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
906 reports, newest first.
Exterior lighting, Jul 6, 2019
RIGHT LOW BEAM KEEPS BURNING OUT TWICE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND REPAIRED BY A CHEV DEALER TWICE WENT OUT SETTING IN GARAGE AND REPLACED BY A CERTIFIED AUTO SHOP
Exterior lighting, Jul 5, 2019
IVE HAD TO DROP THE CAR OF 8 TIMES NOW TO TRY AND REPAIR THE RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT WHICH KEEPS GOING OUT. PIGTAILS CONNECTORS AND BULB ALL REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES NOW.
Power train, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jul 3, 2019
TAKATA RECALL WHEN MY VEHICLE STARTED HAVING ISSUES IT STARTED WITH LAGGING TO START I WOULD TURN THE KEY AND LITERALLY LET GO AND THEN IT WOULD START. NOW IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WANT TO START . WHEN IT DOES MY SENSORS ARE ALL MESSED UP . FIRST TIME MY AIRBAG WARNING WAS COMING UP . NEXT MY SENSORS ON MY TIRES WERE NOT WORKING THEN I STARTED TO NOTICE WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND I WOULD STOP PUSHING THE GAS THE GAUGE WILL GO UP AND DOWN. THE LAST THING THAT HAPPENED WAS THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON BUT TURNED OFF. I TRIED TO GET A DIAGNOSTICS DONE BUT OF COURSE NOTHING CAME OF IT . SO NOW MY CAR IS JUST SITTING IN MY GARAGE UNTIL I FIGURE IT OUT. BUT THERE ARE NO TYPE OF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANYTHING THAT COMES ON BEFORE THE CAR STARTS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jun 26, 2019
HEAD LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT
Steering, Jun 25, 2019
MY VEHICLE IS STARTING TO SHOW A POWER STEERING WARNING.THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS NUMBER 15356, 08/28/2015, CAMPAIGN - ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILURE WARRANTY INFO. I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED. I FEEL IT IS GOING TO LOSE POWER STEERING ASSIST AT ANY TIME. THIS COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE MALIBUS COVERED BY THE RECALL. THEY REFUSE TO ADMIT THIS PROBLEM IS MORE WIDESPREAD TO 2012 MALIBUS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED AT THIS TIME.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jun 24, 2019
I HAVE REPLACED MY LOW BEAMS 3 TIMES THIS YEAR. THE FIRST TIME I REAPLACED ALL THE BULBS. THE SECOND TIME I REAPLACED BOTH WIRING HARNESS AND BULBS. A MONTH AGO I REPLACED THE PASSENGER BULB AND NOW THE DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM IS OUT AGAIN. IT HAS COST ME ANYWHERE FROM $100-$200 EACH TIME TO DO THIS! I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY DASH TELLING ME SERVICE ESC, ESC OFF, AND SERVICE TRACTION. A RECALL IN 2014 ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE AND MY VIN SAYS THE RECALL HAS BEEN SERVICED BUT I AM STILL HAVING THIS ISSUE. IT HAPPENS WITH THE CAR IN PARK AND WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES IT STAYS ON FOR HOURS SOMETIMES MINUTES.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jun 24, 2019
HEADLAMP HARNESS KEEPS BURNING CAUSING HEADLAMP TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE. HAVE REPLACED MULTIPLE BULBS AS WELL AS BOTH HARNESSES WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND AGAIN, HARNESS HAS BURNT AND MY LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS DO NOT WORK. READING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, I BELIEVE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT FEATURE. I'VE NOTICED THE ISSUE BOTH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AND WHEN IT'S STATIONARY. WHILE THERE HASN'T BEEN A FIRE AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE YET, I'M SURE IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME.
Electrical system, Jun 21, 2019
MY RIGHT SIDE LOW BEAM KEEPS GOING OUT. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULB 5 TIMES THIS YEAR. I'VE REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESSES FOR THE LIGHT BULB. I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS KEEPS FALLING
Exterior lighting, Jun 17, 2019
I HAVE CHANGED MY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT BULB SEVERAL TIMES AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK EVERY TIME I HAVE TO FIX IT I AM CHARGED $100.00 OR MORE. ALSO I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE MOTOR TO MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW TWICE. THIS ALSO ALSO HAPPENED TO MY 2000 CHEVY MALIBU. IT SEAMS LIKE THIS MODEL HAS MANY ISSUES.
Electrical system, Jun 12, 2019
MY DRIVER SIDE LIGHT CONTINUES TO KEEP GOING OUT AFTER A COUPLE WEEKS AND THE BULB IS NOT BLOWING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVY MALIBU DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE HEADLIGHTS CAN CAUSE A BAD ACCIDENT. IF YOU HIT A BUMP IT GOES OUT. I WAS ON A BACK ROAD AT NIGHT AND BOTH LIGHTS WENT OUT ALMOST CAUSING ME TO CRASH
Electronic stability control (ESC), Jun 10, 2019
I STARTED DRIVING THE CAR WITHIN FIVE MINUTES AFTER I PRESS ON THE BRAKES THE CAR STARTED JOLTING AND AFTER THAT IT START STALLING TRY TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL ON A HIGHWAY MAXIMUM MILEAGE PER HOUR WAS 55 WILL NOT ENGAGE TURN AROUND PARK THE CAR KEPT THEM STALLING IN BETWEEN ONCE THE CAR PARKED LIGHTS ON THE DASH POPPED UP CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ESC LIGHT POPPED UP THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING AND MOTOR STARTED SHAKING TRY TO PUT THE FOOT ON THE GAS GENTLY AND IT STARTED STALLING AGAIN. CAR BEEN PARKED EVER SINCE.
Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiper, Jun 8, 2019
DRIVER SIDE LOW BEAM KEEPS SHORTING OUT EVEN AFTER REPLACING BULBS AND HARNESS. WINDSHIELD WIPERS BUSHING BROKE IN MIDDLE OF RAINSTORM ON 6/7/19 IN SUFFOLK VA ON INTERSTATE 664 SOUTH BOUND
Seats, Jun 5, 2019
THE SEAT COMES OFF THE METAL MOLDING WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION AND WHEN YOU TRY TO ADJUST THE SEAT IT ADJUSTS LOPSIDED AND UNEVEN .
Exterior lighting, Jun 4, 2019
THE PLUG TO THE LEFT HEADLIGHT CONTINUES TO MELT AND SHORT THE HEADLIGHT OUT. IT IS NOT THE BULB, BUT THE PLUG IN SYSTEM FOR THE HEADLIGHTS.
Exterior lighting, May 29, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE REPLACED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT CONNECTORS WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONNECTORS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. BOB BELL CHEVROLET (1230 BEL AIR RD, BEL AIR, MD) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
Air bags, Structure, May 22, 2019, crash
I WAS IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT AND WAS BIT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE IMPACT PUSHED IN THE DOORS AND THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS TRAVELING APPROX 30 MPH AND THE CAR RAN A STOP SIGN ON A CITY STREET.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, May 16, 2019
REPLACED LOW BEAM LIGHTS MULTIPLE TIMES, HAD THE WIRING HARNESS REPLACED DUE TO A SHORTAGE THAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY LEADING TO THE LOW BEAMS LIGHT BLOWING OUT CONSTANTLY. LOW BEAM LIGHTS STILL KEEP GOING OUT. ONGOING ISSUE
Visibility/wiper, May 14, 2019
IN 2016 THE WIPER MOTOR WENT UP AND I HAD IT REPLACED AT A CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND AGAIN IN 2019 THE WIPER MOTOR WENT UP AGAIN. I CAN LOAD UP THE DOCUMENTS IF NEEDED.
Steering, Seats, May 14, 2019
THERE IS A STEERING RECALL FOR MY CAR BUT NOT FOR MY SPECIFIC VIN #. I'M HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH MINE AS WELL. MY RACKING PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
Air bags, May 9, 2019
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT FOR THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER ALWAYS INDICATES THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE MESSAGE DOES NOT GO AWAY AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A VERY LONG TIME
Air bags, May 9, 2019
THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT ALWAYS SAY IT IS OFF WHEN A PASSENGER IS RIDING IN THE FRONT
Seats, May 8, 2019
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT IS BROKEN. WAS RIDING DOWN THE STREET AND IT JUST POPPED. NOW IT ROCKS AND BOUNCE EVERYTIME YOU HIT A BUMP OR HUMP IN THE ROAD
Electrical system, May 7, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS FAULTY AND WOULD NOT DISPLAY THE CORRECT DATA. PAT O'BRIEN CHEVROLET (3880 PEARL RD, MEDINA, OH 44256, (330) 460-0718) DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,100.
Electronic stability control (ESC), May 2, 2019
WILL BE DRIVING AND AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKE THE SERVICE ESC WILL COME ON AND THEN MY CAR DOES NOT WANT TO STOP.
Electrical system, May 2, 2019
WITHOUT WARNING THE CLUSTER OF GAUGES START GOING CRAZY AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING AND VEHICLE SPEED WILL NOT EXCEED 20MPH. EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE STALLS OUT.