2010 Chevrolet Malibu
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 1,363 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 26 Malibu model years with reports.
Of the 2010 reports, 41 involved a crash and 14 involved a fire. 47 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontal, driver side, inflator moduleJan 16, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, the air bag inflator may explode due to being overpressurized.
If the inflator explodes, sharp metal fragments may strike the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 25, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N182206630.
Campaign 19V019000 on NHTSA.gov
SteeringJul 21, 2014
Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers 425-167, 2425167, and 7-3074, for installation on 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6, and 2007-2009 Saturn Aura vehicles. The affected steering shafts may have a yoke that inadequately supports the u-joint bearing resulting in a premature failure.
A joint bearing that fails prematurely may cause separation of the u-joint resulting in a complete loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dorman will notify owners, and dealers will refund the purchase price or replace the steering shafts, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at 1-800-523-2492.
Campaign 14E044000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, wiringMay 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.
Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 14V252000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl)Sep 18, 2012
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.
If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
Campaign 12V460000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
294 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Mar 19, 2019
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING ON MATCH 18, 2019. I WAS TURNING RIGHT ONTO BUSY 4 LANE CITY STREET FROM A PARKING LOT, SPEED < 5 MPH. COULD NOT TURN INTO RIGHT LANE, STRUGGLED TO SWING CAR INTO LEFT LANE W/O CROSSING MEDIAN. IT WAS NOT SIMPLY A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I'VE DRIVEN OLD CARS THAT NEVER HAD POWER STEERING AND THIS WAS 10 TIMES MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER. I THINK I STRAINED A MUSCLE IN MY SHOULDER. TURNING DID NOT GET EASIER AS I ACCELERATED, EVENTUALLY TO ABT 40 MPH. STRUGGLED THROUGH 3 MORE HAIR RAISING TURNS (ALL TURNS MADE) BEFORE PARKING IT AT HOME. THE ESC/TCS INDICATOR CAME ON IN THE PARKING LOT AND STAYED ON. ERROR MSGS DISPLAYED WERE POWER STEERING, SERVICE ESC, SERVICE AIR BAG. I HEARD NO CHIMES. WE GAVE MY DAUGHTER THIS USED CAR IN 2015. SHE HAD COMPLAINED A COUPLE OF WEEKS PRIOR THAT STEERING SOMETIMES BECAME DIFFICULT. A SEARCH BY VIN SHOWS NO INCOMPLETE RECALLS. IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY USEFUL TO KNOW IF THIS CAR WAS PART OF A RECALL(S) AND THEN REPAIRED. IF IT WAS, IT WAS REPAIRED INCORRECTLY, NOT ALL PROBLEMS WERE RESOLVED, OR THE PARTS USED HAVE A SHORT LIFE SPAN. IF GM ISN'T COVERING THIS SITUATION, THAT'S A CRIME. ALSO, IF NOT COVERED BY GM I'LL TAKE IT TO OUR REGULAR MECHANIC SINCE HIS WORK IS MORE RELIABLE THAN THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP'S. IF MY BABY HAD BEEN HURT IN THIS DEATH TRAP, HEADS WOULD'VE ROLLED - METAMORPHICALLY OF COURSE. I'LL ALSO BE CONSULTING A LAWYER.
Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Mar 14, 2019
I WAS DRIVING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WENT OUT. IT SAYS ESC AND POWER STEERING ON MY DASH.
Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 14, 2019
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUSE BOX LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. MY CAR HAS COMPLETELY LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE DRIVING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. FUEL PUMP, ALTERNATOR, AND BATTERY HAVE NEEDED REPLACED. THERE IS A SHORT IN OR NEAR THIS REAR FUSE BOX. FUEL PUMP RELAY HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND CONNECTIONS GREASED. TEMPORARILY FIXED, THEN A FEW DAYS LATER SHUTS OFF WHILE RUNNING. FROM RESEARCHING, THIS APPEARS TO BE EXTREMELY COMMON WITH THIS MODEL ACROSS MULTIPLE YEARS, WITH THE WIRE LEADING TO THE FUEL PUMP RELAY BURNING UP AND SHORTING. CLEARLY POOR WIRING. AT LEAST THREE TIMES MY CAR HAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE IN MOTION WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. MULTIPLE CRANK/NO START SITUATIONS AS WELL. MY NEXT OPTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUSE BLOCK, BUT THAT WILL NOT FIX WIRING DESIGN. HAVE BEEN TOWED MULTIPLE TIMES IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
Electrical system, Wheels, Service brakes, Mar 9, 2019
ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING BUT THE BATTERY/ELECTRONICS WERE STILL ON. I SAFELY STOPPED THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CHECK ENGINE + ABS + TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I FINALLY HAD TO CALL A TOW COMPANY. NO MECHANIC KNOWS HOW TO FIX IT. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, MANY OWNERS OF THE SAME MAKE MODEL AND MODEL YEAR RANGE SUFFERED SIMILAR SITUATIONS. THE CAR STILL WON'T START TILL NOW.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Mar 5, 2019
BRAKE LAMP RECALL FOR THESE MODELS DO NOT WORK. I NOTICED THE ISSUE RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT AROUND 55 MPH AT NIGHT. MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON, WHILE MY FOOT IS OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN I PLACE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE LIGHTS GO OFF. THIS IS A SERIOUS DRIVING HAZARD. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO GET THE RECALL HANDLED, BUT NOTICED THIS MORNING, THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE STILL ILLUMINATING WHEN MY FOOT IS OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL.
Electrical system, Mar 1, 2019
I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING IN MY 2010 MALIBU. IT HAPPENS WHILE I AM DRIVING AND I CANNOT MOVE MY VEHICLE AT ALL. I HAVE TO PLACE MY HAZARDS ON IN THE MIDDLE OF ANY TYPE OF ROADWAY AND SHUT MY VEHICLE OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON. SOMETIMES THE PROBLEM CONTINUES, OF I'M LUCKY IT'LL RESET AND NOT HAPPEN FOR A FEW DAYS. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN 30 TIMES NOW.
Electrical system, Feb 24, 2019
DOOR LOCKS NOT WORKING RIGHT , PEOPLE INSIDE VEHICLE UNABLE TO EXIT UNLESS THEY CLIMB OUT THE WINDOWS AS DOORS SEEM TO UNLOCK BUT WONT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE . THIS IS A ISSUE BECAUSE IN THE EVENT OF THE CRASH YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS TO ESCAPE . DEALERSHIP SAYS MY CAR IS FINE BUT I HAVE TO CLIMB IN AND OUT OF THE WINDOW EACH DAY FOR WORK .
Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Feb 19, 2019
DRIVING TO WORK AND OUT OF NOWHERE DASH STARTS DINGING AND FLASHES 'SERVICE ESC' THE. 'POWER STEERING' AND STEERING GETS STIFF (NO POWER STEERING). LUCKILY IT WAS JUST ME IN THE CAR AND NOT WITH MY 3 AND 5 YEAR OLD AND ALSO NOT ON HIGHWAY WHEN IT HAPPENED. MY CAR HAS 157K MILES AND JUST FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A GM EXTENDED COVERAGE ON IT UP TO 150K MILES FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND WAS NOT AWARE. I'M OVER THE 150K MILES NOW SO I'M STUCK WITH THE REPAIR BUT THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE GM!!
Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jan 31, 2019
BOUGHT IN FEBRUARY 2018 93 K MILES JAN OF 2019 WITH 124 K ON IT REPLACED FRONT TIRES AND BRAKES AND ROTORS IMMEDIATELY GOT IN TO TEST DRIVE STEERING HAD A VIOLENT TWITCH. TOOK IT TO HAVE STEERING SENSOR RECALIBRATED .. GOT IN CAR ZERO ELECTRIC STEERING.. UNHOOKED BATTERY.. HOOKED BACK UP STEERING EXTREMELY LOSE WITH EVEN WORSE TWITCH TWITCH STARTED IN PARK WHILE RUNNING AND HAS PROGRESSED TO A TWITCH ALL THE TIME WHILE RUNNING.. BY TWITCH I MEAN A VIOLENT LEFT TO RIGHT VIBRATION OF THE STEERING WHEEL
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jan 26, 2019
THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ENGAGED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AND DISENGAGE WHEN BRAKING CAUSING A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD FOR NOT ONLY HE DRIVER BUT OTHERS FOLLOWING BEHIND. BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON WHILE DRIVING FOLLOWING CARS CRASH DETECTION SYSTEMS ENGAGE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE AWHILE. IT WAS "FIXED" BY A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP ONCE ALREADY BUT IT IS BACK. HUGE CONCERN FOR MY 17 YEAR OLD DRIVING THE CAR.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jan 13, 2019
I'VE TAKEN MY CAR TO GET THE DRIVER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT REPLACED 3 TIMES IN ONE YEAR. COME TO FIND OUT THE LIGHTS WERE NOT BLOWING OUT.. THERE IS A SHORTAGE WITH THE LIGHT PLUG. HIGH BEAM IS FINE.. ONLY THE LOW BEAM KEEPS GOING OUT
Electrical system, Service brakes, Dec 26, 2018
I BOUGHT MY MALIBU IN 2014. FROM RON MARHOFER CHEVROLET. NOT KNOWING THERE WERE RECALLS ON MY CAR WHEN I BOUGHT IT. IN 2016, WITH 75K MILES I WAS HAVING TROUBLES, BRAKE LIGHTS WERE COMING ON WHEN I ACCELERATED THE GAS. GOT THE RECALL FIXED. NOW, AT 102K MILES AND 2 YEARS LATER, THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE COMING BACK ON. MY DEALERSHIP TOLD ME SINCE MY WARRANTY WAS UP, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A $99 DIAGNOSTIC ON TOP OF LABOR. I WROTE CHEVROLET LAST WEEK AND THEY DENIED THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE HAS BEEN COMPLAINING.. IT'S FRUSTRATING AND SUCH A SCANDAL. I HAVE AN APPT WITH MY DEALERSHIP NEXT WEEK TO TAKE A LOOK. I FEEL THIS IS GOING TO BE A COSTLY MATTER, FOR SOMETHING GM IS TRYING GO COVER UP. SHAME ON YOU GM!
Steering, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Dec 2, 2018
CAR HAS BEEN HAVING ALL THE PROBLEMS SINCE I GOT IT , AND NOW JUST BY DOING RESEARCH I SEEN THAT THEY HAD A LOT OF THESE CARS RECALLED
Steering, Electrical system, Nov 20, 2018
POWER STEERING LOCKS WHEN DRIVING AND I HAVE NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL
Electrical system, Nov 13, 2018
PASSENGER LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. I HAVE REPLACED IT 3 TIMES THIS YEAR ALREADY. DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH 1 LOW BEAM WORKING IS DANGEROUS.
Electrical system, Oct 28, 2018
THE CARS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND YOU LOSS YOUR BRAKES AND WHEN YOU HAVE IT CHECKED IT PUTS UP DIFFERENT CODES EVERY TIME IT'S CHECKED AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU CHANGE IT KEEPS DOING IT AND YOU TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND THEY JUST WANT TO CHANGE EVERYTHING IT SAYS AND CHARGE YOU A ARM AND LEG AND IT STILL DOES FIX IT
Electrical system, Structure, Electronic stability control (ESC), Oct 17, 2018
2010 CHEVY MALIBU BRAKE LIGHT ON WITHOUT BRAKE BEING APPLIED CAR SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON AND SERVICE ESC I BELIEVE IT'S DUE TO A BAD BODY CONTROL MODULE
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Sep 5, 2018
POWER REDUCED ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL,
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 31, 2018
PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. REPLACED BULB MULTIPLE TIMES, 100/HR SHOP LABOR JUST TO TAKE OFF BUMPER TO GET TO BULB. AT THIS POINT A TICKET WOULD HAVE BEEN CHEAPER.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 18, 2018
HEADLIGHT LOW BEAMS CONTINUE TO GO OUT. NOT BURNING OUT BUT GOING OUT PREMATURELY. HAVE TO BE CHANGED AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Aug 16, 2018
THE STOP LAMPS COME ON ALL BY THEMSELF, IF THE LAMPS ARE ILLUMINATED THEY WILL TURN OFF WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED. THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE TRACTION CONTROLS AND STABILITY CONTROL, THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ALSO CRUISE CONTROL BECOMES INOPERATIVE. GM HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AND HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER THEY'VE CAPPED IT AT 150,000 MILES WHICH PUTS ME OUT OF WARRANTY. WHEN I SPOKE TO GM THEY ADMITTED THIS AND SAID BECAUSE I WASN'T THE ORIGINAL OWNER I WOULDN'T BE NOTIFIED. THEY DON'T WANT TO HELP!
Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Aug 15, 2018
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY OUT OF NOWHERE POWER ENGINE REDUCED WOULD COME UP ON THE DASH AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND TRANSMISSION AND TRACTION WARNING LIGHTS WOULD SHOW ON DASH AS WELL ALSO POWER STEERING SHOW ON DASH AND THE CAR JERK A LITTLE AND THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL HAND WOULDN'T MOVE
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Jul 18, 2018
SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION, PICTURE OF CAR SKIDDING, TIRES NEED AIR AND PICTURE OF TIRE THAT LOOKS FLAT KEEPS COMING UP ON MY PANEL. THIS NEVER HAPPENED PRIOR TO HAVING NEW TIRES AND BRAKES PUT ON MY CAR AT HENDRIX CHEVROLET IN DURHAM, NC. I ONLY HAVE 40+ THOUSAND MILES ON MY CAR. AT 20,000 MY RIGHT FRONT ROTAR AND BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACE BECAUSE IT WAS ROARING AND I LITERALLY HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MY HOME. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW WHEN MY SON WORKED AT HENDRIX (THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA). HE WASN'T WORKING THERE WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT HE FIXED IT AND THEN HENDRIX SAID THEY COULD NOT REIMBURSE ME BECAUSE HE WASN'T A CURRENT EMPLOYEE. I LOVE MY CAR BUT HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT! PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT TO DO TO GET THE FIRST ISSUES I MENTIONED CORRECTED! I'M GETTING DIFFERENT ANSWERS FROM EVERYONE I TALK TOO. I SEE MANY PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET ARE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR MALIBU AS WELL!
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 15, 2018
PASSENGER LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHT GOES OUT EVERY 2 MONTHS. I HAVE REPLACED THIS 3 TIMES. REPLACING THE HEADLIGHT REQUIRES REMOVING THE FRONT BUMPER AND IT IS $120 JUST TO REMOVE THE BUMPER TO DETERMINE THE ISSUE. NEW CONNECTOR AND PIGTAILS HAVE NOT SOLVED THE BURNOUT ISSUE. UPON AN INTERNET SEARCH, I FOUND OTHER HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH PASSENGER HEADLIGHT. IHTTP://WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/CHEVROLET/MALIBU/2010/HEADLIGHTS-PROBLEMS.PHP I WAS IN MOTION WHEN THIS WAS NOTICED AS I WAS PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE. ISSUE IS STILL THERE WHEN CAR IS PARKED.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Jun 20, 2018
MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED WHEN I DO NOT PUSH ON THE BRAKE WHEN I DO PUSH ON THE BRAKE THEY DISAPPEAR I CAN'T PUT MY CRUISE CONTROL ON WHEN THIS HAPPENS THIS HAPPENS WHILE I'M DRIVING IT STARTED HAPPENING ABOUT A MONTH AGO AT A HUNDRED AND NINETY-EIGHT THOUSAND MILES BUT IT WOULD GO AWAY I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND IT WOULD BE FINE NOW IT IS LIKE THAT AT ALL TIMES