Steering. Review the 460 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 231 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 106 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

30 crash reports5 fire reports15 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

231 reports

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49,000 miles · Apr 17, 2013

Electrical SystemSteering

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STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY WHEN THE CAR WAS AT REST AND THEN BEGAN TO SHAKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 49K MILES. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND HAD THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED. THEN THE POWER DOOR LOCKS BEGAN TO FAIL; BOTH PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS AND THE DRIVER'S LOCK MUST BE OPERATED MANUALLY NOW (WELL, THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK WORKS 1/2 OF THE TIME...NEVER KNOW IF IT IS ACTUALLY ENGAGED UNLESS YOU DO IT MANUALLY). NO OUTSIDE KEYHOLE EXISTS FOR THE PASSENGER DOOR SIDE TO BE UNLOCKED, WHICH IS VERY INCONVENIENT AND POTENTIALLY UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING ALONE AND CANNOT GET THE DOORS LOCKED BY PUSHING THE BUTTON. HAVE DRIVEN GM VEHICLES MY ENTIRE LIFE, BUT THIS IS THE LAST TIME THE COMPANY WILL EVER GET MY MONEY. SAD.... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10508511

42,000 miles · Apr 14, 2013

Electrical System

KEYLESS DOOR FOB WILL NOT UNLOCK REAR DOORS. LOOKING THIS UP ON THE INTERNET HAS SHOWN THIS PROBLEMS IS A COMON COMPLAINT AND NOT COVERED AFTER 3 YEAR OR 36000 MILE WARRANTY THOUGH MILEAGE IS NOT A FACTOR FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE SAFETY FACTOR INVOLVED WOULD BE INABILITY TO OPEN REAR DOOR IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH WITH INJURIES. …

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NHTSA ODI #10508207

32,579 miles · Mar 26, 2013

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

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I FIRST EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM OCTOBER 2011 WHEN THE DASHBOARD MESSAGE INDICATED SERVICE TRACTION AND SERVICE ESC, I TOOK MY CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE WHERE THEY PUT DIELECTRIC GREASE ON THE BCM CONNECTORS. THEY STATED IF THE PROBLEM CONTINUES, I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO A DEALER FOR THE BCM TO BE REPROGRAMMED. WHILE THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM OF MY SERVICE BRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON WITHOUT TOUCHING MY BREAK PEDAL AND THEN WHILE BREAKING NO BREAK LIGHTS COME ON, THE FIX ONLY WORKED TEMPORARILY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A DEALERSHIP, BECAUSE LIKE OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, WHEN YOU SHUT THE CAR OFF IT CLEARS THE MESSAGE UNTIL YOU ARE NO LONGER AT THE GARAGE AND IT COMES BACK ON. I TOO TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND DID NOT SHUT THE CAR OFF. THE SERVICE WRITER SAW THE MESSAGES WHICH WERE, SERVICE TRACTION AND SERVICE ESC. THE FIRST TIME I VISITED THE DEALER WAS ON JUNE 1, 2012, THEIR REPORT STATES CODE C0131 ABS TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM PRESSURE CIRCUIT. I HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED ON JUNE 25, 2012 IN WHICH THEY REPLACED AND CALIBRATED BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH, GREASED BCM CONNECTOR, CLEARED CODE, ROAD TEST, REPLACE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FOR A SUM OF MONEY. THIS HAS NOT FIXED MY PROBLEM TO DATE. THE PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY PERSISTENT DURING DAMP AND WET WEATHER. IT IS AN UNEASY FEELING DRIVING BECAUSE IT HAPPENS AT RANDOM TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10504624

Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2013

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

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YOU HAVE TO TAKE OFF FRONT END OF CAR TO CHANGE HEADLIGHT BULB(BUMPER, GRILL, BRACKETS). REPLACED 3 HEADLIGHT BULBS IN LITTLE MORE THAN 1 YEAR . PROBLEM WITH REPLACING BULB......YOU HAVE TO TAKE OFF FRONT END TO CHANGE BULB. LAST TIME I CHANGED BULB WAS 3 WEEKS AGO. BULB OUT AGAIN. I AM NOT A MECHANIC OR BODY PERSON SO I HAVE TO PAY SOMEONE TO CHANGE THE BULB. PAID SOMEONE TO TAKE OFF FRONT END AND CHANGE THE BULB. BECAUSE IT ONLY LASTED ABOUT 2 WEEKS OR LESS, I AM ASSUMING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL. I NEVER KNOW WHEN BULB WILL GO OUT. I CAN PAY TO FIX IT AGAIN, BUT, I CANNOT SEE AT NIGHT WITH ONE LIGHT AND OTHERS CANNOT SEE ME. IT IS A HAZARD AND I DON??T KNOW WHAT TO DO. CHEVY QUOTED ME $320.00 TO DO THIS. I PAID 1ST $220.00 2ND 180.00 3RD $180.00 . ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BECAUSE OF LOCK PROBLEM DESCRIBED BELOW, THAT IS WHY I THINK IT MAY BE ELECTRICAL MY BROTHER AND I GOT A CAR (SAME CAR 3 MONTHS APART) HIS CAR DID THE SAME THING - ALL DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED - HE TOOK IN TO CHEVY. GAVE HIM SOME WEIRD EXCUSE AND SAID IT WOULD COST HIM SO MUCH MONEY TO FIX WHICH WAS A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT. HE TRADED HIS 2008 CHEVY MALIBU IN FINALLY BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS AND BOUGHT A TOYOTA CAMRY. THE COST QUOTED HIM WAS THE REASON I DID NOT TAKE MINE IN TO REPAIR. I COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR CHEVYS MALFUNCTION. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

NHTSA ODI #10504282

44,000 miles · Mar 10, 2013

Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

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CHEVROLET MALIBU LTZ 3.6L, AS YOU DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AT ANY SPEED THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE DISPLAY SAY CHECK TRACTION PRESS ESC I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED AT THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THE TECH SAID THE ENGINE MISFIRED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO BAD GAS OR A PARTICLE IN THE GAS BUT IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT TEN TIMES WITH GAS FROM SEVERAL PLACES AND ALL GRADES REGULAR TO PREMIUM AND KNOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND AM KNOW TAKING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM SCAN THE CAR AGAIN I HAVE HAD THE CAR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH, IF THE DEALER DECIDES IT IS NO LONGER THERE PROBLEM I WILL REPORT THIS PROBLEM AND HASSLE I HAVE GONE THROUGH TO GM MANAGEMENT AND WILL RETURN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER OR OWNER OF DEALERSHIP FOR A REFUND. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10502220

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2013

Electrical SystemEquipment Adaptive/mobility

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KEY FOB DOES NOT UNLOCK OR LOCK THE FRONT AND BACK DOORS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. IF SOMEONE IS IN THE BACK SEAT THE DRIVER CAN NOT GET THEM OUT AS THE DOOR LOCK WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE FOB. WHEN THE CAR IS PUT IN DRIVE THE DRIVERS DOOR DOES NOT LOCK, SO IT IS ASSUMMED THAT YOU ARE SAFELY LOCKED IN THE CAR, BUT THE DOOR NEEDS TO BE LOCKED MANUALLY AFTER IN THE CAR IS PUT IN DRIVE. WHEN LOCKED MANUALLY WHEN IN CAR, WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN AUTOMATICALLY AND HAS TO BE MANUALLY OPENED BY PULLING THE LOCK ON DOOR UP ON THE DRIVER DOOR AND THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR. WHEN TRYING TO USE THE REMOTE TO LOCK THE DOORS, THE FRONT AND BACK DOORS DO NOT LOCK UNLESS DONE MANUALLY. WHEN THE FOB IS USED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS AS I TRY TO GET INTO THE CAR THE FOB DOES NOT WORK AND I HAVE TO MANUALLY WITH THE KEY UNLOCK THE DOOR. WHEN TRYING TO REMOTE START THE CAR THE REMOTE START DOES NOT WORK, AS THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND BACK DOOR WILL NOT LOCK, SO REMOTE START DOES NOT WORK. I HAD AN INCIDENT WITH THE BACK DOOR WHEN I NEEDED TO GET AN INDIVIDUAL OUT OF THE BACK SEAT QUICKLY AND IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. I HAD TO RUN TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAR AND GET THE INDIVIDUAL OUT BY PULLING THEM TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAR. WHEN I AM APPROACHING MY CAR IN AN AREA THAT I FEEL UNSAFE IN, SUCH AS A GARAGE, I AM NOT ABLE TO OPEN MY CAR DOOR WITH THE FOB AND HAVE TO AGAIN USE THE KEY. AGAIN THEN WHEN I GET IN THE CAR I AM UNSAFE AS THE DOOR DOES NOT LOCK, FRONT OR BACK IF NOT LOCKED MANUALLY. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY NOT BEING ABLE TO GET SOMEONE OUT OF THE BACK SEAT OR ME OUT OF THE FRONT SHOULD I ENCOUNTER AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, OR IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT, OR IF FOR ANY REASON I HAVE A FIRE IN THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10498167

67,000 miles · Feb 12, 2013

Electrical SystemEngineLatches/locks/linkages

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STEERING SHAKES VIOLENTLY,WHILE DRIVING OR STOPPED,TO THE POINT OF LOSING CONTROL. CONDITION IS INTERMITENT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER AND DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A STEERING CONTROL MODULE. SO FAR CHEVROLET HAS NOT OFFERED A FIX ,EXCEPT TO REPLACE IT AT A COST OF 743 .00$ WITH THE SAME PART THAT IS DEFECTIVE? ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT 70000 MILES AND DEALER REPLACED CAT CONV AT NO CHARGE . THE THIRD ISSUE IS DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING AT 74000 MILES,AND WILL ONLY OPEN MANUALLY. THE STEERING IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND I FEAR WILL CAUSE A ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10497888

73,000 miles · Jan 25, 2013

Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes

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WHILST DRIVING HOME ONE NIGHT I NOTICED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON, HOWEVER I WAS NOT APPLYING THE BRAKES. I THEN PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS TURNED OFF. ONCE I LET GO OF THE BRAKE THEY CAME BACK ON AFTER A FEW SECONDS. AT THE SAME TIME, I RECEIVED AN ERROR THAT READ ALONG THE LINES OF: ESC SERVICE TRACTION. MY HUSBAND AND I FOUND A FORUM WHERE OTHER MALIBU OWNERS SEEMED TO BE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, SO WE REMOVED THE PANEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR TO CHECK FOR ANY CORROSION, THEN REPLACED THE PANEL. THE PROBLEM STOPPED, HOWEVER THIS ISSUE IS RE-OCCURRING, AND HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES SINCE THEN. I ALWAYS RECEIVE THE SAME ESC SERVICE TRACTION ERROR EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS AND I AM NOT ABLE TO USE CRUISE CONTROL AS THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE BEING ENGAGED WITHOUT THE PEDAL BEING PRESSED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10494711

70,500 miles · Dec 4, 2012

Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DISPLAYS CONSTANTLY. THE FUEL GAUGE WILL RANDOMLY DROP DOWN TO LOW/EMPTY EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A FULL TANK OF GAS. ALSO AT RANDOM, THE TIRE PRESSURE SYSTEM LIGHT AND AIRBAG SAFETY LIGHT WILL RANDOMLY DISPLAY ON THE CAR'S DASH BOARD. THERE ARE 49 OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON REPAIRPAL.COM HTTP://REPAIRPAL…

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NHTSA ODI #10487386

83,000 miles · Nov 12, 2012

Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

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THREE OF MY CAR DOORS DO NOT LOCK UNLESS MANUALLY LOCKED. THE ELECTRONICS HAVE FAILED ON ALL THREE DOORS. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE MOTOR IN EACH DOOR, AT THE COST OF OVER $750. THE COST IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM. THE MOTORS THAT FAILED IN EACH DOOR WILL BE REPLACED BY THE SAME FAULTY PART. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT COSTS $300 TO FIX ONE DOOR'S LOCKS ALONE. THE DRIVERS LOCK HAD GREATER PROBLEMS THAN THE OTHERS BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT LOCKS ME IN THE CAR BECAUSE IT SHIFTS THE LOCK A LITTLE AND THE DOOR GETS JAMMED. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH GM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10484062

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)