Electrical System. Review the 290 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 202 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 191 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

50 crash reports13 fire reports27 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

290 reports

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48,000 miles · Jun 18, 2015

Electrical SystemSeat BeltsVisibilityFire

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR DEFROSTED FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FUSES AND NOTICED SPARKS. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO REPLACED THE FUSE OR JUNCTION BOX. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V269000 (SEAT BELTS) AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. ...UPDATED 02/19/16 *BF UPDATED 10/25/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI #10726082

34,000 miles · Jun 2, 2015

Electrical System

THE REAR DEFROST DOESNT WORK

NHTSA ODI #10723055

93,695 miles · May 14, 2015

Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIANS DIAGNOSED THE FUEL PUMP MAIN CIRCUIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE F…

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NHTSA ODI #10716474

19,000 miles · May 13, 2015

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Power Train

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE SERVICE ESC AND SERVICE TRACTION WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE MODULATOR SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 19,000.

NHTSA ODI #10716142

53,000 miles · May 7, 2015

Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOUL…

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NHTSA ODI #10715111

Mileage unknown · Apr 21, 2015

Electrical SystemStructureCrash

DRIVING ON THE [XXX] . A LARGE PIECE OF DEBRIS FROM A SUSPECTED TRUCK FLEW AND DAMAGED MY VEHICLE. THE TRUCK DID NOT STOP SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT ACTUALLY CAME FROM IT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DENIED THE CLAIM BECAUSE THE DEBRIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED COLLISION NOT COMPREHENSION (I AM COVERED FOR COMPREHENSION). NOW I AM STUCK WITH FEE…

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NHTSA ODI #10711978

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2015

Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes, Hydraulic

DO NOT REMEMBER WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR CAMPAIGN 14V252000 MAYBE APPROX. A YEAR AGO. THE PROBLEMS THE CAR WAS HAVING BEFORE I HAD THE RECALL DONE HAVE STARTED AGAIN. UP UNTIL NOW HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS. MY DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME TO FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10711849

24,945 miles · Apr 11, 2015

Air BagsElectrical SystemSeat BeltsCrashInjury

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MY SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS COMING ON EVER SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR AND I TOOK IT TO KOONS FOR SERVICE AND I WAS TOLD ONE WHEEL WAS MOVING FASTER THEN ANOTHER NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT THEN ON 06/18/2014 IWAS HIT BY A CHEVY SILVERADO THAT RAN A LIGHT AND I WAS DOING 45 MILES AN HOUR I HAD MY GRANDDAUGHTER IN HER SAFETY SEAT IN THE BACK NONE OF MY AIR BAGS WORKED NOR DID MY SEAT BELTS MY GRAND DAUGHTER HIT THE BACK OF THE SEATS.NOW MY CAR IS FLASHING THE CODES AGAIN NOW THAT ITS FIXED AND SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING .ITS PART OF THE GM RECALL FOR THE UPPER WIRE HARNESS BUT THEY ARE SAYING IT ISN'T AND THEY ARE NOT STANDING BUY THE WARRANTY THIS DEFECT ALMOST KILLED US AND STILL IS ALMOST KILLING US BY SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COMING ON PLUS AIR BAG LIGHTS SAYING AIR BAGS ARE SHUTTING DOWN .SO THAT MEANS THE AIR BAGS IF WE NEEDED THEM WOULD NOT HELP US AGAIN IF NEEDED.WE WERE VERY BADLY HURT THE LAST TIME AND I NEED GM TO STEP UP AND REIMBURSE US FOR OUR INJURIES AND FOR MAKING US STILL RIDE IN AN UNSAFE CAR THAT THEY NOW IS ON THE RECALL LIST BUT THEY KEEP SAYING ITS NOT.MY CAR IS STILL IN SERVICE AND SERVICE IS SAYING IT IS PART OF THE RECALL BIT GM WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. .. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10705120

62,000 miles · Apr 5, 2015

Electrical System

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EARLY OCTOBER 2014 I BEGIN TO SMELL A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL AFTER CAR IS STOPPED. SELF INSPECTION FOUND NOTHING, MECHANIC INSPECTION FOUND NOTHING. AROUND JANUARY I TOOK CAR IN FOR BRAKE LIGHT RECALL, HAD SERVICE TECH INSPECT; SAID THEY FOUND A MELTED BAG ON EXHAUST (I SAW NO SUCH THING). LATE JANUARY 2015 MY CAR WON'T START AFTER SITTING ALL NIGHT, CAR WAS JUMPED AND STARTED FINE. LATE MARCH 2015 PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT SOMETIMES FAILS TO TURN ON AT FIRST ATTEMPT AND AFTER A 2 HOUR DRIVE, NEXT MORNING CAR WON'T START; AFTER WAITING 20 MINUTES CAR STARTS. 4/4/2015 CAR IS LEFT ON (ENGINE OFF) WITH RADIO PLAYING WHILE CLEANING OUT CAR, AFTER 10 MIN SERVICE ESC COMES ON DASH, I IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF CAR. I TRY TO START ENGINE, NO IGNITION. THE CAR WOULDN'T EVEN TRY TO TURN OVER. I TOOK CAR TO AUTOZONE WHERE THEY TESTED THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR WHERE BOTH WERE FOUND TO BE IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER. I CAN HEAR THE FUEL PUMP ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE AND IF THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR ARE FINE THEN THAT LEAVES ME TO BELIEVE IT IS THE STARTER...HOWEVER, IF THE SMELL WASN'T A PLASTIC BAG BUT INSTEAD A WIRE MELTING, THEN I WOULD HAVE A SHORT WHICH COULD ALSO BE CAUSING THIS. BOUGHT THIS CARE AS A SAFE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR MY SON AND I, I FIND MYSELF MORE STRESSED OUT WONDERING IF I WILL BE ABLE TO GET US WERE I NEED TO GO THAN WITH THE OLD CAR I USE TO HAVE. IF THIS TURNS OUT TO BE A MALFUNCTION I HOPE GM IS WILLING TO MAKE IT RIGHT. THE PROBLEM IS INCREASING AND NO ONE HAS YET BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10703747

61,000 miles · Mar 18, 2015

Electrical SystemSteering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE INTO A SNOW BANK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM BEING STEERED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING MODULE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) EVEN THOUGH THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION FROM A SENIOR SAFETY SUPERVISOR FROM GM. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

NHTSA ODI #10695098

Official recalls

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)