2011 Chevrolet Malibu
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 978 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 26 Malibu model years with reports.
Of the 2011 reports, 40 involved a crash and 17 involved a fire. 41 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
Seat beltsMay 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.
If the cable breaks, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 15V269000 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
Representative owner complaints: power train
112 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jul 3, 2013
I PURCHASED MY CAR IN FEB. OF 2012 AS OF TODAY MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 10 DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THE SAME THING. THE STEERING VIBRATES WHEN YOU DRIVE AND IT LOSES POWER WHEN SHIFTING. THEN, I HAD TO GET A NEW MOTOR IN THE CAR MAY 2013, THEN IT WAS RATTLING AGAIN SO I TOOK IT UP THERE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS THAT IT NEEDED A PROGRAM UPGRADE AND THAT I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET 60.70 FOR THIS UPGRADE. TWO DAYS LATER THE WHOLE CAR SHUTS DOWN ON ME AND THEY ARE NOW SAYING THAT IT IS AN APP MODULE AND IT NEEDS TO BE RE-PROGRAMMED. I AM TIRED OF PAYING ALL THIS TOW BILLS AND FEES FOR A CAR THAT DOES NOT RUN AND IT NOT SAFE FOR MY KIDS TO RIDE IN. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, May 10, 2013
I'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR 18 MONTHS. NOVEMBER 2012, I REPORTED TO MY GM DEALER OF LOSS OF POWER WHEN DRIVING. CAR'S RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS, LOSES POWER AT VARYING SPEEDS FROM 30 MPH AND UP. VEHICLE BROUGHT IN, DEALER STATED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. DECEMBER 2012, WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH, CAR ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, CAR CAME TO STOP ON ACTIVE TRAIN TRACKS WITH CHILDREN IN CAR, NO POWER STEERING, NOT ABLE TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE, NEUTRAL OR REVERSE, PARK. ONCE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. TOWED VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A BAD SOLENOID. VEHICLE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS TWO MONTHS AFTER. JANUARY 2013 BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR SAME ISSUE, LOSING POWER, NO ACCELERATION, RPM'S WOULD REV AND THEN RAPIDLY DROP WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT FOOT ON GAS PEDAL. WAS TOLD BY DEALER NOTHING IS WRONG WITH CAR. FEBRUARY 2013, CHANGE OIL LIGHT WAS ONE FOR THREE MONTHS, EVEN AFTER HAVING OIL CHANGED. BROUGHT TO DEALER TO HAVE RESET. MAY 2013, VEHICLE STILL LOSING POWER, RPM'S REVVING AND RAPIDLY DROPPING, DASH LIGHTS RANDOMLY DIMMING WITHOUT TOUCHING DIMMER KNOB, DRIVER'S DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE AND WILL NOT LOCK/UNLOCK DESPITE MULTIPLE METHODS, ONCE OPEN DOOR WILL NOT LATCH TO CLOSE AND DOOR BOUNCES OPEN AGAIN, AUTO START LAGS AT TIME AND RANDOMLY DOESN'T WORK. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE NEXT MONDAY, NOT OPTIMISTIC AS THE DEALER KEEPS TELLING ME THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE, THEY STATE THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER KNOWN ISSUES ON THIS VEHICLE, DESPITE THERE BEING MANY MANY TSB'S ONLINE FOR THE SAME ISSUES I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING. I HAVEN'T OWNED THE CAR FOR EVEN TWO YEARS, TRADED IN A BEAUTIFUL NEW CAMARO FOR IT TO TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN IN A SAFE CAR, YET THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS AND HEADACHES. *TR
Power train, Feb 3, 2013
DROVE INTO GAS STATION AND STOPPED, TURNED OFF CAR, FILLED WITH GAS. UPON STARTING CAR AND PUTTING CAR IN DRIVE THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE. HAD TO DRIVE CAR APPROXIMATELY 3 BLOCKS IN REVERSE TO GET CAR IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Sep 27, 2012
BACKED OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND DROVE TO THE END OF STREET AND VEHICLE WAS SLUGGISH TO MOVE INTO GEAR BY THE END OF THE STREET WHICH IS ROUGHLY 4 HOUSE DOWN FROM DRIVEWAY I BACKED OUT OF IT WOULD NO LONGER GO FORWARD SO I HAD TO BACK UP ALL THE WAY TO MY DRIVEWAY AND CAL DEALERSHIP TO TOW IN. MONDAY MORNING DEALER SERVICE DEPT SAID IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A SENSOR IN TRANSMISSION AND IT WAS ORDERED AND CAR WAS BACK TO ME WITHIN TWO DAYS. I AM WORRIED THIS WILL BE A CONTINUING PROBLEM AS I HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH PREVIOUS 2009 FORD TAURUS X THAT JUST KEPT HAPPENING WITH AND NOTHING WAS DONE TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION. WHEN YOU BUY A NEW CAR YOU DO NOT EXPECT THESE ISSUES. BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I DO NOT WANT THIS TO OCCUR WHEN I AM DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY SINCE THIS HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING. *TR
Power train, Aug 30, 2012
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN MARCH 2010 FROM MANGINO CHEVROLET. IT HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH (I BELIEVE) THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. THE PROBLEM IS VERY INTERMITTENT, THAT IS TO SAY IT DOESN'T DO IT ALL THE TIME AND APPEARS TO DO IT VERY REGULARLY IF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR SEVERAL HOURS OR IT IS HOT(OVER 85 DEGREES) OUT. IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME THOUGH; IT BEGINS BY NOT SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR SMOOTHLY. WHAT IT DOES IS IT TAKES SEVERAL SECONDS TO GET TO 3RD GEAR. IT IS ALMOST LIKE IT GOES INTO NEUTRAL FOR SECONDS BEFORE IT SLAMS INTO 3RD GEAR. THIS HAS LEFT ME IN A DANGEROUS SPOT WHILE CHANGING LANES ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ONCE THE PROBLEM BEGINS, IT THEN WILL BUCK AND CLUNK WHEN IT IS SHIFTING. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES & EVEN CALLED ONSTAR WHILE THE PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING (AT THE DEALER'S RECOMMENDATION). I AM CURRENTLY VACATIONING IN MYRTLE BEACH SC & WAS WITHOUT MY CAR FOR 2 DAYS WHILE THE LOCAL DEALER (JUD KUHN CHEVROLET) TRIED TO DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO DATE IS NO PARTS WERE CHANGED & ALL I GET IS THE SAME STORY THAT THERE IS NO "CODE" SHOWING UP & THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS FOR THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IF THAT INVOLVES SWAPPING OUT PARTS (TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER, DRIVE MODULE ETC) UNTIL THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED (SEARCHED ONLINE) OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT THE DEALER CAN'T REPAIR THIS WITHOUT THE COMPUTER TELLING HIM HOW. I OTHERWISE AM VERY PLEASED WITH MY VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP ME TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL GM CUSTOMER FOR OVER 30 YEARS. *TR
Power train, May 29, 2012
SUNDAY, MAY 27TH 3PM CST DRIVING IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI, THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED SHIFTING TO A HIGHER GEAR. I PULLED OVER AND PARKED ON A BACK ROAD, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON. WHEN I SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT, PRESSING THE GAS HAD NO EFFECT. I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO D, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD BUT MOVED ? INCREASING SPEED IT SHIFTED TO 2ND ROUGHLY AND THEN INTO 3RD WITH HESITATION ? IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO A HIGHER GEAR FROM THERE. I DID NOT NOTE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AT THAT TIME. BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CELL PHONE SIGNAL I DROVE TO THE NEAREST RELATIVE?S HOUSE IN OKLAHOMA. WHILE DRIVING I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED AND TOOK A GOOD 15-20 SECONDS TO ENGAGE IN 3RD GEAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON BUT THE DISPLAY DID NOT INDICATE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. SHIFTING TO MANUAL, THE DISPLAY DID NOT INDICATE THE CAR WAS IN MANUAL (SHOULD HAVE READ M3). SHIFTING BACK TO DRIVE HAD NO RESULT. THE CAR MAINTAINED SPEED IN 3RD GEAR. SO I DROVE IN 3RD GEAR WITH MY HAZARDS ON, NORTH ON 43, THROUGH SENECA (NO CHEVY DEALER), TO MY AUNTS HOUSE IN OKLAHOMA. I CONTACTED GM ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 800-CHEVUSA AND HAD THE CAR TOWED. THE CAR NOW SITS AT A DEALER IN JOPLIN MO AWAITING "DIAGNOSIS" AND THE GM CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE WILL NOT AUTHORIZE A RENTAL CAR UNTIL A "DIAGNOSIS" HAS BEEN DONE. 1ST BUSINESS DAY FOR DEALER IS TUESDAY, MAY 29TH AND THEY STATE THEY HAVE A BACK LOG OF DIAGNOSIS AND CAN NOT GET TO IT UNTIL WEDS OR THURSDAY. IT HAS BEEN A REAL CATCH-22 GETTING SUPPORT SINCE THE DEALER IS TOO BACKLOGGED TO DIAGNOSE I AM RENTING A CAR ON MY OWN DIME, PLUS LIVE 3 HOURS FROM JOPLIN! NOTE THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR THE CAR OCCASIONALLY HAD AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT DELAYS THAT WERE NOT CONSISTENT AND WERE TOLERABLE BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION RECOVERED. *TR
Power train, Mar 18, 2012
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED GOING FORWARD. WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, THE ENGINE WOULD REV LIKE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL, BUT IT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT BACK INTO DRIVE, BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE ONLY THING I WAS ABLE TO DO WAS GO IN REVERSE. I HAD TO DRIVE IN REVERSE DOWN THE STREET TO ANOTHER DRIVE ENTRANCE AND BACK IN AND PARK. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *TR
Power train, Nov 15, 2011
2011 CHEVY MALIBU - . TAKES A LONG TIME FOR CAR TO SHIFT INTO GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR MAKING A TURN. I HAVE ALSO HAD SOME CLOSE CALLS WITH CARS ALMOST HITTING ME, (LIKE ANOTHER PERSON WROTE). BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT (OF COURSE). I AM EXPERIENCING IT MORE AND MORE AND WILL TRY ANOTHER DEALER. *TR
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Power train, Aug 22, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A GROWLING NOISE WOULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE BRAKES WHENEVER THEY WERE APPLIED AT LOW SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATLEY 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPAIRED. APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. AS A RESULT, THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
Power train, Aug 8, 2011
2011 CHEVY MALIBU 2LT - TRANSMISSION SLIPPING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS, ALSO 2ND TO 3RD. TAKES A DANGEROUSLY LONG TIME FOR IT TO KICK IN TO THE CORRECT GEAR AND I HAVE HAD SOME CLOSE CALLS PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. ALSO, THIS SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE WHEN TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AS ONCE YOU ARE IN 6TH GEAR, IT WILL NOT DROP TO 5TH IN ORDER TO PASS. THE RPMS RACE UP AND NOTHING HAPPENS. ALL OF THIS AND GM SAYS THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS NORMAL AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS. THIS IS A DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MULTIPLE DISCUSSION FORUMS ONLINE DESCRIBE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL YEAR AND ALSO 2010 1LT AND 2TL 4CYL AND 6CYL. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND GM IS NOT DOING IT. HELP!! *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical system, Tires, Jul 18, 2011
I HAVE A 2011 MALIBU, I CHANGED MY TIRES OUT ON MY CAR AND TIRE PRESSURE LOW LIGHT CAME ON, THEN 3 DAYS LATER SERVICE ESC LIGHT CAME ON, AN I INSTANTLY FELT LIKE I WAS IN A WRONG GEAR, POWER AND SPEED REDUCED, THANKFULLY I WASN'T IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, I'M UNDER THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY CAN I GET SERVICE, AND IS IT DANGEROUS FOR ME TO DRIVE. *KB
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Feb 10, 2011
I WAS ACCELERATING FROM THE ENTRY LANE OF A MOSTLY EMPTY (THANKFULLY) RURALHIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY A WARNING MESSAGE "SERVICE TRACTION" ENGINE POWER REDUCED" SERVICE ESC APPEARED ON THE DASH MONITOR.. I LOST POWER AND COULD NOT GET ABOVE 45 MPH. THE TRANSMISSION APPEARED TO BE LOCKED INTO A GEAR LEVEL. I CONTACTED CHEY AND THEY TOLD ME IT IS A SAFETY FEATURE. HERE'S THE PROBLEM, IF I HAD BEEN DOING A HIGH SPEED MERGE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY THE POWER LOSS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT NOT TO MENTION GETTING ME KILLED. I THINK THE FEATURE IS ENGINEERED INTO THE SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION. A DETECTED FAULT TRIGGERS THE ACTION. INCIDENTALLY, THERE WAS NO PRIOR NOTICE, WARNING LIGHTS,ETC. THAT WOULD HAVE INDICATED A PROBLEM. THE LACK OF NOTICE EXACERBATES THE DANGER.