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: steering
214 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Engine, Jul 18, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) BUT DID NOT CONFIRM IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.
Steering, Jun 16, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT INDICATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL AND THE POWER STEERING SENSOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.
Steering, Jun 12, 2014
2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE POWER STEERING LOSS WHILE DRIVING. *SMD
Steering, Jun 8, 2014
HAVE HEARD A CLANKING/CLUNKING NOISE IN STEERING SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN NOV 2013. NOT ALWAYS BUT ON OCCASION AND IT BECAME A NORMAL DRIVING NOISE IN THE VEHICLE AFTER SEVERAL PEOPLE TRIED TO DIAGNOSE WHAT I WAS HEARING AND FEELING IN THE STEERING. NOISE BECAME LOUDER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS AND 4 DAYS AGO IT MADE A LOUD BANGING NOISE AND WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. NO NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN CONTROL AT THIS POINT JUST SEEMED A LITTLE LOOSE. YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH ON A S CURVE, AS I ATTEMPTED TO STEER THE CAR RIGHT TO FOLLOW THE CURVE MIDWAY I NOTICED IT WAS NOT RESPONDING AND CONTINUED TO CROSS THE LANE I SLOWED MY SPEED BY PRESSING THE BRAKE LIGHTLY AND THE CAR BEGAN TO RESPOND TO MY STEERING I EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND STOPPED. I LAID UNDER THE VEHICLE AND USED MY FOOT TO TURN STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH. IT WAS LOUD RESISTANT AND HAD MINIMAL RESPONSE TO HALF TURNS OF THE WHEEL. I AM ALMOST NO LONGER IN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ITS GETTING WORSE WITH EVERY SLIGHT TURN OF THE WHEEL. IM AFRAID THAT IF I HADN'T KNOWN THAT DRIVING THE CAR IN THESE CONDITIONS IS DANGEROUS I MAY HAVE CONTINUED TO DO SO AND EVENTUALLY CRASHED. WHAT IS SO FRIGHTENING IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO OPERATE A VEHICLE THINK THAT LITTLE NOISES LIKE THIS ONE STARTED AS AREN'T ANYTHING MAJOR. WITH THE LACK OF VEHICLE KNOWLEDGE THINGS COULD EASILY PROGRESS INTO SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITY'S. I HAVE 3 KIDS UNDER 10 AND A CRASH AT ANY SPEED AFTER LOOSING STEERING CONTROL COULD KILL DRIVER, PASSENGERS, PEDESTRIANS OTHER INNOCENT PEOPLE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. *TR
Steering, Apr 17, 2014
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND YOU MAKE A RIGHT THERE IS A NOTICE SOUNDS LIKE COMING FROM RIGHT WHEEL AND RUBBING NOISE IN STEERING WHEEL. WHEN PARKING AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES THE RUBBING SOUND. TOOK THE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON A TUESDAY GOT OIL CHANGED AND WAS TOLD WARRANTY WAS OVER AND NEED BRAKES AND FUEL AND THROTTLE BODY SERVICE. WENT BACK TO SAME DEALERSHIP ON THURSDAY CHARGED $85. TO TELL ME THAT STEERING GEAR AND RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR A PRICE OF OVER $800. I DECLINED SERVICE SINCE NOT EQUIPPED FOR A BILL LIKE THAT SINCE THE CAR IS SO NEW. I BROUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW DECEMBER OF 2010. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE SHOULD NEED REPLACING IN 3 YEARS. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER MALIBU OWNERS SO THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT WITH THE MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE RECALL!!
Steering, Apr 11, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Steering, Apr 3, 2014
I HAVE A 2011 MALIBU 4DR SDN LT, THAT HAS A RATTLE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND IT ALSO SEEMS TO BE REPRODUCING THE SAME NOISE WHEN DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS IN PARKING LOTS AND IN CITY TRAFFIC AT SPEEDS UNDER 30 MPH ON COURSE ROADS/PAVEMENT. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY FIXED PER NOTICE #PI0372. THAT NOTICE ADVISED THE DEALER TO PUT TWO ADDITIONAL WAVE WASHERS TO THE BRAKE PEDAL CONNECTOR PIN WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE POWER BOOSTER PUSHROD. GUESS WHAT, I PICKED-UP MY CAR AFTER 6PM & EVERYONE IN SERVICE HAD GONE HOME..THE NOISE STILL EXISTS. OBVIOUSLY IF THE REPAIR TECH HAD TAKEN IT OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND LISTENED HE COULD HAVE HEARD AND FELT THAT THE NOISE WAS STILL VERY PREVALENT. NOW I MUST TAKE SOME MORE TIME OFF FROM WORK AND RETURN TO THE DEALER AND GO THRU THIS ALL OVER AGAIN.HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE STEERING RATTLING AND OR FEELING LOOSE ON THEIR MALIBU 2011 ?? *TR
Steering, Apr 3, 2014
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WENT OUT....THE CAR WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT...RAINING...BARELY MADE IT OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT....TOOK TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE MOTOR. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Seat belts, Vehicle speed control, Apr 2, 2014
I PURCHASED MY 2011 MALIBU IN APRIL 2012. INITIALLY, I WAS EXPERIENCING POWER SURGES UPON BREAKING. I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND MY CAR WOULD SURGE FORWARD BEFORE STOPPING. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED A SENSOR. I'M STILL EXPERIENCING THE SURGES OCCASIONALLY. THE NEXT TIME I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE I WAS GETTING A LOT OF NOISE AND VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING ON A ROUGH A SURFACE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. IT WAS FINE FOR A YEAR, NOW THAT PROBLEM IS RETURNING. DURING THE WINTER 2013, MY REAR DEFROST STOPPED WORKING. I TOOK IT IN AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR FUSE BLOCK WAS MELTED AND IT WILL COST $535 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. AND ANOTHER $230 TO HAVE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT REPLACED---- IT DOESN'T CONNECT SECURELY WITHOUT FIDDLING WITH IT. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE RECALLS ISSUED ON ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS BECAUSE I HAVE READ BLOGS AND OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES, AND THEY ARE ALL RELATED TO THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
Steering, Mar 19, 2014
FIRST NOTICED A TICK IN THE STEERING AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. NO MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DIC YET. A COUPLE DAYS LATER, TURNED THE CAR ON AND NOTICED NO POWER STEERING AND A MESSAGE SHOWED UP THAT READ "ESC FAILURE" WHICH UPON MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL. TURNED KEY OFF AND BACK ON AND NO MESSAGE AND HAD REGAINED POWER STEERING. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES ON AND OFF FOR A COUPLE WEEKS BUT NEVER LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING SO PUT OFF BECAUSE I FIGURED IT WOULD BE COSTLY TO TAKE TO THE DEALER. NOW, AFTER A COUPLE WEEKS, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD JERK AND TWITCH CONSTANTLY DRIVING AND PARKED. HAD IT FIXED MARCH 7TH AND COST ME $800. HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE THING I WAS TOLD. WAS HOPING IT WOULD BE JUST A SENSOR OR MOTOR. IF THAT IS TRUE, IT'S A POOR DESIGN. AFTER SEEING ALL THESE ISSUES, ONE WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE SOME KIND OF RECALL, BUT I GUESS SOMEONE HAS TO DIE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. *TR
Steering, Aug 5, 2013
DRIVING DOWN TWO LANE ROAD AT AROUND 45 TO 50 MPH, LIGHT RAIN.....PUDDLES ON UNEVEN SURFACED ROAD STARTED TO GATHER, CAR STARTED TO HYDROPLANE AND WANTED TO GO LEFT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON LEFT....TRIED TO MOVE CAR TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID ACCIDENT.....SLOWED WAY DOWN AND TURNED OFF ROAD INTO PARKING LOT. TOOK CAR FOR REPAIR AND THE STEERING MOTOR WAS BAD AND REPLACED. *TR
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
Steering, Engine and engine cooling, Electronic stability control (ESC), Mar 17, 2012
THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED FIRST IN NOVEMBER 2011. THE ENGINE STOPPED, THERE WAS NO STEERING, SERVICE ESC,THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN PUT IN GEAR. TODAY IS THE SECOND TIME THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED. CHEVY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED IN NOVEMBER, BUT NOW IT'S BACK. THE MALIBU IS BACK AT CHEVY FOR THE SECOND TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM. WE EXPERIENCED ANOTHER INCIDENT 2 WEEKS AGO BUT AFTER STARTING THE CAR AGAIN THE PROBLEM WAS NOT THERE AND HAS NOT SURFACED UNTIL NOW. I CERTAINLY HOPE THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED THIS TIME FOR GOOD. I FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. *TR
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Nov 25, 2011
AS I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30MPH ON A SUBURBAN RD. THE MALIBU JERKED A COUPLE OF TIMES THEN THE (SERVICE ESC) LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH OTHER LIGHTS AND THE CAR STOPPED MOVING. IT ALSO HAD A (CAR LOCKED) SYMBOL LIT ON THE DASH. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS. WE PAY GOOD MONEY TO DRIVE A NEW CAR SO WE DON'T HAVE BREAKDOWNS, NOT TO MENTION THE POSSIBILITIES OF GETTING HIT WHEN THIS FAULT OCCURS MAYBE EVEN BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE POPULATION. *TR