2010 Chevrolet Malibu Driver assistance Problems

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after driving for 5 miles, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, with the message "Service Traction" displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as intended after cooling down; however, the failure recurred after driving 5 miles. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with high resistance in the BCM harness. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC); which was previously performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the recall repair was a one-time free-of-charge repair. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ID

11752487

Incident

Jul 23, 2025

Mileage

160,000 mi

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that under previous vehicle ownership, the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control (ESC); however, the recall repair failed to prevent a failure. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the rear brake light failed to illuminate as intended; however, when the brake pedal was released, the brake lights would illuminate. No warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 270,000.

NHTSA ID

11709371

Incident

Jan 6, 2026

Mileage

270,000 mi

The issue I'm having is the traction light is on and my rear break lights stay on constantly. I took the car to a shop and had the break light switch replaced. Two days later the lights was back on. I did some research and there was a recall for the exact issue I'm have (NHTSA14V252) when I gave the Chevrolet dealership my VIN they said there were no recalls but there was three recalls but they are no longer open. Is there any thing I can do? Please help

NHTSA ID

11661972

Incident

Apr 5, 2025

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact had been informed by other drivers that the brake lights failed to illuminate as intended while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that the brake lights randomly illuminated while driving. The traction control warning light was illuminated intermittently, causing the cruise control to become inoperable. The contact stated that as an independent mechanic, he had replaced the brake sensors twice; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control (ESC); however, the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the failure might be related to the brake sensors. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ID

11649038

Incident

Jul 17, 2024

Mileage

140,000 mi

I have replaced my transmission in 2019. Car still has transmission problems. I’ve replaced my passenger headlight and lamp but the light still won’t work. My brake lights or back blinkers don’t work even after changing the fuses. Tire pressure light won’t go off. I have had this car since 2010..

NHTSA ID

11613577

Incident

Jan 1, 2018

I submitted a complaint regarding traction service/escape alerts at any given time of my 2010 Chevolet Malibu and have not received an acknowledgment of my complaint. Therefore I am hoping it has been resolved. Thank goodness, the car passed inspection on 10/17/2023 for which the complaint of the traction service alerts have affected my yearly inspection for at least 3 years. I am asking for the status of your assessment of my complaint. Thank you. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11550567

Incident

Oct 18, 2023

Had test drove the vehicle everything was fine, picked the vehicle up and drove it home everything was fine, parked in the back of my house the car sat over night I go to pull it out the drive way, the power steering has gotten stuck and I mean it was STUCK!, the “power steering” light came on the dash so I tried my best to turn to just pull it back in the driveway. It was so hard to turn I thought I would brake the steering wheel. Another thing whenever I ride over a bump my radio changes stations or turns off.

NHTSA ID

11439820

Incident

Nov 7, 2021

I purchase the 2010 Chevy malibu, 6/2013. The service traction lights comes on periodically until I am forced to take it in for service. I had to take the car in for this same problem at least 4 times, more or less, also the last time I took the car in, the technician was not able to reset the sensors. A more seasoned tech had to reset the sensors. I am filing a report, because this cost me money every time I take it to the dealer and it is certain a safety issue for me to continue to drive the car with the service traction light coming on and off and stationary at times. It appears to be a defect in the auto system. I should not be required to have to take the car in every year for the same problem and putting myself and others at risk. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11419766

Incident

May 7, 2021

Recently I was almost rear-ended a few times and got curious as to why?? Well yesterday I was following my 2010 Chevy Malibu in another car and noticed that my brake lights stay on when I'm driving and go off when I brake. Very dangerous! I have read other complaints regarding this issue and I think a recall needs to be issued on these cars. It had also disabled my cruise control.

NHTSA ID

11419747

Incident

Jun 4, 2021

WHILE DRIVING THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL BE SET AND ALL OF A SUDDEN TURN OFF. THE GAUGES ON THE DASH WOULD SPORATICALLY JUMP UP AND DOWN AND SOMETIMES FLATLINE AS IF THE CAR WAS OFF. WHEN BRAKING THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD ENGAGE IF MY HAND PRESSED THE BUTTON LLOCATED ON THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPEED UP WHILE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD BE ON WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKES AND WOULD TURN ON ONCE BRAKES WERE PRESSED. RECALL WORK WAS REPORTED TO BE COMPLETED JANUARY 2015 BUT PROBLEMS STILL PERSIST. THERE IS ALSO A BULLETIN FOR SPECIAL COVERAGE THAT IS LIMITED TO 150,000 MILES WHICH I DON'T RECIEVE BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS OVER THAT MILEAGE BUT THE DANGERS OF THE VEHICLE STILL PERSIST. THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN PRESENT SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO. THE LAST INCIDENT HAPPENED JUST 2 DAYS AGO. I CANTACTED CHEVY AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T COVER IT BECAUSE OF THE MILES.

NHTSA ID

11407839

Incident

Apr 11, 2021

Mileage

220,000 mi

I HAD JUST LEFT THE GAS STATION AFTER FILLING UP WITH GAS I CAME TO A STOPLIGHT AND WHEN I WENT TO TAKE OFF FROM A STOP THE CAR STARTED SPUTTERING AND ONLY GOING AT VERY LOW POWER I TURNED THE CAR AROUND AND NOTICED THERE WAS A TICK IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT MOVED BACK AND FORTH THE STEERING BECAME HARD TO TURN AS I LOST MY POWER STEERING THEN THE CAR SHUT OFF WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN IT WAS STILL RUNNING AT HALF POWER I MANAGED TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE HOUSE AND UPON RESTARTING THE CAR IT WAS STUCK IN LIMP MODE AND WAS DISPLAYING POWER STEERING AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LOTS ON THE DASH AFTER RESETTING THE CODES IT RUNS PROPERLY BUT THEN KICKS BACK INTO LIMP MODE AND LOSES STEERING ABILITY OF THE ELECTRONIC ASSIST.

NHTSA ID

11388620

Incident

Jan 16, 2021

Mileage

104,613 mi

STEERING GETS HARD TO MANEUVER WHILE DRIVING ALL LIGHTS COME ON ON THE DASHBOARD AND HAVE TO STOP AND RESET VEHICLE, HEADLIGHTS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WHEN MY STEERING GOT HARD TO USE. I HAD TO GET ON THE SHOULDER AND RESET THE BATTERY, IN ORDER TO GET HOME SAFELY

NHTSA ID

11384971

Incident

Dec 24, 2020

Mileage

212,000 mi

EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON & CRUISE CONTROL SHUTS OFF. WHEN IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11383312

Incident

Dec 8, 2020

Mileage

147,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN WITH THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, SHE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE GEAR AFTER 2 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE CONTROL MODULE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11354974

Incident

Sep 1, 2019

WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK FROM HOME ON A MAIN INTERSECTION A POWER REDUCTION OCCURRED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER, SPEED, AND THE ABILITIES TO FUNCTION NORMALLY CLOSE TO WORK I PARKED IN THE NEAREST PARKING LOT AND SCHEDULED A REPAIR AT A AUTOMOTIVE SHOP... AFTER INSPECTING IT A MECHANIC REPLACED THROTTLE BODY, GAS PEDAL AND AIR INTAKE HOSE COSTING $860.. UPON PICKUP ABOUT 5 MINUTES INTO DRIVING A POWER REDUCTION STILL OCCURED UPON REINSPECTION AND NO CODES IN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME HE WASN'T ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM...I THAN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHO THAN RAN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND DID A FEW MINOR REPAIRS AND A CLUSTER INSTRUMENT COMING OUT TO $910..UPON PICKUP FROM CERTIFIED DEALER A POWER REDUCTION AGAIN REOCCURRING I HAD TO PAY A EXTRA $100 TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER SHIP FOR REPAIR FOR IT BEING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO TRANSPORT IT MANUALLY FEELING THE HEADACHE AND THE PAIN OF COSTLY REPAIRS FOR A PROBLEM WITHOUT A DEFINITE POSSIBLE WAY OF REPAIRING I FEEL ITS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN OVER LOOKED BY GM CHEVY NOW KNOWING THE STORY OF THE POWER REDUCING IN MANY GM VEHICLES I FORSURE WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS AUTO MAKER.

NHTSA ID

11343593

Incident

Aug 3, 2020

Mileage

178,000 mi

WE HAVE REPLACED THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) TORQUE SENSOR TWICE, WITH DIFFERING BRANDS (AC DELCO, AND CAN'T REMEMBER THE OTHER). SINCE IT'S AN ISSUE WITH THE EPS, THE TRACTION CONTROL IS OUT/DISABLED AS WELL. THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT COULD BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, CONSIDERING IT'S A FULL SIZE SEDAN AND THE OPERATOR IS 115LBS WITH HER CHILDREN IN THE CAR. IT'S EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT TO STEER AT SLOWER SPEEDS, AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE PARKED. THE DEALERSHIP SHE BOUGHT IT FROM, NOR THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP WILL TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY, AND SHE CAN'T AFFORD TO SINK EVEN MORE MONEY INTO THE CAR. THIS IS RATHER OUTRAGEOUS CONSIDERING THE CAR IS NORMALLY MAINTAINED AND THE DEALERSHIP SHE BOUGHT IT FROM WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS SHE HAD BROUGHT IT TO THEIR SERVICE CENTER (DUE TO PURCHASED WARRANTY AT THE TIME) WHERE WHATEVER-THEY-DID RESET THE LIGHT, BUT THE ISSUE RECURRED LATER ON. DATE GIVEN IS APPROXIMATELY THE MONTH ISSUES BEGAN TO GET SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE. THE ISSUE STARTED QUITE SOME TIME AGO. THIS HAS NOT RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT STRICTLY DUE TO THE OPERATORS OVER-ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION. MILEAGE I REPORT IS APPROXIMATE, BUT CERTAINLY WAS LOWER THAN THE NUMBER GIVEN WHEN IT BEGAN. *TR

NHTSA ID

11331025

Incident

Feb 15, 2020

Mileage

145,000 mi

PUT CAR IN GEAR. THE BUTTON STAYS IN AND KEY WON'T COME OUT. THE CAR ISN'T ENGAGED SO IT CAN MOVE ON IT'S OWN. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324786

Incident

May 16, 2020

Mileage

5 mi

IN 2012, WE WERE DRIVING ALONG AND ATTEMPTED TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPOT, WHEN THE CAR REFUSED TO REVERSE. IT STARTED GOING SLOWER THAN THE USUAL SPEED LIMIT, SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I PULLED OUT TO HEAD HOME, BUT THE CAR DIDN'T GET MUCH SPEED, NOR WOULD IT REVERSE AT ALL. I HAD IT TOWED AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS BURNED OUT. I'D ONLY HAD THE CAR LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. CHEVROLET REPAIRED OR REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. A YEAR LATER, I WAS PULLED OVER DUE TO THE TAIL LIGHTS NOT WORKING. 2016 THE CAR WOULDN'T PICK UP SPEED AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD BURNED OUT AGAIN. WE GOT IT REBUILT A SECOND TIME AND NOW THE LIGHTS, WIPERS, DOOR LOCKS, AND WINDOWS AREN'T WORKING AGAIN EITHER. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A MANUFACTURER ISSUE THAT NEEDS REVIEWING ON THIS YEAR MALIBU. *TR

NHTSA ID

11323439

Incident

Mar 10, 2019

Mileage

35,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, IN A CURVE, THE POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING, THE WHEELS TURNED STRAIGHT AND I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING THE BARRIER WALL. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT, THE POWER STEERING BEGAN WORKING AGAIN. THE POWER STEERING NOW QUITS WORKING AFTER A MILE OF DRIVING, ONLY TO START WORKING AGAIN AFTER A RESTART OF THE ENGINE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR AROUND 20,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11319132

Incident

Mar 24, 2020

Mileage

135,000 mi

WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE STEERING WHEEL TWITCHES ON ITS OWN AND WHEN I'M DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL GETS STIFF AND IT SAYS SERIVCE ESC/POWERSTEERING.

NHTSA ID

11318364

Incident

Mar 6, 2020

Mileage

120,000 mi

ON THE DASH POWER STEERING WARNING COMES ON ALONG WITH SERVICE ESC THEN ESC IS OFF. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING. THE POWER STEERING WILL CUT OFF.. ALSO OF I'M IDLE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL START JERKING BY ITS SELF

NHTSA ID

11310479

Incident

Jan 27, 2020

Mileage

200,000 mi

POWER STEERING OFF WILL APPEAR ON DASH WITH EACH OFF LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT OFF.

NHTSA ID

11309716

Incident

Nov 11, 2019

SERVICE EAS WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. THEN THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON. THE SERVICE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT COMES ON & THE CAR IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL & NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS & UNSAFE.

NHTSA ID

11309410

Incident

Feb 12, 2020

Mileage

180,000 mi

POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING IN AND OUT. CANT DRIVE CAR VERY FAR AT ALL. WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11307677

Incident

Feb 6, 2020

Mileage

126,000 mi

MY STEERING GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT ON A HIGHAY

NHTSA ID

11306531

Incident

Feb 1, 2020

Mileage

59,000 mi