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

93,695 miles · May 14, 2015

Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIANS DIAGNOSED THE FUEL PUMP MAIN CIRCUIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE F…

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NHTSA ODI #10716474

19,000 miles · May 13, 2015

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Power Train

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE SERVICE ESC AND SERVICE TRACTION WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE MODULATOR SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 19,000.

NHTSA ODI #10716142

59,000 miles · May 13, 2015

Unknown Or Other

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AFTER COMING HOME FROM A BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SHUT OFF MY CAR ON SATURDAY NIGHT ON SUNDAY MORNING WHEN I WENT TO GET IN MY VEHICLE TO DRIVE TO WORK IT WOULD NOT START. LET VEHICLE SIT ALL DAY SUNDAY THEN ON MONDAY TRIED AGAIN STILL WOULD NOT START AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. HAD A TOW TRUCK COME TO HOME TO PICK VEHICLE UP AND DRIVE TO DELERSHIP TOW TRUCK DRIVER ALSO TRIED TO START CAR WOULD NOT START UPONE VEHICLE GETTING TO DEALERSHIP STARTS RIGHT UP DEALERSHIP DROVE IT KEPT IT OVER NIGHT NO ISSUES. I PICKED MY VEHICLE UP FROM DEALERSHIP LAST NIGHT DROVE FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS PARKED CAR FOR THE NIGHT NOW THIS MORNING IT WILL NOT START AGAIN. DEALERSHIP HAD MY VEHILCE FOR 2DAYS AND COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM BUT CLEARLY THERE IS SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL ISSUE OR SOMETHING OTHERWISE I WOULDNT KEEP HAVING THIS HAPPEN. SOMETHING ABOUT THE TOW COMPANY LIFTING THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO SHIFT SOMETHING AND ALLOWS VEHICLE TO WORK FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.

NHTSA ODI #10716120

61,308 miles · May 12, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Vehicle Speed Control

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I WAS DRIVING 45 THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, AND ALL OF SUDDEN THE CAR CHIMED 4-5 TIMES AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT AND THEN I WENT FROM 45 TO ABOUT 15 QUICK AND IT NOW SAYS ENGINE POWER REDUCED. THERE WASN'T THAT MUCH TRAFFIC SO I KEPT DRIVING TO GET HOME BUT A COUPLE MINUTES LATER IT SHUT OFF COMPLETELY SO I 3 TO A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER TRIED TO START AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS IT STARTED UP AND WAS FINE EXCEPT IT JUMPS AND THEN ACTS LIKE IT'S GOING TO SHUT OFF.

NHTSA ODI #10715826

53,000 miles · May 7, 2015

Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOUL…

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NHTSA ODI #10715111

53,300 miles · May 5, 2015

Air BagsService BrakesCrash

WHILE DRIVING A PERSON SLAMMED ON BRAKES IN FRONT OF ME AND I TOO HIT MINE. I DID NOT FEEL THE ANTILOCK WHILE BRAKING AND AFTER IMPACTING WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT RELEASED. FOR AS HARD AS WE HIT AND FOR AS MUCH DAMAGE HAPPENED THE POLICE WERE SURPRISED THEY DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10714695

88,920 miles · May 1, 2015

Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,920.

NHTSA ODI #10714107

Mileage unknown · Apr 21, 2015

Electrical SystemStructureCrash

DRIVING ON THE [XXX] . A LARGE PIECE OF DEBRIS FROM A SUSPECTED TRUCK FLEW AND DAMAGED MY VEHICLE. THE TRUCK DID NOT STOP SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT ACTUALLY CAME FROM IT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DENIED THE CLAIM BECAUSE THE DEBRIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED COLLISION NOT COMPREHENSION (I AM COVERED FOR COMPREHENSION). NOW I AM STUCK WITH FEE…

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NHTSA ODI #10711978

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2015

Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes, Hydraulic

DO NOT REMEMBER WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR CAMPAIGN 14V252000 MAYBE APPROX. A YEAR AGO. THE PROBLEMS THE CAR WAS HAVING BEFORE I HAD THE RECALL DONE HAVE STARTED AGAIN. UP UNTIL NOW HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS. MY DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME TO FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10711849

24,945 miles · Apr 11, 2015

Air BagsElectrical SystemSeat BeltsCrashInjury

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MY SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS COMING ON EVER SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR AND I TOOK IT TO KOONS FOR SERVICE AND I WAS TOLD ONE WHEEL WAS MOVING FASTER THEN ANOTHER NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT THEN ON 06/18/2014 IWAS HIT BY A CHEVY SILVERADO THAT RAN A LIGHT AND I WAS DOING 45 MILES AN HOUR I HAD MY GRANDDAUGHTER IN HER SAFETY SEAT IN THE BACK NONE OF MY AIR BAGS WORKED NOR DID MY SEAT BELTS MY GRAND DAUGHTER HIT THE BACK OF THE SEATS.NOW MY CAR IS FLASHING THE CODES AGAIN NOW THAT ITS FIXED AND SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING .ITS PART OF THE GM RECALL FOR THE UPPER WIRE HARNESS BUT THEY ARE SAYING IT ISN'T AND THEY ARE NOT STANDING BUY THE WARRANTY THIS DEFECT ALMOST KILLED US AND STILL IS ALMOST KILLING US BY SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COMING ON PLUS AIR BAG LIGHTS SAYING AIR BAGS ARE SHUTTING DOWN .SO THAT MEANS THE AIR BAGS IF WE NEEDED THEM WOULD NOT HELP US AGAIN IF NEEDED.WE WERE VERY BADLY HURT THE LAST TIME AND I NEED GM TO STEP UP AND REIMBURSE US FOR OUR INJURIES AND FOR MAKING US STILL RIDE IN AN UNSAFE CAR THAT THEY NOW IS ON THE RECALL LIST BUT THEY KEEP SAYING ITS NOT.MY CAR IS STILL IN SERVICE AND SERVICE IS SAYING IT IS PART OF THE RECALL BIT GM WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. .. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10705120

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)