Steering. Review the 454 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 294 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 227 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 reports14 fire reports35 injury reports

Engine complaints

115 reports

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123,000 miles · Jan 23, 2021

Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

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WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH, LOST POWER FOR A SPLIT SECOND THEN REGAINED. ABOUT 5 MILES TOWARD DESTINATION, AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN & WHEN I ACCELERATED, THE CAR COMPLETELY DIED WITH LINE OF TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. SHOULD THIS CAR HAVE DIED IN THE MIDST OF HEAVY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WE COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH A CHAIN REACTION OF VEHICLES PILING UP BEHIND ME & POSSIBLE INJURIES. . WE WERE SLOWLY CREEPING AROUND THE CORNER TRYING TO CATCH A CLEAR PATH TO PROCEED WHEN THE CAR WENT DEAD. THERE HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN PROBLEMS WHEN AFTER DRIVING FOR 30 MINUTES THEN RETURNING TO THE CAR IT WOULD NOT START, CRANKED BUT NOT START WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS PRESENT.. BUT AFTER REPEATED RESTART ATTEMPTS IT WOULD START MAYBE AN HOUR LATER. BUT THIS TIME IT DIED IN TRAFFIC 3 DAYS AGO AND WE HAD TO BE TOWED HOME, IT STILL WILL NOT START. I'VE READ ONLINE ABOUT MANY OTHER MALIBU OWNERS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH CONCERNS OF ACCIDENTS. NO ENGINE OR DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND A DEALER COULD NOT GET IT TO CODE. THE UNSAFE PROBLEM IS THE CAR DYING IN THE TRAFFIC WITH NO WARNING IN FRONT OF A LONG LINE OF TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ODI #11389510

172,000 miles · Oct 21, 2020

Engine

MY CAR WAS MAKING WEIRD NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. I HAVE MAINTAINED MY CAR VERY WELL. COME TO FIND OUT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND SMASHED ALL THE VALVES. THE MECHANIC SAID BECAUSE OF IT BEING IN A PLASTIC MECHANISM, THAT'S A PROBLEM AND A BAD DESIGN ON CHEVROLET'S PART. I HAVE SEEN AND HEARD MANY OTHER PEOPLE SAYING THE SAME HAP…

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NHTSA ODI #11365640

135,000 miles · Sep 8, 2020

EngineExterior Lighting

MY LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. AS OF NOW I DONT HAVE ANY HEADLIGHTS. AND I KEEP HAVING TRANSMISSION KIND OF ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI #11353878

90,000 miles · May 4, 2020

Electrical SystemEngineExterior Lighting

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VEHICLE GOES INTO POWER ENGINE REDUCED MODE/ESC OFF/ SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL MODE. THE CAR LOSES SPEED AND GOES ABOUT 20 MPH THE RPM GO CRAZY AND CAR SHAKES VIOLENTLY. IT HAS HAPPENED FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS AND IT HAPPENS WHILE IDDLE, WHILE DRIVING IT, WHILE THE AC IS ON OR OFF IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. IVE REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY TWICE, ACCELERATOR PEDAL 3 TIMES, BATTERY, MAP SENSOR, KNOCK SENSOR, BATTERY TERMINALS, POWER TRAIN RELAY, SPARK PLUGS, CLEANED ALL THE COROSION AND ITS BEEN AT THE CHEVY DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THIS SAME ISSUE AND STILL THE CAR IS NOT FIXED. IVE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY AND EVEN CHEVY CANNOT FIND WHATS WRONG WITH THIS CAR. ITS HAPPENED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, STREETS, WHILE TURNING OR STOPPED AT A LIGHT. ALL MY ELECTRIAL DOSENT WORK. MY PASSENGER LOW BEAM LIGHT KEEPS BLOWING OUT AND MY SPEAKERS KEEP GOING IN AND OUT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS CAR. THIS IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE AND VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI #11323304

80,000 miles · Apr 6, 2020

Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

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DASH LIGHTS: ESC OFF, SERVICE ESC LIGHT, BRAKE SYSTEM (!), ABS SYSTEM, POWER STEERING, LIGHTS FLASH AND ALL GAUGES FLUCTUATE. I HAVE REPLACED THE MAIN CONTROL MODULE, AS WELL AS POWER STEERING MODULE AT DEALERSHIP, AND THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUES!!!! HAVE READ ABOUT OTHER SAME MODELS DOING THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT WILL COME ON, AND THEN NEXT TIME I START MY VEHICLE, IT STOPS. THEN COMES BACK ON. SOMETIMES STAYS ON FOR WEEKS. OR IS GONE FOR WEEKS.THIS HAS HAPPENED EVEN WITH PROFESSIONAL REPAIRS. THIS HAPPENS WHEN STATIONARY AND IDLING AND WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #11320355

57,555 miles · Mar 10, 2020

Engine

PULLED MY 2010MALIBU OUT OF GARAGE AND 15 MINUTES LATER TRIED TO PUT BACK IN GARAGE BUT ONLY HEARD CLICK, CLICK. HAVE TAKEN CAR TO SEVERAL AUTO SHOPS AND ALL SAID ENGINE IS LOCKED UP AND NEED A NEW ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI #11317249

Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 2019

EngineSuspensionVehicle Speed Control

I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM CREST AUTO MALL AND 1 WEEK LATER THE SUSPENSIONS GETS MESSED UP AND THEN 1 MONTH LATER THE ENGINE BLOWS UP NOW MY CAR IS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY!

NHTSA ODI #11286519

102,000 miles · Nov 11, 2019

EnginePower TrainWheels

CAR HESITATES TO CHANGE GEARS AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND STALLS AFTER DRIVING REASONABLY SHORT DISTANCES. THE DRIVER FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR ONLY A FEW MONTHS AND ARE ALREADY CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE.

NHTSA ODI #11279438

45 miles · Nov 1, 2019

Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineSteering

I WAS DRIVING AND I NOTICED A DECLINE IN POWER FROM THE MOTOR. THEN THE DASH START READING REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND ESC AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL.

NHTSA ODI #11277605

143,000 miles · Sep 20, 2019

Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

FEEL CIRCUIT EASY AND PROCESSOR CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR EXHAUST CAMSHAFT POSITION AGITATOR CIRCUIT

NHTSA ODI #11256902

Official recalls

19V019000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Jan 16, 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, the air bag inflator may explode due to being overpressurized.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the inflator explodes, sharp metal fragments may strike the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 25, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N182206630.

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)