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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28,000 miles · May 20, 2014

Electrical SystemService Brakes

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MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SO I SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND RESTARTED, ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF, HOWEVER WHEN I PULLED OUT OF PARKING SPACE, I NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF MY CAR, THEN MY BREAKS STARTING SQUEAKING REALLY BAD. NOW I CONSTANTLY HEAR THAT SOUND WHEN STARTING MY CAR IN EARLY MORNINGS, THE SQUEAKING IS CONSTANT. ALSO MY RADIO AND DEFROST GOES IN AND OUT, MY RADIO SHUTS DOWN BY ITSELF AND THEN RETURNS ON, MY BACK DEFROSTER DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK, WHEN IT RAINS, MY BACK WINDOW IS NOT DEFROST, SO I CAN'T USE MY BACK WINDOW FOR VIEWING WHEN WE HAVE HEAVY RAIN OR EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10592655

49,500 miles · May 11, 2014

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

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SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR IN THE LATER PART OF 2012 (USED WITH 40000MI) I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS STARTING WITH THE RADIO, WHEN I TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST THE RADIO WOULD GO TO COMPLETE STATIC ON ALL STATIONS. WHILE TRAVELING APPROX. 30MPH THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON THEN AFTER STOPPING THE CAR AND RESTARTING THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF AS WELL AS MINIMAL TURNING TO THE RIGHT THE SERVICE ESC LIGHT WOULD DISPLAY, IN ADDITION TO THE REMOTE START NOT WORKING HALF THE TIME, I HAVE REPLACED THE KEY FOB AND GOTTEN A NEW KEY AND STILL THE SAME PROBLEM EXIST. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE RADIO WITH A BRAND NEW PART AND STILL THE STATIONS ARE NOT CLEAR AND WHILE SITTING IN THE CAR PARKED ALL OF THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH SOMETIMES COME ON FOR SERVICE AND THE CAR WOULD IDLE LOW THEN HIGH. THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH WILL SOMETIMES COMPLETELY DIM AND THE DISPLAY ON THE RADIO WILL BE DIGITAL. MY CAR NOW HAS ABOUT 65000 MILES ON IT, AND STILL THE CAR SOMETIMES STALLS AT STOP SIGNS, WILL BE WITHOUT POWER AND THE SERVICE ESC DISPLAYS AS WELL AS SERVICE ENGINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT AT THIS POINT. TUESDAY MAY 6 2014 MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING APPROX. 25MPH ALL THE LIGHTS IN DASH CAME ON AND ENGINE STALLED ON HIM SO HE RESTARTED THE CAR, UPON RESTARTING ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE DISPLAY TURNED OFF. SATURDAY MAY 10 2014 THE RADIO WAS COMPLETE STATIC...THIS IS A CONSTANT ISSUE, I KEEP MY GAS TANK PLENTIFUL AND HAVE ONLY OWNED GM VEHICLES. I AM RESEARCHING OTHER MAKES AT THIS POINT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10587697

41,325 miles · Apr 24, 2014

Air BagsElectrical System

WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN I WAS FORCED TO BRAKE AND HIT THE HORN TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE "SERVICE AIRBAG" LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I FOUND THAT BY HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL IT WOULD GO OUT AND RESET. EVERY TIME I USE MY HORN CAUSES THE "SERVICE AIRBAG" LIGHT TO COME ON. SOMETIMES IT GOES OUT AGAIN O…

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NHTSA ODI #10584737

3,000 miles · Jan 31, 2014

Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

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VEHICLE HAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AND REDUCED POWER KICKS IN WITH NO WARNING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN AT SPEED ON HIGHWAYS WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND AUTOMATICALLY SLOWS TO 40 MPH. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND REPAIRS MADE THE FIRST 2 TIMES, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN BACK 3 MORE TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE, NO CODES SHOWING IN THE COMPUTER. ISSUE ALSO REPORTED THAT IF AT A STOP, VEHICLE HAS NO RESPONSE WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS. THE DEALERSHIP IS CURRENTLY TRYING TO REPORT THIS AS A DIFFERENT ISSUE SO THEY CAN AVOID DEALING WITH THE LEMON LAW IN THE STATE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10562437

76,000 miles · Dec 9, 2013

Electrical SystemVisibility/wiper

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CAR WAS PARKED WITH REAR DEFOGGER AND HEAT RUNNING, LOUD EXPLOSION CRACKING NOISE AND THE REAR WINDSHIELD HAD EXPLODED INTO SPIDERWEBS. GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE -- OTHER PEOPLE PARKED SAW THE INCIDENT AND NO ONE SAW ANYTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD ( PARKED AT SCHOOL DROPPING OFF KIDS ). NOTHING WAS FOUND THAT INDICATED THE WINDOW HAD BEEN STRUCK IN ANY WAY. THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER WAS WARM TO THE TOUCH IN SEVERAL AREAS OF THE SPIDERWEBBED WINDOW. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 0 DEGREES. CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10555285

38,726 miles · Sep 29, 2013

Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH ON MAIN STREET IN FLORIDA,NY THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED & THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED OUT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10546056

55,000 miles · Sep 15, 2013

Electrical System

I HAVE A 2012 CHEVY MALIBU THAT DOES NOT START AFTER SITTING FOR FIVE MINUTES. NO POWER AT ALL IN VEHICLE. JUST AS SOON AS I PUT ON JUMPER CABLES ON, IT WILL START WITH NO PROBLEMS. I HAD BATT AND ALT TESTED. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THOSE PARTS. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR. I DON'T NEED TO BE STUCK SOMEWHERE WITH MY (…

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NHTSA ODI #10543694

1,100 miles · Jan 30, 2013

Electrical SystemService BrakesSteering

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VEHICLE (2012 MALIBU) WAS PURCHASED APRIL 2012 - STARTING JULY 2012 VEHICLE WOULD STALL GOING DOWN THE ROAD, WITH LOSS OF ENGINE, POWER ASSIST STEERING AND POWER ASSIST BRAKES. DEALER REPLACED NUMEROUS MODULES, BUT IT OCCURRED AGAIN IN SEPT 2012 (3 TIMES) THEN AGAIN IN JANUARY 2013. TWO BODY CONTROL MODULES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, ENGINE CONTROL MODULES, TWO POWER STEERING MODULES, ONSTAR MODULE, TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, ETC. UNINTENDED POWER STEERING ASSIST OCCURS SUCH THAT WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, POWER STEERING COMES IN AND OUT AS MODULE FAILS (ALONG WITH ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION). VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE VEHICLE AND GM STATES THEY STAND BY LAST REPAIR. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED 6 TIMES NOW, BUT WE REFUSE TO DRIVE VEHICLE, AS WE BELIEVE THERE MUST BE A SHORT SOMEWHERE. THEY KEEP STATING IT IS DEFECTIVE MODULES AND THEY JUST KEEP REPLACING THEM. PLEASE SEE YOUTUBE VIDEOS: "2012 CHEVY MALIBU - UNINTENDED POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE MODE?" "2012 CHEVY MALIBU DANGEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM - ANY IDEAS?" *TR

NHTSA ODI #10495304

3,500 miles · Jan 22, 2013

Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility/wiper

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WHILE DRIVING ON A STATE HIGHWAY, I HAD A NUMBER OF FUNCTIONS STOP WORKING. THE PROBLEM COULD COME AND GO FOR A WEEK BEFORE IT HAPPENED ON ALL IGNITION CYCLES. NOTE, THE PROBLEM COULD EVEN COME AND GO ON 1 IGNITION CYCLE. THE FOLLOWING STOPPED WORKING: WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HEATED SEATS, POWER WINDOWS/SUNROOF, POWER DOORS, POWER MIRRORS, BLUE TOOTH INTERFACE, DOME LIGHTS AND MIRROR / COMPASS. DEALER HAS REPLACED BODY CONTROL MODULE AND VPM. FIXES SEEM TO WORK FOR APPROXIMATELY 10-12 WEEKS BEFORE ISSUES RESURFACE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10494367

64 miles · Feb 26, 2012

Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WITH 64 MILES. WHILE DRIVING ON A RURAL ROAD, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE ACCELERATOR STOPPED WORKING. AFTER I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, IT WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. THIS CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE HAD I LOST CONTROL ON A MORE TRAVELED STREET. COINCIDENTALLY,…

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NHTSA ODI #10449368

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)