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

What owners actually said

906 reports

63,000 miles · Sep 7, 2017

EngineFuel/propulsion System

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2012 MALIBU INTERMITTENT NO START . HARD CRANK BUT WON'T START. PROBLEM STARTED A MONTH AGO, RANDOMLY WOULDN'T START HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC BUT THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM. 2 DAYS LATER SAME THING, HAD IT TOWED AGAIN. STARTED NEXT DAY FOR MECHANIC. AFTER 3RD TOW IT WOULDN'T START AND THEY REPLACED FUEL PUMP. 4 DAYS LATER NO START AGAIN, HAD IT TOWED BUT OF COURSE IT STARTED THE 4 DAYS MECHANIC HAD IT. I PICKED IT UP AND DROVE IT ALL DAY. TRIED TO LEAVE IN THE EVENING AND NO START. IT'S BACK AT THE MECHANICS, GOING TO REPLACE FUSS BOX. HOPEFULLY THIS WORKS. IT HAS NEVER STALLED WHILE OPERATING BUT IT DOES LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING AND HESITATES. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES AND 1500$ LATER CAR STILL ISN'T FIXED. MECHANIC IS HAVING HARD TIME PIN POINTING PROBLEM. I TRAVEL OUT OF TOWN ON BUSINESS FREQUENTLY AND CAN'T DEPEND ON THIS VEHICLE. I'VE READ MULTIPLE POSTS ABOUT SAME ISSUE IT SEEMS CHEVY WOULD TRY TO RESOLVE IT.

NHTSA ODI #11022105

135,000 miles · Aug 25, 2017

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Power Train

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AFTER OWNING THE CAR ONLY 3 WEEKS, THE CIRCUIT BOARD BLEW A WIRE CONNECTOR CAUSING MY FUEL PUMP TO GO OUT AFTER THE DEALERSHIP JUST HAD THESE EXACT PARTS REPLACED HIMSELF AT TIME OF PURCHASE. THE CAR HAS LOST POWER, HAS ISSUES WITH BLINKER STICKING OR RELAY. THE CAR DRAINS RAPIDLY WHEN A.C. IS TURNED ON. RADIO SOMETIMES SHUTS OFF SOUND. THE VEHICLE HAS COST ME OVER 3000 WITHIN MY 3 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP HAS ONLY 140000 MILES ON ENGINE. ELECTRICAL ISSUES EVERYWHERE AM FEARFUL IT MAY CATCH FIRE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY 3 CHILDREN! YOUTUBE HAS MANY COMPLAINTS ON SAME MAKE MODEL VEHICLE WITH SAME OCCURRING ISSUE'S! LUCKILY WHEN CIRCUIT BOARD BLEW A COMPACTOR THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN THE PARKING LOT AT DOLLAR GENERAL. WE WERE FORCED TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DESTINATION.

NHTSA ODI #11019476

86,000 miles · Aug 19, 2017

Electrical System

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CAR WOULD NOT START JUST CRANKED. HAD CAR LOOKED AT SAID IT WAS MY FUEL PUMP. SO I HAD IT CHANGED. WELL THE NEXT DAY SAME THING. SO I SEEN THAT THE FUEL PUMP RELAY WAS IN TRUCK REPLACED THAT AS WELL. WELL THEN TWO DAYS LATER CAR DID THE SAME THING. WENT TO FUSE BOX IN TRUNK AND OPENED THE FUSE BOX TOUCHED THE FUEL PUMP RELAY AND MY CAR STARTED RIGHT UP. I CONTINUE TO DO THIS ON A DAILY AND ITS ALSO STALLED AT A RED LIGHT AND I ALSO MESSED WITH THE FUSE BOX AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I BEEN SEEING WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE FUSE BOX IN THE TRUNK AND THE WIRING IN THE TRUNK. I FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS TO BE FIXED I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AND BOUGHT IT USED.

NHTSA ODI #11016315

100,000 miles · Aug 15, 2017

Electrical System

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I HAVE ONLY HAD MY CAR FOR 2 YEARS.. NO ISSUES. WELL MAINTAINED..RECENTLY MY A/C STOPPED WORKING. I WAS USING IT, TURNED IT OFF , TURNED MY CAR OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES STARTED MY CAR AND THE A/C WOULD NOT WORK. DID NOT BLOW ANY AIR..IT'S NOT EVEN LIGHTING UP WHEN SELECTING DIFFERENT SETTINGS. IT'S AS IF THE A/C CONTROL PANEL DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE READ MANY OTHERS COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE, AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE 2012 CHEVY MALIBU WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE 2013-2014 RECALL FOR A/C ISSUES SINCE THIS IS SUCH A REOCCURRING PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11015297

62,210 miles · Aug 14, 2017

Unknown Or Other

MY CAR WILL RANDOMLY NOT START WITH NO ENGINE CODES. IT APPEARS TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE KEY INSERT ALSO SAYS ANTI-THEFT. MOSTLY WHEN I AM PARKED

NHTSA ODI #11015259

103,000 miles · Aug 8, 2017

Seats

THE TRACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT IS BROKEN. THE SEAT MOVES ALL OVER AND HITS THE CENTER CONSOLE. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND IS A HUGE CONCERN. WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI #11013649

104,000 miles · Jul 25, 2017

Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

CAR STARTS AND AFTER 2 SECONDS TURNS BACK OFF. CAR WILL START AGAIN AND DRIVE FINE FOR HOURS AND THEN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT BUT NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM AND DIAGNOSTIC WON'T READ THE PROBLEM. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.

NHTSA ODI #11010440

120,000 miles · Jul 21, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

WHEN CAR IS AT IDLE THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND CAUSES CAR TO MISFIRE AND SHAKE

NHTSA ODI #11006710

67,000 miles · Jul 19, 2017

Electrical SystemSteering

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I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ONE MORNING GOING ABOUT 30MPH AND CAR JUST LOST ALL POWER , COULD NOT STEER THE CAR, PULLED OFF ROAD, WAITED ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND CAR STARTED BACK WITH NO PROBLEMS, THEN A FEW DAYS AGO WENT OUT TO START CAR AND WOULD NOT START, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD LIGHT UP BUT WOULD NOT START, HAD TO HAVE IN JUMPED OFF, TOOK IT TO AUTO PLACE TO HAVE BATTERY CHECKED, BATTERY WAS FINE, DROVE IT HOME, DROVE IT THE NEXT MORNING TO WORK WITH NO PROBLEMS, THEN THAT AFTERNOON, WOULD NOT START AGAIN, HAD TO HAVE IT JUMPED OFF AGAIN, TOOK IT TO AUTO PLACE AGAIN, AND BATTERY OK, ALLTERNATOR OK , I HAVE READ SEVERAL REVIEWS ON THIS CAR AND ALL SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, HAVE NOT TOOK IT TO MECHANIC YET, BUT AFRAID TO DRIVE IT

NHTSA ODI #11006300

108,000 miles · Jul 18, 2017

Electrical System

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BLOWER MOTOR PULLED SO MUCH AMPERAGE FROM ENGINE/BATTERY THAT IT MELTED THE WIRING HARNESS AND BLEW THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR. WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AND HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. WHEN ACCELERATING, THE BLOWER CUT OFF AND I COULD ONLY FEEL THE AIR SLIGHTLY COMING FROM THE AC VENT. HAD IT DIAGNOSED AT MY MECHANIC AND HE INDICATED THAT HE'D SEEN THIS MANY TIMES IN CHEVYS AND THAT THERE HAD TO BE SOME DEFECT IN THE BLOWER MOTOR FOR IT TO PULL SO MUCH AMPERAGE -- ENOUGH TO MELT THE WIRING HARNESS, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY BLEW THE RESISTOR.

NHTSA ODI #11006092

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)