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: steering
191 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Air bags, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jan 27, 2019
THE STEERING WHEEL TENDS TO SHAKE AND TURN LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK IDLING IT SHAKES REALLY BAD
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jan 24, 2019
LOSS OF STEERING.TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jan 13, 2019
WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING AND ESC LIGHT CAME ON. TURNED CAR OFF AND IS WORKING AGAIN. STEERING PULLS AND I'M UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING. RECALLS WERE MADE TO YEAR AND MODEL OF MY CAR BUT MY VIN DOESN'T MATCH UP TO RECALL.
Steering, Jan 7, 2019
I HAVE ONLY HAD MY CAR IN MY CARE FOR GOING ON 3 YEARS. THE STEERING WHEEL POPS WHEN MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN. AFTER ABOUT 6 TURNS THE STEERING WHEEL FAILS TO TURN AND GETS STUCK. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HE SAID IT IS THE RACK AND PINION. AGTER GETTING AN OPINION I HAVE OTHER PEOPLE I KNOW SAYING THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE IN THE RACK AND PINION IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE YET NO ONE HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR MY PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER/VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL.
Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Dec 30, 2018
MY POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT ON ME IN THE MIDDLE.OF DRIVING GOT REAL STIFF ON THE 10 FREEWAY GOING HOME FROM.REDLANDS TO HEMET AND MY POWER STEERING EIS ELECTRICAL AND ITS HARD MY MECHANIC SAID ITS TOO MUCH TO FIX AND TOLD ME THAT ITS A HIGH DEMAND IN RECALL FOR THIS AND THAT I NEED IT FIX I TURNED IT ON AND TI WORKS FOR 5 MINUTES A DRIVE OR TWO AND OUT OF NO WHERE EVEN WHILE DRIVING WILL STIFFEN UP AGAIN ON ME
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Dec 25, 2018
'TAKATA RECALL ' I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 35MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY SERVICE ESC LIGHT CAME ON , MY TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST STEERING CAPABILITY OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK . IT MADE IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TRY TO TURN TO EVEN GET MY CAR OFF THE ROAD .
Steering, Dec 13, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. ALSO, THE MESSAGE "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" WAS DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Dec 5, 2018, crash
CAR UPON STARTING WOULD NOT HAVE POWER STEERING .THE OWNERS MANUEL SAID TO TURN KEY OFF THEN ON ..THE POWER STEERING WOULD COME BACK ON AND CAR WOULD DRIVE FINE FOR A FEW DAYS THEN WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN UPON STARTING WITH ERROR MESSAGE ESC SERVICE ,WITH A WARNING BELL.. THEN WHILE DRIVING ONE DAY LOST ALL POWER STEERING .AND WRECKED INTO SOMETHING WHILE TURNING TO THE RIGHT ..DAMAGE TO FRONT END AND GRILL.NO WARNING AND GM DOESNT WANT TO HELP ME GET RENTAL AND TRANSFERRED MY CASE TO HIGHER DEPARTMENT WHO ISN'T WILLING TO HELP ME .. WAS TOLD THE REP WAS TO BUSY TO TAKE MY CALL ..LOST TIME AT WORK AND IN DARK OF WHO'S TO COVER THE DAMAGES FROM FAULTY PART .. VERY DANGEROUS AND THE PEOPLE AT GM SAID THAT IF I GOT THE REPAIRS DONE THAT IT WOULD END MY CLAIM AND CAR WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED.
Steering, Nov 28, 2018
STEERING MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED MAKING IT HARD TO STEER THE VEHICLE. MESSAGE FOR ESC AND POWER STEERING CAME ON. THE STEERING WHEEL CONTINUES TO JERK AND TWITCH WHEN DRIVING.
Steering, Nov 23, 2018
POWER STEERING CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON A RURAL ROAD. WAS GOING AROUND 30MPH.
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Nov 16, 2018
STEERING MALFUNCTION. STEERING CLICKS AND JERKS WHILE DRIVING, STOPPED, AND IN PARK. STEERING FAILS WHILE DRIVING. TURNING CAR OFF AND BACK ON SOMETIMES RELEASES STEERING HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE? THERE ARE PAST RECALLS FOR THE SAME EXACT ISSUE!! NOT SAFE!
Steering, Air bags, Electronic stability control (ESC), Oct 15, 2018
MY POWER STEERING GOES OUT RANDOMLY. I CAN BE PARKED IT GOES OUT, I CAN HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKIBG WHILE IN DRIVE , IT GOES OUT. I CAN BE DRIVING ANYWHERE AND IT GOES OUT. THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON RANDOMLY. AND THEN MY ESC WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AS WELL. IN ALL OF THESE INSTANCES IT'S ALL RANDOM WHEN IT HAPPENS.ON 10/13/2018 M Y POWER STEERING WENT OUT THAT IS THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT.
Steering, Air bags, Vehicle speed control, Oct 8, 2018
TAKATA RECALL. MY VEHICLE HAVE HAD THIS SYSTEM POP ON A FEW TIMES. AS OF SEPTEMBER THE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON ABD AND HAS NOT GONE OFF. IT ALSO AFFECT THE ESC SYSTEM.
Steering, Jun 28, 2018
POWER STEERING KEEPS TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING AND I GET THIS 'WARNING' COME ON, SERVICE ESC POWER STEERING. REALLY SCARY DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND POWER STEERING SUDDENLY TURNING OFF. WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? IS THERE A RECALL?
Steering, May 21, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH AND WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP POSITION, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER (MOTOR CITY BUICK GMC, 3101 PACHECO RD, BAKERSFIELD, CA 93313, (855) 393-2841) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS PERTAINING TO THE STEERING FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO SCHEDULE A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Apr 27, 2018
WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD START SHAKING AND TURNING ON ITS OWN. THEN A FEW DAYS LATER MY SERVICE ESC AND POWER STEERING LIGHTS STARTED COMING ON AND I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE CAR LEFT OR RIGHT.. I WOULD TURN THE CAR OFF FOR A FEW THEN TURN IT BACK ON AND IT WOULD UNLOCK. THAT LASTED FOR A FEW MORE DAYS AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED LOCKING UP WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS MY POWER STEERING SENSOR. ITS SEEMS TO BE WORKING FINE NOW HOWEVER I WILL NEVER BY ANOTHER CHEVY MALIIBU I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASE THIS CAR THE FIRST ISSUE WAS MY LIGHT CONSTANTLY KEPT GOING OUT. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY COMING HOME FROM AN OUT OFF TOWN TRIP AND CARS WERE FLASHING THERE LIGHTS. I PULLED OVER I HAD NO BACK LIGHTS. I TOOK IT THE DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS MY BATTERY CAUSING MY CAR TO SHORT CIRCUIT. IT COST ME $400. THEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED 20 DAYS LATER THE DEALER WANTED ME TO PAY TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AGAIN NO WAY. COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS A #20 FUSE OVER THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE WHEEL THAT KEPT BLOWING. NEEDLES TO SAY I KNOW RIDE AROUND WITH A PACK OF FUSES IN MY CAR.. THE CAR HAS 87,858 MILES ON IT
Steering, Apr 20, 2018
ESC LIGHT WENT ON. SUGGEST WAS TO GET ESC SERVICED BECAUSE OF POWER STEERING FAILURE. WHEN ENGINE WS TURNED OFF AND TURNED BACK ON, EVERYTHING WORKED. BUT THE SAME THING CONTINUED TO HAPPEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN. WENT ON THE INTERNET AND NOTICED THAT A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED SIMILAR TO WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING. THIS HAPPENED AT SLOW SPEED, HIGHER SPEEDS AND WHEN STOPPED. CAR WAS DRIVABLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING BUT DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER.
Steering, Apr 20, 2018
ESC CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON A THREE LANE HWY AT APPROX. 45MPH
Steering, Mar 26, 2018
WHILE STOPPED THE STEERING WHEEL BEGINS TO CLICK, SHAKE, AND MOVE ON ITS OWN. THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN EVEN WORSE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MAKING IT HARDER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE NO LIGHTS ON. MECHANIC BELIEVES IT MAY BE THE SENSOR IN THE MOTOR FOR THE POWER STEERING BUT ISN'T SURE.
Steering, Mar 19, 2018
THE VALET PARKING ATTENDANT BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO ME AND STATED THE POWER STEERING WAS NO LONGER WORKING ON THE VEHICLE, BUT HE KNOWS IT WAS WORKING FINE WHEN HE PARKED IT. DROVE VEHICLE HOME WITH EXTREMELY DIFFICULT STEERING; RESTARTED VEHICLE AND POWER STEERING WORKED FOR 10 MINUTES AND WENT OUT AGAIN ALL WHILE STAYING IN MY DRIVEWAY. NOW SCARED TO DRIVE UNIT.
Steering, Mar 12, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE FOR EIGHT MONTHS, BUT HAD GOTTEN WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER (MONTGOMERY CHEVROLET IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION AND STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
Steering, Mar 12, 2018
THE STEERING WHEEL GETS HARD I KIND THINK THAT IT'S ELECTRIC STEERING MOTOR
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Mar 8, 2018
OFF AND ON MY POWER STEERING GOES OUT, I CAN BE AT A REDLIGHT, PARKED OR EVEN DRIVING AND IT GOES OUT, I END UP HAVING TO TURN OFF CAR IF IM PARKED OR AT REDLIGHT, AND IF IM DRIVING I GO INTO NEUTRAL TO TURN CAR OFF AND THEN OFF... MY ESC GOES OFF ALS, THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR, SO SINCE 2012 IT MOST RECENTLY HAPPENED LAST NIGHT ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHILE AT A LIGHT
Steering, Feb 24, 2018
WHILE SITTING STILL THE WHEEL MOVES BY ITSELF. THEN WHEN DRIVING THE POWER STEERING GOES COMPLETELY OUT. MAKING IT HARD TO MOVE OFF THE ROAD. THEN U HAVE TKO SHUT IT OFF AND RESTART AND PRAY U MAKE IT HOME SAFELY. THIS WAS A CAR BOUGHT FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER AND NOW I'M SCARED FOR HER TO DRIVE IT. NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED
Steering, Feb 20, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. A LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,600. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.