Steering. Review the 173 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

272 reports

93,000 miles · Apr 25, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, CITY & RURAL DRIVING, SLOW AND FAST SPEEDS, WHILE TURNING AND WHILE ON STRAIGHT, IN MOTION AND WHILE PARKED, SMOOTH ROADS AND ROUGH, RAINING AND DRY. HOWEVER, PROBLEM OCCURRED ONLY A HANDFUL OF TIMES DURING THE WINTER. STARTED OVER 6 MONTHS AGO, APPROX 93,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING, 3 BELL-DINGS, "POWER STEERING," "DISABLED ESC," AND "SERVICE ESC" DASH LIGHTS COME ON, ALONG WITH ICON OF CAR W/SWERVY LINES. CONTINUE DRIVING AND STEERING SEEMED OK. DASH CONTINUES TO CYCLE "POWER STEERING" AND "SERVICE ESC" WARNINGS. ISSUE REPEATS RANDOMLY. AFTER A PERIOD OF NORMAL USE, PROBLEM INTENSIFIES TO DASHBOARD GAGES, RADIO SCV, AND CRUISE TO OFF ; AUTO SHIFTING BECOMES ROUGH. ALL GAGES THEN FLUTTER UP AND DOWN INTERMITTENTLY. WORK DONE: MECHANIC = 9 PAGES OF CODES. NEW BATTERY/BATTERY CABLES. DROVE A WHILE, RECURRED - NO CODES. DROVE A LITTLE WHILE LONGER, RECURRED; CLEANED BATTERY, CHECKED FUSES. PASSED INSPECTION. DROVE A WHILE; 5 PAGES OF CODES. APPLIED ELECTRIC GREASE TO BCM TERMINALS. DROVE 3 DAYS; "POWER STEERING" AND "SERVICE ESC" ISSUE RECURRED. HAVE VIDEO; FORMAT NOT ALLOWED

NHTSA ODI #10980361

114,000 miles · Apr 8, 2017

Seats

WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREET, DRIVERS SEAT COLLAPSED IN REAR RIGHT AREA. SEAT HAS A CRACK IN STEEL FRAME, CAUSING IT TO TILT IN AN AWKWARD DIRECTION, MAKING DIFFICULT TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI #10971423

176,000 miles · Mar 20, 2017

Electrical SystemSteering

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GM ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE I AM HAVING WITH MY VEHICLE ONLY FOR PREVIOUS YEARS THEY DID EXTEND SPECIAL COVERAGE BUT ONLY UP TO 150,000 MILES. THIS PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING CUTTING OUT AT ANY GIVEN TIME SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, I HAVE HAD TO MANUALLY TRY AND STEER MY VEHICLE WHEN THIS HAS CUT OUT, THANK GOD I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT OUT ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR!! I BARELY HAD THE STRENGTH TO STEER IT WHEN I HAD TO. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS DESIGN OF ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING AND I FEEL GM SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND FIX IT REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE ON A PERSON'S VEHICLE. WHEN I START MY VEHICLE UP THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR FLASHES ALONG WITH SERVICE ESC AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS, WHEN I RESTART THE VEHICLE IT WILL USUALLY RESET BUT THIS IS HAPPENING WITH MORE AND MORE FREQUENCY AS WELL AS THE STEERING WHEEL JERKING WHILE SITTING IDLE AND ALSO WHILE IN MOTION. JUST BECAUSE MY VEHICLE HAS 30,000 MORE MILES ON IT THAN THE SPECIAL COVERAGE ALLOWS DOESN'T MEAN GM SHOULD DISCARD THE ISSUE AND MAKE IT THE CONSUMERS PROBLEM! THIS IS DUE TO THEIR FAULTY DESIGN/MANUFACTURING OF THIS PART.

NHTSA ODI #10967209

116,000 miles · Mar 12, 2017

Steering

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AT IDLE. EVENTUALLY LED TO COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING.

NHTSA ODI #10960238

90,000 miles · Mar 2, 2017

Steering

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WHEN I START MY CAR IT STATES, "POWER STEERING SERVICE ESC" AND MY TRACTION CONTROL SYMBOL IS ON ON MY DASH BOARD. IT STARTED OFF ONLY DOING THIS WHEN I STARTED MY CAR AND NOW IT HAS STARTED TO DO IT MORE OFTEN AND WON'T TURN OFF. IT HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING AND IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE I'M UNABLE TO TURN MY WHEEL/TURN MY CAR WHEN I AM DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND I CAN'T ALWAYS PULL OFF RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE IT HAPPENS AT ALL DIFFERENT AREAS/PLACES. IT HAS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, ON BUSY ROADS WHILE TRYING TO TURN THROUGH ONCOMING TRAFFIC, IN STATIONARY, ETC.

NHTSA ODI #10958234

90,000 miles · Feb 16, 2017

Electrical SystemSteering

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WHEN STARTING MY CAR, POWER STEERING SERVICE ESC WAS SHOWN ON MY MESSAGE CENTER AS MY CAR BEEPED TO ALARM ME OF THE MESSAGE AS WELL AS I HAD NO POWER STEERING AND COULD NOT TURN MY WHEEL. I LOOKED UP ON THE INTERNET WHAT THAT MESSAGE MEANT AND SAW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS FOR THE SAME ISSUES ON PREVIOUS YEARS OF THE SAME VEHICLE BUT THAT 2010 ISN'T COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. ONLINE IT STATED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THEN TRY AGAIN. I DID SO AND MY CAR STARTED AND THE MESSAGE WAS GONE AND MY POWER STEERING WAS BACK (AS NORMAL). EVERY TIME I START MY CAR THE SAME MESSAGE COMES ACROSS. ALTHOUGH, IT'S BEEN ABOUT A WEEK SINCE THIS ORIGINALLY STARTED AND IT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY NOW AND TAKES 4 OR 5 TIMES FOR ME TO SHUT MY CAR OFF AND RESTART IT BEFORE IT "GOES BACK TO NORMAL". ALSO, WHEN I'M DRIVING MY CAR VEERS TO THE LEFT PRETTY BADLY AND I HAVE TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL CROOKED TO DRIVE STRAIGHT. THERE'S ALSO A KNOCKING NOISE ON THE DRIVER SIDE THAT ALSO WAS STATED TO BE APART OF THE RECALL ON PREVIOUS YEARS. MY CAR STARTED SMELLING LIKE IT WAS BURNING TODAY AND I'M WONDERING IF IT'S PART OF THE ELECTRICAL/STEERING ISSUES THAT MY CAR IS HAVING. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. :(

NHTSA ODI #10955081

78,000 miles · Feb 16, 2017

Exterior Lighting

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MY HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY KEEPS MELTING AND THEN THE HEADLIGHTS (LOW & HIGH BEAM) DO NOT COME ON. I REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS ABOUT 6X UNTIL I CALLED THE GM DEALERSHIP AND THEY EXPLAINED THIS IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL FROM GM FOR THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE. I DID FILE A COMPLAINT WITH GM BUT THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL DO AND I NEED TO PAY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED MYSELF. THE LIGHTS GO OUT COMPLETELY WHEN DRIVING AND THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. I DON'T WANT TO HURT MYSELF OR ANYONE DUE TO HAVING NO HEADLIGHTS. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ON GOOGLE FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE YET GM WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL. PLEASE HELP. I AM ON A BUDGET AND SIMPLY CANT AFFORD TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED WHEN IT SHOULD BE GM'S RESPONSIBILITY.

NHTSA ODI #10955016

150,000 miles · Feb 14, 2017

Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

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WHILE DRIVING, UNEXPECTEDLY, AN ERROR WILL APPEAR STATING THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING. AT THIS TIME, THE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING WHICH MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. AT THE SAME TIME, A "SERVICE ESC" CODE APPEARS ALSO AND IT AUTOMATICALLY TURNS OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHER RATES OF SPEEDS WHICH POSES A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. THERE IS NO CURRENT RECALL INFORMATION AT THIS TIME FOR THIS VEHICLE. SOME INSTANCES HAVE INCLUDED THE BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING PROPERLY OR THE TAIL LIGHTS NOT ILLUMINATING WHILE THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. THIS IS ALSO A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. THE VEHICLE IS PAID OFF AND EXPENSES HAVE BEEN INCURRED BY THE OWNER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE ISSUE IS RECURRING. THE REPAIR CENTER CANNOT SEEM TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT DUE TO THE LARGE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT THESE ISSUES POSE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE OWNER SHOULD CONTINUE TO ACCRUE COSTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHEN THE PROBLEM ULTIMATELY IS NOT MITIGATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NHTSA ODI #10954409

81,800 miles · Feb 6, 2017

Steering

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POWER STEERING RECALL!!! I WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY POWER STEERING WILL SHUT OFF! I CAN NOT STEER THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND MY CAR MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE. I ALSO RECEIVE A WARNING SIGNAL ON MY DASHBOARD TELLING ME MY POWER STEERING NEEDS SERVICED AS WELL AS SERVICE ESC! I HAVE FRIENDS WITH OLDER MODELS AND THEIR CARS WERE RECALLED HOWEVER STARTING WITH MY VEHICLE YEAR (2010) AND UP THEY DO NOT HAVE A RECALL IN PLACE! THIS HAPPENS DAILY! SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT! WHAT IF I WENT AROUND A CURVE AND MY POWER STEERING SHUT OFF? GM REFUSES TO FIX IT FOR FREE AS NO "RECALL" WAS PUT INTO PLACE FOR THIS PART (JUST 2010 THO!!!) PLEASE PUT A RECALL OUT FOR THIS PART!

NHTSA ODI #10949939

203,000 miles · Feb 1, 2017

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 PONTIAC G6. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER W…

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NHTSA ODI #10948878

Official recalls

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)