Steering. Review the 768 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 368 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 255 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

41 crash reports9 fire reports31 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

368 reports

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40,218 miles · Feb 3, 2015

Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

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I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT YET. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY CAR. THE INFORMATION I PROVIDED ABOVE ON MARCH 13, 204 I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT FIXED. BUT THE PROBLEMS ARE STILL HAPPENING..I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY SAID IT WAS JUST SOME WATER LEAKING ON THE ELECTRICAL WIRING AND WOULD NEED REPLACED. I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY AT THE TIME BUT DID TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE HE ALSO PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER AND ADVISED THAT THERE IS NO WATER LEAKAGE. I HAVE ANOTHER INCIDENT THE OTHER DAY WHERE I LOST POWER AND ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT. MY TACTION GOT DISABLED AS WELL. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AT KENNY ROSS IN IRWIN TO TAKE IT BACK SO THEY CAN LOOK AT IT AGAIN, BUT I DON'T TRUST THEM. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT WITH LOW MILEAGE AND I GO NO WHERE AS I WORK FROM HOME, STILL HAS LOW MILEAGE..I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING PROBLEMS. THE ORIGINAL RECALL REPAIRS WERE NEVER DONE...CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE WHAT I SHOULD DO IN THIS ASE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10680969

91,800 miles · Jan 28, 2015

Electrical SystemSteering

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THE SAME DAY I BROUGHT MY CAR TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND A BRAKE LIGHT MALFUNCTION RECALL, I HAD THE FIRST OCCURRENCE OF THE ISSUE. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, A CHIME SOUNDED, AND THE INFORMATION DISPLAY ON THE DASH SHOWED POWER STEERING AND SERVICE ESC. THE POWER STEERING WAS TURNED OFF, AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. HOWEVER, AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE SAME CHIME SOUNDS, SAME ERRORS COME UP, AND POWER STEERING SHUTS OFF. THIS NOW HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SEVERAL GM VEHICLES, INCLUDING SOME 2009 MALIBUS, FOR AN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) ISSUE. IN THE RECALL, THE DESCRIPTION THEY GIVE MATCHES MY ISSUE PERFECTLY. HOWEVER, MY SPECIFIC 2009 MALIBU ISN'T PART OF THE RECALL FOR SOME REASON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10679406

98,000 miles · Jan 27, 2015

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

I WAS DRIVING AT AROUND 45MPH AND SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING ASSISTANCE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MULTIPLE RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE BUT MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THESE RECALLS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10679208

70,000 miles · Jan 27, 2015

Electrical SystemStructure

REAR DOOR LOCKS JUST QUIT WORKING, DOESN'T WORK WITH KEY FOB OR INSIDE SWITCH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10679077

125,000 miles · Jan 16, 2015

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH MY SON GOING AT RATES OF 70MPH. MY POWER STEERING GAVE OUT AND I WAS UNABLE TO TURN WHEEL. TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG I FOUND OUT THE POWER STEERING TORQUE SENSOR GAVE OUT. I CONTACTED GM AND MY LOCAL DEALER ABOUT INCIDENT BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING ON SEVERAL OF THIS YEAR AND MODEL CAR. OTHER GM CARS HAVE PUT RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING, NOT MINE. I CONTACTED DEALER BECAUSE THEY HAVE ME A PRICE OF $500-$1200. I CONTACTED GM THEY REFUSE TO HELP ME AT ALL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING MY OWN CAR. I PURCHASED THE SENSOR ON MY OWN BECAUSE THE DEALER MARK UP WAS DOUBLE OF WHAT THE PART COST. GM REFUSES TO HELP AND I AM NOW RENTING A CAR WAITING FOR THIS TO BE FIXED TO SELL IT. I WAS WITH MY YOUNG CHILD ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT LOCKED UP. PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10676154

83,000 miles · Jan 13, 2015

Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

NHTSA ODI #10672248

80,000 miles · Jan 8, 2015

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

THE PASSENGER FRONT HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT REPLACED. WITHIN A WEEK OR SO, IT HAD BURNED BACK OUT. AT THAT TIME THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON.CHEVYMALIBUFORUM.COM AND THIS IS APPARENTLY VERY COMMON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10671181

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2015

Electrical System

STARTED MY CAR IN JAN 2015 AND POWER STEERING SERVICE ESC ALARM COMES ON THIS MAKES SECOND OCCURRENCE WHEN I LOOKED UP MY CAR IT SAYS THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM WHEN I LOOKED UP THE VIN NUMBER IT SAYS IT WAS REPAIRED SO WHY IS IT STILL HAPPENING THERE R SEVERAL RECALLS FOR MY 2009 CHEVY MALIBU SO I WANT TO KNOW IF I'VE …

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NHTSA ODI #10670684

Mileage unknown · Jan 2, 2015

Electrical SystemSteering

THERE IS A POWER STEERING PROBLEM AS IS GOES OFF ON THE FREEWAY WHILE DRIVING, AS WELL AS THERE IS A RECALL ON THE BREAK LAMP TURNS ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS AS THEY COULDN'T NOT FIND THE ISSUE RELATING TO THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10681260

110,000 miles · Jan 1, 2015

Electrical System

POWER DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK . WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE USING THE INTERIOR SWITCH NOR THE KEY FOB. MALFUNCTION OF LOCKS OCCURRED AFTER A REPAIR OF THE RECALLED FAULTY BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) CONNECTION; WHICH RESULTS IN FLUCTUATIONS IN THE BRAKE APPLY SENSOR ( BAS). IT MENTIONS OTHER POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS MAY OCCUR. CRUIS…

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NHTSA ODI #10669491

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)