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What 905 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 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 (905)Crash / fire / injury (65)Electrical system (290)Lights (202)Steering (191)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (129)Airbags (101)Engine (99)Brakes (73)Fuel system (56)Speed control (52)Transmission & drivetrain (49)

28 of 905 complaints match · Airbags · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters · page 2 of 2

Nov 27, 2012AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BUT THE ENTIRE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURNS TO HER CHEST AND INJURIES TO THE FACE BECAUSE METAL PIECES FROM THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY STRUCK HER IN THE FACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD AND WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,828. ..UPDATED 12/05/12 *BF UPDATED 12/07/2012 *JS..UPDATED 12/03/14 *BF UPDATED 06/1/2015 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10486242

Oct 5, 2012AirbagsSpeed controlCrash1 injury

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING EAST DOWN HWY-40 TOWARD SALINA, KS. SHE HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL SET ON 60 MPH. SHE BEGAN TO HAVE A EPILEPTIC SEIZURE (SHE WAS CLEARED BY HER DOCTOR TO DRIVE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT) AT THAT POINT THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOWLY DRIFT OF TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR DROVE OVER A CULVER, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR STRUCK AT CONCRETE FORM AND SENT THE CAR ROLLING OF INTO A FIELD THE CAR ROLLED FOUR TIMES. AFTER THE FOURTH ROLL THE CAR ROLLED BACK ON TO ITS WHEELS AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE DUE TO THE CRUISE CONTROL STILL BEING ENGAGED AND DROVE 100FT BEFORE COMING TO REST ONCE IT STRUCK A CONCRETE FENCE POST. AT NO TIME DID ANY OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY NOR DID THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGE. THE VEHICLE HAS A CRASH RESPONSE SYSTEM THREW ON-STAR, AT NO TIME DID THE CRASH RESPONSE ACTIVATE. THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED TO ME VIA THE SALINE COUNTY SHERIFFS. MY WIFE ONLY SUFFERED MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10478702

Sep 27, 2012AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, WHILE APPROACHING A TRAFFIC STOP SIGNAL ANOTHER VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE ROAD CAUSING THE FRONT END TO CRASH INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER'S SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.

NHTSA ODI 10477250

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Working with the data? Download all 905 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 2012 Chevrolet Malibu Eco verdict →