Home · 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Eco · Complaints

What 976 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (976)Crash / fire / injury (62)Electrical system (234)Steering (212)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (174)Engine (160)Lights (130)Transmission & drivetrain (112)Airbags (93)Speed control (87)Seat belts (53)Brakes (44)

130 of 976 complaints match · Lights · clear filters · page 6 of 6

Feb 3, 2015BrakesElectrical systemLightsSpeed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)

2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL AND WAS NOT DRIVABLE. *MW THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL/ THE CHECK ENGINE AND ESC LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE ACCELERATION AND THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE WHILE IN MOTION. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM SHE EXPERIENCED, WAS THE DIRECT RESULT OF RECALL 14V252000. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, THE REPAIR THAT WAS PERFORMED, WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10660647

Oct 6, 2014Lights

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 10641691

Sep 10, 2014BrakesElectrical systemLightsSpeed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)

2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BODY CONTROL MODULE CONNECTION SYSTEM RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER DID NOT INFORM HIM OF ANY RECALL. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. EACH TIME, HE WENT TO THE DEALER, THEY STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG. ON ONCE OCCASION, IN MARCH 2014, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER VOLUNTARILY SURRENDERED THE VEHICLE TO THE BANK. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10631831

Aug 27, 2014Electrical systemLightsSpeed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM , ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL , EXTERIOR LIGHTING , SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC , VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED TWICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10628811

Jul 24, 2014Electrical systemLights

AT RANDOM WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE RADIO WILL SWITCH TO AUX. YOU CAN TOUCH THE DASH ON THE SIDE OR AROUND THE RADIO AND IT WILL GO BACK TO RADIO. IT WILL ALSO SWITCH SOMETIMES WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, OR TURN ON WINDSHIELD WIPERS. YOU HAVE TO BUMP THE SIDE OF THE DASH OR THE AREA AROUND THE RADIO FOR IT TO SWITCH BACK ALSO THERE IS A NOISE WHERE THE STEERING IS THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS KNOCKING AROUND UNDER THE CAR, AND MY DASH LIGHTS SOMETIMES WILL WAIT UNTIL I HAVE DRIVEN SEVERAL BLOCKS BEFORE THEY COME ON. THE RATTLING OR KNOCKING NOISE THAT IS HEARD IN THE FRONT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REALLY BOTHERS ME THAT SOMETHING IS READY TO FALL OFF OR BREAK. IN OCTOBER OF 2012 I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE TURN SIGNAL LAMPS ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR I WOULDN'T THINK THEY SHOULD GO OUT THAT QUICK. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10615915

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Working with the data? Download all 976 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 24, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Eco verdict →