Steering. Review the 173 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

55 reports

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111,000 miles · Feb 13, 2015

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

IN THE BEGINNING MY CAR WOULD PULL TO ONE SIDE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE REALLY BAD. IT WOULD SHAKE DRIVING AND AT A STAND STILL. AFTER IT WOULD SHAKE THE POWER STEERING WOULD SHUT OFF. I COULD BE DRIVING OR AT A STAND STILL WHEN IT SHUTS OFF (IT DIDN'T MATTER). I START MY CAR NOW AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES …

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NHTSA ODI #10683271

96,350 miles · Feb 12, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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DEAR NHTSA; I OWN A 2010 PONTIAC G6 THAT WITHIN THE LAST WEEK INCURRED A POWER STEERING FAILURE. RECALL RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ON MARCH 2014 THE NHTSA REQUIRED GM TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM, HOWEVER, IT ONLY COVERED THE G6 MODELS UP TO THE YEAR 2009. THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE "PROBLEM" WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THE STEERING PROBLEM FOR EARLIER MODELS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. HOWEVER, SINCE THE 2010 MODEL YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA RECALL, THE COST TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM FALLS TO THE CONSUMER AND IS ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE $1,800 TO $2,000 RANGE. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND MIRRORS THE SAME CHARACTERISTIC'S AS EARLIER MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE CONTACTED GM REGARDING THIS MATTER AND HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT A LOCAL CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WILL BE CONTACTING ME WITHIN 48 HOURS. WHILE I APPRECIATE GM'S WILLINGNESS TO "CONSIDER" THE MATTER, I URGE THE NHTSA TO RE-VISIT THE MODEL YEARS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE BURDENED WITH THE COST OF REPAIRING WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN DEFECT. FURTHER AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IS SAFETY FOR THE PASSENGERS AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. I HOPE THAT THE NTSB WILL INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER ACCORDINGLY AND AMEND THE POWER STEERING RECALL TO INCLUDE 2010 MODELS. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10682876

77,000 miles · Jan 26, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

DRIVING INTO WORK THE WARNING BELLS SOUNDED ON THE CAR. THE POWER STEERING WAS ILLUMINATED AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE ESC OFF AND ESC WARNING ALSO CAME IN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10678818

85,000 miles · Jan 22, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

I LOSE POWER STEERING FROM TIME TO TIME. I MAY HAVE IT WHEN I START THE CAR AND THEN LOSE IT GOING DOWN THE ROAD. I MAY NOT HAVE IT WHEN I START THE CAR AND THEN IT COMES BACK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10678312

101,786 miles · Dec 22, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineVehicle Speed Control

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I HAVE NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES MY CAR PULLS WHEN I AM AT REST AND DRIVING. TODAY, I SAT IN MY CAR TO GET SOME HEAT ON MY LUNCH BREAK. MY CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND MESSAGES AND LIGHTS POPPED UP. THE ENGINE, TCS AND ESC LIGHTS CAME ON. I TURNED IT OFF AND CRANK IT AGAIN AND I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE RATTLING. THAT HAPPENED AROUND 1 PM. I GOT OFF AROUND 730 PM TONIGHT AND AS I DROVE THE CAR RODE GOOD FOR ABOUT 2 MILES AND THEN IT BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND ALL OF THESE WARNINGS POPPED UP REGARDING TRACTION AND POWERING DOWN. I PULLED OVER SAT AND CRANK MY CAR AND THE ENGINE RATTLED HORRIBLY. I TURNED IT OFF AND CRANK IT AGAIN. THE RIDE WAS NOT SMOOTH AND IT WAS JERKING. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION REGARDING A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE THIS YEAR. I RECEIVED ONE I BELIEVE LAST YEAR AND TOOK CARE OF IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10667815

89,000 miles · Dec 2, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR WENT OFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN, SHORTY FOLLOWED BY THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR. I PULLED OFF ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE, AND THE POWER STEERING WORKED AGAIN, BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED ONCE MORE ON MY 35 MILE COMMUTE TO WORK. ON THE WAY HOME, HOWEVER, THE POWER STEERING WOULD ONLY WORK FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS EACH TIME I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON. NOW BOTH THE POWER STEERING AND ESC DONT WORK AT ALL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE GM DEALER WHERE I LIVE, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR WAS DISPLAYING ERROR CODE C0545, INDICATING THAT THE STEERING SHAFT TORQUE SENSOR, THE TORQUE POSITION SENSOR IN THE STEERING, NEEDS REPLACEMENT, AND THAT THERE IS A RECALL OUT ON OTHER YEARS OF PONTIAC G6'S FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT 2010 WAS LEFT OFF THE RECALL. NO WORD YET ON WHETHER GM IS GOING TO OWN UP TO THEIR PROBLEM AND TAKE CARE OF IT, BUT AFTER READING ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON HERE RELATED TO THE SAME PROBLEM, I AM NOT TOO OPTIMISTIC. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THAT GM CAN MANUFACTURE AND SELL VEHICLES WITH PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. IT'S A WONDER THAT THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT INVOLVED WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10661768

50,000 miles · Sep 3, 2014

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Power Train

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WAS PARKED IN FRIENDS DRIVEWAY, EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. STARTED CAR AND DEPRESSED BRAKE AND RELEASED EMERGENCY BRAKE, THEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND BACKED OUT OF DRIVEWAY. WHEN I SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE CAR DIED. I PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTARTED.. ENGINE WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH, KEPT TRYING TO DIE, NO POWER STEERING, NO COOL AIR OR A/C.. SERVICE ESC MESSAGE ON DISPLAY AS WELL AS TRACTION CONTROL "OFF". CALLED ONSTAR FOR ONDEMAND DIAG. AND THEY SAID WAS MY EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TO SHUT OFF CAR AND THEN RESTART... DID THAT AND CAR RAN FINE.. FOR APPROX. A MONTH.. THEN HAPPENED AGAIN.. ON DEMAND DIAG COULD NOT GET A CODE.. NEITHER COULD DEALERSHIP. THIS CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY UNTIL ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO.. @ 60,400 MILES (NOW OUT OF WARRANTY) TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET 2 CODES.. ONE SAYING ELECTRONIC STABILIZER AND OTHER SAYING THERMOSTAT HAS WENT OUT. (1 CONSISTENT THING WITH ALL THIS .. MY THERMOSTAT GAUGE WOULD BE FLATLINED NO MATTER IF CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN RECENTLY OR NOT) UPON LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT, JUST AS I WAS PULLING ONTO ROAD .THE "BUMPS"FROM THE TRANSITION CAUSED THE GAUGE TO START DISPLAYING AGAIN.. AND POWER STEERING, A/C AND COOL AIR RESUMED WORKING AS WELL... HAVE NOT HAD ANY MORE EPISODES FOR ABOUT A MONTH.. UNTIL 9/2 WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR AND STARTED IT .. TEMP GAUGE NO WORK, NO A/C NO PWR STEERING.. REACHED DESTINATION AND CAR SAT APPROX 4 HRS.. THEN DROVE 4 MILES AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS REMAINED ON. CHECKED FLUIDS .. ALL FINE.. BUT DID NOTICE ENGINE FAN STAYING ENGAGED CONTINUALLY WHILE DRIVING AND FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER TURNING OFF CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10630386

90,000 miles · Jul 11, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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THIS INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED NO LESS THAN 100 TIMES IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS. STARTED OFF IN MID APRIL WITH THE DASHBOARD ALERT BEEPS, AND WARNING DISPLAY THAT THE POWER STEER IS NOT SERVICEABLE, FOLLOWED BY A 2ND ALERT THE ESC IS OFF. ALONG WITH THE ALERTS. I LOST ALL POWER STEERING. WHEN THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, THE ERROR WAS CLEARED AND NORMAL STEERING CONTROL RESUMED.AND FROM MID APRIL 2014 UNTIL EARLY JUNE, THIS ERROR WAS VERY RANDOM AN OCCURRED ONLY A FEW TIME (LESS THAN 10) BUT SINCE EARLY JUNE, IT HAPPENS ALMOST CONSTANT. I NO SOONER STOP, TURN OFF THE CAR, THEN RESTART THE CAR WHICH SOMETIMES CLEARS THE ERROR AND SOMETIMES DOESN'T. I WAS JUST TOLD MINUTES AGO THAT MY CAR'S VIN WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, YET THE MODEL AND YEAR IS! ALONG WITH MILLIONS OF OTHERS... I CAN'T DRIVE IT AS IS, AND CAN'T AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED... WHY ISN'T AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM ADDRESSED BETTER THAN THIS? AND WHAT AM I TO DO? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10609794

70,000 miles · Apr 22, 2014

Air BagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY MULTIPLE INDICATORS SUDDENLY ALERTED ME TO ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING, ESC SYSTEM, AIRBAGS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS. THE GAUGES ALL MAXED OUT AND THEN FAILED ENTIRELY. THIS WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 70K MILES I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND THE REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THERE WERE NO CODES THAT REGISTERED DURING THEIR DIAGNOSTIC. I WAS ADVISED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND FOR APPROXIMATELY A MONTH LATER THE ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN, THIS TIME MY SPEEDOMETER AND ALL DASH FUNCTIONS CEASED TO WORK, THE SAME ALERTS CAME ON AND THIS TIME THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH INTO GEAR AND SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT. WHILE I AM STILL ABLE TO DRIVE IT, I AM NOT ABLE TO TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING NOR DO I FEEL THAT IT IS SAFE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE CHECKED THE RECALL LISTS AND IT APPEARS THE 2010 PONTIAC G6 IS NOT AMONGST THE VEHICLES BEING RECALLED. THIS IS ABSURD AND A DANGER TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THE ROAD WHILE THESE CARS ARE BEING DRIVEN. GM NEEDS TO OWN UP TO IT'S MISTAKES AND CORRECT THEM IN ORDER TO RETAIN CUSTOMERS AND SAVE LIVES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10584342

160,000 miles · Feb 13, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR DOWN THE STREET THE POWER STEERING/POWER ASSIST FAILS AND THE CAR IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. WHEN GOING AROUND A CURVE THE CAR COULD EXIT THE ROADWAY. STOPPING, TURNING OFF THE CAR AND TURNING IT BACK WILL RECTIFY THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10564245

Official recalls

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)

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.

Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Electrical System:wiring

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

12V460000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Sep 18, 2012

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.