What 904 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu Hev

WHEN CAR IS AT IDLE THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND CAUSES CAR TO MISFIRE AND SHAKE

NHTSA ODI 11006710

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ONE MORNING GOING ABOUT 30MPH AND CAR JUST LOST ALL POWER , COULD NOT STEER THE CAR, PULLED OFF ROAD, WAITED ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND CAR STARTED BACK WITH NO PROBLEMS, THEN A FEW DAYS AGO WENT OUT TO START CAR AND WOULD NOT START, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD LIGHT UP BUT WOULD NOT START, HAD TO HAVE IN JUMPED OFF, TOOK IT TO AUTO PLACE TO HAVE BATTERY CHECKED, BATTERY WAS FINE, DROVE IT HOME, DROVE IT THE NEXT MORNING TO WORK WITH NO PROBLEMS, THEN THAT AFTERNOON, WOULD NOT START AGAIN, HAD TO HAVE IT JUMPED OFF AGAIN, TOOK IT TO AUTO PLACE AGAIN, AND BATTERY OK, ALLTERNATOR OK , I HAVE READ SEVERAL REVIEWS ON THIS CAR AND ALL SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, HAVE NOT TOOK IT TO MECHANIC YET, BUT AFRAID TO DRIVE IT

NHTSA ODI 11006300

BLOWER MOTOR PULLED SO MUCH AMPERAGE FROM ENGINE/BATTERY THAT IT MELTED THE WIRING HARNESS AND BLEW THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR. WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AND HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. WHEN ACCELERATING, THE BLOWER CUT OFF AND I COULD ONLY FEEL THE AIR SLIGHTLY COMING FROM THE AC VENT. HAD IT DIAGNOSED AT MY MECHANIC AND HE INDICATED THAT HE'D SEEN THIS MANY TIMES IN CHEVYS AND THAT THERE HAD TO BE SOME DEFECT IN THE BLOWER MOTOR FOR IT TO PULL SO MUCH AMPERAGE -- ENOUGH TO MELT THE WIRING HARNESS, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY BLEW THE RESISTOR.

NHTSA ODI 11006092

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. AFTER DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACTED CALLED AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BCM BRAKE SENSOR MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE PART WOULD BE REPLACED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11004034

TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR ON I-17 SB IN PHOENIX. VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME HIT BRAKES SUDDENLY. WHEN I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES,IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE MY BRAKES WERE WORKING PROPERLY. BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, DIDN'T SEEM TO BE STOPPING CAR. FELT LIKE THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES.

NHTSA ODI 11002836

"SERVICE ESC" LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN MAKING SHARP TURNS, SLOWING DOWN ON THE INTERSTATE, AS WELL AS BREAKING IN BAD WEATHER. AFTER REPLACING BRAKES TWICE AND ROTORS ONCE I SCONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM . AFTER A RECENT INQUIRY I LEARNED OF A RECALL ON "SERVICE ESC" AS WELL AS "TRACTION CONTROL".

NHTSA ODI 11001410

I OWN A 2012 CHEVY MALIBU. I BOUGHT IT NEW 5 YEARS AGO. I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE CHECK ENGINE AND ESC LIGHTS COMING ON SINCE SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THE CAR BRAND NEW AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP NOTHING WAS WRONG. NOW, 5 YEARS LATER, THE ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A $300 THROTTLE BODY, WHICH I GOT, BUT THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. SIX TRIPS TO 3 DIFFERENT GM DEALERS I AND $1500 POORER AND BEING TOLD "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG" THE CAR RUNS SO BADLY I FINALLY PARKED IT IN THE DRIVEWAY, AND THERE IT SITS. THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE WITH CHEVY MALIBUS IN THE 2000S. I PERSONALLY KNOW SEVERAL MALIBU OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE CAR STALLS AND SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD REGARDING THIS ISSUE. ALSO, WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT, OR AS I AM APPLYING THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN, THE CAR WILL CONTINUOUSLY JERK, THE ENGINE SURGES AND THE VEHICLE TRIES TO TAKE OFF ON ITS OWN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI 11001560

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ABOVE 40 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING FAILED TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LASORSA CHEVROLET BUICK DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN OIL PRESSURE VALVE MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE OIL PRESSURE VALVE, BUT THE DEALER FAILED TO DIAGNOSE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND STEERING WHEEL FAILURES. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND STEERING WHEEL FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 10994467

I AM AN AUTO MECHANIC AND THE OWNER OF A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE, 4 OF MY CUSTOMERS MALIBUS (2009 TO 2012) AND MANY MANY OTHER MALIBU OWNERS IS THAT WHILE DRIVING ONE OR BOTH HEADLIGHTS WILL CUT OFF LEAVING THE OPERATOR WITH LITTLE OR NO VISIBILITY WHILE STILL IN MOTION, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME ONE NIGHT ON A RURAL HIGHWAY WITH NO STREET LIGHTS. AFTER MUCH TROUBLESHOOTING I HAVE DISCOVERED THE CULPRIT TO BE THAT THE HEADLIGHT SOCKETS OVERHEAT AND MELT CAUSING A LOOSE OR OPEN CONNECTION FROM THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE HEADLIGHT. SINCE THEN I HAVE REPLACED MANY SOCKETS (INCLUDING MY OWN) AND THEY HAVE BEEN 100% SUCCESSFUL. IN SUMMATION I BELIEVE DRIVER AND OCCUPANT SAFETY IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED DUE TO THE POOR MANUFACTURING AND THE SUBPAR INTEGRITY OF THE HEADLIGHT SOCKETS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

NHTSA ODI 10994302

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SIX TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRE HARNESS AND BULBS WERE REPLACED BY INDEPENDENT MECHANICS APPROXIMATLEY SIX TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 156,000.

NHTSA ODI 10992136

I RECIEVED A NOTICE FROM GMCONCERNING THE BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) WARNING ME THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS COULD MALFUNCTION, BUT WARNING ME NOT TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF THIS WARNING. NOW I HAVE TALKED TO AN INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVE A MEMBER OF MY FAMILY WHO HAPPENS TO BE A LAWYER ALSO A MEMBER OF THE POLICE DEPT AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT SINCE I GOT THOIS WARNING THAT MAKES ME AWARE OF A SERIOUS, DANGEROUS AND POSSIBLY A DEADLY DEFECT IN THIS AUTOMOBILE, THEREFORE IF I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND SOME BODY GOT KILLED, NOT ONLY WOULD IT BE MY FAULT, BUT IN FACT I WOULD AND/OR COPULD BE CHARGED AND FOUND RESPONSIBLE AND CHARGED WITH THAT DEATH. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IN FACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY COULD LEAGALLY AND THEREFORE WOULD POSSIBLY PAY FFOR ANY DAMAGES PERIOD. NOW, SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS CAR, I HAVE RECIEVED A SIMALIAR NOTICE ABOUT THE STEERING MACHANISM ON THIS CAR TO WHICH I WAS TOLD THE SAME THING, A RECALL ON THE SEAT BELTS, A NOTICE ABOUT THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS CAR AND IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN AN EARLIER NOTICE ABOUT TO HEADLIGHTS. SO EVERYTIME I DRIVE THIS CAR, I AM NOT SURE THAT I WILL ACCIDENTLY HAVE A WRECK,KILL SOMEONE OR EVEN BE KILLED MYSELF; I HAVE CONTACTED THE NHTSA ABOUT THIS PROBLEMS PREVIOUSLY ABOUT SOME OF THOSE DEADLY DEFECTS, YET THIS CAR IS STILL ALLOWED TO BE ON THE ROAD, SO WHY,WHY, WHY, WHY HASN'T THIS COMPANY BEEN FORCED TO RECALL THIS DANGEROUS SAFTY HAZZARD VEHICLE ?? WHEN EVEN THOUGH ON THE TOP OF THIS LETTER, IT'S DATED "MARCH 2017" YET I DIDN'T RECIEVE THIS LETTER UNTIL MAY 2017/

NHTSA ODI 10990694

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD IMMEDIATELY RESTART AND OTHER TIMES THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO WAIT SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. AFTER THE LAST FAILURE OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A FEW CASES WERE OPENED REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

NHTSA ODI 10986301

DRIVING AND BOTH LOW AND HIGH BEAMS GO OUT AT NIGHT. DAYS LATER IT CAME BACK ON, THEN A DAY LATER WENT OUT AGAIN.REPLACED LIGHTS BULBS AND A WEEK LATER IT GOES OUT AGAIN! THIS IS DANGEROUS AND CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE! I ALMOST CRASH THE FIRST TIME THEY WENT OUT ON THE FREEWAY.

NHTSA ODI 10985621

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO WORK WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE CHANGED THREE TIMES WITHIN A FEW WEEKS; HOWEVER, THE FULL BEAMS WORKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE BULBS WERE REPLACED EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 10984899

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I PRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE CAR FAILED TO STOP. BOTH TIMES RESULTED IN COLLISIONS. THE FIRST TIME THE CAR WSS REPAIRED AND THEN GIVEN BACK TO ME. THIS TIME I WAS TRAVELING APPROX 45 MPH AND THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES. I WENT TO DO THE SAME AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT STOPPING THE CAR AT ALL. I COLLIDED WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND INJURIES TO MY SHOULDER, NECK AND BACK.

NHTSA ODI 10984656

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS IN A COLLISION WITH A LARGE DOG, WHICH DAMAGED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THREE DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR AND THE AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND TWELVE ENGINE FAILURE CODES APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TRANSFERRED TO A NEW INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CRASH DETAILS WERE NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 10984327

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000.

NHTSA ODI 10983252

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP FOR TRAFFIC, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO RESPOND IN TIME. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 10980811

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AFTER IT FAILED. IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI 10980840

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY @ 70 MPH DRY ROADS SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGES FLASHING ALTERNATELY. PARKED THE VEHICLE NEXT MORNING 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING AGAIN ON THE FREEWAY @ 70 MPH DRY ROADS SAME 2 FLASHING MESSAGES. PARK THE VEHICLE. STARTED VEHICLE UNABLE TO MOVE SHIFTER FROM PARK WHILE DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. FLASHING MESSAGE LIGHTS APPEAR RANDOMLY AS WELL AS UNABLE TO MOVE SHIFTER OUT OF PARK. VERY FRIGHTENING AFTER PARKING VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 10980069

I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE ESC LIGHT COMING ON SINCE BUYING THE CAR BRAND NEW AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP NOTHING WAS WRONG. NOW THE ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION LIGHT. I WAS TOLD I NEED A THROTTLE BODY THIS CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AND IS NOT PAID OFF TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE WITH MALIBUS IN THE 2000'S THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE CAR STALLS AND WILL SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD REGARDING THIS ISSUE. THE TRACTION LIGHT COME ON AS WELL AT THE SAME TIME THESE LIGHTS COME ON. THIS IS DURING BRAKING, OR SITTING AT A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT, OR AS I AM APPLYING THE BRAKE TO STOP BEHIND OTHER DRIVERS IT WILL CONTINUOUSLY JERK AND ALMOST TAKE OFF ON ITS OWN.

NHTSA ODI 10972299

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,557.

NHTSA ODI 10970081

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ORDER TO RESTART THE VEHICLE ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT, THE CONTACT HAD TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOORS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. ALSO, ONCE THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, THE SECURITY AND CHECK ENGINE SENSORS ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 28,000.

NHTSA ODI 10969785

I WAS DRIVING(IN MOTION) ON THE FREEWAY AND THE ESC SERVICE/TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR OR LIGHT POPS ON PUSHES MY CAR INTO ENGINE REDUCED POWER MODE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED ON COMING TRAFFIC TO REAR END ME OR INJURE ME REAL BAD THIS MUST BE RECALLED TO BE FIXED BAD I MEAN ASAP THIS NEEDS TO BED REVISED AND FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. ALSO WHEN AT STOP LIGHT THIS HAPPENS TO. OMG PLEASE IM BEGGING YOU ALL TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN WHO RIDE WITH ME .

NHTSA ODI 10967909

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW AND NEEDED TO BE FILLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,000.

NHTSA ODI 10967359