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 System, Gasoline complaints

8 reports

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25,069 miles · Nov 30, 2015

Fuel System, Gasoline

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR IN THE VEHICLE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED UP WITH FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK AND NECK FILLER WERE LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF T…

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NHTSA ODI #10807530

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2015

Fuel System, Gasoline

2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. CONSUMER HAS PREVIOUS COMPLAINT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE LISTED IN ARTEMIS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK HAD TO BE REPLACED, DUE TO A LEAKING PRESSURE HOSE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10676124

88,144 miles · Apr 19, 2014

Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

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I HAVE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CAR THAT I BELIEVE TO BE MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. THE MOST SERIOUS ISSUE I FOUND TODAY (4/19/2014) WHEN I SMELLED GAS OUTSIDE OF MY CAR. UPON LOOKING UNDERNEATH MY CAR I FOUND MY GAS TANK LEAKING ONTO MY EXHAUST PIPE. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A RECALL ISSUE BECAUSE THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF MY CAR. ONE OF THE OTHER SERIOUS ISSUES I HAVE FOUND WITH MY CAR INCLUDE A BRAKE LIGHT ISSUE. MY CAR WAS OCCASIONALLY SHOWING A "SERVICE TRACTION/ ESC" ERROR CODE, WHICH COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED BY ANY MECHANIC OR EVEN A CHEVY DEALERSHIP THEMSELVES. IT WASN'T UNTIL A FRIEND FOLLOWING ME POINTED OUT THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS DIDN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING RIGHT, DID I REALIZE I WAS HAVING AN ISSUE. THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY SHOULD, BUT ONLY ON THE OCCASIONS SAID ERROR CODE IS SHOWING. I LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. CHEVY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GIVE ME A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. THE THIRD MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT, I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO MY CAR. WHEN I SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF MY MALIBU, AMONG EVERY MALIBU I HAVE EVER BEEN, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DOES NOT TURN ON. I AM 26 AND WEIGH 94LBS, SO I DON'T KNOW IF MY SIZE IS THE REASON I DO NOT ENGAGE THE AIRBAG!? THE FINAL DEFECT I HAD TO DEAL WITH INVOLVED MY DRIVER SIDE RIM. I HAD A TINY LITTLE HAIR LINE CRACK ON THE INSIDE OF MY RIM, CAUSING ME TO LOOSE A LOT OF AIR IN MY TIRE. I CONSIDER THIS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT BECAUSE MY RIM WAS NOT DAMAGED IN ANY OTHER WAY SHAPE OR FORM. I HAD A HARD TIME OBTAINING A NEW RIM, BECAUSE (ACCORDING TO EVERYONE I CALLED) THE RIM WAS IN HIGH DEMAND. PLEASE LOOK INTO THESE ISSUES AND CONSIDER ADDING THEM TO GM'S CURRENT RECALL LIST. THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING MY CONCERNS. *TR..UPDATED 04-23-14 *BF *TR

NHTSA ODI #10583693

70,000 miles · Aug 26, 2013

Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

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SOMETIME AROUND 70,000 MILE WHEN WE WOULD CRANK UP THE CAR WE WOULD HEAR A LOUD EXHAUST NOISE. AFTER THE CAR WARMED UP, THE NOISE WOULD GO AWAY. WE TOOK IT INTO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL. WE HAVE ALSO HAD ENGINE RUNNING PROBLEMS SINCE EARLY 2013. WE NOW HAVE OVER 106,000 MILES ON IT AND A LOCAL MUFFLER REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSED THE NOISE AS A CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD. AFTER CHECKING WITH THE LOCAL DEALER, THEY STATED THAT THERE HAVE REPLACED SEVERAL MANIFOLDS ON VARIOUS YEAR MODEL MALIBU'S. HOWEVER, WE ARE OVER THE MILEAGE WARRANTY. THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAN ONLY BE SOLD AS A SINGLE UNIT WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I THINK IT SHOULD BE COVERED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10537315

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2013

Fuel System, Gasoline

2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE GAS CAP ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A LOCKED GAS CAP.

NHTSA ODI #10524426

30,000 miles · Dec 3, 2012

Fuel System, Gasoline

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DECELERATING AND THEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND JERK FORWARD ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THE ISSUE WAS CAUSED BY A FUEL SAVING FEATURE OF THE VEHICLE AND THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 1/23/13 *CN UPDATED 2/12/2013 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10487247

42,000 miles · Apr 12, 2012

Fuel System, Gasoline

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OUR 2010 CHEVY MALIBU VEHICLE HAS BEEN STALLING ON THE HWY AND IN THE CITY, REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED LIMIT. ALL DASH LIGHTS TURN ON, VEHICLE STARTS STALLING AND SLOWING DOWN, THEN TREMBLES UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURN OFF. WE HAVE HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN OFF THE IGNITION, AND WAIT FIVE TO TEN MINUTES TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, EMERGENCY LIGHTS TURNED ON FOR SAFETY. WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED VERY HAZARDOUS CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THIS VEHICLE ON THE HWY AS WELL AS IN THE CITY LIMITS, ALWAYS FEARING THAT WE MAY GET HIT FROM BEHIND. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR VEHICLE INTO THE CAR DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED IT DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM, BUT TO NO AVAIL. WE ARE TOLD NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, AND THE MACHINE FINDS NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR VEHICLE. WE HAVE ALSO TAKEN OUR CAR TO OUR VEHICLE MECHANIC, AND TOLD US IT WAS THE SENSORS IN THE GAS PEDAL, WHICH WE HAD REPLACED FOR $400.00. A WEEK LATER THE VEHICLE STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. AGAIN WE RETURNED TO OUR MECHANIC, WHOM IN TURN TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE CHEVROLET CAR DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT; AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL CHEVY MALIBU CAME DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS EXPERIENCE A LOT OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR GM RECALLS ON THE 2010 CHEVY MALIBU, BUT HAVE FOUND NOTHING. I ASK WHY GM HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL THIS PROBLEM, KNOWING THAT IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT. WE THE CONSUMERS ARE STUCK WITH MAKING PAYMENTS FOR YEARS ON AN UNSAFE VEHICLE; AN UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT I HAVE TO SUBJECT MY FAMILY TO ON A DAILY BASES. WHAT IS GM WAITING FOR A HUMAN TRAGEDY TO HAPPEN? WE NEED ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THIS HAZARDOUS PROBLEM RESOLVED. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10455021

9,050 miles · Aug 7, 2011

Fuel System, Gasoline

I WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MILES PER HOUR. I WANTED TO ACCELERATE. I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL DOWN TO THE FLOOR. THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND . I COULD NOT ACCELERATE. I DID IT TWICE, CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE.

NHTSA ODI #10418749

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)