Electrical System. Review the 290 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 202 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 191 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

50 crash reports13 fire reports27 injury reports

Seats complaints

36 reports

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Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2019

Electrical SystemEngineSeats

THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR 3 YEARS. CHEVY HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE DESPITE CHANGING OUT THE SENSORS AND CLEARING THE CODES. THIS EFFECTS THE REST OF THE ENGINE SETTINGS INCLUDING FUEL AS IT ADJUSTS THEM BASED ON A DEFAULT. THE RAIL SUPPORT FOR THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAS ALSO BROKEN LOOSE AND FALLEN DOWN WHI…

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NHTSA ODI #11251903

143,600 miles · Jul 14, 2019

SeatsSteering

MY 2012 MALIBU 1LT HAS SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES THE RECALLS ARE FOR BUT MY SPECIFIC VIN NUMBER ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS. MY DRIVER SEAT MOVES WHEN SITTING IN IT AND I NEED A RACK-AND-PINION. I'M ALSO HAVING ISSUES WITH A 'ROUGH' IDLE AND WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK THE RPM'S DIE DOWN BETWEEN 1&0 AND THE CAR ACTS LIKE IT'S TRYING T…

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NHTSA ODI #11231798

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2019

Seats

THE SEAT COMES OFF THE METAL MOLDING WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION AND WHEN YOU TRY TO ADJUST THE SEAT IT ADJUSTS LOPSIDED AND UNEVEN .

NHTSA ODI #11218030

Mileage unknown · May 14, 2019

SeatsSteering

THERE IS A STEERING RECALL FOR MY CAR BUT NOT FOR MY SPECIFIC VIN #. I'M HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH MINE AS WELL. MY RACKING PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #11207496

149,500 miles · May 8, 2019

Seats

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT IS BROKEN. WAS RIDING DOWN THE STREET AND IT JUST POPPED. NOW IT ROCKS AND BOUNCE EVERYTIME YOU HIT A BUMP OR HUMP IN THE ROAD

NHTSA ODI #11206357

33,000 miles · Apr 29, 2019

Seats

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WHILE CAR WAS PARKED I GOT INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SEAT SHIFTED. WHEN I WENT TO RE-ADJUST THE SEAT HEIGHT/ POSITION. THE SEAT LEANED TO ONE SIDE AND WAS LOOSE. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT IT AFTER I DESCRIBED THE ISSUE. I FOUND 3 DIFFERENT WEBSITES LISTING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT BOILS DOWN TO CRACKED WELDS. A CAR UNDER 7YRS OLD SHOULD NOT HAVE A FAILURE LIKE THIS. I DROVE A 1981 BUICK CENTURY (PURCHASED 1995) WITH OVER 87,000 MILES AND THE SEATS WHERE FINE UP TO WHEN I SOLD IT IN 2001. ALL I CAN RECALL IS THAT THIS HAPPENED SOMETIME IN 2018. WHY HAS GM AND NHTSA NOT ISSUED RECALLS. THIS IS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS, EVEN FATAL FLAW IN THEIR VEHICLES.

NHTSA ODI #11204305

62,000 miles · Mar 18, 2019

Seats

DRIVER'S SEAT SUDDENLY BECAME WOBBLY AND LEANS TO RIGHT SIDE. NOTICED BAR IN UNDERNEATH FRAME OF SEAT HAS BROKEN AT A WELD, MAKING THE DRIVER'S SEAT VERY SHAKY AND UNSTABLE WHEN DRIVING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS STYLE OF MALIBU SEATS AND A VERY COSTLY REPAIR. THIS ISSUE SHOULD PROVOKE A RECALL AND REPLACEMENT BY G…

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NHTSA ODI #11189837

94,000 miles · Oct 3, 2018

Seats

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I BOUGHT THIS MALIBU NEW AND HAVE MAINTAINED IT WELL. OUT OF NO WHERE, THE DRIVERS SEAT BECAME LOOSE AND WOBBLY. I SIMPLY SAT IN THE DRIVERS SEAT WHILE IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED IT. UPON INSPECTION, THE SEAT FRAME HAS BROKEN WELDS. METAL THAT HOLDS THE DRIVERS SEAT IN PLACE ON A 6 YEAR OLD CAR IS BROKEN! IT TURNS AND MOVES AS THE DRIVER DOES. I BELIEVE THAT IN AN INCIDENT, THE SEAT WOULD COME OUT. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN OR WELD QUALITY PROBLEM. I AM TOLD THE ENTIRE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THIS IS A BIG AND EXPENSIVE JOB. I WAS PREPARING TO LET MY COLLEGE AGE DAUGHTER DRIVE THIS CAR BUT NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

NHTSA ODI #11133164

142,000 miles · Jul 9, 2018

Seats

THE DRIVER SEAT WELD BROKE. THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH GM CARS AND WHAT IS IT GM IS GOING TO DO TO REPAIR MY CAR? I WANT IT FIXED ASAP AS IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I NEED MY CAR.

NHTSA ODI #11110369

120,000 miles · May 15, 2018

Seats

DRIVERS SEAT COLLAPSE IN REAR FRAME AND IS LOOSE FROM FRAME. SEAT IS POWERED AND NO LONGER CAN BE ADJUSTED TO DESIRED POSITION. SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ON RECALL BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA AND INTERNET. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN SETTING DOWN INTO SEAT AND THEN SEAT LURCHED DOWN AND TO THE RIGHT IN THE BAC…

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NHTSA ODI #11094052

Official recalls

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)