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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98,327 miles · Dec 10, 2018

Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineWheels

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WHEN DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ONE FOLLOWED BY TRACTION CONTROL,REDUCED ENGINE POWER, AND LOSS OF POWER. I COULDN'T ACCELERATE AND I WAS IN THE FAST LANE WHEN IT HAPPENED GOING 70 MPH. I LOST POWER AND LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OVER TO THE SHOULDER. CAR STARTED SHAKING BADLY. I CUT IT OFF AND RESTARTED IT. WENT AWAY FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD IT HAPPENED AGAIN. FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS IT'S BEEN HAPPENING ONLY DURING COLD MONTHS BETWEEN DECEMBER AND FEBRUARY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE

NHTSA ODI #11160543

130,000 miles · Nov 29, 2018

EnginePower Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVE AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE DECELERATED FROM 75 MPH TO 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFA…

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NHTSA ODI #11154742

160,000 miles · Oct 29, 2018

Engine

TIMING CHAIN BOLTS SHEERED OFF, CAUSING CHAIN TO COME OFF AND OTHER THINGS TO BREAK, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING ON MAJOR HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI #11143803

125,000 miles · Sep 5, 2018

Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

POWER REDUCED ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL,

NHTSA ODI #11124455

100,615 miles · Aug 14, 2018

EngineSteeringVehicle Speed Control

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING TURNS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DECELERATE AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,615.

NHTSA ODI #11119852

91,000 miles · Jul 10, 2018

EngineSteering

EVERYTIME I TURN LEFT THERE IS SOME KIND OF CLICKING GRINDING NOISE.

NHTSA ODI #11110562

127,800 miles · Jun 4, 2018

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

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MALIBU DECREASES SPEED AND DOWNSHIFTS AND ENGINE POWER REDUCED COMES UP IN MESSAGE CENTER, NO BUMPS, HARD BRAKING, NO CARWASHES, SIMPLY DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 45MPH AND CAR ILLUMINATES ENGINE LIGHT. SEVERAL PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ALREADY FOR EXAMPLE THROTTLE BODY, KNOCK SENSOR, MAF SENSOR, BATTERY, FUSE BOX, ACCELERATOR PEDAL ALL OF THESE PARTS AND MY ISSUE STILL PERSISTS. SEVERAL COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL THEREFORE I DO NOT FEEL LIKE THIS IS AN ISOLATED ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11099868

Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 2018

Electrical SystemEngineVisibility/wiper

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THE ELECTRICAL RANDOMLY MALFUNCTIONS SOMETIMES THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS WON'T WORK AND THEY RANDOMLY COME ON OR GO OFF WHILE DRIVING. WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AND IT WAS ALMOST DARK OUT SIDE I HAD TO PULL OVER AND TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT A COUPLE TIMES BEFORE THEY CAME BACK ON. THERE IS A LEAK SOMEWHERE THAT CAUSES THE CAR TO OVERHEAT. THE MOTOR BLOWER FOR THE HEATING AND COOLING WILL ALSO RANDOMLY STOP WORKING. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BROKE AND AFTER REPLACING AND FIXING THE PART THEY BROKE AGAIN WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CROWDED HIGHWAY IN THE POURING RAIN. I FIXED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS 2 TIMES AND THEY STILL CONTINUE TO MALFUNCTION AND QUIT WORKING. THE EXAUHST HAS A LEAK. THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONS AND DOESN'T SHIFT RIGHT WHILE DRIVING IT TAKES FOREVER TO SHIFT AND ONE TIME WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND WOULD BARELY DRIVE WHEN I WOULD GIVE IT GAS AND THE BRAKES WOULDN'T WORK IT WAS LIKE THAT FOR ABOUT 8 MINUTES BEFORE IT FINALLY STARTED TO WORK PROPERLY. THERE IS A PIECE THAT CONNECTS TO THE TRANSMISSION THAT KEEPS COMING UNDONE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO PUT IT IN DRIVE BUT IT WOULDN'T WORK AND I FIXED THE PROBLEM AND UPON ARRIVING AT MY DESTINATION THE VEHICLE WENT INTO PARK BUT CONTINUED TO MOVE I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP IT. THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL STABILITY AND THE TIRES HAS BEEN ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THE TURN SIGNALS RANDOMLY QUIT WORKING WHILE DRIVING WHEN I FIRST TURN THEM ON THEY DON'T WORK BUT AFTER A COUPLE SECONDS THEY START TO WORK. THE MID FLAP CAME OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK. THE PARTS AFFECTED IS THE ELECTRICAL, BODY, POWER TRAIN, LIGHTING, WHEELS, SUSPENSION, BRAKES, VISIBILITY/WIPERS AND THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI #11090490

145,000 miles · Mar 31, 2018

EngineFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

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THE FIRST TIME MY VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO TURN RIGHT. THE ENGINE DIED AND I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, TRIED TO RESTART AND IT WOULD NOT STAY STARTED. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR GET THE CAR TO GIVE THEM CODES SO THEY HAD ME PICK IT UP. THE 2ND TIME THE CAR DIED ON THE FREEWAY A WEEK LATER. I WAS GOING 60MPH TRYING TO KEEP ACCELERATION WHEN IT LOST POWER. THANKFULLY I WAS NEAR AN EXIT AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE EXIT. AGAIN HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S CAUSING IT.

NHTSA ODI #11082306

100,000 miles · Feb 5, 2018

EngineSteering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LACK OF ENGINE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE ESC, POWER STEERING, AND ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE RESTARTED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ESC FAILED. THE DEALER (GRAY-DANIELS CHEVROLET, 6080 INTERSTATE 55 NORTH FRONTAGE RD, JACKSON, MS 39211) INFORMED THE CONTACT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR A FEE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #11066994

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)