RoadVitals

2012 Chevrolet Malibu Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
16
Latest Dec 8, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 905 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
7
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming body or structure

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structureBrakesOther / unspecified
Filed Dec 8, 2025
Crash reported

The brake caplier screw came out why driving the vehicle and broke the brake line and the vehicle lost control try to use the emergency brake and it didn't work vehicle crash

NHTSA ID
11703616
Incident
Apr 22, 2021
Body & structure
Filed Jun 16, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT METAL FRAME FRACTURED, CAUSING THE SEAT TO COLLAPSE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,000. *LN THE CONSUMER PROVIDED PHOTOS. *TR

NHTSA ID
11329221
Incident
Nov 5, 2019
Mileage
73,000 mi
Body & structureDriver assistanceEngine
Filed Jul 27, 2019

TAKATA RECALL IT CONSTANTLY SHAKES AND MY CAR IS CONSTANTLY PULLING AND RANDOM CODES POP UP ALL THE TIME . NOT TO MENTION IT'S A 2012 AND IT'S RUSTING MAJORLY. I AM DRIVING WHEN MY CAR SEEMS TO BE MISSING A BEAT IT WANTS TO JERK ON ME LIKE IT WANTS TO STOP RUNNING. I WAS ON A CITY STREET IT HAPPENS A LOT .

NHTSA ID
11235218
Incident
Mar 12, 2019
Mileage
140 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed May 22, 2019
Crash reported1 injury reported

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.

NHTSA ID
11209217
Incident
May 20, 2019
Mileage
165,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 6, 2019

NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT WHERE TO FILE COMPLAINTS ABOUT MANUFACTURING ISSUES TO START A RECALL. MY MALIBU DIDN'T START ONE AFTER WORK TOWED IT TO MECHANIC. HE SAID IT DIDN'T HAVE OIL PRESSURE. HE OPENED UP THE ENGINE AND FOUND PIECES OF O RINGS/RTV SEALANT BLOCKING FLOW AND BUSTED RODS, LIFTERS, AND LOOSE BEARINGS OBVIOUSLY. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ONE OPEN THAT ENGINE. I FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. CAR ONLY HAS 90,000 MILES. A/C COMPRESSOR WENT OUT AT 40,000 MILES, REAR DEFROST OUT REAR FUSE BOX CORRODED AND BURNED WIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHEEL BEARINGS OUT IN THE FRONT AT 50,000 MILES. THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN WITH A NEWER CAR. DEALER NO HELP OUT OF WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID
11174798
Incident
Jan 20, 2019
Mileage
90,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 7, 2018

DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE

NHTSA ID
11149970
Incident
Nov 7, 2018
Mileage
117,500 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 2, 2018

THE PASSENGER DOOR OF MY VEHICLE WILL NOT OPEN. THE AUTOMATIC LOCK APPEARS TO BE WORKING BUT I CANNOT OPEN THE DOOR. THIS ALSO HAPPENED TO THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR A FEW TIMES BUT THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO USE THE ACTUAL KEY FROM THE OUTSIDE TO OPEN IT. I HAVE READ REVIEWS WHERE THIS IS COMMON IN THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD AND I CANNOT EVEN GET THE DOOR FIXED BECAUSE IT WON'T OPEN. PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING THIS A MANUFACFURER RECALL.

NHTSA ID
11099291
Incident
May 19, 2018
Mileage
80,000 mi
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Sep 30, 2017
Crash reported1 injury reported

PARKED IN AN INTERSECTION OLD HWY US 301 OCALA FLORIDA WHEELS TURNED LEFT WHICH WAS DARK AND POORLY LIT BY THE CITY. NO ORANGE LIGHTS ONTO A MAJOR THIN 2 LANE INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS BRAKED DURING THE LEFT TURN SOUTH POSITION. THE FRONT HOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF NORTH BOUND LANE FRONT BUMPER AND PLATE WERE IN THE HIGHWAY DIVIDING LINE. UP TO THE REAR DRIVERSIDE PASSENGER DOOR AT THE JOINT OF THE SIDE STREET AND HIGHWAY OUTSIDE LINE. A BICYCLIST STRUCK THE VEHICLE HIS LIGHT WAS THROWN INTO THE INTERSECTION. HE IS BLEEDING HES ON THE GROUND. ANOTHER FEMALE IS HELPING HIM. THE MIRROR OF THE VEHICLE DRIVERSIDE TORN OFF AND THE FRONT WINSHIELD SHATTERED ABOVE DRIVERSIDE TOP. THROWN BY IMPACT FROM HIS BICYCLE TO THE MALIBU HIS BACKPACK ON THE GROUND. HES AMBULATORY TRANSPORTED SHERIFFS RESPONDED FHP CAME OUT

NHTSA ID
11030670
Incident
Sep 24, 2017
Mileage
175,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 25, 2017

PASSENGER DOOR WON'T OPEN. DOOR LOCK GOES UP UND DOWN MANUALLY AND WITH POWER LOCK BUTTON OR FOB, DOOR WON'T OPEN. MANY REPORTS ONLINE OF THIS ISSUE. DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
10956948
Incident
Feb 1, 2017
Mileage
65,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed May 9, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM UNLOCKED, BUT THE DOOR ITSELF WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

NHTSA ID
10864015
Incident
May 9, 2016
Mileage
3,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structureSeat belts
Filed Jun 22, 2015
Crash reported2 injuries reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE AIR BAGS FAILED AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN THE FRONT DRIVER AND THE FRONT PASSENGER. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

NHTSA ID
10726673
Incident
Jun 19, 2015
Mileage
55,000 mi
Body & structureOther / unspecifiedVisibility
Filed Jun 17, 2015
Crash reported

THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT THE SPEED LIMIT WHEN THE TIRE POPPED. THE IMPACT WAS AS MUCH AS A FRONT END COLLISION; THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALONG WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE BUMPER AND THE WHEEL WAS BENT. A MECHANIC SAID THAT BECAUSE THE SEAT BELTS LOCKED THE IMPACT WAS GREAT ENOUGH WHERE THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE GONE OFF, BUT THEY DID NOT.

NHTSA ID
10725743
Incident
Jun 15, 2015
Mileage
28,080 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Apr 21, 2015
Crash reported

DRIVING ON THE [XXX] . A LARGE PIECE OF DEBRIS FROM A SUSPECTED TRUCK FLEW AND DAMAGED MY VEHICLE. THE TRUCK DID NOT STOP SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT ACTUALLY CAME FROM IT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DENIED THE CLAIM BECAUSE THE DEBRIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED COLLISION NOT COMPREHENSION (I AM COVERED FOR COMPREHENSION). NOW I AM STUCK WITH FEES THAT I AM NOT EVEN LIABLE FOR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10711978
Incident
Apr 3, 2015
Body & structure
Filed Jan 2, 2015

IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, THE UNDERCARRIAGE SOMEWHERE SOUNDS LIKE IT IS LOOSE WHENEVER YOU HIT A SMALL HOLE IN THE ROAD, GO OVER RAILROAD TRACKS, REALLY ANYTHING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10669551
Incident
Oct 31, 2012
Mileage
4,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structureBrakes+1 more
Filed Aug 15, 2014
Crash reported

MY CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE MY FRIEND APPLIED THE BRAKES AND WAS FORCED INTO HYDROPLANING INTO A BARRIER, ANOTHER VEHICLE AND A PERSON. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AS THE SENSOR WAS NOT HIT NOR DID THE ONSTAR BECOME ALERTED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. AFTER FIGHTING WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES, MY CAR WAS TOTALED THEN DECLARED NOT TOTALED, AND REPAIRED. I RECEIVED THE NOTICE OF A RECALL MUCH LATER AFTER THE CAR WAS IN THE ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10622589
Incident
Aug 5, 2014
Body & structure
Filed Dec 24, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOWS AND THE DASHBOARD BECAME FROZEN ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THE CONTACT ALLOWED EXCESSIVE WATER MOISTURE TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE WINDOWS AND DASHBOARD TO FREEZE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,176. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ID
10557142
Incident
Sep 8, 2012
Mileage
7,176 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .