2010 Chevrolet Malibu Interior & seats Problems

The driver's seat bracket broke causing the seat to sag to the right and for the back of the seat to rise up. Pictures were taken and are attached. Available for inspection until fixed. The view is from the front. My finger points to the failed weld. In an accident, the seat might break off causing the driver to sustain serious injury. The sudden shift in the seat could cause the driver to panic resulting in an accident. I have not yet taken it into the dealer for review. This problem has been reported to your website as well as RepairPal and The Center for Auto Safety websites. No one has, as of now, inspected this failure. There are no warning lights or other sources avaliable to inform of this danger.

NHTSA ID

11726490

Incident

Mar 21, 2026

Front Driver and Passenger door can not be opened from the inside or outside. Locking mechanism doesn't work. I've tried Unlocking the door with remote, button in the car, manually in the car and sticking the key in the actual door itself. When I pull on the handles nothing happens. You can hear the actuator working inside the doors, and the manual door lock knob goes up and down, but neither front door can be opened. The passenger side had the issue first, but I rarely have passengers in my car so I left it alone. Now, the driver side does the same thing. I've tried everything I can think of to get the door opened, but it does not work. I can not even get the inside of the door panel off to look and see what's wrong because the door is closed. This is a serious safety issue because I would not be able to get out of the car in an emergency. As of right now, the only way to get into and out of the car is climbing out through a back door.

NHTSA ID

11512476

Incident

Mar 17, 2023

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the front driver’s side door would not open from inside or outside the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 196,000. The VIN was not provided.

NHTSA ID

11425618

Incident

Jul 17, 2021

Mileage

196,000 mi

I COULD SMELL A FAINT ELECTRICAL SMOKE SMELL WHILE THE CAR WAS RUNNING, THEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL QUIT WORKING COMPLETELY. I THEN ALSO NOTICED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT ALSO QUIT HEATING.

NHTSA ID

11388939

Incident

Jan 19, 2021

Mileage

155,000 mi

DRIVERS SEAT FRAME HAS BROKE IN 2 PLACES CAUSING THE SEAT TO BE UNSTABLE.

NHTSA ID

11374696

Incident

Oct 27, 2020

Mileage

105,600 mi

MY DRIVER SEAT IS BROKE FROM THE BOTTOM OF FLOOR AND MY GAS PEDAL STICK AND JUMP WHEN I HIT THE GAS PEDAL

NHTSA ID

11342602

Incident

Jul 3, 2020

WHEN DRIVING IT THE TRANSMISSION DON'T KICK IN UNTIL YOU GET PASS 30 MILES AND THEN IT'S DOING EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE A RECALL ON SOME OF THE OTHER 2010 CHEVY MALIBU JUST TRYING TO SEE WHY MY VIN NUMBER HASN'T BEEN RECALL.I HAVE TO PUT MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS OWN SOMETIME SO I WON'T BE IN A RECK GETTING MY GRANDKIDS TO AND FROM SCHOOL I FEAR FOR OUR SAFETY BUT THIS IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION SO IF YOU CAN PLEAS CHECK AND SEE IF I HAVE A RECALL ON MY VIN NUMBER IT WOULD PLEASE BE APPRECIATE SIGN A CARING GRANDMOTHER TRYING TO KEEP HER FAMILY SAFE 🙏🏽🙏🏽

NHTSA ID

11270164

Incident

Oct 2, 2019

SEAT FRAME WELDS ARE BROKEN, BOTTOM FRONT RIGHT SIDE TUBE ON DRIVERS SEAT.

NHTSA ID

10985066

Incident

Jan 2, 2017

Mileage

95,000 mi

FAULTY PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE , AIRBAG WARNING FAULT LIGHT ON. . THE DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MODULE AT MY OWN EXPENSE OF $800. I FEEL THAT MY FAMILY AND MY SAFETY IS AT RISK DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN THAT GM IS AWARE OF WITH ITS AIRBAG COMPONENTS. AIRBAGS SHOULD BE WORKING FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, AND IF THEY ARE FAILING THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE THOSE FAULTY DESIGNED PARTS AT NO EXPENSE TO THE OWNERS.

NHTSA ID

10957089

Incident

Nov 1, 2016

Mileage

85,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE PUSHING THE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE OR WHILE INSERTING THE KEY IN THE DOOR LOCK. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID

10923864

Incident

Jul 6, 2016

Mileage

67,000 mi

"TAKATA RECALL": THE DOOR LOCK DOES NOT WORK AT TIMES. THE DOOR WILL NOT SHUT AS WELL AS THE DOOR'S LOCK ASSEMBLY NOT DISENGAGING. THE LOCKING ASSEMBLY WILL EITHER NOT UNLOCK OR WILL NOT ALLOW THE DOOR TO STAY LATCHED. IT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING WHEN MOVING, STATIONARY, DRIVING ON ANY TYPE OF ROAD OR PARKING AREA. WE HAD DAVIDSON CHEVROLET IN WATERTOWN, NEW YORK ON MARCH 7, 2016 FOR A SEAT BELT PROBLEM AND HAD THE DOOR LOOKED AT THAT DAY. WE WERE INFORMED IT WOULD COST OVER $500.00 TO REPLACE THE PART. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE ALMOST FALLEN OUT OF CAR WHILE DRIVING WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE CAR WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT AND NOTHING CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN. THE LAST DATE THIS HAPPENED WAS 10-27-2016. THE FIRST IT HAPPENED WAS LAST YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10919374

Incident

Oct 26, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK FROM THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE KEY FOB ALSO FAILED TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO USE OTHER DOORS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,197. UPDATED 09/29/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10894747

Incident

Aug 3, 2016

Mileage

30,197 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE DRIVER SIDE HEATING SEAT ACTIVATED, THERE SUDDENLY WAS A BURNING ODOR. THE DRIVER DISCOVERED AT BURNT HOLE IN THE BACK AREA OF THE DRIVER SEAT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. UPDATED 05/11/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10845896

Incident

Feb 25, 2016

Mileage

55,000 mi

DRIVER SEAT WELD BROKEN.

NHTSA ID

10763397

Incident

Sep 12, 2015

Mileage

90,575 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, THE POWER ASSISTED FRONT SEAT MOVED FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH ON THE RIGHT PORTION OF THE SEAT. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE AS WELL, E.G. IF TO THE LEFT THE RIGHT PORTION OF THE SEAT WOULD MOVE FORWARD, IF THE TURN WAS TO THE RIGHT THE RIGHT PORTION OF THE SEAT WOULD MOVE BACK. EVENTUALLY THE DRIVER'S SEAT SLOPED DOWNWARD TO THE RIGHT. THIS CREATED A HAZARDOUS SITUATION WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND NEVER ONCE HAVE I HAD A SEAT BREAK LIKE THIS. APPARENTLY THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO READ. GM REFUSED TO ADMIT THAT THIS IS THEIR FAULT AND I AM OUT ALMOST A $1,000.00 TO HAVE THERE PROBLEM FIXED ...UPDATED 09/22/15 *BF

NHTSA ID

10735289

Incident

Jul 3, 2015

Mileage

59,450 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO UNLOCK THE FRONT INTERIOR PASSENGER DOOR. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID

10730958

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO UNLATCH THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,040. UPDATED 09/10/15*LJ UPDATED 10/26/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10727050

Incident

Oct 1, 2014

Mileage

57,040 mi

MY WIFE HAD TURNED ON THE SEAT HEATER. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME SHE FELT THE BACK OF THE SEAT GETTING VERY HOT AND THEN SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND SAW SMOKE INSIDE THE CAR.. SHE LEANED FORWARD AND THEN TURNED OFF THE SWITCH TO THE SEAT HEATER. I EXAMINED THE SEAT AND DISCOVERED A DIME SIZED BURN THROUGH HOLE IN THE SEAT. THE BURN TROUGH IS APPROXIMATELY SHOULDER HIGH ON THE SEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10706667

Incident

Mar 28, 2015

Mileage

52,000 mi

DRIVERS SEAT FRAME BROKE AT TWO WELD AREAS. VEHICLE HAS NEVER SUSTAINED ANY DAMAGE TO SEAT. SEAT FRAMED JUST FAILED. DEALERSHIP AND WELDING SHOPS HAVE ALL TOLD ME THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. *JS

NHTSA ID

10668972

Incident

Oct 1, 2014

Mileage

72,560 mi

DEC 16. I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES OPENING AND CLOSING MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE LATCH WON'T HOOK CORRECTLY. I HAVE THE DOOR CLOSE, BECAUSE IF I OPEN IT WON'T CLOSE. IT'S DIFFICULT TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE AND OUT SIDE. RIGHT NOW I HAVE TO CLIMB OVER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF MY CAR. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY MAKE AND MODULE OF CAR. ITS DEFINITELY A HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10667525

Incident

Dec 16, 2014

DRIVERS SEAT (POWER) BROKEN AWAY FROM SLIDING SEAT TRACK ON BACK PASSENGER SIDE OF DRIVER SEAT ALLOWING COMPLETE SEAT TO TILT AND HIT DOOR DURING RIGHT TURN AFFECTING ABILITY TO DRIVE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10640024

Incident

Sep 29, 2014

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE DRIVER HEATED SEAT BEGAN SMOKING AND LEFT A BURN HOLE IN MIDDLE BACK REST OF SEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10617958

Incident

Jan 17, 2014

Mileage

89,000 mi

SUPPORT BAR UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SEAT SEVERED AND THE RESULT WAS THAT THE SEAT CAME OFF OF THE RIGHT BRACKET. THE SEAT WAS RESTING ON ONLY THE LEFT BRACKET. GENERAL MOTORS WOULD NOT COVER UNDER ANY WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE DUE TO SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. GENERAL MOTORS STATED THAT I SOMEHOW HAD CAUSED THE SUPPORT BAR TO BREAK. IT COST ME $750 FOR A NEW SEAT AND THE LABOR TO REPLACE. I AM IN POSSESSION OF THE SEAT AND TO ME IT LOOKS LIKE A FAULTY WELD OR A DEFECTIVE SUPPORT BAR. I FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE THAT I SOME HOW BROKE A THICK STEEL BAR JUST BY GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10617092

Incident

Apr 1, 2014

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,555. UPDATED 11/20/14*LJ UPDATED 8/4/2015*JS

NHTSA ID

10615791

Incident

Oct 12, 2011

Mileage

23,555 mi

UPON ARRIVING AT MY DESTINATION I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT VEHICLE BUT THE DRIVER'S DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. IT COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. TRIED LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE DOOR FROM THE KEY REMOTE, FROM THE BUTTONS ON THE DOOR AND MANUALLY AND TRIED THE KEY IN THE DOOR BUT NOTHING WOULD ALLOW THE DOOR TO OPEN. ULTIMATELY HAD TO CLIMB OVER THE CONSOLE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO EXIT VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO DO SO, SOME PEOPLE (DUE TO AGE, HEALTH, SIZE, ETC.) WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO. IF I HAD BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE I NEEDED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE QUICKLY I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO AND NO ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR TO HELP ME. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE HAD BEEN A FIRE. GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE ISSUED A TSB. A QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET SHOWS THOUSANDS OF REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM FROM OWNERS OF MANY DIFFERENT GM VEHICLES, NOT JUST THE MALIBU, DATING BACK AT LEAST SIX YEARS. I HOPE THERE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A FATALITY DUE TO THIS BEFORE GM ISSUES A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10593925

Incident

May 10, 2014

Mileage

59,865 mi