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

What owners actually said

906 reports

144,000 miles · Jan 9, 2020

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

DRIVING MY VEHICLE WITH MY 3 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. TURNED THE WHEEL AS I WAS TAKING A TURN AND THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY STOPPED. THIS FORCED ME TO APPLY THE BRAKE BECAUSE I ALMOST WEMT OFF THE ROAD!! I SEE THIS ISN'T THE ONLY INCIDENT INVOLVING THE ESC AND POWER STEERING!! VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS "SERVICE ESC" AND "P…

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NHTSA ODI #11298170

Mileage unknown · Jan 2, 2020

Electrical System

I HAVE REPLACE MY HEADLIGHTS ABOUT 10 WITHIN TWO YEARS. FIRESTONE HAVE REPLACED THE WIRING, AND MY HEADLIGHT STILL GOES OUT. I'M BEYOND FRUSTRATED. IF YOU GO TO CARGURUS.COM, EVERYONE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

NHTSA ODI #11296753

138,000 miles · Dec 29, 2019

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

I BOUGHT A 2012 MALIBU FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO IS 15 YEARS OLD. NICE CAR, BUT WHEN SHE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, "SERVICE ETC" ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND SHE COMPLETELY LOST POWER STEERING. HIT A CURB.

NHTSA ODI #11291932

94,000 miles · Dec 29, 2019

Electrical SystemSuspensionWheels

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I WAS SOLD A CAR PRICED AT $4,995 BUT WHEN THE INITIAL CONTRACT WAS SIGNED THE CAR REPRESENTATIVE FAILED TO KEEP THE PRICE THE SAME AND WITHOUT CONSENT OVERCHARGED ME FOR THE CAR $10,000 I CALLED BACK A WEEK LATER TO NOTIFY THEM THE CAR HAD WENT OUT, WAS IN BAD CONDITION, WASN'T DRIVING, AND PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN HARMS WAY. CAR SHUTOFF TWICE IN MOTION ONCE WHILE ACTUALLY DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I ASKED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS FORCED INTO PURCHASING THEIR WARRANTY THAT HE STATED CAME WITH THE CAR BUT PUT IN THE CONTRACT LATER THAT I WOULD PAY $1000+ DOLLARS FOR IT WHEN IT'S AN EXPIRED WARRANTY FROM 2017 WHEN THE DEALER FIRST GOT THE CAR SO IT'S ONLY A EXTENDED WARRANTY AND DOESN'T HELP WITH ANYTHING. HE CAME ONCE TO REPAIR THE CAR BY PUTTING SOME FLUID INSIDE TO MAKE IT RUN & INSTEAD TOLD ME HE CHANGED THE BATTERY WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE FALSE THE CAR KEPT CUTTING OFF AND GOING OUT I KEPT SEEKING HELP IT WAS DAVID AND ABN MOTORS WHO REFUSED TO FIX ANY MECHANICAL ISSUE I WAS HAVING WITH THE VEHICLE AND IN RETURN THE CAR PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN HARMS WAY IT IS A DANGER TO HAVE OR DRIVE WITH MY KIDS COPS SAID SO ALSO IT CUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING AND LEAKED AN EXTREMELY LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL WHILE ME AND MY KIDS WERE INSIDE THE VEHICLE I WAS FORCED TO MERGE OVER COMPLETELY TO GET OUT THE WAY OF TRAFFIC AS THE CAR JUST STOPPED MOTION. SOMETHING UNDER THE HOOD POPPED AND THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKY STATE OFFICIALS ORDER ME AND MY FAMILY OUT THE VEHICLE IN TOLEDO A HOUR DRIVE AWAY FROM MY HOME. THEY STATED IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THAT I COULD NOT ENTER MY VEHICLE AND TOOK IT AWAY. I HAD EVEN SENT OVER A MESSAGE TO THE DEALER REPRESENTATIVE I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A MONTH EARLIER STATING I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS HE REFUSED TO RESPOND OR HELP HE STATED THAT I ALREADY SIGNED THE CONTRACT AND I SHOULD DEAL WITH IT MYSELF.

NHTSA ODI #11291862

49,000 miles · Dec 22, 2019

Air BagsElectrical System

SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT ON ALL THE TIME CAR WAS IN PARK WHEN IT FIRST APPEAR

NHTSA ODI #11290752

Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 2019

Electrical SystemUnknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT KEEP GOING OUT I HAVE REPLACED BULB AND SOCKET SEVERAL TIMES ..IT WORK ONLY FOR 2 WEEKS AND PROBLEM KEEP COMING ..THIS IS FIFTH TIME I'M HAVING TO FIX THE ISSUES

NHTSA ODI #11289751

146,000 miles · Dec 16, 2019

Electronic Stability Control (esc)SteeringSuspension

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CAR WOULD SHIMMY AND SHAKE. NEW TIRES NEW BREAKS ETC. MADE APPOINT. TO FIX RECALLS WHEN POWER STER. WENT OUT. PUT NEW PS ON AND IT DIDN'T FIX PROBLEM. WENT BACK AND FORTH TO DEALER. HAD CAR DIAGNOSED AND SERVICE MANAGER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SO CALLED GM, REP SAID THEY WOULD FIX AND REINBURSE FOR THE WORK ALREADY PERFORMED, GAVE A CASE NUMBER. CAR SAT A DEALERS WEEKEND. TODAY GM REP SAID THEY WOULD ONLY PAY 5% AND DENIED OTHER REP HAD SAID THEY'D FIX. NO POWER STEERING ON CAR AND IT'S DANGEROUS TO DRIVE DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND I'M EXPECTED TO COVER COSTS WHEN I'VE ALREADY SPENT NEARLY 1000 ON IT AND IT'S STILL NOT FIXED. PLEASE HELP

NHTSA ODI #11289408

78,000 miles · Dec 12, 2019

Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

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CAR SUDDENLY FAILED TO ACCELERATE AS I PULLED ON THE THE INTERSTATE. CAR FILLED WITH A BURNING SMELL. DEALER SAID THE REAR DEFROST MALFUNCTIONED AND MELTED THE FUSE BLOCK LOCATED IN THE TRUNK DAMAGING ALL WIRING ON THE FUSE BLOCK. I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS BYPASSED THE FUSE AND THE RELAY WITH SUCH A SURGE THAT IT WAS HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE ENTIRE FUSE BLOCK. THIS COULD HAVE LED TO A VERY SERIOUS FIRE WHERE I WAS TRAPPED IN THE CAR. I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE, BUT IF I WERE IN THE FAR LANE, I COULD HAVE BEEN STUCK IN A HIGH SPEED LANE RESULTING IN INJURY TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. THE CAR IS VERY LOW MILEAGE AND GARAGE STORED, SO IT IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND MAINTAINED REGULARLY. WAS JUST IN TO THE DEALER LESS THAN 10 DAYS PRIOR (POWER STEERING ESC RECALL) WITH NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. CAR CURRENTLY AT PHILLIPS CHEVY IN FRANKFORT, IL.

NHTSA ODI #11288599

122,000 miles · Dec 9, 2019

Exterior Lighting

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WILL STOP WORKING, BUT THE BULBS ARE STILL GOOD. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. BOTH LIGHTS DO NOT WORK AND REPLACING THE BULB DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11287889

163,000 miles · Dec 3, 2019

EngineFuel/propulsion SystemSteering

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164,00 MILES. TEMP 34 F. DROVE CAR 3 MILES AND STOPPED AT INTERSECTION. PUT SIGNAL ON AND ATTEMPTED LEFT TURN. STEERING BECAME LOCKED. BREAK AND ACCELERATOR WENT TO LOWEST POSITION NEAREST FLOOR. ENGINE STAYED ON BUT CAR WOULD NOT MOVE EVEN AFTER LIFTED FOOT OFF BREAK AND ATTEMPTED TO PUSH ACCELERATOR. . PUT IN PARK. STOPPED ENGINE. RESTARTED. NO CHANGE AFTER START. AGAIN PUT IN PARK PUSHED ON BREAK TURNED IGNITION IT STARTED. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AND STEERING BACK TO NORMAL. NO NOTICEABLE PROBLEM AFTER THAT.

NHTSA ODI #11286736

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)