2011 Chevrolet Malibu Problems

There was a fire in the trunk on the way to work. Fire department was called to inspect the car and make sure that the fire was out. Fire melted fuse box located in the trunk along with wiring harness and wires, also causing all electrical items to stop working. Claim was attempted to be made, but insurance did not cover this particular issue. After hours of reading as well as watching videos, this seems to be an on problem for Malibu's from 2011-2016. I bought this car one year ago and had a mechanic inspect the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ESC and traction control warning lights remained illuminated. Additionally, while the cruise control was activated and the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. The contact stated that the gear shifter was able to be moved without the brake pedal being depressed. The cause of the failures were not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 122,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ESC and traction control warning lights remained illuminated. Additionally, while the cruise control was activated and the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. The contact stated that the gear shifter was able to be moved without the brake pedal being depressed. The cause of the failures were not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 122,000.

Steering locks while driving

Everytime I turn on my car, I get a warning for ESC power steering and I have no power steering. Usually it will fix itself have shutting it off once and starting it again immediately. There has been a couple times where it has taken multiple starts to fix itself.

I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2011 Chevrolet Malibu LS related to the electronic stability control (ESC), traction control, and electric power steering systems. My vehicle is currently experiencing the following problems: * “Service ESC” warning message * “ESC Off” displayed * Traction control disabled * Electric power steering warning * Airbag warning light illuminated These issues occur while driving and directly impact the vehicle’s safety systems and handling. I am aware of a prior safety recall issued by General Motors under Recall Number 13036, which involves electrical wiring, the body control module (BCM), and brake assist system (BAS). According to the recall, this defect can result in the loss of electronic stability control, traction control, and other critical safety features. My vehicle is experiencing the exact same symptoms described in Recall #13036, including the disabling of ESC and traction control systems. However, I have been informed that my VIN may not be included in this recall, despite the identical safety-related failures. This presents a significant safety risk because: * Electronic stability control and traction control systems are not functioning * Steering assist may be compromised * Crash avoidance and braking support features may be disabled I am requesting that this issue be investigated and that consideration be given to expanding Recall #13036 to include additional affected vehicles like mine, as this appears to be a widespread defect. This condition poses a serious risk to driver and passenger safety, thank you so much you can contact me back via email [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Car started to loose power and wanted to cut off had to drive with both feet put in the shop a few times but couldn't find any wrong finally stopped driving it and then I started back to driving it and still doing the same thing, finally the motor went out.Have notice more Malibu's in this area and surroundings area having problems with the motor.

- Reduced engine power, appears on the dashboard. The motor begins to shake, slow down excessively if I'm driving on the highway, and needs to be shut off to reset the computer. Yes, this is available for inspection. However, We are going to try to fix this ASAP, as I drive an hour to and from work each day, this isn't safe, I'm stressed out as soon as I think about driving, and I am worried I'll get stranded on the side of the road. . This puts me and others at risk, because I can be going 70 mph and the alarm goes off and I instantly slow down from 70 to about 30 mph, I need to immediately get to the side of the road, or I might not be able to move out of the way of traffic. I am unable to use the accelerator at this time if I needed to get to a more safe location. This can happen zero times, to 5 times, per my morning drives to work. I need to pull over, put my flashers on, turn off my car, and hope that it resets right away and I can continue my drive. Other times, I need to let it sit at least 5 minutes before the reduced engine power warning goes off. - There were no warnings. It first happened just putting the vehicle into reverse in our driveway. Now it happens when I am driving. We just bought this vehicle used from the GM dealership with no warranty. It is a 2011 Malibu with only 90,000 miles on it. This can happen going from park to reverse, to going highway speeds.

There was a fire in the trunk on the way to work. Fire department was called to inspect the car and make sure that the fire was out. Fire melted fuse box located in the trunk along with wiring harness and wires, also causing all electrical items to stop working. Claim was attempted to be made, but insurance did not cover this particular issue. After hours of reading as well as watching videos, this seems to be an on problem for Malibu's from 2011-2016. I bought this car one year ago and had a mechanic inspect the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ESC and traction control warning lights remained illuminated. Additionally, while the cruise control was activated and the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. The contact stated that the gear shifter was able to be moved without the brake pedal being depressed. The cause of the failures were not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 122,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35–40 MPH, the vehicle experienced transmission failure. The contact stated that the RPM was elevated while driving, and the transmission shifted abnormally rough. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the transmission was rebuilt. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the local dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.

Multiple times while driving this vehicle, get the message loss of engine power, ABS light displays, and steering becomes difficult. Will be calling the dealership for repair. Once it resolved itself enough to drive over 100 miles after changing the battery, but the issue occurred again. Many searches online point to ABS, or Wheel issues. There are YouTube videos but this is a safety issue that should be recalled and fixed. As a loyal Chevy owner, I would love to have Chevy back their vehicles and recall when there are some many instances of this widespread safety issue they would prioritize the safety of their vehicles.

Hi my name Is [XXX] . JD Byrider financed me this car knowing that it had open recalls putting me and my family's lives in danger. The car has had electrical problems since Ive had it. Every other day different lights appear on the dashboard Service Airbags ,Service ABS and traction ESC off are some of the few. The car has been to their service department 14 times since Ive owned it each time they said its fixed then its right back in their shop again. I have one daughter with sickle cell disease and one with autism. My kids are afraid to ride in the car and Im afraid to drive it. Last Monday while bringing my kids to school every light on the dash board came on then the car shut down on me on the highway. If the car behind me wouldnt have swerved around me and the one behind it didnt jam their brakes my kids and i would have been seriously hurt or possibly killed. I got the car pulled to byrider they claim it was the alternator said it was fixed but soon as i started the car those same lights were on again. So i brought it back and the guy told me that was another problem and i would have to make another appointment. I cant keep putting myself and my kids in danger. I am returning Byrider their vehicle today. Please help us. Byrider cant keep taking advantage of poor people like myself. I am surrendering that car today. Please do not let them put that car back on the road. Someone is going to be seriously injured or killed. My name is [XXX] and my phone number is [XXX] . Thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Steering locks while driving

I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2011 Chevrolet Malibu LS related to the electronic stability control (ESC), traction control, and electric power steering systems. My vehicle is currently experiencing the following problems: * “Service ESC” warning message * “ESC Off” displayed * Traction control disabled * Electric power steering warning * Airbag warning light illuminated These issues occur while driving and directly impact the vehicle’s safety systems and handling. I am aware of a prior safety recall issued by General Motors under Recall Number 13036, which involves electrical wiring, the body control module (BCM), and brake assist system (BAS). According to the recall, this defect can result in the loss of electronic stability control, traction control, and other critical safety features. My vehicle is experiencing the exact same symptoms described in Recall #13036, including the disabling of ESC and traction control systems. However, I have been informed that my VIN may not be included in this recall, despite the identical safety-related failures. This presents a significant safety risk because: * Electronic stability control and traction control systems are not functioning * Steering assist may be compromised * Crash avoidance and braking support features may be disabled I am requesting that this issue be investigated and that consideration be given to expanding Recall #13036 to include additional affected vehicles like mine, as this appears to be a widespread defect. This condition poses a serious risk to driver and passenger safety, thank you so much you can contact me back via email [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On [XXX] around 1pm me and my mom were in a bad accident we were driving on [XXX] through Columbus Ohio to go down to Kentucky we were at least 50 feet from the truck that was pulling a camper when all of sudden the camper had no brake lights and was not moving my mom pushed the brake all the way to the floor you could feel the car trying to stop but it wasn’t stopping we were only going 25 and should have been able to stop . But we didn’t by till we were in the camper bumper driver side airbag went off but mine in the passenger seat didn’t forcing my head to fly forward then back my seat belt locked to hard I felt I couldn’t breath and I had just had my appendix removed two days before the accident I was screaming in pain I was later on took to the hospital to make sure I was not bleeding on the inside I now sit in my bed feeling hopeless in so much pain . Since I was been laying in bed I Kelly blue booked our 2011 Chevy Malibu to see what I could possibly get from it but then found out there was not one but three recalls Airbag, brakes, and seat belts but I was never notified i did some more digging and found out these are all new my question is why was I never notified about this we have had this car five years and I found all these recalls going all the back to 2020 and we have had it since 2021. I blame Chevy for my car accident they failed to tell me something major was wrong with my brakes and airbag. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving down the road my power steering went out , driver side head light and it was like my breaks tried to lock up on me when I would press on them. I was driving down the interstate and pretty much had zero control of my car . Very scary. While trying to slow down and get off the interstate it's like it all just turned back on I had power steering back but my head light stayed out. So I went and purchased a new one put it in worked drove 2 miles up the road head light right back off. Something is going on with my ESC control system and power steering. I could have been really hurt or could have hurt someone.

About 8 weeks ago first my driver side speaker in the front went out then my passenger low beam light had went out and I had replaced twice then my AC quit working. I thought it was a fuse or battery or alternator issue even checked if it was it a relay fuse and it was not. Then my dash lit up ESC off and then my back driver side brake has been locked up and squealing really bad than my power steering light came on and it’s really hard to turn all of this happened within three weeks and when I looked up recalls and special warranties, my car had a few so I called GM and a couple of dealerships a few times and they have been extremely rude and unhelpful because this is not a wear and tear issue or it being 10 years old. This is clearly a sensor issue that was recalled and had a special warranty for. And I just want my steering, break and heat to work and that’s all I care about but I cannot afford $3000 to fix it when the car is only worth 2000 and I highly doubt that right now. But this is a safety issue for myself and other drivers and I need my car to take my kids to school and to care for my household.

Weld on the back, right side of the driver's seat broke causing the seat to rock while driving. This is the second time this has happened, as we replaced the original seat when this happened to it.

Driver side seat weld has failed causing seat to lean & become unstable. This failure put my entire family at risk.

Car started to loose power and wanted to cut off had to drive with both feet put in the shop a few times but couldn't find any wrong finally stopped driving it and then I started back to driving it and still doing the same thing, finally the motor went out.Have notice more Malibu's in this area and surroundings area having problems with the motor.

2008 to 2012 Chevrolet Malibu's have a confirmed problem by mechanics about the fuel system regarding the electrical components going bad. The fuel pump relay will overheat the wiring behind it, and will shut the car off, regardless of if it is driving or not.

to begin with CD player stopped working the service tire light stays on the seat adjuster went out this is used to support your back while driving while driving on a residential road the car would not go in drive. The car just suddenly stopped while in drive. It goes in reverse and stays in park but the other gears do not work. It was a good thing that I was on a residential road and not the freeway. I keep having to repair the headlights left and right they keep burning out for some reason. Gets frustrating. And I have been pulled over for a burned headlight but the officer was aware the the make and model of my car have defects with headlights. He didn't site me but said to get it fixed.

SINCE THE FIRST OF JANUARY I'VE HAD TO REPLACE MY HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHT 3 TIMES SO FAR , I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE MY BEARINGS ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER 2 TIMES ON MY PASSENGER. AND THE REASON I AM WRITING THIS NOW IS BECAUSE MY DRIVER SIDE NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN. THE HEADLIGHTS DIDN'T COME ON IN THE MORNING WHEN I WAS LEAVING FOR WORK. AND THE BEARING JUST STARTED MAKING A SOUND WHEN DRIVING AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE BAD.

I was under this car inspecting the exhaust system when I noticed the steel rear impact beam was rusty. Upon further inspection, I found that it was completely rusted and rotted out and was being held up by the wire for the license plate light. The car has quite a few miles on in but no other parts of the car are rusted like this. An automotive Engineer inspected it and advised us to replace it. There is no way for customers to know of this issue or easily watch out for it and I am concerned that this may be an issue in other Malibus. This is a huge safety issue as there was no rear protection during a crash due to the severity of the rust on this rear impact beam.

I have bought multiple Chevy Malibu manufactured in the 2008-2012 year range and I have experienced the same problems on all of them. The first one is almost everytime I remotely start the car and begin to drive the electric power steering feature goes out until I park the car and restart it. Another problem I’ve been experiencing is the the passenger door malfunctions and does not open from The inside or outside even though the locking system is working properly. Upon looking online I have also seen there’s been a good amount of people reporting the same problem

Headlight wiring harness connector has melted multiple times leaving me without low beam headlights while driving at night with my children in the car. This has left me having to use my high beams to drive and this poses as a safety hazard for not only me and my family but other people on the road. This also poses a fire hazard if the plastic connector is getting hot enoughto melt. I have requested warranty replacements for this part through AC Delco and made them aware of the on going problem and informed them that this is a well known issue with this car and that it is extremely dangerous. I have not had the part inspected by a mechanic, insurance company or law enforcement but have the failed part and would be willing to have it inspected by law enforcement or anyone else but can not afford out of pocket expenses to do so. There was no prior warning to this happening any of the times it happened it would be working when I left my house I would stop somewhere turn the car off and when I got back in and started the car they wouldn't turn on. Another time they quit working while driving down the road. The date below is the date that I ordered the first replacement wiring harness it lasted less than 3 months and i had to have it replaced and currently I am dealing with not having low beams again this is the 3rd time I have dealt with this issue and it has been on going since January 2025.

Sudden and complete loss of windshield wipers while on the interstate in a intense rain storm. Driving the vehicle became impossible and stopping on the shoulder was dangerous because other drivers were dealing with poor vision because of the intense rain and came close to hitting me several times. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING CONDITION. My research found that this is not an isolated problem as multiple years and models (vans as well cars) are affected. The cause of the failure was caused by failure of the windshield wiper transmission, linkage and bushing that a part of or attached thereto.

MY CAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS BUMPY AND SHAKES VERY BAD WHEN I AM DRIVING IT IN THE CITY STREETS AND BRAKE IS POOR DOES NOT HAVE A LIGHT BRAKE TO STEP EASY FOR A SLOW STOP I AM HAVING A PROBLEM DRIVING MY CAR ITS NOT SMOOTH RIDE I AM AFRAID OF MY CAR ITS GOING TO GIVE ME A PROBLEM.

I WAS SOLD A VEHICLE WITH BAD STRUTS ALL AROUND VEHICLE AND HAVE ONLY HAD IT FOR UNDER 40 DAYS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU EQUIPPED WITH MASTERCRAFT LSR GRAND TOURING TIRES, SIZE: 225/50R17 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR WAS FLASHING AND THE NUMBERS CONTINUED TO FLUCTUATE. IN ADDITION, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE HAD A BUBBLE AND THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS LOSING AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,056. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN AND DOT NUMBER WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

FIRESTONE FR710 TIRES. CRACKS WERE NOTED IN THE SIDEWALLS. THE TREAD APPEARS TO BE SEPARATING AROUND THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE 2 TIRES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE TIRES ARE DATE CODED 4210 AND HAVE APPROXIMATELY 17000 MILES ON THEM. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN WELL CARED FOR AND ROTATED EVERY 6000 MILES. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW. *TR

2011 CHEVY MALIBU 2LT - TRANSMISSION SLIPPING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS, ALSO 2ND TO 3RD. TAKES A DANGEROUSLY LONG TIME FOR IT TO KICK IN TO THE CORRECT GEAR AND I HAVE HAD SOME CLOSE CALLS PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. ALSO, THIS SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE WHEN TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AS ONCE YOU ARE IN 6TH GEAR, IT WILL NOT DROP TO 5TH IN ORDER TO PASS. THE RPMS RACE UP AND NOTHING HAPPENS. ALL OF THIS AND GM SAYS THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS NORMAL AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS. THIS IS A DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MULTIPLE DISCUSSION FORUMS ONLINE DESCRIBE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL YEAR AND ALSO 2010 1LT AND 2TL 4CYL AND 6CYL. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND GM IS NOT DOING IT. HELP!! *TR

I HAVE A 2011 MALIBU, I CHANGED MY TIRES OUT ON MY CAR AND TIRE PRESSURE LOW LIGHT CAME ON, THEN 3 DAYS LATER SERVICE ESC LIGHT CAME ON, AN I INSTANTLY FELT LIKE I WAS IN A WRONG GEAR, POWER AND SPEED REDUCED, THANKFULLY I WASN'T IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, I'M UNDER THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY CAN I GET SERVICE, AND IS IT DANGEROUS FOR ME TO DRIVE. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER BURNED A HOLE IN THE CONTACT'S COAT. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS BURNED ON THE BACK UNDER THE RIGHT SHOULDER BLADE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (LITHIA CHEVROLET OF REDDING, 200 E. CYPRESS AVENUE, REDDING, CA, 96002) ADVISED THE CONTACT TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,621. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEAT MODULE, SEAT COVER, AND PAD WAS REPLACED ON 02/13/17. *TR

MUSTY ODOR FROM HVAC SYSTEM ON GM CARS AND TRUCKS PRIOR TO 2012. THE MICROBIAL GROWTH HAS TO BE IDENTIFIED TO ASSURE PUBLIC SAFETY. IN MY VEHICLE, THE ODOR CONTINUES EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT PERFORMED THE REMEDIAL WORK SUGGESTED BY GENERAL MOTORS. THE SMELL FIRST BECAME UNBEARABLE ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS AGO, WHEN I STARTED USING THE AIR CONDITIONING MORE AND MORE. GENERAL MOTORS OUTLINED THE PROBLEM IN A TSB. ...UPDATED 07/19/12 *BF