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

Visibility/wiper complaints

27 reports

Clear category filter

99,000 miles · Nov 17, 2018

EngineVisibility/wiper

Read full complaint

I HAVE TO REPLACE MY HEADLIGHTS EVERY TWO WEEKS AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE PLUG OUTLET. NOTICED THAT IT IS MELTING THE PLASTIC. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A YEAR NOW. NOW IT WILL NOT WORK IT HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. ALSO HAVE HAD MY CAMSHAFT SENSOR REPLACED AND KEEPS BRINGING UP THE CHECK ENGINE WHEN I GO GET IT READ SAME CODE KEEPS GOING ON. THE CAMSHAFT ISSUE IS CAUSING MY CAR TO STALL IN ROADWAYS MAKING IT DANGEROUS FOR ME AND MY DAUGHTER WHEN IN THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI #11152218

98,000 miles · Mar 29, 2018

Visibility/wiper

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE IN A WET SNOW, AND MY WIPERS QUIT WORKING. SO I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER TO TRY TO GET THEM TO START UP AGAIN AND THEY WOULD NOT. SO I HAD TO CALL A TOW COMPANY BECAUSE IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND WAS TOWED TO A TRUCK STOP. I WAITED TILL THE SNOW STOPPED, AND I CHECKED THE WEATHER RADAR ON MY PHONE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE TO MY FINAL DESTINATION. I TOOK IT TO GET REPAIRED. THE WIPER MOTOR/TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING. CHEVY HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE TOW COST AND THE REPAIR COST. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEE TO DRIVE IN THE SNOW. THE SAME WOULD'VE HAPPENED HAD IT BEEN RAINING. I REPORTED THIS IN JANUARY, BUT I BELIEVE IT IS WORTH REPORTING AGAIN. I HAVE NEVER HAD WIPERS QUIT ON ME. AND I'VE BEEN TOLD IT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER MALIBU OWNERS.

NHTSA ODI #11081950

141,000 miles · Mar 12, 2018

Electrical SystemVisibility/wiper

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED BEFORE OR DURING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSIS THE FAILURE. THE DEALER (SUPERIOR CHEVROLET, 4770 COVINGTON HWY, DECATUR, GA 30035) WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11078700

Mileage unknown · Feb 17, 2018

Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility/wiper

Read full complaint

BOTH HEADLAMPS HAVE GONE OUT WITHIN A NINE MONTH PERIOD. THE DRIVER SIDE HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE, THE PASSENGER SIDE ONCE. IT SEEMS EVERY THREE MONTHS A HEADLIGHT BURNS OUT ON MY CAR. AS FOR THE WIPERS, WHEN THEY ARE TURNED ON, THEY SWIPE HALFWAY AND STOP UNTIL I TURN THEM OFF AND BACK ON OR TO A HIGHER SWIPING SPEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED AS THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND DRIVE. ALSO, THE KEY FOB BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND WORKS SELDOMLY. THE LOCKS HAVE RECENTLY STARTING LOCKING ON THEIR OWN AFTER THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF AND THE DRIVER DOOR IS SHUT.

NHTSA ODI #11073403

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2018

EngineVisibility/wiper

TIMING CHAIN NEEDS REPAIR ONLY 80,000 MILES ON CAR BOUGHT IT CERTIFIED USED WARRANTY IS UP IM VERY UPSET WAS DRIVING ON EXPRESS WAY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON HAD IT CHECKED AT DEALERSHIP

NHTSA ODI #11062050

94,000 miles · Jan 9, 2018

Visibility/wiper

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING IN SNOW ON 12/23/17, MY WIPERS QUIT WORKING. THE SNOW WAS LARGE FLAKES THAT TURNED TO WATER WHEN THEY HIT THE WINDSHIELD, SO IT WAS LIKE RAIN. I WAS ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE, SO RATE OF SPEED WAS FAST. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. I COULDN'T GET THE WIPERS TO WORK, SO I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. AFTER THE SNOW STOPPED, I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE MY JOURNEY. I THEN HAD THE WIPERS REPAIRED. THE WIPER TRANSMISSION FAILED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE WIPERS CAN QUIT AT ANYTIME. ADDITIONALLY I LOOKED ONLINE AND OTHER MALIBU OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. (IN FACT THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID HE HAD TOWED A MALIBU OWNER 2 WEEKS EARLIER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.) I HAVE NEVER HAD MY WIPERS FAIL WITH ANY OTHER CAR I EVER OWNED, AND I ASKED OTHERS (NON-MALIBU OWNERS) IF THEIR WIPERS EVER FAILED, AND EVERYONE I TALKED TO SAID NO. I CONTACTED GM, BUT NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE.

NHTSA ODI #11061467

96,000 miles · Jan 3, 2018

Visibility/wiper

Read full complaint

I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS FOR OVER A YEAR. THE LINKAGE BETWEEN THE ARM THAT MOVES THE WIPERS AND THE MOTOR WILL NOT STAY CONNECTED. MY FIRST ARM FAILURE WAS DUE TO A RUBBER BUSHING DETERIORATING. DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM IN NOV. 2016, THE WIPERS JUST STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY AND I HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. THE SECOND ARM I PURCHASED WILL NOT STAY CONNECTED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER, RENDERING MY SYSTEM USELESS. I AM ABLE TO USE MY WIPERS ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE THE ARM HAS TO BE RECONNECTED. AFTER HAVING IT FIXED 5+ TIMES PRIOR, THEY STOPPED WORKING AGAIN THIS MORNING. I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY TRYING TO SIMPLY WASH MY WINDSHIELD BEFORE LEAVING FOR WORK. THE SYSTEM IS POORLY PUT TOGETHER AND WILL NOT STAY CONNECTED. IT SEEMS TO BE HELD TOGETHER BY ONLY TENSION WITH GRAVITY WORKING AGAINST IT. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT! LIVING IN NEW ENGLAND WITH LOTS OF EXTREME WEATHER, THIS IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11058196

75,700 miles · Oct 27, 2017

Visibility/wiper

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE OTHER DAY WHILE IT WAS RAINING AND MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING HAD IT LOOKED AT AND MY SMALL ARM ON MY LINKAGE DISCONNECTED DUE TO RUST ON THE BALL JOINT I LOOKED CONTACTED GM THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT BUT I GOOGLED IT AND IM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD THIS ISSUE DEFINITELY SHOULD BE A RECALL J…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #11040602

175,000 miles · Sep 30, 2017

StructureUnknown Or OtherVisibility/wiperCrashInjury

Read full complaint

PARKED IN AN INTERSECTION OLD HWY US 301 OCALA FLORIDA WHEELS TURNED LEFT WHICH WAS DARK AND POORLY LIT BY THE CITY. NO ORANGE LIGHTS ONTO A MAJOR THIN 2 LANE INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS BRAKED DURING THE LEFT TURN SOUTH POSITION. THE FRONT HOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF NORTH BOUND LANE FRONT BUMPER AND PLATE WERE IN THE HIGHWAY DIVIDING LINE. UP TO THE REAR DRIVERSIDE PASSENGER DOOR AT THE JOINT OF THE SIDE STREET AND HIGHWAY OUTSIDE LINE. A BICYCLIST STRUCK THE VEHICLE HIS LIGHT WAS THROWN INTO THE INTERSECTION. HE IS BLEEDING HES ON THE GROUND. ANOTHER FEMALE IS HELPING HIM. THE MIRROR OF THE VEHICLE DRIVERSIDE TORN OFF AND THE FRONT WINSHIELD SHATTERED ABOVE DRIVERSIDE TOP. THROWN BY IMPACT FROM HIS BICYCLE TO THE MALIBU HIS BACKPACK ON THE GROUND. HES AMBULATORY TRANSPORTED SHERIFFS RESPONDED FHP CAME OUT

NHTSA ODI #11030670

100,000 miles · Jan 27, 2017

Visibility/wiper

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL JOINTS IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WA…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10947913

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)