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

Wheels complaints

21 reports

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Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2023

Electrical SystemExterior LightingWheels

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Having problems with my rear stop lights, traction control/ indicator light, ECS/ indicator light. When driving center brake light remains on but when I need to apply brakes they go off, lights on dashboard have been on since I purchased the vehicle which were never addressed the only light addressed was the check engine light. All other issues were voided being that they let me drive down to N.C. knowing it would void my warranty with them after putting 1 thousand miles on the vehicle without notication to me.

NHTSA ODI #11556239

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2023

Electrical SystemSteeringWheels

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My steering wheel shakes and jerks while driving and when I start the car. Also, my car steers and pulls to the left while I’m driving until the electric power steering light comes on and then the steering locks up and I am unable to turn the steering wheel to make a turn which can lead to a crash because I have to force the wheel in order to turn. I was driving on the highway and my steering locked and I pulled over safely and tried turning the car off and on. This has turned the electric power steering light off and I was able to turn the wheel but my steering wheel still shakes and jerks and the car pulls to the left. To add, a few minutes later my steering locks up and the electric power steering light comes on again and I am unable to turn the steering wheel. A couple of days ago I was coming off of an exit and the power steering light came on and I could turn the wheel to make the turn, almost causing an accident. Fortunately, I was able to force the steering to make the turn. *This has been a reoccurring issue. I will post the date below for the latest occurrence.

NHTSA ODI #11516256

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2022

SteeringSuspensionWheelsCrash

Steering has become increasingly stiff and harder to turn, as if the power steering doesn't work. My granddaughter hit a curb in a tight turning entrance to a 4 lane highway and broke the wheel and other component parts.

NHTSA ODI #11474546

Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 2022

Electrical SystemEngineWheels

Service traction light/ service esc / esc off has come three times replace what was told to be to problem three times

NHTSA ODI #11457593

Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 2021

Electrical SystemSteeringWheels

UNKNOWN I was driving to work last week on Thursday and when I attempted to make a right turn my steering wheel was difficult to turn and a few seconds later it locked and the car turned off and on the dash board the battery light turned on and the words that appeared were Service Traction, Service ESC, and Power Steering.

NHTSA ODI #11439782

Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2021

Exterior LightingWheels

The passenger front light stops working no matter his w many times I fix it. Replaced bulb 3 times within two weeks. Works for 1-2 days then stops. Everyone I know who has a Malibu is having the same problem. The right wheel rubs and makes noise. No matter how many times I have it fixed, no matter how many times I replace the no…

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NHTSA ODI #11423827

133,000 miles · Jan 4, 2021

Electrical SystemSteeringWheels

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POWER STEERING FAILS WHILE DRIVING, HAD TO SHUT MY CAR OFF WHILE I TRIED TO MAKE A TURN ON THE HIGWAY. THE 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED AT HOME ON MAY 2020, CAR LOCKED UP AND WOULDN'T MOVE AT ALL. DASHBOARD WILL SAY TRACTION OFF, ESC OFF AND IT WON'T LET ME MOVE MY STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE TO SHUT OFF THE CAR AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES FOR IT TO COME BACK. CAR IS AT ROUGHLY 133K MILES AND HAD NO ISSUES PRIOR TO THIS. ALSO, WHEN I DRIVE MY FRONT SIDE OF THE CAR SHAKES AS IF IT IS GOING OVER STUFF. I REPLACED BOTH CV JOINTS, GOTTEN THE CAR ALIGNED, AND BALANCED MY TIRES AND THEY STILL CAN'T FIND THE ISSUE WITH IT. ONLY RECALL THAT POPS UP IS THE ELECTRONIC, BUT I BELIEVE IT HAS THE STEERING RECALL AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI #11386478

95,000 miles · May 14, 2018

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesWheels

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THE CALIPER ARMS ON BOTH OF MY PASSENGER SIDE TIRES HAVE GOTTEN STUCK, WORE DOWN THE NEW BRAKE PADS COMPLETELY AND DESTROYED THE ROTORS OF MY CAR IN THE PAST. THE DEALERSHIP'S WARRANTY HAD COVERED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PADS, CORRECTION OF ARMS AND ROTORS PREVIOUSLY BUT THE SECOND OCCURRENCE HAPPENED AFTER MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND WAS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. WHEN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE GOT STUCK THE SENSOR FOR MY TIRE PRESSURE WAS SHOWING BUT THERE WAS NO HESITATION OR ISSUE WITH BREAKING. A SOFT DRAGGING SOUND LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THE SENSOR ITSELF HAD DISCONNECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND AND MAKING A SOFT BUT STRANGE NOISE. ITS GOING TO TAKE ME 2 WEEKS TO GET INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN APPOINTMENT ' SINCE THEN, MY REAR ROTOR HAS BECOME EFFECTED AND WILL NEED REPLACING. THIS MORNING THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SENSOR REMAINED ON THE SCREEN BUT WHEN I FIRST STARTED DRIVING AND ATTEMPTED TO USE MY BREAKS, I DID NOT STOP AND MY FOOT TOUCHED THE GROUND AS I PRESSED THE PEDAL. AS I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT OF MY OFFICE (ABOUT 45 MINUTES OF MORNING COMMUTE), MORE LIGHTS LIT UP THE BACK PANEL INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY BREAK LIGHT, THE 'BRAKE FLUID,' WARNING, 'SERVICE ESC,' FOLLOWED BY 'ESC OFF' SCROLLED ACROSS THE DASH AND MY BREAKS DID NOT WORK AT ALL WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SLOWLY STOP. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE ESC WARNING LIGHT COMING ON PREVIOUSLY AND STOPPING MY POWER STEERING FROM WORKING BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULDN'T RECREATE THE WARNING SO THEY COULDN'T HELP ME.

NHTSA ODI #11093706

170,000 miles · Aug 5, 2017

EngineExterior LightingWheels

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1) AWHILE BACK, AFTER STARTING AND WARMING ENGINE AND TAKING OFF, WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ON CITY STREET, CAR TURN OFF COMPLETELY..WHEEL FROZE AFTER TURN. I TURNED KEY OFF AND RESTARTED CAR AND IT WOULD WORK OK. IT HAPPENED 3 0R 4 TIMES. NO WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. 2) WHILE ON FREEWAY, TIRE MONITOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON TWICE, I BOUGHT TIRES BUT DID NOT HAVE MONITORS CHECKED. A FEW DAYS LATER ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NOW, I NEEDED SMOG DONE, HAD TO REPLACE CATALIC CONVERTER (1400.00) AND MECHANIC HAS A PROBLEM WITH CAR COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM. ITS COSTING ME TOO MUCH. THERE IS RECALL ON SOMETHING HAVING TO DO WITH BRAKES.. COULD THIS COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEM BE RELATED? I DID HAVE BRAKE PADS REPLACED LAST YEAR. THE RECALL HAS TO WITH BCM AND BAS (MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS OCCASSIONALLY FLUCTUATE AND TAKE A WHILE FOR LIGHTS TO COME ON BRIGHT WITH DASHBOARD BUTTON ALL WAY TO BRIGHT.). REMOTE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING 6 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT CAR IN 2010...DOORS HAVE TO BE LOCKED MANUALLY..EXCEPT FOR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, POWER WINDOWS DO NOT WORK. MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS HAVING IT SMOGGED AND TIRE MONITORS.

NHTSA ODI #11012964

120,000 miles · Dec 3, 2016

Wheels

AFTER MAKING A TURN A VIBRATION STARTED WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS THE CENTER OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BROKE OUT AND THE OUTER PART OF THE WHEEL WITH THE TIRE CAME OFF THE CAR AND ROLLED ACROSS THE STREET AND HIT A HOUSE. THE REAR OF THE CAR CAME DOWN GRINDING ON THE ROAD. TRIED TO FIND A USED WHEEL AT LOCAL SALVAGE YARDS BUT WAS TOLD TH…

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NHTSA ODI #10929705

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)