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

Fuel/propulsion System complaints

31 reports

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75,000 miles · Feb 7, 2016

EngineFuel/propulsion System

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DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SURROUNDED BY 18 WHEELERS. SUDDENLY MY TRACTION LIGHT AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE REDUCED POWER NOTIFICATION CAME ON, THE CAR SLOWED TO ABOUT 10 MILES AN HOUR VERY SUDDENLY AND THE CAR WAS SHAKING VIOLENTLY. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD, WAITED AND RESTARTED CAR, WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES ON HIGHWAY AND IN CITY - VERY DANGEROUS. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NO HELP TO FIX THE PROBLEM. REPLACED THROTTLE BODY AND TWO SENSORS AND ISSUE STILL REMAINS

NHTSA ODI #10824710

67,000 miles · Jul 20, 2015

EngineFuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR AND WIRE HARNESS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILUR…

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NHTSA ODI #10735259

56,299 miles · Oct 13, 2014

Fuel/propulsion System

FUEL LEAK AT FUEL TANK. FUEL PRESSURE LINE AT FUEL PUMP MODULE CRACKED AND LEAKING FUEL EXTERNALLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644285

50,400 miles · Sep 14, 2014

Fuel/propulsion System

GASOLINE LEAKS FROM TOP OF GAS TANK. EXCESS FLOWS DOWN THE SIDE ONTO TANK SKID PLATE AND EXHAUST PIPES. REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP IMMEDIATELY AT $700 COST. THE LEAK APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE FUEL LINE COMING DIRECTLY OUT OF THE FUEL PUMP. NO GAS ODOR HAS BEEN DETECTED SINCE REPAIR. I FOUND OUT THIS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE FO…

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NHTSA ODI #10633015

56,200 miles · Sep 3, 2014

Fuel/propulsion System

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AFTER PARKING MY 2010 CHEVY MALIBU, I CAN SMELL GASOLINE AT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE EXTERIOR (GAS TANK IS ON OPPOSITE SIDE). THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR SOME TIME SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MARCH 2013. I DON'T KNOW WHEN I FIRST SMELLED IT. I ALSO HAVE HAD POOR GAS MILEAGE SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I FINALLY MENTIONED IT TO SOMEONE AND THEY TOLD ME TO LOOK UP RECALL NOTICES. THERE IS NO RECALL BUT I FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10630445

120,000 miles · May 18, 2014

Fuel/propulsion System

VEHICLE LOST THROTTLE WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, HAD TO PULL OVER AND RESTART ENGINE. AFTER AN HOUR, EXITED HIGHWAY TO RE-FUEL. ENGINE DIED ON THE RAMP WITHOUT ANY WARNING ON THE HIGHWAY, HAD TO PUSH IT OFF THE RAMP AND TOW TO THE DEALER FOR FUEL PUMP. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10592208

73,000 miles · Apr 20, 2014

Fuel/propulsion System

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THE FIRST TIME I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN WHEN MY CAR SHUT OFF. IT WOULD NOT STARTED. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP WHICH THEY REPLACED. I HAD THE CAR 1 DAY WHEN IT DID THE SAME THING ONLY THIS TIME IT SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING, LUCKILY IT WAS NOT ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THERE WERE NO CODES COMING UP AND THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR I RECEIVED A CALL THAT THEY NEEDED TO SEND MY CAR BACK TO GM BECAUSE THEY FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI #10583838

45,000 miles · Aug 27, 2013

Air BagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel/propulsion System

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PURCHASED VEHICLE AT 30K MILES AT BEGINNING OF YEAR AND WITHIN THE SAME YEAR TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR UPON START UP THE VEHICLE BEGIN MAKING A LOUD EXHAUST NOISE (SEVERAL OCCASSIONS). I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSSHIP ON TWO SEPERATE OCCASSIONS AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT AND GAVE THE EXCUSE THE THE OLDER THE VEHICLE GETS THE MORE APT IT IS TO MAKE NOISES AND SUCH. I'M A VERY EDUCATED YOUNG LADY AND I KNEW THAT STATEMENT TO BE JUST AS FALSE AS TWO LEFT SHOES ON A LEFT AND RIGHT FOOT AND THUS EXPRESSED THAT FACT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO SHOULD BE EDUCATED IN THE CAR THAT THEY ARE SELLING WHEN IT COMES TO BODY PARTS AND LIKELY PROBLEMS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, AFTER HITTING THE 70K MILEAGE MARK THE VEHICLE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGIN TO COME ON AND OFF AND STILL DOES; FURTHERMORE VEHICLE UPON START UP OF THE ENGINE WOULD LAG AS IF SOMETHING WAS NOT CATCHING AND PREVENTING THE VEHICLE FROM STARTING UP PROPERLY, THUS I WOULD HAVE TO HOLD THE KEY TURNED LONGER THAN USUAL. I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS VEHICLE AT ALL. AT 70K MILES THIS VEHCILE SHOULD STILL BE RUNNING FLAWLESSLY AS IT IS REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND TUNED-UP. PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE WAS AN EPIC FAIL. I AM SHOCKED THAT CERTAIN MODELS AND YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN PERMANENTLY RECALLED AND REPLACED BY A VEHCILE OF OWNERS CHOICE FROM CHEVROLET (NEEDLESS TO SAY I PROBABLY WOULD NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER CHEVY CAR) FOR THE HEADEACHE WE HAVE HAD TO ENDURE. I HAVE AN INFANT AND A TODDLER AND THE UNCERTAINTY OF VEHICLE OPERATION ON ANY GIVEN DAY AT ANY GIVEN TIME ON A PRACTICALLY NEW VEHCILE NEEDS TO BE THE LEAST OF MY CONCERNS! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10537417

Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 2013

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

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I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY CAR FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW. I HAVE HAD A ISSUE WITH THE ESC & SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT. I TOOK IT TO THE JIM ELLIS CHEVY DEALERSHIP ( PAID $105 FOR DIAGNOSTIC) AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE FUEL INJECTOR, I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD THEIR FUEL INJECTOR ( CYLINDER 1) REPLACED. THEY TOLD ME BECAUSE IT WAS AFTERMARKET THAT I HAD TO PAY $267 TO REPLACE IT. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC HAD HIM PUT IN A GM INJECTOR AND STILL WAS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS, COILS, SHIFT SOLENOID, AND NONE OF THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM. HE THEN STATED THAT THE BASE OF THE ISSUE WAS THE COMPUTER, I TOOK IT TO GET A SECOND OPINION AND THE NEXT MECHANIC STATED THE SAME THING,AFTER TALKING TO ANOTHER MECHANIC FROM SUPERIOR CHEVROLET, ITS THE COMPUTER. I TOOK IT TO SUPERIOR CHEVROLET AND HAD ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC DONE ( WHICH WAS ANOTHER $100) AND ASKED THEM TO PLEASE LOOK AT THE COMPUTER SINCE I WAS TOLD TWICE IT WAS THE ISSUE. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE INJECTOR HARNESS AND IT WOULD COST $320. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR TOO LONG AND LOOKING ONLINE MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS, CUSTOMER ARE SPENDING LOTS OF MONEY ON AN ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE ONGOING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10522963

77,000 miles · May 1, 2013

Fuel/propulsion System

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND LOST POWER INDEPENDENTLY. THE ESC AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS WOULD HAVE TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER SERVICED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10510235

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)