2012 Chevrolet Malibu
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 906 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 11th highest complaint count among 26 Malibu model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 50 involved a crash and 13 involved a fire. 35 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
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: electronic stability control (esc)
129 reports, newest first. Show all
Air bags, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Aug 6, 2014, crash
MY SON WAS DRIVING MY CAR DOWN A TWO LANE HIGHWAY. IT HAD BEEN MISTING RAIN AND THE ROAD WAS SLIGHTLY DAMP... APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION HE REDUCED HIS SPEED TO APPROX 40 MPH. TWO CARS AHEAD OF HIM SLAMMED ON BREAKS WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED TO YELLOW. THIS CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION... CARS SLIDING TO PREVENT HITTING THE FIRST CAR. MY SON SAID THAT HE WAS BREAKING VERY HARD WHEN THE ANTI-LOCK BREAKS ENGAGED... THEY PULSED 3-4 TIMES AND THEN RELEASED WHICH SHOT HIM STRAIGHT INTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. HE SAID THAT HE WAS PUSHING THE BREAK AS HARD AS HE COULD WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE AUTOMATIC CRASH RESPONSE SYSTEM WORK. I CALLED ON STAR TO SEE IF THE SYSTEM EVEN SHOWS A CRASH AND IT DOESN'T. I THINK THAT CONSIDERING THE CRASH BENT THE FRAME IN THE FRONT END AND IS IN EXCESS OF $6,000 YOU WOULD THINK THE SENSORS WOULD HAVE PICKED UP ON SOMETHING. AFTER THE CRASH I CONTACTED MY DEALER TO ASK IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NOT. I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT THIS CRASH DID NOT RESULT IN A MORE SERIOUS INJURY / DEATH. *TR
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, May 11, 2014
SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR IN THE LATER PART OF 2012 (USED WITH 40000MI) I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS STARTING WITH THE RADIO, WHEN I TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST THE RADIO WOULD GO TO COMPLETE STATIC ON ALL STATIONS. WHILE TRAVELING APPROX. 30MPH THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON THEN AFTER STOPPING THE CAR AND RESTARTING THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF AS WELL AS MINIMAL TURNING TO THE RIGHT THE SERVICE ESC LIGHT WOULD DISPLAY, IN ADDITION TO THE REMOTE START NOT WORKING HALF THE TIME, I HAVE REPLACED THE KEY FOB AND GOTTEN A NEW KEY AND STILL THE SAME PROBLEM EXIST. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE RADIO WITH A BRAND NEW PART AND STILL THE STATIONS ARE NOT CLEAR AND WHILE SITTING IN THE CAR PARKED ALL OF THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH SOMETIMES COME ON FOR SERVICE AND THE CAR WOULD IDLE LOW THEN HIGH. THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH WILL SOMETIMES COMPLETELY DIM AND THE DISPLAY ON THE RADIO WILL BE DIGITAL. MY CAR NOW HAS ABOUT 65000 MILES ON IT, AND STILL THE CAR SOMETIMES STALLS AT STOP SIGNS, WILL BE WITHOUT POWER AND THE SERVICE ESC DISPLAYS AS WELL AS SERVICE ENGINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT AT THIS POINT. TUESDAY MAY 6 2014 MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING APPROX. 25MPH ALL THE LIGHTS IN DASH CAME ON AND ENGINE STALLED ON HIM SO HE RESTARTED THE CAR, UPON RESTARTING ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE DISPLAY TURNED OFF. SATURDAY MAY 10 2014 THE RADIO WAS COMPLETE STATIC...THIS IS A CONSTANT ISSUE, I KEEP MY GAS TANK PLENTIFUL AND HAVE ONLY OWNED GM VEHICLES. I AM RESEARCHING OTHER MAKES AT THIS POINT. *TR
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Apr 28, 2014
STARTED MY 2012 CHEVY MALIBU UP AND POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND ALSO SERVICE ESC. CAR HAD NO POWER STEERING. THIS WAS AFTER THE FIRST NIGHT OF EVENTS I WAS AT. SO I DROVE IT TO THE HOTEL I WAS AT. FOUND OUT WHEN TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THAT IT HAS A ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING. DROVE IT TO A DEALERSHIP BUT THEY COULDN'T SERVICE IT ON THE WEEKEND. I WAS 3 HOURS FROM MY HOME AT AN EVENT. SO I DROVE IT BACK TO MY HOTEL WITH NO POWER STEERING. SO I DROVE FOR ROUGHLY AN HOUR WITH LIGHTS ON AND NO POWER STEERING. THEN WAS ABOUT TO HEAD TO THE DAY TWO OF THE EVENT ABOUT 5 HOURS LATER AND EVERYTHING WORKS AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I NEED TO FIX ON IT AT ALL NOW. MY GIRL FRIEND WAS DRIVING WHEN THE POWER STEERING MESSED UP AND SHE NEVER HAS LOST POWER STEERING BEFORE AND SHE COULDN'T EVEN TURN THE WHEEL. SO I HAD TO DRIVE IT FOR HER. *JS
Steering, Suspension, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jan 16, 2014
07/2013 SERVICE ESC MSG AND SYMBOL CAME ON , DEALER UNABLE TO FIND 01/07/2014 SAME 01/15/2014 AGAIN, GM PAID HALF OF THE REPAIR, BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPEN AND WAS NOTICE BY DEALER, I BELIEVE GM SHOULD PAID THE WHOLE COST, AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE , EFFECTS STEERING AND STABILIZATION OF THE VEHICLE. *TR