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

111,100 miles · May 17, 2016

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

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I WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH IN CRUISE CONTROL ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. AN AMBULANCE WAS HEADING TOWARDS ME SO I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OVER AND THE CAR ACCELERATED VERY QUICKLY. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE I WAS MOVING TOWARDS THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD BECAUSE OF THE ONCOMING AMBULANCE. I HAD TO TURN OFF CRUISE CONTROL TO BE ABLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ALSO NOT COMING ON WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES. THE PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTING HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY AND WAS REPAIRED ON 04/28/2015. I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL #13036 BUT I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE SWITCH AND WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL HOWEVER WHEN I LOOK UP THE RECALL NUMBERS ON MY VEHICLE THIS RECALL NUMBER DOES NOT SHOW UP AS STILL NEEDING TO BE DONE. I PAID FOR THE REPAIR AND I AM NOW HAVING THE SERIOUS PROBLEM OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING AGAIN PLUS THE EVEN MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM OF THE BRAKES NOT WORKING WHEN I AM IN CRUISE CONTROL. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PROCEED WITH HAVING THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED. THE RECALL PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED CORRECTLY OR THERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT IS OCCURRING. I HAVE ATTACHED A COPY OF MY RECEIPT OF THE REPAIR THAT WAS DONE ON 04/28/15.

NHTSA ODI #10865453

Mileage unknown · May 13, 2016

Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL FOR THE BRAKE CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE MANUFACTURERS RECALL WAS NOT COMPLETED DUE TO THE OLD BRAKE MODULE STILL BEING IN…

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NHTSA ODI #10864748

45,000 miles · May 10, 2016

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

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WHEN SLOWING DOWN, OR PARKED WITH CAR RUNNING, THE RPM BOUNCES FROM 1-2 RPMS. LIGHT ON DASHBOARD SAYS "SERVICE ESC". AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COME ON BRIEFLY. PROBLEM IS, THIS WAS A RECALL IN 2014, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT, HAD IT REPAIRED. NOW, ALMOST A YEAR LATER ITS ACTING UP AGAIN! I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID NOW I'M RESPONSIBLE TO FIX IT. I FEEL IF THEY DIDNT FIX IT THE FIRST TIME, THEY SHOULD FIX IT AGAIN. IT MAY HAVE BEEN A FAULTY REPLACEMENT PART FOR ALL I KNOW. I STILL HAVE 2 YEARS LEFT ON THE PAYMENTS, NOW LOOKING AT ELECTRICAL REPAIR??? ITS A SAFETY HAZARD, AND SHOULD BE COVERED IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT, AND SHOULD REMAIN OPEN.

NHTSA ODI #10864148

3,000 miles · May 9, 2016

Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM UNLOCKED, BUT THE DOOR ITSELF WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

NHTSA ODI #10864015

10,000 miles · Apr 27, 2016

Exterior LightingFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS MELTED THE HALOGEN CONNECTORS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMA…

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NHTSA ODI #10861777

32,000 miles · Apr 26, 2016

Seat Belts

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE FRAYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V269000 (SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 32,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT....UPDATED 06/30/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 07/06/16.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10861530

88,201 miles · Apr 24, 2016

Power Train

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WHEN GOING FROM 0 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR VEHICLE SHIFTS CONSTANTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. I HAD THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED BY RICK HENDRICKS CHEVROLET @ 6252 VIRGINIA BEACH BLVD NORFOLK, VIRGINIA. THE DEALER PRINTED OUT THE DIAGNOSIS STATING THE TRANSMISSION COOLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO PRIORITY CHEVROLET @ 1495 SOUTH MILITARY HIGHWAY CHESAPEAKE,VIRGINIA TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM REPAIRED AND THIS DEALER DIAGNOSED THE LOWER COOLER LINE AND RADIATOR TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES NEEDED REPLACEMENT WHICH I HAD DONE BY PRIORITY CHEVROLET THAT DAY HOWEVER THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM STILL EXISTS .

NHTSA ODI #10861138

107,000 miles · Apr 21, 2016

EngineTraction Control SystemVehicle Speed Control

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE TRACTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED BRIEFLY. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD REQUIRE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RESTART. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WAS NOT FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

NHTSA ODI #10860832

137,000 miles · Apr 12, 2016

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND 15V269000 (SEAT BELT), THE STEERING WHEEL CEASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.

NHTSA ODI #10855094

50,000 miles · Apr 7, 2016

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

LOW BEAMS ARE TO LOW FOR NIGHT TIME DRIVING CAN THEY BE ADJUSTED? CAN'T SEE VERY FAR SO HAVE TO USE BRIGHTS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC ALSO. ALSO THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, INSTRUMENT LIGHTS, GET REAL DIM EITHER DRIVING OR STOPPED, SO DIM GAUGES ARE HARD TO READ. AFTER A WHILE THEY COME BACK ON.

NHTSA ODI #10854237

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)