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

317,322 miles · Apr 5, 2014

Power Train

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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON INTERSTATE 270 AT AROUND 50 TO 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED UPON BREAKING WITH A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. WHEN I WENT TO REACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE WAS UNRESPONSIVE AS THOUGH IT WAS STUCK IN A HIGHER GEAR AND WOULD NOT DOWN SHIFT TO ACCELERATE. THIS PROBLEM HAS RECURRED FREQUENTLY SO NOW WHEN I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY, I SET THE CRUISE CONTROL TO MAKE SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION UNNECESSARY BUT THE CAR STILL CLUNKS OUT OF GEAR UPON EXITING THE HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10577600

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2014

Steering

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I HAVE A 2011 MALIBU 4DR SDN LT, THAT HAS A RATTLE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND IT ALSO SEEMS TO BE REPRODUCING THE SAME NOISE WHEN DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS IN PARKING LOTS AND IN CITY TRAFFIC AT SPEEDS UNDER 30 MPH ON COURSE ROADS/PAVEMENT. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY FIXED PER NOTICE #PI0372. THAT NOTICE ADVISED THE DEALER TO PUT TWO ADDITIONAL WAVE WASHERS TO THE BRAKE PEDAL CONNECTOR PIN WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE POWER BOOSTER PUSHROD. GUESS WHAT, I PICKED-UP MY CAR AFTER 6PM & EVERYONE IN SERVICE HAD GONE HOME..THE NOISE STILL EXISTS. OBVIOUSLY IF THE REPAIR TECH HAD TAKEN IT OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND LISTENED HE COULD HAVE HEARD AND FELT THAT THE NOISE WAS STILL VERY PREVALENT. NOW I MUST TAKE SOME MORE TIME OFF FROM WORK AND RETURN TO THE DEALER AND GO THRU THIS ALL OVER AGAIN.HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE STEERING RATTLING AND OR FEELING LOOSE ON THEIR MALIBU 2011 ?? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10577043

35,000 miles · Apr 3, 2014

Steering

THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WENT OUT....THE CAR WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT...RAINING...BARELY MADE IT OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT....TOOK TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE MOTOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10577038

36,000 miles · Apr 2, 2014

Electrical SystemSeat BeltsSteering

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I PURCHASED MY 2011 MALIBU IN APRIL 2012. INITIALLY, I WAS EXPERIENCING POWER SURGES UPON BREAKING. I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND MY CAR WOULD SURGE FORWARD BEFORE STOPPING. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED A SENSOR. I'M STILL EXPERIENCING THE SURGES OCCASIONALLY. THE NEXT TIME I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE I WAS GETTING A LOT OF NOISE AND VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING ON A ROUGH A SURFACE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. IT WAS FINE FOR A YEAR, NOW THAT PROBLEM IS RETURNING. DURING THE WINTER 2013, MY REAR DEFROST STOPPED WORKING. I TOOK IT IN AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR FUSE BLOCK WAS MELTED AND IT WILL COST $535 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. AND ANOTHER $230 TO HAVE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT REPLACED---- IT DOESN'T CONNECT SECURELY WITHOUT FIDDLING WITH IT. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE RECALLS ISSUED ON ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS BECAUSE I HAVE READ BLOGS AND OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES, AND THEY ARE ALL RELATED TO THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576876

40,000 miles · Mar 27, 2014

Air Bags

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SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE NEXT MORNING IT DID NOT COME ON. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, SAME ISSUE, SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED. IT CONTINUED TO COME ON EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. WE CALLED THE DEALER, THEY SAID IT WOULD COST 400 FOR THE NEW PART AND ANOTHER 200 TO "FLASH" THE COMPUTER. THEY ALSO SAID OUR AIRBAG WOULD NOT WORK AS LONG AS THIS LIGHT WAS ON. A COUPLE DAYS LATER, THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND STAYED OFF. THEN ON 3/26/14, THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, AND CONTINUES TO COME ON EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND SINCE THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT WORK, IT JEOPARDIZES THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIX. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10575080

59,000 miles · Mar 26, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Suspension

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AS I WAS DRIVING MY ESC POPPED ON MY MESSAGE BOARD ALONG WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND REDUCED ENGINE SPEED. SO I TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE AND THEY SAID IT WAS MY THROTTLE SENSOR. SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON AND IT STOPS THE MESSAGES FROM POPPING UP FOR ABOUT 5 MINS. THE CAR WON'T IDLE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WANTS TO CUT OFF. NOW NORMALLY I WOULDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT BUT TO GO GET IT FIXED. ME AND MY MOM HAVE THE SAME MALIBU SHE JUST HAD THE LT EDITION WELL HERS STARTED DOING THE SAME EXACT THING! YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT BOTH OF THESE CARS WAS JUST GONNA START DOING THE SAME THING AT THE EXACT SAME TIME! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10575053

35,190 miles · Mar 26, 2014

SeatsFireInjury

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AFTER HAVING REPAIRS MADE AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR DRIVERS SEAT HEATER NOT WORKING. THE DRIVER SEAT HEATER ELEMENT WAS REPLACED, I HAD DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES WHEN THE SEAT STARTED SMOKING AND CAUGHT FIRE. BY THE TIME I GOT THE CAR STOPPED AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE INSIDE OF THE CAR WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. WITH THE HELP OF ANOTHER MOTORIST I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. I RECEIVED SEVERE BURNS TO MY RIGHT LEG AND HANDS. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10574989

Mileage unknown · Mar 25, 2014

EngineVehicle Speed Control

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2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE GOES INTO "LIMP MODE" WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE LIGHT, LOW TRACTION WARNING AND ENGINE POWER REDUCED LIGHT WOULD DISPLAY. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY AND INSTANTLY LOSE POWER DOWN TO 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE RATHER VIOLENTLY. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD OF 2 WEEKS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND A DIAGNOSIS REVEALED 2 ERROR CODES. THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE SCREEN ON THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT POSITION ACTUATOR SOLENOID VALVE WAS RESTRICTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10574535

80,000 miles · Mar 20, 2014

Air Bags

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THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON OUT OF NOWHERE, AND WHEN WE TOOK IT TO OUR DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THAT THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS WITH THE MALIBUS. THEY ADVISED US THAT THE "AIRBAG CONTROL SYSTEM" HAD DIED AND THOUGH THE CAR WAS STILL DRIVABLE THAT IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT WORK. THE SERVICE TO REPLACE THE "BRAIN" WOULD COST $1000 PARTS AND LABOR. AFTER THROWING A SMALL FIT THEY "GOT WITH THE CHEVY CUSTOMER TEAM" AND WERE ABLE TO DO IT FOR JUST COST OF PARTS ($400 +/-). WE PAID FOR THE SERVICE, AFTER MUCH COMPLAINING, AND THE CAR HAS BEEN FINE SINCE. WE WERE ADVISED THAT IT IS POSSIBLE IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT NOT TO WORRY BECAUSE THE PARTS CARRIED A 1 YEAR WARRANTY, YIPPEE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AFTER A HARD BRAKING EVENT, THAT THE CONTROL BOX SHORTS OUT. I THINK THAT IF THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE, A RECALL SHOULD BE INITIATED. IT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM IF IT WAS SOMETHING INCONSEQUENTIAL, BUT THIS IS A VITAL SAFETY COMPONENT. WE HAD TO GET IT FIXED, I'M NOT LETTING MY WIFE DRIVE HER CAR WITHOUT AIRBAGS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10573720

36,000 miles · Mar 20, 2014

Electrical System

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND ALL THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND THE STEERING BEGAN TO SHAKE. I'M HAVING MY BOYFRIEND LOOK AT IT AFTER WORK BUT I FOUND THIS SITE SO I DECIDED TO POST THIS AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10573676

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)