

66,000 miles · Mar 4, 2015

EngineTraction Control System

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND THE ESC, TRACTION CONTROL, AND REDUCED POWER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10692094

92,000 miles · Mar 3, 2015

Engine

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND STALLED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT REDUCED ENGINE POWER WAS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10691925

81,875 miles · Mar 3, 2015

Visibility/wiper

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I WAS DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON I-95 IN THE RIGHT LANE AND PRIOR TO PASSING THE PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MY WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED FUNCTIONING WHILE THEY WERE IN USE. I WAS PETRIFIED BECAUSE WATER WAS ACCUMULATING RAPIDLY ON TO MY WINDSHIELD AND THE MOTORIST WHOM WERE PASSING ME INCREASED THE DANGER TEN FOLD BECAUSE THEIR VEHICLES WERE SPLASHING WATER ON TO MY WINDSHIELD AS WELL. MY VISIBILITY WENT DOWN TO ABOUT TEN PERCENT; HOWEVER, DUE TO THE PASSING MOTORIST THAT QUICKLY DECREASED TO ZERO MAKING IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. FURTHERMORE, DURING THE FRIGHTENING INCIDENT I KEPT MY COMPOSURE AND SLOWED DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT AND FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE UNTIL I COULD PROCEED TO THE SHOULDER. FOLLOWING THIS INCIDENT MY CONFIDENCE IN AMERICAN AUTOMOBILES HAS VANISHED AND AS A RESULT I WILL NO LONGER PURCHASE AMERICAN MANUFACTURED AUTOMOBILES IN THE FUTURE. MOREOVER, FOR THOSE WHOM MIGHT BE WONDERING I OWN A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU IT HAD A LITTLE LESS THAN 82,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME AND NO THERE WAS NOTHING OBSTRUCTING THE WIPERS TO CAUSE THEM TO FAIL AT THE TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10691828

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)