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

Exterior Lighting complaints

194 reports

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98,000 miles · Oct 8, 2019

Exterior LightingService Brakes

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. IN ADDITION, THE SERVICE ESC AND SERVICE TRACTION WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PORTER CHEVROLET (414 E CLEVELAND AVE, NEWARK, DE 19711, (302) 722-4822) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SENOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,000.

NHTSA ODI #11267122

115,000 miles · Oct 7, 2019

Exterior Lighting

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I WAS HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY THIRD BRAKE LIGHT AT FIRST IT WOULD GO ON AN OFF THEN SOMEDAYS NOT WORK AT ALL. IN ORDER FOR MY VEHICLE TO PASS TEXAS INSPECTION IT NEEDS TO WORK ALL THE TIME. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL BUT THE RECALL DIDN'T NOT COVER THE REPAIR BECAUSE IT WAS A FAULTY CIRCUIT BOARD IN THE TAIL LIGHT ITSELF THE RECALL COVERED THE BCM. I'VE SEEN ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE THAT I HAD. IT'S A VERY EXPRESSIVE REPAIR ABOUT $640. I WOULD ASSUME SINCE IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI #11266890

Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2019

Exterior Lighting

EVER SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD CONSTANTLY GO OUT. EVERYTIME I HIT A BUMP OR WOULD HIT IT. IT WOULD COME BACK ON. RECENTLY I REPLACED BOTH BULBS. THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS OFFICIALLY DIED. NOW THE DRIVER SIDE IS ACTING UP. I HAVE TO HIT BASICALLY…

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NHTSA ODI #11255597

120,000 miles · Aug 15, 2019

Exterior Lighting

PASSENGER LOW BEAM SOCKET BURNS OUT I'VE REPLACED THE HARNESS TWICIN LAST SIX MONTHS WITH A FEW NEW BULBS

NHTSA ODI #11244078

99,900 miles · Aug 10, 2019

EngineExterior LightingVehicle Speed Control

I BUY A BULB EVERY OTHER WEEK OR MONTH FOR MY HEADLIGHTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE KEEPS GOING OUT

NHTSA ODI #11242940

137,468 miles · Aug 8, 2019

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

MY LOW BEAM LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. I HAVE CHANGED THE BULBS 4 TIMES NOW WITH OEM BULBS AND ALSO THE WIRING HARNESS. AT FIRST IT WAS THE DRIVER'S SIDE ONLY NOW IT'S BOTH.

NHTSA ODI #11242707

121,000 miles · Aug 4, 2019

Exterior Lighting

MY DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. IT'LL COME BACK ON IF YOU TAP THE HEADLIGHT FOR SO LONG AND THEN I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BULB. UPON RESEARCHING IT I FOUND A LOT OF OTHER MAIL I OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM TOO. I'VE ALREADY REPLACE THE BULB 3 TIMES THIS YEAR (2019). IF YOU HIT A BUMP MOST OF THE TIME IT'S GOING TO …

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NHTSA ODI #11241572

75,000 miles · Jul 29, 2019

Exterior Lighting

HELLO, MY CAR IS HAVING THE ISSUES DESCRIBED IN RECALL NUMBER 13036, MY BRAKE LIGHTS TURN ON WHILE NOT PRESSING THE BRAKE AND SOMETIMES WHEN BRAKING DO NOT TURN ON AT ALL. MY VIN # SAYS THAT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED HOWEVER MY CAR IS EXPERIENCING THE ISSUES DESCRIBED. THIS ALL HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #11240309

209,000 miles · Jul 28, 2019

Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes

THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE AND STAY ON WHILE DRIVING WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT PRESSED. THE BRAKE LIGHTS TURN OFF WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED. THE CAR ROUTINELY DISPLAYS "SERVICE ESC" AND " SERVICE TRACTION" MESSAGES.

NHTSA ODI #11240209

Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 2019

Exterior Lighting

LOW BEAM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS DIM WHEN IT WORKS AND GOES OUT OFTEN. SOMETIMES IT COMES BACK ON OUT OF NOWHERE. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST 7 MONTHS. I'VE CHANGED MY BULB ABOUT 6 TIMES IN THAT TIME FRAME.

NHTSA ODI #11233819

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)