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: exterior lighting
202 reports, newest first. Show all
Exterior lighting, Sep 5, 2018
I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE MY HEADLIGHT OVER 10 TIMES THIS YEAR. EVERY MODEL OF THIS CAR I SEE DRIVING HAS THE SAME ISSUE.
Exterior lighting, Aug 31, 2018
I KEEP HAVING TO CHANGE MY HEADLIGHTS ON BOTH SIDES WAY TOO FREQUENTLY AND IT'S WAY TOO EXPENSIVE TO KEEP REPLACING THEM IT HAS GOT TO BE SOMETHING WRONG HERE!!!!
Exterior lighting, Aug 15, 2018
THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. I CHANGED THE LIGHT ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO AND IT'S OUT AGAIN. NO BUMPS, ACCIDENTS, NOTHING. ITS JUST GOES OUT.
Exterior lighting, Jul 23, 2018
BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS (FRONT LEFT AND FRONT RIGHT) STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. THIS OCCURRED WHEN I WAS DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER AWAY FROM HOME AT NIGHT IN THE DARK.
Exterior lighting, Jul 9, 2018
PASSENGER LOW BEAM CONSTANTLY GOING OUT, FOR A WHILE BOTH LOW BEAMS WOULD GO OUT THEN COME BACK ON.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 3, 2018
LOW BEAM ON PASSENGER SIDE GOES OUT FREQUENTLY AND RANDOMLY. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY LUCK. HOWEVER ACCORDING TO HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T32066_DS667897 THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. IVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO KEEP GETTING STOP BY NICE COPS, BUT THIS IS GETTING BAD. I HAVE A 1YEAR OLD THAT I CANT TAKE OUT IN THE CAR BECAUSE IT ISNT SAFE. FOR WHO KNOWS WHAT REASON. PLEASE HELP.
Exterior lighting, Jun 29, 2018
THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW-BEAM HEADLAMP HAS FAILED 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS. THIS HAS NOT BEEN A RESULT OF ANY IMPROPER USE OR OVERUSE OF THE HEADLAMP AND PROPER REPLACEMENT HAS BEEN DONE.
Exterior lighting, Jun 13, 2018
LOW BEAM LIGHTS STOP WORKING QUITE OFTEN. PASSENGER SIDE, FOLLOWED BY DRIVER'S SIDE. REPLACED BULBS SEVERAL TIMES OVER THIS PAST YEAR OR SO, ONLY TO FIND THIS LAST TIME THAT THE BULBS WEREN'T BLOWN, JUST NOT WORKING. CHANGED PIGTAIL ON PASSENGER SIDE, PUT SAME BULB BACK IN, LIGHT WORKED FOR A FEW WEEKS, BUT THEN STOPPED WORKING LAST WEEK. LAST NIGHT THE DRIVER'S SIDE STOPPED WORKING AGAIN AS WELL. THAT SEEMS TO BE THE PATTERN. PASSENGER SIDE STOPS, THEN NOT LONG AFTER, DRIVER SIDE STOPS. SEARCHED ONLINE FOR HELP. INSTEAD, I FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE WITH SUGGESTIONS TO REPORT IT HERE IN CASE IT IS A WIDER INVOLVED ISSUE. THANK YOU.
Exterior lighting, May 30, 2018
DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES DUE TO LIGHTS BURNING OUT. (LOW/ REGULAR LIGHTS & HIGH BEAMS) UPON INSPECTION, MELTED BULB SOCKETS NOTED. WHEN LIGHTS, BULB SOCKETS REPLACED/ REPAIRED, LIGHTS WORK ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME & THE ISSUE REPEATS ITSELF. THIS IS A HUGE ANNOYANCE AS IT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION, FINANCIAL BURDEN, & MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMPROMISES DRIVER & PASSENGER SAFETY. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST AND ONCE AGAIN WE ARE FACED WITH THIS ISSUE, TODAY. 5/30/18.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, May 24, 2018
THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT BULB SOCKET KEEPS BURNING OUT. REPLACED THE BULB 3 TIMES IN ONE YEAR. THE SOCKET IS THE PROBLEM, KEEPS SHORTING OUT. WHEN I REPLACE THE BULB THE SOCKET WHERE THE BULB PLUGS IN TO IS BURNT AND MELTED.
Exterior lighting, May 22, 2018
I HAVE REPLACED MY HEADLIGHTS MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR ALREADY AND NOTICED AND FEW TIMES A HEADLIGHT WOULD GO OUT THEN COME ON OCCASIONALLY THEN IT JUST GOES OUT PERMANENTLY UNTIL A REPAIR IS MADE
Exterior lighting, May 11, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT SHUT OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE HEADLIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
Exterior lighting, Apr 25, 2018
TAKATA RECALL. PASSENGER HEADLIGHT HAS BEEN CHANGE 6 TIMES AND CONTINUES TO GO OUT. I WAS TOLD MY WIRES WERE FINE. I CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM.
Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, Apr 14, 2018
MISFIRE CYL #1 AND ENG LT. WITH MISFIRE CODE, ATTEMPTED CHEV DEALER WARRANTY REPAIR WITH REMOVAL OF CYL HEAD AND REPLACEMNT VALVES [THE CHEAP FIX INSTEAD OF REPLACING CYL HEAD, IN RETROSPECT I BELIEVE CHEV SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE CYL HEAD FOR A PERMANENT REPAIR, NOW THE CAR IS OUT OF 100K POWERTRAIN WARRANTY] BUT RECURRENCE 22K MILES LATER. I SUSPECT A DESIGN FLAW. ITERNET SHOWS MANY OWNERS WITH SAME COMPLAINT. TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME OFF AND ON.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Apr 12, 2018
THE LOW BEAM AND RUNNING LIGHTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE KEEP GOING OUT THE WIRING HARNESS AND BULB HAS BEEN CHANGED 5 TIMES NOW AND STILL GOES OUT EVER OTHER WEEK . AND TO TOP IT OFF THIS CAR HAS THE MOST REDICULOUS WAY TO GET AT THE HEADLIGHTS. SO TIME CONSUMING
Exterior lighting, Mar 3, 2018
THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT BURNS OUT OR STOPS WORKING FREQUENTLY. IT HAS BEEN CHANGED MORE THAN THREE TIMES. RECENTLY, IT WAS CHANGED ON FEBRUARY 17, 2018 AND STOPPED WORKING ON FEBRUARY 25, 2018.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Feb 28, 2018
HEADLIGHT LAMP CONSTANTLY GOES OUT DESPITE CHANGING OUT THE BULB AND/OR THE FUSE MULTIPLE TIMES. IT IS BECOMING A HAZARD WHEN DRIVING ON THE ROADS.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiper, Feb 17, 2018
BOTH HEADLAMPS HAVE GONE OUT WITHIN A NINE MONTH PERIOD. THE DRIVER SIDE HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE, THE PASSENGER SIDE ONCE. IT SEEMS EVERY THREE MONTHS A HEADLIGHT BURNS OUT ON MY CAR. AS FOR THE WIPERS, WHEN THEY ARE TURNED ON, THEY SWIPE HALFWAY AND STOP UNTIL I TURN THEM OFF AND BACK ON OR TO A HIGHER SWIPING SPEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED AS THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND DRIVE. ALSO, THE KEY FOB BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND WORKS SELDOMLY. THE LOCKS HAVE RECENTLY STARTING LOCKING ON THEIR OWN AFTER THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF AND THE DRIVER DOOR IS SHUT.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Dec 24, 2017
HEADLAMPS CONSTANTLY BURNING OUT FUZES BLOWN DANGEROUS WHEN LIGHTS GO OUT AT NIGHT. SAFETY HAZARD.
Steering, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Nov 11, 2017
MY HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT, MY CAR WILL NOT ALIGN AND THE ELECTRICAL PLUG WILL NOT WORK
Exterior lighting, Nov 3, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED OFF AND ON WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TUSCALOOSA CHEVROLET IN TUSCALOOSA, AL, (205-758-4451) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (ESC), Sep 11, 2017
THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE CONTINUOUSLY SHORTED OUT. I HAVE CHANGED THE HEADLIGHTS 3 TIMES IN A 3 WEEK SPAN AND THEY KEEP GOING OUT. I HAVE REPLACED FUSES AS WELL. THE TRACTION ON THE CAR IS CONSTANTLY SLOWING DOWN. THE ESC LIGHT COMES ON. THE CAR SLOWS DOWN ON ALL STREETS AND IT HAS DONE SO ON THE HIGHWAY.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jun 10, 2017
I AM AN AUTO MECHANIC AND THE OWNER OF A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE, 4 OF MY CUSTOMERS MALIBUS (2009 TO 2012) AND MANY MANY OTHER MALIBU OWNERS IS THAT WHILE DRIVING ONE OR BOTH HEADLIGHTS WILL CUT OFF LEAVING THE OPERATOR WITH LITTLE OR NO VISIBILITY WHILE STILL IN MOTION, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME ONE NIGHT ON A RURAL HIGHWAY WITH NO STREET LIGHTS. AFTER MUCH TROUBLESHOOTING I HAVE DISCOVERED THE CULPRIT TO BE THAT THE HEADLIGHT SOCKETS OVERHEAT AND MELT CAUSING A LOOSE OR OPEN CONNECTION FROM THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE HEADLIGHT. SINCE THEN I HAVE REPLACED MANY SOCKETS (INCLUDING MY OWN) AND THEY HAVE BEEN 100% SUCCESSFUL. IN SUMMATION I BELIEVE DRIVER AND OCCUPANT SAFETY IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED DUE TO THE POOR MANUFACTURING AND THE SUBPAR INTEGRITY OF THE HEADLIGHT SOCKETS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
Exterior lighting, May 30, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SIX TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRE HARNESS AND BULBS WERE REPLACED BY INDEPENDENT MECHANICS APPROXIMATLEY SIX TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 156,000.
Exterior lighting, Service brakes, May 20, 2017
I RECIEVED A NOTICE FROM GMCONCERNING THE BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) WARNING ME THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS COULD MALFUNCTION, BUT WARNING ME NOT TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF THIS WARNING. NOW I HAVE TALKED TO AN INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVE A MEMBER OF MY FAMILY WHO HAPPENS TO BE A LAWYER ALSO A MEMBER OF THE POLICE DEPT AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT SINCE I GOT THOIS WARNING THAT MAKES ME AWARE OF A SERIOUS, DANGEROUS AND POSSIBLY A DEADLY DEFECT IN THIS AUTOMOBILE, THEREFORE IF I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND SOME BODY GOT KILLED, NOT ONLY WOULD IT BE MY FAULT, BUT IN FACT I WOULD AND/OR COPULD BE CHARGED AND FOUND RESPONSIBLE AND CHARGED WITH THAT DEATH. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IN FACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY COULD LEAGALLY AND THEREFORE WOULD POSSIBLY PAY FFOR ANY DAMAGES PERIOD. NOW, SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS CAR, I HAVE RECIEVED A SIMALIAR NOTICE ABOUT THE STEERING MACHANISM ON THIS CAR TO WHICH I WAS TOLD THE SAME THING, A RECALL ON THE SEAT BELTS, A NOTICE ABOUT THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS CAR AND IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN AN EARLIER NOTICE ABOUT TO HEADLIGHTS. SO EVERYTIME I DRIVE THIS CAR, I AM NOT SURE THAT I WILL ACCIDENTLY HAVE A WRECK,KILL SOMEONE OR EVEN BE KILLED MYSELF; I HAVE CONTACTED THE NHTSA ABOUT THIS PROBLEMS PREVIOUSLY ABOUT SOME OF THOSE DEADLY DEFECTS, YET THIS CAR IS STILL ALLOWED TO BE ON THE ROAD, SO WHY,WHY, WHY, WHY HASN'T THIS COMPANY BEEN FORCED TO RECALL THIS DANGEROUS SAFTY HAZZARD VEHICLE ?? WHEN EVEN THOUGH ON THE TOP OF THIS LETTER, IT'S DATED "MARCH 2017" YET I DIDN'T RECIEVE THIS LETTER UNTIL MAY 2017/