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

What owners actually said

1,360 reports

183,000 miles · Oct 10, 2016

Steering

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I WAS NOTIFIED BY MY OLDEST DAUGHTER THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IN HER CAR WOULD NOT TURN AND THAT SHE WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, SHE WAS IN MOTION AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, SHE AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I INSTRUCTED HER TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND THAT I WOULD HAVE IT TOWED TO THE SERVICE STATION THAT IT WAS PURCHASED FROM. WHAT SHE EXPLAINED TO ME IS EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 DATED MARCH 31, 2014.

NHTSA ODI #10915012

109,800 miles · Oct 8, 2016

Service Brakes

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ON AUG 19TH, I WENT TO DEALER IN DULLES TO LOOK FOR A CAR POSTED AS PRIVATE, BUT ANY HOW, I ENDED UP BUYING CHEVY BECAUSE DEALER EXPLAINED ME THE CARS GOOD FEATURES AND MISLED ME ABOUT THE PREVIOUS CARS CONDITION AS THE CARFAX SHOWS IT WAS HAILDAMAGED, USED AS RENTAL, AND IT HAS A OPEN RECALL. WITHOUT INFORMING ME ABOUT THE OPEN RECALL OR ANYTHING ELSE, THE DEALER SOLD ME THIS CAR WITHOUT SHOWING ME CARFAX, AS I ASKED CARFAX, HE SHOWED ME MINOR PART OF MINOR IN HIS PHONE AND MISLED AND LIED TO ME AND SOLD THIS CAR. I DROVE FOR ALMOST 3 WEEK AND WENT TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND FOUND OUT IT HAD OPEN RECALL, HAILDAMAGED, AND USED AS RENTAL, BUT THE DEALER DIDNT DISCLOSE ME ANYTHING. WHEN I WENT TO RETURN THIS CAR, THEN DEALER NAMED CHRIS SAID IT DOESNT HAVE TO DISCLOSE ANYTHING. NOTE, EVENTHOUGH, IT MIGHT BE SAFETY CONCERN LIKE THAT OPEN RECALL. I AM TIRED OF DRIVING THIS CAR WITH A OPEN RECALL FOR ALMOST ONE AND HALF MONTH, AND I DON'T LIKE THIS CAR AND WANT TO RETURN TO A DEALER BECAUSE HE LIED AND MISLED ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE CAR AND ENDANGER MINE AND MY FAMILY LIFE WITHOUT EVEN INFORMING ME ABOUT THE RECALL. PLEASE KINDLY TAKE A CONCRETE MEASURE, SO THAT DEALERS THIS ARE NOT MISLEADING AND LIEING ABOUT THE CAR'S CONDITION. I FILED COMPLAINT IN CONSUMER PROTECTION TOO AND THEY MENTIONED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. PLEASE KINDLY HELP ME.

NHTSA ODI #10914871

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

162,409 miles · Sep 28, 2016

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND I HAD TO STOP TO GET GAS. EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I PULLED AWAY FORM THE PUMP AND PROCEEDED TO THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN I LEFT THE PARKING LOT TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MPH. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON, ESC MESSAGE, AND SERVICE POWER STEERING SYSTEM WERE ACTIVATED. I DROVE BACK HOME AND WENT TO WORK IN MY OTHER VEHICLE. 162,409 MILES. I PURCHASED THE CAR BRAND NEW IN FEBRUARY 2010. ALL OIL CHANGES AND TIRE ROTATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AT A CHEVY DEALERSHIP. I'VE ONLY PURCHASED TIRES, TWO BATTERIES, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS FOR MY CAR UNTIL LAST WEEK. THAT WAS THE ENGINE COOLANT SENSOR. UNTIL NOW I ALWAYS BRAGGED AND SAID THAT MY MALIBU WAS THE BEST CAR EVER BECAUSE I NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH IT.

NHTSA ODI #10910305

75,000 miles · Sep 25, 2016

Unknown Or Other

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I GOT MY MALIBU IN NOV.2013 AND IN AUGUST ON 2016 I TOOK IT IN FOR A OIL CHANGE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND A CHECK I DO EVERY THREE MONTHS A WEEK LATER MY TRANSMISSION DIES, I GOT TO MY MOM RADIATION APPOINTMENT AND IT DIED IN THE PARKING LOT HAD TO TOW IT TO A MANICHEAN AND HE TELLS ME THAT IT IS THE TRANSMISSION DIED I DO NOT HAVE ANY MONEY TO GET IT FIXED CAUSE I AM A FULL-TIME STUDENT SO MY CAR IS SITTING IN MY THE STREET AND I CAN NOT DRIVE MY MOTHER TO HER APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE WE HAVE NO CAR AND MY MOM IS ON A FIXED INCOME DUE TO THE FACT SHE IS 73 YRS OLD. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FIX THIS WHEN I HAVE EVERYWHERE I GO THEY WANT 2500-4500 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED ALL UP FRONT AND NO PAYMENT PLANS??????

NHTSA ODI #10909523

70,000 miles · Sep 24, 2016

Exterior Lighting

I GET THE SERVICE ESC ALERT AND WHEN I BRAKE, MY BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T LIGHT UP BUT WHEN I'M NOT BRAKING, THEY DO NOT LIGHT UP. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS OFF AND ON

NHTSA ODI #10909468

Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2016

Structure

THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL RANDOMLY STAY LOCKED EVEN WHEN ITS NOT LOCKED. THIS IS A SAFTEY HAZARD. YOU CANNOT OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE LOCK ACTUATOR.

NHTSA ODI #10907416

34,000 miles · Sep 14, 2016

Air Bags

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MY "SERVICE AIR BAGS" LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND THEN REMAINING ON CONTINUALLY. I FOUND A LETTER WRITTEN BY THE DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER & RELATIONSHIP SERVICES AT CHEVY BACK IN 2010 THAT ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM AND STATED THAT "TO ENHANCE SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION, YOUR GM DEALERS WILL UPDATE THE WIRING HARNESS FOR BOTH FRONT SEAT SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FOR YOU AT NO CHARGE." I CONTACTED THE DEALER AT MESSER CHEVY IN LUBBOCK, TX, AND ALSO CUSTOMER SERVICE AT CHEVY. I OPENED UP CASE #8-2314213550 ON 8/19/16, AND I WAS TOLD TO GET A DIAGNOSTICS DONE AT THE DEALER, WHICH I DID. I THEN FOUND OUT THE CASE HAD BEEN ARBITRARILY CLOSED THE SAME DAY IT WAS OPENED! NOW CHEVROLET STATES THAT THE CASE WAS REOPENED ON 9/7/16. I JUST WANT THE PROBLEM FIXED FREE OF CHARGE SINCE THE PREVIOUS OWNER SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS WHEN CHEVY WAS OFFERING THE "SOFT RECALL" REPAIR AT NO CHARGE. CHEVY CALLED IT A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM AT THE TIME TO AVOID AN AIRBAG RECALL MEDIA HYPE. I ASSUME THIS ISN'T RELATED TO ANY TAKATA AIRBAG PROBLEM, BUT IT IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD! I AM GETTING THE RUNAROUND FROM BOTH CHEVROLET AND THE DEALER, AND I JUST THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. THE DEALER TURNED OFF THE WARNING LIGHT, BUT NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE TO DATE!

NHTSA ODI #10906425

89,000 miles · Sep 12, 2016

Electrical System

WAS TURNING ONTO THE INTERSTATE AND THE RPM WAS AT 5 BUT I WAS ONLY GOING 20 MPH.

NHTSA ODI #10905962

55,000 miles · Sep 12, 2016

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE IDLING, THE ENGINE HESITATED AND THE RPM'S RANDOMLY INCREASED AND DECREASED. ALSO, THE SERVICE TRACTION, ESC, AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MMANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE…

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NHTSA ODI #10905753

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)