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

Seats complaints

30 reports

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75,000 miles · Dec 13, 2017

Seats

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED INDEPENDENTLY AS THOUGH THE SEAT FRAME INTEGRITY WAS COMPROMISED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FELDMAN CHEVROLET (2801 E MICHIGAN AVE, LANSING, MI), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH NHTSA AND WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS IN ORDER TO ISSUE A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.

NHTSA ODI #11054437

95,915 miles · Apr 5, 2017

Seats

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE DRIVER'S SEAT MADE A POPPING NOISE AND BECAME LOOSE FROM THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A NEW SEAT FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,915.

NHTSA ODI #10970733

130,000 miles · Mar 22, 2017

Seats

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THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS A POWER SEAT AND, WHILE I KEEP THE SEAT IN THE LOWEST POSITION, MY WIFE NEEDS THE SEAT UP HIGHER. WHEN RAISING THE SEAT, SHE NOTICED THAT THE SEAT WAS GOING UP CROOKED AND WAS NOT SUPPORTING PROPERLY ON THE SIDE NEAREST THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I NOTICED THAT THE SEAT FRAME HAD BROKEN NEAR A WELD, BUT NOT ON THE WELD. INSTEAD, A PIECE OF THE STRUCTURAL TUBING THAT WAS WELDED BETWEEN BOTH SIDES OF THE FRAMEWORK HAD ACTUALLY RIPPED, LIKE A STRESS FAILURE. I PULLED THE SEAT OUT OF THE CAR AND TOOK PICTURES OF THE FAILURE ON THE FRONT. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE REAR TUBING WAS ALSO SPLIT/CRACKED NEAR THE WELD. THE SEAT NO LONGER FEELS SOLIDLY MOUNTED, ESPECIALLY WHEN IN THE RAISED POSITION. THE BAR ACTUALLY SEPARATES WHEN RAISING THE SEAT AND MOVES AROUND WHEN WEIGHT IS APPLIED. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET, I COULD FIND NO SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, WHICH SURPRISED ME VERY MUCH, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE. I BELIEVE, IN AN ACCIDENT, THAT THE DRIVER SEAT WOULD NOT BE HELD IN IT'S NORMAL POSITION PROPERLY AND COULD INJURE SOMEONE MORE SEVERELY THAN THE ACCIDENT MIGHT CAUSE ON ITS OWN. I DID FIND NUMEROUS OTHER REPORTS ON VARIOUS FORUMS ABOUT PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE. IN FACT, ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE POSTED PICTURES AND THE TUBING FAILED ALMOST IDENTICALLY TO MINE, WITH A LARGE PIECE STILL ATTACHED TO THE BRACKET BY THE WELD. I DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THE BREAK STARTED, BUT IT HAS MOST CERTAINLY GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME. MY WIFE HAS BEEN THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO, BUT I DROVE IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE THAT. THE SEAT HARDLY EVER GOT MOVED WHEN I WAS THE ONLY DRIVER. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER NOTICED THE SEAT LEANING WHEN IN THE RAISED POSITION, WHICH PROMPTED MY INVESTIGATION. IT APPEARS TO BE A POORLY ENGINEERED FRAMEWORK ASSEMBLY AND SHOULD BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI #10967877

Mileage unknown · Jan 19, 2017

Air BagsSeats

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THE SENSOR THAT DETERMINES IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TURNS ON DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. I WEIGH 100 POUNDS (WHICH IS ABOVE THE THRESHOLD FOR WHAT SHOULD TRIGGER THE AIRBAG TO BE ON) AND ABOUT HALF THE TIME THE AIRBAG IS DISABLED WHEN I AM SITTING IN THE SEAT PROPERLY WITH MY FEET ON THE GROUND AND THE CHAIR UPRIGHT. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET TO HAVE THEM REIMBURSE THE COST OF FIXING THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAS CAUSED RECALLS IN OTHER CHEVROLET CARS, BUT THEY HAVE REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE. THE SENSOR MALFUNCTION DOESN'T SEEM TO BE CORRELATED WITH WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, IN MOTION, ON A STREET OR HIGHWAY, ETC. IT HAPPENS ABOUT HALF OF THE TIME AND CAN SOMETIMES GO ON AND OFF DURING THE SAME CAR TRIP EVEN IF I STAY IN THE SAME POSITION THE WHOLE TIME. THIS ISSUE HAS REPORTED FOR CHEVROLET MALIBUS ON SEVERAL ONLINE FORUMS SO I KNOW IT ISN'T AN ISOLATED ISSUE WITH MY CAR. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF WE WERE IN A CRASH AND THE AIRBAG DIDN'T GO OFF OR WENT OFF LATE WHEN THE PASSENGER'S BODY WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE AIRBAG.

NHTSA ODI #10946346

71,000 miles · Dec 30, 2016

SeatsInjury

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SEAT FRAME INTEGRITY IS COMPROMISED. SEAT IS NOT SECURED TO THE RUNNING BOARDS. JOINTS WHERE THE TUBES ARE WELDED ARE COMPROMISED AND SEPARATED. APPEARS TO BE A FATIGUE FAILURE. IN JANUARY 2013, WITH MUCH ARGUMENT WITH GM ABOUT REPLACING THE SEAT FRAME, THEY FINALLY AGREED TO REPLACE IT FOR A DEPOSIT OF $300. THIS BEFORE GM HAD TO GO TO CONGRESS TO EXPLAIN THEIR LACK OF ACTION FOR IGNORING THE DESIGN DEFECT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT'S ABOUT 4 YEARS LATER AND I'M HAVING THE EXACT SAME FAILURE OF THE COMPROMISE OF THE WELDS ON THE REPLACED 2013 FRAME. THIS TIME GM REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AS THEY SAY THEY ALREADY REPLACED IT ONCE! THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM! I HAVE PICTURES FROM THE ORIGINAL SEAT SHOWING THE FATIGUED TUBE BREAKAGE. I HAVE NOW HAD 2 SEAT FRAMES ON THE SAME CAR AND BOTH FAILED. IN ENGINEERING WE CALL THIS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. GM NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS POOR DESIGN. IT'S JUST A MATER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT CAUSE THE SEAT DOESN'T SECURE THE DRIVER. I'VE NOTICE THAT MY HIPS HURT FROM THE SEAT SLOWING MOVING OUT OF PROPER ALIGNMENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10938870

215,000 miles · Nov 16, 2016

Seats

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, I HEARD A "POP" OR "BANG" AND THEN THE BACK RIGHT SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED. SEAT IS NOW UNSTABLE AND MOVES WHILE MAKING TURNS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE STABILITY IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10926450

175,000 miles · Jul 31, 2016

Seats

BACK OF DRIVERS SEAT BROKE AT HINGE AREA OR MOUNTING BRACKET. THE SEAT IS NOW LOOSE AND UNSTABLE AS IT TILTS TO CENTER CONSOLE AND IS UNSTABLE BOTH IN ACCELLERATION AND DECELLERATION AND FEELS LIKE IT WILL SEPERATE FROM THE SEAT MOUNTING APPARATUS.

NHTSA ODI #10891893

92,000 miles · May 16, 2016

Electrical SystemSeats

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A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO WE NOTICED THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT SEEMED TO BE MOVING AT TIMES. IT HAS SINCE BROKEN LOOSE FROM PART OF THE FRAME. AS LONG AS THE SEAT IS IN THE DOWN POSITION IT SITS KINDA STEADY. ANY ATTEMPT TO MOVE IT UP OR DOWN CAUSES IT TO BECOME DISLODGED. IT HAPPENS REGARDLESS OF THE MOTION OF THE CAR. ABOUT THE SAME TIME FRAME, THE REAR DOOR LOCKS STARTED ACTING UP. DEPENDS ON THEIR ATTITUDE OF THE DAY, THEY EITHER WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK BY REMOTE OR SWITCH. ONLY WAY TO ACCESS THE REAR SEAT AREA IS TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN AND REACH IN FROM OUTSIDE TO UNLOCK SINCE THE LOCK BUTTON IS NOT LOCATED IN A HANDY SPOT. COULD SEE A LARGE PROBLEM IN AN ACCIDENT WITH CHILDREN IN THE BACKSEAT NEEDING TO EXIT QUICKLY. HAVE NOT REPORTED TO DEALER AS THE BLOGS HAVE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND STORIES THAT ARE BEING IGNORED BY THE MANUFACTURER. SEAT MALFUNCTION IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN IF ANY OTHER BRACING FAILS AND CAR IS IN MOTION

NHTSA ODI #10865042

59,885 miles · Nov 23, 2015

SeatsInjury

SIDE HEATED SEATS BURNED MY GIRLFRIENDS BACK AND PUT AHOLE IN THE SEAT SHE WAS DRIVING TO WORK.

NHTSA ODI #10806341

45,000 miles · Dec 4, 2014

Seats

DRIVERS SEAT FRAME BROKE WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10662133

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)