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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

116 reports

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50,200 miles · Feb 3, 2017

EngineVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE THROTTLE BODY REDUCED POWER MODE, BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. …

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NHTSA ODI #10949228

140,000 miles · Jan 3, 2017

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

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I WAS DRIVING AND THEN CAME TO A STOP TO PULL ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. WHEN I TURNED ON THE HIGH WAY MY MALIBU WOULDN'T ACCELERATE AND ACTED AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, AS A SEMI PULLED UP BEHIND ME I HAD TO PUT IT ALMOST IN A DITCH SO I WOULDN'T GET HIT. MY MECHANIC SAYS ITS THE 3,5,R WAVE PLATE AND THAT HE LOOKED AT ALL THE MALIBU FORUMS ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN. I CONTACTED GM AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. NEVER BUYING A CHEVY AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10939209

109,575 miles · Dec 28, 2016

EngineVehicle Speed Control

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ABNORMALLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,575.

NHTSA ODI #10937975

92 miles · Dec 23, 2016

Exterior LightingService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

TRAFFICATOR CONTINUES TO MALFUNCTION, OCASSIONAL BRAKE FAILURES AND OTHER DIGITAL LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED AND STOPPED TO FUNCTION ANY COMPLETELY. I WAS ALMOST IN A DEADLY CRASH AGAIN. STERRING WHEEL. NOT ONCE THESE INCIDENCE HAPPENED ALL HAPPENED ON MOTION.

NHTSA ODI #10937244

68,000 miles · Dec 17, 2016

Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, GOING 60MPH. THE CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 5MPH AND STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING, AND I HAD TO QUICKLY PULL TO THE SHOULDER LANE, "REDUCED ENGINE SPEED" APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, ALONG WITH "ESC TRACTION CONTROL". RESTARTED MY CAR AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. ABOUT 15 MINS LATER, IT DID THE SAME TH…

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NHTSA ODI #10935949

96,000 miles · Dec 12, 2016

Vehicle Speed Control

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FREEWAY DRIVING SPEED OF 65 MPH. TURNED OFF FREEWAY ON TO A 50 MPH ROAD. ENGINE LIGHT, SERVICE ESC LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ALL CAME ON. CAR WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" AND REDUCED DRIVING TO ONLY 20 MPH. DROVE 5 MILES IN LIMP MODE TO GET HOME. GOT A "P1235" CODE. AFTER LEAVING CAR FOR AN HOUR AND RESTARTING, IT DRIVE NORMALLY BUT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON AND THE P1235 CODE IS STORED. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND CAR DROVE AS NORMAL. HE THINKS IT IS A BUTTON ON THE GAS PEDAL OR A THROTTLE BODY. BOTH ARE EXPENSIVE OPTIONS AND SHOULD BE UNDER SOME WARRANTY. THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10934727

110,000 miles · Oct 10, 2016

Unknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

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2010 MALIBU EXPERIENCES FLUCTUATIONS IN POWER/ RPMS WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO GET LOOKED AT SEVERALS TIMES, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO REPLICATE ISSUE. NOT SURE IF ITS RELATED TO THE FUEL SYSTEM, TRANSMISSION, OR MOTOR. EITHER WAY, NO ONE CAN DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM. WHEN ISSUE OCCURS, THE VEHICLE ACTS SLUGGISH (DOES NOT WANT TO GO) AND BOUNCES BETWEEN 2 & 3 ON MY RPM GAUGE. IT'S AS IF I WOULD PUSH THE GAS THEN LET OFF THE PEDAL (REPEATEDLY). AT FIRST THIS ONLY HAPPENED WHEN GOING UP A HILL, BUT HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT, AND IS NOW HAPPENING REGARDLESS OF GRADE. IT IS A DEFINATE SAFETY ISSUE, AS THIS HAS OCCURRED WHEN CROSSING AN INTERSECTION AND MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY. IT DOES HOWEVER SEEM TO BE RESOLVED IF I PRESS THE GAS ALL THE WAY DOWN (RPMS GO UP TO 4-5 ON GAUGE, THEN THE CAR FINALLY GOES) I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ONLINE, BUT NO RESOLUTION. THE NUMBER OF MILES THE CAR HAS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A FACTOR, AS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS WITH THIS CAR BEING BRAND NEW (BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS).THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY FOR MONTHS. THIS IS MY FIRST CHEVY- BOUGHT LAST YEAR. SEEMS TO HAVE A TON OF ELECTRICAL ISSUES. BOUGHT THE CAR UNKNOWINGLY WITH AN OPEN RECALL, TIRE SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR NO REASON, CAR SUDDENLY STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT START A WEEK AFTER PURCHASED, STEREO LOSES POWER, POWER STEERING IS INTERMITTENT, THE PASSENGER DOOR SOMETIMES FAILS TO OPEN AND/OR CLOSE, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOSES POWER INTERMITTENTLY, THE EXHAUST IS RUSTING, ECT. I DID BUY A WARRANTY WITH THIS CAR, BUT BEING THAT NOTHING CAN BE DIAGNOSED, ITS A WASTE OF MONEY! I STILL OWE OVER $8000 ON THIS CAR, AND PAID BLUE BOOK VALUE! -CHEVROLET TOTALLY MISLEADS THEIR CUSTOMERS. NEVER AGAIN OH, AND I DID RECIEVE A RECALL LETTER ABOUT MY POWER STEERING, BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #10915073

86,000 miles · Oct 3, 2016

Vehicle Speed Control

THE VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER AFTER BEING DRIVEN FOR 15 MINUTES, THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH, REDUCED POWER MESSAGES, SERVICE ESC, AND SERVICE TRACTION MESSAGES APPEARED. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT IT "WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE IT COULD ACCELERATE WITHOUT A FOOT ON THE GAS."

NHTSA ODI #10911190

24,000 miles · Aug 18, 2016

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior Lighting

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE LIGHTS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT "SERVICE ESC" AND "TRACTION CONTROL IS OFF " APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ALSO, THE STEERING AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL FELT HEAVY AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE ISSUE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND WAS REPAIRED IN 2014. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AGAIN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

NHTSA ODI #10896993

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2016

Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

TAKATA RECALL MY CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN TO 35 TO 40 MPH IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND I CALL TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND I WAS TOLD FOR SOME MODELS BUT NOT MINE AND IT'S DOING THE SAME AS THE OTHER CARS IT'S NOT SAFE.

NHTSA ODI #10892983

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)