2012 Chevrolet Malibu Interior & seats Problems

The catalytic converter and exhaust manifold are suspected to be malfunctioning. These components are part of the vehicle’s exhaust system, and their failure is believed to be contributing to hesitation and skipping during operation. Both components are available for inspection upon request. The hesitation and skipping reduce the vehicle’s responsiveness, creating a safety risk in traffic. This issue could hinder safe merging, overtaking, or maintaining consistent speeds. Additionally, malfunctioning exhaust components may lead to increased emissions and pose a risk of toxic gases entering the cabin if leaks are present. Check engine light displays. The problem has been confirmed by a professional auto mechanic during their inspection and diagnosis. The components have been inspected and diagnosed by an independent service center (the auto mechanic). They have not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. No warning lamps or error messages were displayed on the dashboard prior to the diagnosis. The symptoms, including hesitation and skipping, began approximately [insert timeline, e.g., two weeks ago] and have been recurring during normal driving, particularly during acceleration or at lower speeds.

NHTSA ID

11633324

Incident

Mar 8, 2022

Driver seat frame bar broke. Is weld and the weld broke when I was on the road. Safety concern when I turn left or right driver seat moves a lot. I can’t drive my malibu like that, Im putting myself in risk and other drivers. First time happens to me this kind of situation. I had other oldest vehicles and driver seat never broke. Not good for a 2012 malibu with a broken frame bar driver seat. GM should fix this problem that comes from manufacure. I did a research about this and Im not alone there is a lot of people complaining about this safety concern issue that chevy malibus from 2009 and 2012 had and dealers dont want to pay attention to this problem.

NHTSA ID

11512046

Incident

Mar 14, 2023

Driver side seat is broken and the frame is cracked on the right side which makes it lean towards the middle console. Which causes my seat to be crooked and definitely feels unsafe and worries me that the airbags may not deploy if ever in an accident.

NHTSA ID

11429488

Incident

Sep 14, 2018

The driver side seat bottom portion left side caved in it says if the webbing underneath the seat that holds it up it broke and I just wanted to see if it was cause do the recall that was fixed on it or what not because I did read other complaints with the exact same issue I just want to know if there is a investigation or a way to be fixed

NHTSA ID

11427626

Incident

Aug 3, 2021

I HIT A DEER ON THE DRIVE SIDE AND SEAT BROKE. IT MOVES WHEN I SIT IT IT AND THE INSURANCE WON'T BUT TO HAVE IT FIX BECAUSE THEY STATE IT IS A PROBLEM THAT THE MALIBU'S HAVE.

NHTSA ID

11387936

Incident

Dec 3, 2020

Mileage

15 mi

THE WELD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HAS BROKEN MAKING THE SEAT UNSTABLE. I WAS GETTING INTO THE CAR AND HEARD IT SNAP THEN FALL TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND GM NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM AND NOT CHARGE PEOPLE $1000+ TO FIX IT. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT, ONLY A MINOR REAR END COLLISION THAT DID MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER.

NHTSA ID

11385380

Incident

Nov 1, 2020

Mileage

73,000 mi

THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FOR MY CAR IN 2019 AND I TOOK IT TO DAVIDSON CHEVROLET IN WATERTOWN NY. THEY FIXED THE RECALL AND MENTIONED IT COULD AFFECT THE SEAT ASSEMBLY. SHORTLY AFTER I GOT A POSTCARD REGARDING THE SEAT. A FEW DAYS LATER MY SEAT NO LONGER MOVES BACK OR FORTH. I TRIED CALLING AND THEY SAID IT WAS A FUSE AND THEY HAD TO ORDER IT. I KEPT CALLING EVERY FEW WEEKS AND THEY WOULDN'T GIVE ME AN ANSWER OR CALL ME BACK. I FINALLY GOT AHOLD OF SOMEONE AND WENT INTO THE SHOP THURSDAY JULY 30, 2020 TO GET THE FUSE IN. THEY LATER CAME OUT AND SAID IT WAS BECAUSE MY LEVER BROKE, HOWEVER MY LEVER WAS NOT BROKE WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN. IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS A CLEAN CUT. THEN THEY TURNED AROUND AND SAID THAT IT WAS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY AND PROCEEDED TO TELL ME TO GO TO THE JUNKYARD TO REPLACE MY SEAT AND THEN I CAN PAY THEM TO INSTALL IT. I FEEL AS THOUGH I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY FROM THE RECALL. I ALSO FEEL LIKE I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO TO THE JUNKYARD WHEN THEY SHOULD BE FIXING IT.

NHTSA ID

11342707

Incident

Jul 1, 2019

DRIVER SEAT WELD BROKE AT THE RIGJT REAR AND LEFT FRONT WITHOUT BEING IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND WENT TO ADJUST IT AND IT BROKE ON THE WAY UP, THEN THE LEFT SIDE ON THE WAY DOWN. I HAVE SEEM ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS TO GM AND NEARLY ALL ARE DENIED TO BE REPAIRED AT DEALERS COST. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT ASAP.

NHTSA ID

11279340

Incident

Oct 29, 2019

Mileage

154,336 mi

PASSENGER LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT KEEPS FAILING EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH ALL CHEVY MALIBUS. DRIVER SEAT BACK BREAKS AND CAUSES THE SEAT TO BE UNSAFE.

NHTSA ID

11255238

Incident

Sep 13, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR 3 YEARS. CHEVY HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE DESPITE CHANGING OUT THE SENSORS AND CLEARING THE CODES. THIS EFFECTS THE REST OF THE ENGINE SETTINGS INCLUDING FUEL AS IT ADJUSTS THEM BASED ON A DEFAULT. THE RAIL SUPPORT FOR THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAS ALSO BROKEN LOOSE AND FALLEN DOWN WHICH MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS SEAT ISSUE WAS ONLY NOTICE EARLIER THIS YEAR.

NHTSA ID

11251903

Incident

Mar 16, 2016

MY 2012 MALIBU 1LT HAS SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES THE RECALLS ARE FOR BUT MY SPECIFIC VIN NUMBER ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS. MY DRIVER SEAT MOVES WHEN SITTING IN IT AND I NEED A RACK-AND-PINION. I'M ALSO HAVING ISSUES WITH A 'ROUGH' IDLE AND WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK THE RPM'S DIE DOWN BETWEEN 1&0 AND THE CAR ACTS LIKE IT'S TRYING TO CUT OFF.

NHTSA ID

11231798

Incident

Feb 6, 2019

Mileage

143,600 mi

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 .

NHTSA ID

11218030

Incident

Nov 26, 2018

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.

NHTSA ID

11207496

Incident

Feb 6, 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

NHTSA ID

11206357

Incident

Apr 15, 2019

Mileage

149,500 mi

WHILE CAR WAS PARKED I GOT INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SEAT SHIFTED. WHEN I WENT TO RE-ADJUST THE SEAT HEIGHT/ POSITION. THE SEAT LEANED TO ONE SIDE AND WAS LOOSE. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT IT AFTER I DESCRIBED THE ISSUE. I FOUND 3 DIFFERENT WEBSITES LISTING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT BOILS DOWN TO CRACKED WELDS. A CAR UNDER 7YRS OLD SHOULD NOT HAVE A FAILURE LIKE THIS. I DROVE A 1981 BUICK CENTURY (PURCHASED 1995) WITH OVER 87,000 MILES AND THE SEATS WHERE FINE UP TO WHEN I SOLD IT IN 2001. ALL I CAN RECALL IS THAT THIS HAPPENED SOMETIME IN 2018. WHY HAS GM AND NHTSA NOT ISSUED RECALLS. THIS IS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS, EVEN FATAL FLAW IN THEIR VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

11204305

Incident

Aug 1, 2018

Mileage

33,000 mi

DRIVER'S SEAT SUDDENLY BECAME WOBBLY AND LEANS TO RIGHT SIDE. NOTICED BAR IN UNDERNEATH FRAME OF SEAT HAS BROKEN AT A WELD, MAKING THE DRIVER'S SEAT VERY SHAKY AND UNSTABLE WHEN DRIVING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS STYLE OF MALIBU SEATS AND A VERY COSTLY REPAIR. THIS ISSUE SHOULD PROVOKE A RECALL AND REPLACEMENT BY GM.

NHTSA ID

11189837

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

Mileage

62,000 mi

I BOUGHT THIS MALIBU NEW AND HAVE MAINTAINED IT WELL. OUT OF NO WHERE, THE DRIVERS SEAT BECAME LOOSE AND WOBBLY. I SIMPLY SAT IN THE DRIVERS SEAT WHILE IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED IT. UPON INSPECTION, THE SEAT FRAME HAS BROKEN WELDS. METAL THAT HOLDS THE DRIVERS SEAT IN PLACE ON A 6 YEAR OLD CAR IS BROKEN! IT TURNS AND MOVES AS THE DRIVER DOES. I BELIEVE THAT IN AN INCIDENT, THE SEAT WOULD COME OUT. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN OR WELD QUALITY PROBLEM. I AM TOLD THE ENTIRE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THIS IS A BIG AND EXPENSIVE JOB. I WAS PREPARING TO LET MY COLLEGE AGE DAUGHTER DRIVE THIS CAR BUT NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

NHTSA ID

11133164

Incident

Sep 21, 2018

Mileage

94,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SENSOR INDICATOR FLASHED OFF AND ON, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING, THE REAR TRUNK LID WOULD ERRONEOUSLY UNLOCK AND OPEN. THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

NHTSA ID

11129903

Incident

Aug 15, 2018

Mileage

87,000 mi

THE DRIVER SEAT WELD BROKE. THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH GM CARS AND WHAT IS IT GM IS GOING TO DO TO REPAIR MY CAR? I WANT IT FIXED ASAP AS IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I NEED MY CAR.

NHTSA ID

11110369

Incident

Jul 9, 2018

Mileage

142,000 mi

DRIVERS SEAT COLLAPSE IN REAR FRAME AND IS LOOSE FROM FRAME. SEAT IS POWERED AND NO LONGER CAN BE ADJUSTED TO DESIRED POSITION. SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ON RECALL BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA AND INTERNET. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN SETTING DOWN INTO SEAT AND THEN SEAT LURCHED DOWN AND TO THE RIGHT IN THE BACK SIDE OF THE SEAT.

NHTSA ID

11094052

Incident

May 1, 2018

Mileage

120,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DRIVER SEAT COLLAPSED. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE I BECAME AWARE THAT THE SEAT WAS LOOSE. I BEGAN TO INSPECT IT AND NOTICED THAT A BAR BROKE IN THE SEAT FRAME. SINCE THE SEATBELT IS ATTACHED TO THE SEAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11073172

Incident

Feb 12, 2018

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT TRAC FRACTURED, WHICH CAUSED THE SEAT TO MOVE WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000.

NHTSA ID

11058068

Incident

Aug 15, 2017

Mileage

178,000 mi

DRIVER'S SEAT BRACKET ON RIGHT SIDE HAS BROKEN AND SEAT IS WOBBLY AND LEANING ON THE CENTER CONSOLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2012 MALIBU (AND OTHER YEARS) AND ISN'T BEING COVERED BY WARRANTY. MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THIS IS A $1000 REPAIR AT THE DEALER. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED-- CONSUMERS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

11044376

Incident

Jun 1, 2017

Mileage

52,000 mi

THE TRACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT IS BROKEN. THE SEAT MOVES ALL OVER AND HITS THE CENTER CONSOLE. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND IS A HUGE CONCERN. WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

11013649

Incident

Aug 1, 2017

Mileage

103,000 mi

TAMARA RECALL MY DRIVER SEAT HAS BROKEN WELDS ON THE FRAME WHERE IT BOLT TO THE FLOOR AND PULLS FORWARD AND BACKWARDS. AND THERE NO RECALL ON IT THE CAR ONLY HAS 130K MILES AND IT SEEMS LIKE IM NOT THE ONLY ON WITH THE ISSUE AND IT ALL SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING RIGHT AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE

NHTSA ID

10948772

Incident

Jan 18, 2017