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

Steering complaints

768 reports

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97,820 miles · Feb 18, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER IGNITING THE VEHICLE, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,820.

NHTSA ODI #10684192

70,000 miles · Feb 18, 2015

Electrical SystemSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL POWER ASSIST SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTUR…

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NHTSA ODI #10684068

82,000 miles · Feb 16, 2015

Steering

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SUNDAY I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON RTE 72 AND 25, WHEN ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CAME ON THAT SHOWED "SERVICE, ( POWER STEERING)", LIGHTS CAME ON AND STEERING BECAME INCREASING DIFFICULT WHEN MAKING A TURN AT INTERSECTION. IT FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE SO I ENDED UP TRYING TO PARK,WHICH I HAD DIFFICULTY WHEN TRYING TO TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE. WHEN WE TOOK IT TO CHEVROLET DEALER THE NEXT DAY, WE WERE INFORMED NO RECALL, SO THEY WOULDN'T LOOK AT CAR FOR POWER STEERING WITHOUT CHARGING US. SO IT WASN'T CHECKED. TODAY, WHEN I PICKED IT UP IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT GM SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED US ABOUT? I HAVE SEEN RECALLS FOR OTHER CHEVROLET MALIBU FOR 2004-2006 & 2008-2012 ON THE INTERNET, FOR POWER STEERING? AM I GOING TO HAVE ANY DIFFICULTY AGAIN WITH THE POWER STEERING? I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND THE OTHER DRIVERS, SINCE THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10683681

96,000 miles · Feb 16, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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PULLED INTO PARKING LOT AND AS I WAS PULLING INTO PARKING PLACE MY STEERING WENT OUT, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND SERVICE ESC MESSAGE FLASHED ACROSS THE SCREEN. A POWER STEERING MESSAGE ALSO FLASHED ACROSSED THE SCREEN. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ALOT AND I AM AFRAID IT WILL GO OUT WHEN I AM ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AND I WILL BE KILLED. MY CAR HAS THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING AND I HAVE READ MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10683652

102,230 miles · Feb 16, 2015

Steering

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I HAVE LOST AND NOT HAD POWER STEERING IN MY VEHICLE SINCE 2/13/15. THE FIRST 2 TIMES IT HAS GONE OUT WERE ON THE HIGHWAY ABOVE 45MPH, SINCE THEN IT HAS NOT WORKED AT ANY POINT IN TIME. I HAVE CONTACTED GM COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND INFORMED THEM ABOUT THE CURRENT RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000) THAT'S ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM .BUT BECAUSE MY VIN WASN'T INCLUDED, THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM THAT IS HAPPENING TO MY VEHICLE THAT IS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL, EVEN THOUGH THE YEAR MAKE AND MODEL ARE LISTED IN THE RECALL THEY WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THIS COULD HAVE ENDANGERED EVERYONE AROUND ME AND COULD HAVE CREATED A VERY SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT IF IT HAPPENED AT THE WRONG TIME, OR EVEN IF MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND NOT KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING. BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY GM IS TAKING ON THIS VERY SERIOUS AND FATAL PROBLEM THEY ARE PRODUCING AND SELLING, I AM NOT STUCK HAVING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR WITH NO REIMBURSEMENT. I'M NO LONGER A FAN OF GM AND WILL NOT BE BUYING ANOTHER PRODUCT OF THEIRS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10683604

68,000 miles · Feb 14, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS UPON STARTING MY 2009 CHEVY MALIBU LT ... A LIGHT COMES ON THE DASHBOARD AND SAYS SERVICE ESC AND POWER STEERING. AT THIS TIME I LOSE ALL POWER ASSIST TO MY CAR AND STEERING IS VERY HARD. WHEN I RESTART MY CAR IT RESETS ITSELF AND THEN I AM ABLE TO STEER AGAIN UNLESS IT TRIPS AGAIN. THIS IS SUPER DANGEROUS AND APPEARS TO BE GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. IT IS THE SAME RECALL LISTED FOR SEVERAL OTHER MALIBU'S AND GM CARS BUT NOT MY YEAR. MY YEAR NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL ALSO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANTED $600 TO FIX IT AND DIAGNOSED IT AS THE SENSOR IN THE STEERING WHEEL SHORTING OUT. I HAVE A CHILD AND I'M LITERALLY AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR ANYMORE WITH ALL OF THE SERIOUS RECALLS GOING ON I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE CONTROL THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I HOPE IT'S FIXED SOON. IT'S TERRIBLE TO PAY SO MUCH FOR A CAR THAT YOU DON'T EVEN FEEL SAFE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10683502

120,000 miles · Feb 9, 2015

SteeringTraction Control System

DRIVING INTO A PARKING LOT TO PARK AND THE TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT. THIS REALLY SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE OTHER CAR RECALLS THAT HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE. IT IS AN IDENTICAL ISSUE. COME GM STAND BEHIND YOUR PRODUCTS!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10682370

Mileage unknown · Feb 9, 2015

Steering

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I AM STILL IN SHOCK THAT THERE ARE STILL SO MANY COMPLAINTS WITH LOOKS TO BE THE SAME VIN THAT IS BEING OVERLOOKED BY GM. MY CAR WAS FIXED LAST YEAR, YET IT STILL FEELS UNSTABLE AFTER HAVING TO PAY 890 OUT OF POCKET FOR A NEW COLUMN. HOW CAN A COMPANY JUST PICK SOME VIN'S FROM THAT YEAR, WHEN IT IS OBVIOUS IT HAS CAUSED THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS FOR VINS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED. ARE WE SUPPOSE TO HIRE A LAWYER AND PAY EVEN MORE OUT OF POCKET FORTH. LOOK AT THESE COMPLAINTS STILL POURING IN. I WILL NEVER BE BUYING ANOTHER GM VEHICLE DUE TO THE LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND I HIGHLY WILL BE SUGGESTING THAT ANYONE STAY CLEAR OF THEM AS WELL. A MONTH AFTER I GOT MY CAR FIXED THEY ISSUED THE RECALL, MINE WAS NOT INCLUDED AND I CANNOT DO A [XXX] THING ABOUT IT. MEANWHILE OTHERS GET THEIR CARS FIXED, ID LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MAKES MINE SO DIFFERENT THAT IT DOESN'T QUALIFY?? *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10682323

126,000 miles · Feb 9, 2015

Steering

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY WARNING LIGHT AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AFTER THE FAILURE AND HAD TO CRUISE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN 14V153000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

NHTSA ODI #10682271

185,425 miles · Feb 9, 2015

Steering

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WITH NO WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED AND RESTARTED WHICH RESET THE COMPUTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14E044000 (STEERING) AND 14V153000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,425.

NHTSA ODI #10682202

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)