Electrical System. Review the 235 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 213 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 174 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

40 crash reports17 fire reports30 injury reports

Engine complaints

160 reports

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130,000 miles · Dec 29, 2017

EngineVehicle Speed Control

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, A WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED THAT THE ACCELERATION WOULD BEGAN TO DECREASE TO APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND PLACE IT IN PARK TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN, INDICATING THE TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE, AND ESC FAILED AND NEEDED SERVICING. THE CONTACT DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AT HOME AND RECEIVED ERROR CODE P-2135, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE THROTTLE SENSOR POSITION NEEDED REPAIRING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ODI #11057478

95,000 miles · Nov 7, 2017

Engine

TIMING CHAIN, ENGINE NOISE

NHTSA ODI #11044375

154,000 miles · Sep 7, 2017

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHEN PROMPTED. A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.

NHTSA ODI #11022127

120,000 miles · Jun 18, 2017

Electrical SystemEngine

ENGINE POWER REDUCED AND THE VEHICLE SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO EXPLODE. IT REDUCES THE SPEED TO 5 MPH. YOU CAN TURN THE CAR OFF SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND TURN THE CAR BACK ON AND IT RUNS FINE. IT DOES THIS DAILY. I HAVE REPLACED SEVERAL SENSORS AND IT HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY TWICE …

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NHTSA ODI #10995785

66,000 miles · May 30, 2017

Engine

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ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER GOING UP A HILL AND THEN LOST ALL POWER AS WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT OFF TO AN EXIT RAMP. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP SINCE WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE DRIVING HOME. AUTO MECHANIC SAID THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. LUCKILY THERE WASN'T MUCH TRAFFIC OTHERWISE IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR IN 6 YEARS AND ONLY 66,000 MILES. HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING ON OTHER MALIBUS. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS FOR THIS TO HAPPEN ON A NEW CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10992278

33,000 miles · May 16, 2017

EnginePower Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO GO INTO DRIVE POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER OVERHAUL KIT, PISTONS, CONTROL SOLENOID, AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE PLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE …

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NHTSA ODI #10986005

7,100 miles · May 5, 2017

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

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MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR BACK IN 2014 THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS NO BIG DEAL THAT THE LIGHT WOULD EVENUALLY GO OUT. UPON PURCHASE IT HAD 51,000 MILES ON IT, BECAUSE THEY HAD IT FOR A FEW WEEKS DUE TO IT HAVING HAIL DAMAGE THE FINANCE COMPANY WOULDN'T APPROVE THE LOAN BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS RIDING OK UP UNTIL A FEW MONTHA AGO I NOTICED I WAS LOOSING POWER IT WAS DRIVING SLOWER, I STARTED FEELING IT TUGGING WHEN I WANTED TO PICK UP SPEED. THEN 3 DAYS AGO IT JUST WOULDN'T GO IN REVERSE, WHEN I TRIED TO SWITCH BACK TO DRIVING IT WOULDN'T GO INTO DRIVE ULTIMATELY I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BECAUSE THE TRANMISSION WENT OUT ON IT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 71,000 MILES ON IT. I BARELY DRIVE IT ANYWHERE. THE ENGINE TO LOOK AT IT IS VERY CLEAN. I LOOKED UP ALL THE RECALLS ON MY CAR AND NONE OF THEM I WAS NOTIFIED FOR AND THERE ARE MANY. SO WHY AM I NOT GETTING A LETTER ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION THAT HAS OBVIOUSLY GONE OUT. UP UNTIL NOW I WAS IN LOVE WITH THIS CHEVROLET MALIBU AND WAS A DEVOTED CUSTOMER ADVISING PEOPLE THIS WAS A GOOD CAR, NOW I'M NOT SO SURE. LOOKING AT ALL THESE RECALLS ARE ALARMING.

NHTSA ODI #10983676

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2017

Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

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SPEED SLOW DOWN ON A 55 MPH HIGHWAY TO 10 MPH AND WOULDNT GET NO SPEED AND IT THROTTLE AND SHAKE UNTIL I CAME TO A STOP THE MOST SCARY THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO ME I WENT FROM A FORD TO CHEVY THE MOST STUPID IDEA I COULD'VE EVER DONE AND EVER LIGHT ON DASH BOARD IS ON AND BLINKING TO BRAKE LIGHT,TRACTION LIGHT,ETC LIGHT, RADIO AND CLOCK LIGHTS THE SPEED DOOR AND WINDOW LIGHTS ITS TO MUCH TO DEAL WITH IM AFRAID THAT THIS CAR IS GONNA TAKE MY LIFE FROM ME BUT NOONE CAN FIND NO PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR I'VE GOT AN OIL CHANGE TO SPARK PLUGS AND SO MUCH MORE DONE ON THIS CAR AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED THIS THE FOURTH TIME THIS CAR HAS PUT ME DOWN IN THE SIX MTHS OF ME HAVING THIS CAR SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP I LOVE THE CAR BUT ITS NOT A SAFE CAR TO HAVE AND I CAN EVEN EXCHANGE IT OUT FOR ANOTHER ONE AT LEAST THATS WHAT THE PEOPLE AT THE CAR LOT SAYS.

NHTSA ODI #10970615

66,500 miles · Mar 30, 2017

EngineVehicle Speed Control

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THE INCIDENT HAPPENED TWICE THUS FAR. ONCE WHILE WAITING AT A LIGHT AND ANOTHER TIME WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT, AS WELL AS THE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS FLASHED ON. THE CAR BEGAN TO REV ERRATICALLY AND ACTUALLY CAUSED THE CAR TO MOVE FORWARD. SOME MESSAGES BEGAN TO COME UP ON THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY AND THE MESSAGE THAT REMAINED WAS ENGINE POWER REDUCED. TRYING TO TAKE OFF FROM THE LIGHT TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OVER THE CAR WAS JERKING AND I COULD BARELY ACCELERATE. WHILE DRIVING THIS SLOWDOWN AND JERKING HAPPENED SUDDENLY AND ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR. AFTER PULLING OVER AND SHUTTING OFF THE CAR THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARS FOR WHILE BEFORE HAPPENING AGAIN. ONCE PARKED, OPENING THE HOOD SHOWED A VIOLENTLY SHAKING ENGINE. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE WITH MALIBU AROUND THAT TIME AND THE MILEAGE I HAVE ON THE CAR (66500). THE CULPRIT APPEARS TO BE A FAULTY THROTTLE BODY, FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHER DRIVERS.

NHTSA ODI #10969585

72,000 miles · Feb 20, 2017

Engine

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE IN THE 4 CYL. ECHO TECH ENGINE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD US THEY HAVE MANY VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME ENGINE COME IN BUT THE MALIBU HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SAME ENGINE AS THE TRAVERSE RECALLS. NOT REPLACING THE TIMING CHAIN AND PULLEYS WILL RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #10955645

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.

15V269000 · Seat Belts

May 8, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured April 8, 2010, to October 11, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cables that connect the seat belts to the vehicle at the outside of the driver seat and the front passenger seat may be bent from being sat on while entering the vehicle. This repeated bending may result in the cable breaking.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the cable breaks, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the outboard lap anchor mounting bracket and inspect the flexible steel cable, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 16, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15031.

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)