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

Unknown Or Other complaints

60 reports

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100,000 miles · Jan 3, 2018

Unknown Or Other

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MY CHEVY MALIBU HAS HAD TWO LEAKING STEEL RIMS. THE FIRST TIME ONE OF MY RIMS WAS LEAKING IT WAS WHILE IT WAS PARKED. I KEPT PUTTING AIR IN MY TIRE AND WOULD NOT STAY FOR LONG. I HAD TO ADD AIR AT LEAST 2-3 TIMES A DAY. THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. I WAS ON A ROAD TRIP WHEN MY TIRE STARTED TO SLOWLY LOOSE AIR AND I HAD TO FILL IT UP A FEW TIMES JUST TO MAKE IT HOME SINCE STEEL RIMS FOR MY CHEVY MALIBU ARE SO HARD TO FIND SINCE ITS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT CHEVROLET HAS YET TO ADDRESS.

NHTSA ODI #11058309

78,733 miles · Dec 14, 2017

Unknown Or Other

THE SENSOR FOR AIRBAGS DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ME ALL THE TIME SOMETIMES IT WILL BUT MOST THE TIME WONT

NHTSA ODI #11054689

84,000 miles · Nov 9, 2017

Power TrainUnknown Or Other

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ON NOVEMBER 1, 2017, WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE EXPRESSWAY I HEAR THIS LOUD REVVING NOISE, I TURN MY RADIO OFF AND REALIZE IT IS MY CAR MAKING THE NOISE AND THAN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND TURNED MY CAR OFF IN HOPES OF THE ERROR CLEARING OUT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON ONLY TO FIND THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON, WHEN IT WAS SAVE TO DO SO, I PULLED BACK INTO TRAFFIC WITH MY HAZARD LIGHTS AS I COULD NOT GO OVER 20 TO 30 MPH WITHOUT THE RPM GOING UP. I MADE IT HOME, TRIED TO BACK INTO MY GARAGE ONLY TO FIND THAT MY CAR WILL NOT GO IN REVERSE. I PUT THE CAR BACK IN DRIVE, PULLED AROUND TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND PARKED THE CAR. SINCE IT WAS AFTER MIDNIGHT, I CALLED CHEVROLET THE NEXT DAY AND THE ONLY THING THEY COULD HELP ME WITH WAS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH A DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR DIAGNOSTICS AS MY CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS MODEL YEAR ALTHOUGH THERE IS A RECALL FOR MODELS 2007 THRU 2009 FOR THE SAME ISSUES. MY SERVICE ADVISER CALLED ME LATER THAT DAY TO TELL ME IT WAS DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE, THEY FOUND METAL IN THE TRANSMISSION AND HIS ADVICE WAS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. MY DIAGNOSTIC CODE WAS P0776( PRESSURE SOLENOID 2 STUCK OFF), MY BILL $3946 FOR CAR THAT HAS 84000 MILES ON IT. A CAR THAT I AM STILL PAYING A CAR NOTE ON. WHEN I PURCHASED IT 4 YEARS AGO IT HAD JUST UNDER 30000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING TO MAINTAIN MY CAR BECAUSE MY BIGGEST FEAR IS BEING STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY SINCE I AM A WOMAN WORKING 2ND SHIFT. I DO NOT HAVE MY REPAIR INVOICE YET AS I HAVE NOT PICKED MY CAR UP YET, ITS NOT SO EASY TO COME UP WITH NEARLY $4000.

NHTSA ODI #11045010

99,000 miles · Nov 6, 2017

Power TrainUnknown Or Other

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EVER SINCE PURCHASING MY 2011 CHEVY MALIBU, IT HAS ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM SHIFTING. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TESTED IT SAYING NOTHING WAS WRONG. I TOLD THEM IT SEEMED LIKE IT HAD A HARD TIME SHIFTING GEARS ESPECIALLY GOING FROM 2ND TO 3RD. I COULD BE AT A STOP LIGHT AND IT ACTED LIKE IT DIDN'T WANT TO GO. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND IT STARTED TO OVER HEAT AND STOPPED SHIFTING GEARS. IT WOULDN'T SHIFT UNTIL I GOT THE SPEEDOMETER UP TO 95. IMAGINE BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND YOUR CAR JUST STOPS SHIFTING GEARS. I WENT TO THREE DIFFERENT PLACES TO BE TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG JUST TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN. AFTER TAKING IT TO MY MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED A WAVE PLATE REPAIR WHICH WOULD MEAN REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK MY CAR TO 3 DIFFERENT PLACES ALL QUOTING ME THE SAME AMOUNT OF $3000. WHILE AT TWO OF THE AUTO SHOPS I RAN INTO 3 OTHER PEOPLE WITH MALIBU THAT ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS AND MY CAR AND THEIRS HAS LESS THAN 100K MILES

NHTSA ODI #11043695

55,000 miles · Oct 30, 2017

Unknown Or Other

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 55,000 MILES

NHTSA ODI #11041304

130,000 miles · Sep 9, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

THE SERVICE ESC AND TRACTION SENSORS FLASH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES. THE CAR LOSES POWER AND LURCHES AND BUCKS. THE CAR RUNS REALLY ROUGH AND SOUNDS HORRIBLE! THE DEALER SAID THE FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED $1700 WORTH OF CLEANING, BUT DIDN'T MENTION ANY OF THE STUFF WE FOUND FROM OUR RESEARCH.

NHTSA ODI #11022460

Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Unknown Or Other

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I HAVE BEEN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY 2011 CHEVY MALIBU SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE 2017 YR. EVERY TIME I SLOW DOWN (20MPH OR LESS) OR STOP MY CAR STARTS TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY AND THE ESC AND TRACKING LIGHT COMES ON AS WELL AS THE CHECK ENGINE LINE COMES ON AND STARTS BLINKING. ALSO, THE CAR LOOKS LIKE IT IS LOOSING POWER. ONCE I TRY TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR WILL NOT GO FAST AT ALL. IT IS LIKE IT HAS TO BUILD POWER BACK UP. IT IS NOW THE SUMMER TIME AND I CANNOT TURN ON MY AC BECAUSE IF I AM DRIVING LESS THE 40MPH, MY CAR WILL JUST CUT OFF. I HAVE REPLACED EVERYTHING UNDER MY HOOD EXCEPT MY ENGINE. I TOOK MY CAR TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS AND ONE PARTICULAR ONE TOLD ME I NEED A NEW ENGINE. HOW? WHEN I SEE TOO MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS REOCCURRING ISSUE. THIS IS A 2011 HOW COULD THERE BE A BAD ENGINE IN ALL THESE CARS. I TRIED TO TAKE MY CAR TO CHEVY DUE TO A RECALL THAT IS OUT FOR THE ESC ON THESE CARS AND SINCE MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT MATCH THE LOCATION IN WHICH THE RECALL CAME FROM, EVEN THOUGH IT IS FOR A 2011 CHEVY MALIBU, THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL. I AM AFRAID I AM GOING TO GET HIT AND KILLED. I AM AT A STOPPING POINT. MY CAR TAG EXPIRES IN DEC I NEED TO FIND A RESOLUTION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE.. TO BEAT IT ALL I STILL AM MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE CAR. FML

NHTSA ODI #11014850

93,000 miles · Apr 19, 2017

SteeringUnknown Or Other

HEATING/AIR DOESN'T WANT TO BLOW UNLESS A WINDOW OR SUNROOF IS OPEN AND CAR IS IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI #10979389

Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2017

Unknown Or Other

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THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT ABOUT A VEHICLE. IT IS TO POINT OUT SOMETHING THAT NHTSA SHOULD ADDRESS, AND THAT IS: DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. MY QUESTION IS: WHY DOESN'T NHTSA REQUIRE THEM ON EVERY VEHICLE. JUST OPEN YOUR EYES ON A RAINY DAY, OR ANY DAY AT DUSK, AND NOTICE HOW MANY DRIVERS FORGET TO TURN ON THEIR LIGHTS. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY COME OUT OF A WELL LIGHTED SHOPPING CENTER ONTO A HIGHWAY AND HAVEN'T REALIZED THEY HAVEN'T TURNED THEIR LIGHTS ON. IF YOU DON'T THINK THIS IS A PROBLEM, I CAN CITE FOUR INSTANCES WHERE IT HAS RESULTED IN CRASHES RESULTING IN DEATH AND THAT IS ONLY IN MY SMALL PART OF THE WORLD.

NHTSA ODI #10939498

73,000 miles · Dec 2, 2016

EngineUnknown Or Other

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1. MY CAR IS 5 YEAR OLD AND 73,000 MILES. WE USE IT FOR COMMUTING TO WORK AND GROCERY. AND WE DO ALL THE MAINTENANCE AT DUBLIN CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. ON NOV 11TH, MY CAR BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY AND BLOCKED THE TRAFFIC. THE FRONT TRUNK WAS SMOKING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID POSSIBLE ENGINE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY, IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS CAR HAS NO QUALITY PROBLEM WITH SUCH FEW YEARS AND RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE. 2. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE CAR MAKING COMPANY AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET THE RECALL DONE. BUT THEY SAID THE PART HAS NOT ARRIVED AND ASKED US TO WAIT UNTIL THEY CALL US. WE NEVER GET CALL FROM THEM. THIS TIME, I CALLED THEIR RECALL DEPARTMENT AND LEFT A MESSAGE. NEVER HEAR BACK FROM THEM.

NHTSA ODI #10929554

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)