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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95,000 miles · Apr 20, 2020

Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

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CAR WOULD RANDOMLY NOT START UP. STARTER WOULD ENGAGE WITH KEY TURNED, BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT FIRE OFF AND RUN. NO CODES FROM DIAGNOSTICS. NEVER HEARD FUEL PUMP ENERGIZE WITH PROBLEM PRESENT. CAR WOULD EVENTUALLY SUCCESSFULLY START. BENCH TESTED FUEL PUMP RELAY WITH NO ISSUES. DISASSEMBLED FUSE BOX IN TRUNK AND FOUND THE BROWN WIRE CONNECTING THE FUEL PUMP TO ITS RELAY WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HEAT STRESSED. THE BLACK PLASTIC WIRE HARNESS THAT HOUSES THE BROWN FUEL PUMP WIRE WAS ALSO STRESSED AND DEFORMED, AND WAS NO LONGER RETAINING THE CRIMPED CONNECTOR FOR THE BROWN WIRE. I HAD TO CLEAN UP THE METAL CRIMP CONNECTOR AND PINCH DOWN ON THE END SO THAT IT WOULD "GRAB" THE RELAY TERMINAL ONCE REASSEMBLED. CAR HAS YET TO REPEAT THE STARTING PROBLEM A YEAR LATER.

NHTSA ODI #11321634

Mileage unknown · Apr 19, 2020

Electrical SystemSeat BeltsUnknown Or Other

DOORS KEEP UNLOCKING AND LOCKING ON THEIR OWN. DOES IT CONSTANTLY NO MATTER WHAT I DO.. THE ALARM DOESNT DO ANYTHING AND THE DOORS JUST KEEP UNLOCKING AND LOCKING BACK AND FORTH ALL DAY AND NIGHT EVEN WITHOUT THE KEYS INSIDE WHILE PARKED

NHTSA ODI #11321532

111,000 miles · Feb 29, 2020

Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

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I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED AND 2 WEEKS AFTER I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC FROM WORK BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T START. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS FUEL PUMP SO HE REPLACED IT $685 AND THE TOW WAS $125. DROVE IT HOME AND THE NEXT DAY WENT OUT TO START IT BEFORE WORK AND WOULDN'T START BUT HAD CRANK. CALLED MECHANIC HE HAD IT TOWED BACK TO HIS SHOP, CLEANED THE FUSE BOX IN THE TRUNK AND SAID THE BROWN WIRE WAS LOOSE. STARTED UP THE NEXT DAY BUT THE FOLLOWING DAY IT STALLED ON ME WHILE ME AND MY SON WAS ON OUR WAY TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT AND I HIT THE BOX IN THE TRUNK AND IT STARTED. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS NOT A RECALL YET FROM HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE WENT THROUGH THIS ELECTRICAL WIRING ISSUE. THIS WAS ALL ON CITY STREETS. HOW MANY TIMES AM I GOING TO HAVE TO BEAT ON THIS BOX TO GET IT STARTED AND HOW LONG WILL THAT LAST? THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

NHTSA ODI #11315343

122,000 miles · Feb 4, 2020

Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

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THE CAR SEEMS TO RUN FINE ONCE IT STARTS. THE PROBLEM IS GETTING IT TO START. SOMETIMES THE CAR STARTS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS AND THEN SOMETIMES IT WON'T. IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED MULTIPLE TIMES. WE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN THE SAME THING STARTED TO HAPPEN. WE REPLACED A COUPLE OF FUSES. AGAIN THIS SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN THE SAME THING STARTED TO HAPPEN. MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED THAT THERE IS SOME WIRING THAT IS ALWAYS HOT LEADING FROM THE FUSE BOX TO THE FUEL PUMP. BASICALLY WE BELIEVE THAT CHEVROLET USED CHEAP CRAPPY THIN WIRING. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE CAR WON'T START. WE DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND IT SEEMS THAT EVERYONE WHO OWNS A 2012 CHEVY MALIBU HAS HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM THAT HAS COST CONSUMERS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. WE HAVE ALWAYS OWNED A CHEVY AND THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE THAT WE HAVE EVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH. WE ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING SWITCHING TO TOYOTA OR NISSAN SINCE CHEVROLET HAS BEEN RECEIVING COMPLAINTS AND THUS FAR HAS CHOSEN NOT TO DO ANYTHING. CHEVROLET MANUFACTURED THE 2012 CHEVY MALIBU AND WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE FUSE BOX, FUEL PUMP, AND THE WIRING. ONE OF THESE DAYS, THE CAR IS GOING TO CATCH FIRE BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY SYSTEM. IT IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO SEE ALL OF THESE CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AND CHEVROLET DOES NOTHING. WE NEVER KNOW IF THE CAR IS GOING TO START; IT'S LITERALLY A GUESSING GAME. SOMETIMES WE TAP THE FUSE BOX, SOMETIMES WE KICK THE SIDE OF THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR, AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT 15 MINUTES AND THEN THE CAR WILL START. CHEVROLET NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL AND FIX THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE 2012 CHEVY MALIBU. EVENTUALLY THE WIRING IS GOING TO CATCH FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #11306933

95,000 miles · Jan 26, 2020

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. DEALERSHIP CHANGED FUSE BOX AND WIRING IN TRUNK DUE TO MELTING. NOW LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING. REPLACED ONE MONTHS AGO, NOW BOTH NOT WORKING AGAIN. NOTICED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE.

NHTSA ODI #11301937

130,000 miles · Jan 22, 2020

Electrical SystemExterior LightingUnknown Or Other

DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT KEPT GOING IN AND OUT UNTIL COMPLETELY GOING OUT AND NOT WORKING. WHEN GETTING A NEW BULB PUT IT IT DID THE SAME THING A WEEK LATER. THE WIRING IN THE HEADLIGHT IS FAULTY. THE SAME THING GOES FOR THE FRONT SPEAKERS OF THE CAR. THE FRONT SPEAKERS WILL COME ON AND OFF ON THEIR OWN AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI #11301034

144,000 miles · Jan 9, 2020

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

DRIVING MY VEHICLE WITH MY 3 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. TURNED THE WHEEL AS I WAS TAKING A TURN AND THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY STOPPED. THIS FORCED ME TO APPLY THE BRAKE BECAUSE I ALMOST WEMT OFF THE ROAD!! I SEE THIS ISN'T THE ONLY INCIDENT INVOLVING THE ESC AND POWER STEERING!! VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS "SERVICE ESC" AND "P…

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NHTSA ODI #11298170

Mileage unknown · Jan 2, 2020

Electrical System

I HAVE REPLACE MY HEADLIGHTS ABOUT 10 WITHIN TWO YEARS. FIRESTONE HAVE REPLACED THE WIRING, AND MY HEADLIGHT STILL GOES OUT. I'M BEYOND FRUSTRATED. IF YOU GO TO CARGURUS.COM, EVERYONE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

NHTSA ODI #11296753

94,000 miles · Dec 29, 2019

Electrical SystemSuspensionWheels

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I WAS SOLD A CAR PRICED AT $4,995 BUT WHEN THE INITIAL CONTRACT WAS SIGNED THE CAR REPRESENTATIVE FAILED TO KEEP THE PRICE THE SAME AND WITHOUT CONSENT OVERCHARGED ME FOR THE CAR $10,000 I CALLED BACK A WEEK LATER TO NOTIFY THEM THE CAR HAD WENT OUT, WAS IN BAD CONDITION, WASN'T DRIVING, AND PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN HARMS WAY. CAR SHUTOFF TWICE IN MOTION ONCE WHILE ACTUALLY DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I ASKED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS FORCED INTO PURCHASING THEIR WARRANTY THAT HE STATED CAME WITH THE CAR BUT PUT IN THE CONTRACT LATER THAT I WOULD PAY $1000+ DOLLARS FOR IT WHEN IT'S AN EXPIRED WARRANTY FROM 2017 WHEN THE DEALER FIRST GOT THE CAR SO IT'S ONLY A EXTENDED WARRANTY AND DOESN'T HELP WITH ANYTHING. HE CAME ONCE TO REPAIR THE CAR BY PUTTING SOME FLUID INSIDE TO MAKE IT RUN & INSTEAD TOLD ME HE CHANGED THE BATTERY WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE FALSE THE CAR KEPT CUTTING OFF AND GOING OUT I KEPT SEEKING HELP IT WAS DAVID AND ABN MOTORS WHO REFUSED TO FIX ANY MECHANICAL ISSUE I WAS HAVING WITH THE VEHICLE AND IN RETURN THE CAR PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN HARMS WAY IT IS A DANGER TO HAVE OR DRIVE WITH MY KIDS COPS SAID SO ALSO IT CUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING AND LEAKED AN EXTREMELY LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL WHILE ME AND MY KIDS WERE INSIDE THE VEHICLE I WAS FORCED TO MERGE OVER COMPLETELY TO GET OUT THE WAY OF TRAFFIC AS THE CAR JUST STOPPED MOTION. SOMETHING UNDER THE HOOD POPPED AND THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKY STATE OFFICIALS ORDER ME AND MY FAMILY OUT THE VEHICLE IN TOLEDO A HOUR DRIVE AWAY FROM MY HOME. THEY STATED IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THAT I COULD NOT ENTER MY VEHICLE AND TOOK IT AWAY. I HAD EVEN SENT OVER A MESSAGE TO THE DEALER REPRESENTATIVE I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A MONTH EARLIER STATING I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS HE REFUSED TO RESPOND OR HELP HE STATED THAT I ALREADY SIGNED THE CONTRACT AND I SHOULD DEAL WITH IT MYSELF.

NHTSA ODI #11291862

49,000 miles · Dec 22, 2019

Air BagsElectrical System

SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT ON ALL THE TIME CAR WAS IN PARK WHEN IT FIRST APPEAR

NHTSA ODI #11290752

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)