2013 Chevrolet Malibu Airbags Problems

Driver going 60+ mph hit metal guardrail, spun and slammed into concrete side of bridge. No airbags deployed

NHTSA ID

11722735

Incident

Mar 7, 2026

I got sick and I split a utility pole. The airbags did not deploy

NHTSA ID

11683959

Incident

Nov 4, 2022

My instrument cluster is failing

NHTSA ID

11678651

Incident

Jul 25, 2025

Service air bag notification is on. Which is a safety issue.

NHTSA ID

11651085

Incident

Mar 8, 2025

Unknown

NHTSA ID

11646129

Incident

Mar 1, 2024

Service airbag

NHTSA ID

11639409

Incident

Jan 29, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and DTC: B101D – (Air bag module failure) was retrieved. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 142,000.

NHTSA ID

11638295

Incident

Jan 24, 2025

Mileage

142,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the garage after two weeks, he started the vehicle and reversed onto the driveway. The driver's side and passenger's side air bags deployed without impact or warning. There were no reported injuries. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

NHTSA ID

11573302

Incident

Feb 20, 2024

Mileage

111,000 mi

Air bag warning light stays on and will not reset. Driver power seat controls buttons out of plastic control cover and jammed in metal part of seat. Can not get seat control unjammed and no way to adjust driver seat.

NHTSA ID

11568244

Incident

Jan 15, 2024

The airbag maintenace light comes on every time I start it. Alot of my friends who own GMC say that it is a normal problem with a GMC vehicle and there should be a recall on it. But there is none.

NHTSA ID

11557326

Incident

Aug 1, 2023

After my car battery was professionally replaced my airbag light came on. GM dealer service got a code of B101D requiring the airbag control module to be replaced. There are no new compatible modules available in the US. Two GM dealers advised getting a used module that had not been in an airbag deployment. Upon obtaining a compatible module the dealer is now getting a code of B3902, this code indicates that the environment identifier of the module does not match the vehicle and prohibits further programming permitting the airbags to function properly. So GM has intentionally prohibited compatible modules from salvage cars and they are no longer making new modules for my car. How is this ethical, legal, safe or environmentally sound? Are consumers expected to junk a perfectly good automobile absent a $100 part? Is this practice required by some regulation prohibiting airbag modules from being salvaged and reprogrammed?

NHTSA ID

11549251

Incident

Oct 10, 2023

MY CAR FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE OF "SERVICE AIRBAG" LIGHT DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD.

NHTSA ID

11408060

Incident

Jan 23, 2021

MY CAR WAS RUNNING IN THE DRIVE WHEN IT DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. EVERYTHING WENT DEAD. I HAD TO JUMP START IT AND AFTER THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT WITH THIS LIGHT ON. I TOOK MY CAR TO A CHEVY DEALER WHERE I WAS CHARGED $80.00 TO BE TOLD THAT THE SDM AIRBAG MODULE NEEDS REPLACED AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THIS IS $1100.00. MY CAR ONLY HAS 108232 MILES ON IT AND TO KNOW THAT IT COULD COST ME EITHER MY FAMILIES LIFE OR $1100.00 EVERYTIME THE BATTERY DIES IS NOT A CHOICE ANYONE SHOULD HAVE TO MAKE. AIRBAGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE MOST DEPENDABLE PART OF A VEHICLE AS IT SAVES SO MANY LIVES. HOW DO I KNOW IF THEY ARE EVEN WORKING WITH THE LIGHT OFF IF IT IS THIS SENSITIVE? I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE EVEN IF I GET IT FIXED AND SINCE I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR RECENTLY I OWE TO MUCH TO TRY TO BUY ANYTHING ELSE. HOW CAN PART OF THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAIL SO EASILY AND NOT BE ON RECALL? WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF IT HAD DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD INSTEAD OF IN THE DRIVEWAY PUTTING THE CAR INTO GEAR? AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP IT NOW HAS A NEW CODE BUT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT TO FIND OUT WHAT ELSE IS WRONG.

NHTSA ID

11397792

Incident

Feb 15, 2021

Mileage

108,200 mi

ON MOST OF THE 2013 CHEVY MALIBU THE AIR BAG HAS BEEN RECALLED MY CAR HAS HAD THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON SINCE I PURCHASED MY 2013. I DON'T FEEL SAFE AND WHEN I CALLED CHEVY DIRECTLY THEY TOLD ME TO JUST KEEP CHECKING MY VIN # SHOULD BE ON THE RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG SOON. IT'S STILL NOT SHOWING UP. I KEEP GETTING A WARNING LOW ENGINE POWER, SOME ONE SAID DON'T DRIVE A CAR THAT SAYS THIS.

NHTSA ID

11376790

Incident

Apr 1, 2020

Mileage

102,000 mi

[XXX] THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AFTER MY PASSENGER SEAT WAS READJUSTED WHILE IT WAS PARKED. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 54000 MILES ON IT. I READ WHERE THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE SENSOR WHICH I WAS QUOTE OVER $1000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11375422

Incident

Nov 2, 2020

Mileage

53,845 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PHILLIPS CHEVROLET OF LANSING (17730 TORRENCE AVE, LANSING, IL 60438) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG MODULE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 96,000.

NHTSA ID

11366445

Incident

Jul 1, 2020

Mileage

96,000 mi

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR HAS GONE BAD MAKING IT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH A PASSENGER IN MY VEHICLE BECAUSE ANYTHING ELECTRONIC ON THE DASH WILL TURN OFF, AS WELL AS THE A/C AND RADIO ETC. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. I'VE SEEM NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AIRBAG SENSOR ISSUES YET EVERYTIME I'VE CHECKED, THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE SENSOR RANDOMLY WENT OUT WHEN THE CAR WAS HARDLY 3 YEARS OLD, THAT IS NOT NORMAL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY GM HAS NOT DONE A RECALL FOR THIS. THIS COULD RESULT IN DANGEROUS ACCIDENTS OR DEATH OF A PASSENGER.

NHTSA ID

11353151

Incident

Aug 1, 2016

Mileage

40,000 mi

I BOUGHT THE CAR IN APRIL.2020, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALER AND THE PUT IT ON A MACHINE TO CHECK AND SEE IF IT NEEDED TO BE RESET. THEY TOLD ME AT THAT TIME THE 2013 MALIBU HAD A RECALL ON OVER HALF OF THE MALIBU AIRBAGS FROM THE SAME YEAR. THEY CAN FIX IT. AND FOR ME TO KEEP CHECKING FOR MY VIN TO SHOW UP ON THE RECALL LIST. AND THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL IT GETS REPLACED. PLEASE AD MY VIN# TO THE RECALL LIST ASAP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NHTSA ID

11350740

Incident

Apr 1, 2020

Mileage

109,000 mi

MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WON'T GO AWAY, I NEED THIS VIN # [XXX] ON THE RECALL LIST FOR AIR BAGS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11350520

Incident

Apr 1, 2020

Mileage

122,000 mi

THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON RIGHT AFTER I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP. AT THAT MOMENT I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT CARS AND THE SALES PERSON TOLD ME THEY FIXED MY ISSUE AND THAT I SHOULD BE FINE WITH THE VEHICLE. I CAN GET MY ENGINE LIGHT TAKEN CARE OF SINCE IT WAS MY FAULT, BUT I SEE SO MANY RECALLS OUT ON THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE FOR THE AIRBAG AND THERE IS NONE FOR MINE. I REALLY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH THE AIRBAG AND I BELIEVE IT IS A RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11339160

Incident

Jan 4, 2020

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AFTER REPLACING BATTERY. CAR HAS 25000 MILES ON IT. AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY WHEN WARNING LIGHT IS ON. DEALER CHARGING $940. TO REPLACE AIR BAG MODULE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLET MALIBU. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET. NEEDS TO BE A RECALL OR SPECIAL PROGRAM REPAIR ISSUED BY GM. *TR

NHTSA ID

11327433

Incident

May 21, 2020

Mileage

25,700 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,100.

NHTSA ID

11324461

Incident

May 13, 2020

Mileage

53,100 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LUMBERTON CHEVROLET BUICK GMC CADILLAC LOCATED AT (500 LINKHAW RD, LUMBERTON, NC 28358) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER PRESENCE SYSTEM MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11316075

Incident

Jul 5, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM SENSOR LIGHT HAD REMAINED ILLUMINATED INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS FAULTY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER DAVE WHITE CHEVROLET (5880 MONROE ST., SYLVANIA OH) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

NHTSA ID

11299087

Incident

Dec 1, 2019

Mileage

87,000 mi

MY BATTERY COMPLETELY DIED AND I NEEDED A JUMP. THE JUMP ENDED UP NOT WORKING SO I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY. NOW THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I SEE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND STILL NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO. THE FORUMS ARE SAYING IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE SDM COMPONENT. CODES B101D-00(ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT HARDWARE) AND U0184-00(LOST COMMUNICATION WITH RADIO).

NHTSA ID

11269828

Incident

Jun 28, 2019

Mileage

52,000 mi