Home · 2012 Chevrolet Malibu Hev · Complaints

What 904 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu Hev

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 (904)Crash / fire / injury (65)Electrical system (289)Lights (202)Steering (191)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (129)Airbags (101)Engine (99)Brakes (73)Fuel system (56)Speed control (52)Transmission & drivetrain (49)

Newest first · 904 complaints · page 9 of 37

Mar 27, 2020

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY WITH NO TRAFFIC AROUND AND MY SUNROOF SHATTERED

NHTSA ODI 11319548

Mar 23, 2020Steering

WHEN IDLING IN PARK MY STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE BACK AND FORTH. AND THEN I KEEP LOSING MY POWER STEERING FUNCTION. AND THEN I HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT WILL COME BACK ON. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR 2 DAYS. WITH THE ESC LIGHT IN THE POWER STEERING LIGHTS COMING ON ON INTERMITTENT.

NHTSA ODI 11319001

Mar 14, 2020SteeringElectronic Stability Control (esc)

ESC LIGHT COMES ON EITHER RIGHT AS I START THE CAR OR ONCE I START DRIVING AND I LOSE POWER STEERING HAVING TO STOP SEVERAL TIMES TO RESTART MY CAR. I FEAR DRIVING MY KIDS IN MY CAR BECAUSE IF THIS ONGOING ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11317968

Mar 4, 2020Steering

STATIONARY STEERING WHEEL SHAKES, ESC OFF LIGHT THEN IT'S SAYS POWER STEER STEERING WHEEL IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE

NHTSA ODI 11316110

Mar 2, 2020

I AM CONTINUALLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT LOVE BEAM LIGHTS ON MY CAR. IN PARTICULAR THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM. I HAVE CHANGED THE LIGHT AT LEASE EVERY 3 MOS FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. I JUST RECENTLY CHANGED THE DS HEADLIGHT AND THE HARNESS AND IT WORK INITIALLY BUT 24 HOURS LATER IT WAS NOT WORKING AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11315647

Feb 29, 2020Electrical systemFuel system

I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED AND 2 WEEKS AFTER I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC FROM WORK BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T START. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS FUEL PUMP SO HE REPLACED IT $685 AND THE TOW WAS $125. DROVE IT HOME AND THE NEXT DAY WENT OUT TO START IT BEFORE WORK AND WOULDN'T START BUT HAD CRANK. CALLED MECHANIC HE HAD IT TOWED BACK TO HIS SHOP, CLEANED THE FUSE BOX IN THE TRUNK AND SAID THE BROWN WIRE WAS LOOSE. STARTED UP THE NEXT DAY BUT THE FOLLOWING DAY IT STALLED ON ME WHILE ME AND MY SON WAS ON OUR WAY TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT AND I HIT THE BOX IN THE TRUNK AND IT STARTED. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS NOT A RECALL YET FROM HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE WENT THROUGH THIS ELECTRICAL WIRING ISSUE. THIS WAS ALL ON CITY STREETS. HOW MANY TIMES AM I GOING TO HAVE TO BEAT ON THIS BOX TO GET IT STARTED AND HOW LONG WILL THAT LAST? THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

NHTSA ODI 11315343

Feb 27, 2020Wheels

FIXED SEVERAL TIMES AND STILL THE SERVICE TIRE MONITOR IS ON AS IF IT WAS THE TPMS.

NHTSA ODI 11311790

Feb 23, 2020Steering

2012 CHEVY MALIBU RECENTLY TURNED 98,000 MILES. I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A TURN AFTER STOPPING FOR A STOP SIGN AND THE POWER STEERING SERVICE, ESC LIGHT COMES ON. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND VERY HARD TO TURN. WAS ABLE TO GET CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED ENGINE OFF AND ON AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE. VERY SCARY, I HAVE READ THAT THIS HAPPENS A LOT WITH THESE CARS. HOW CAN THERE NOT BE A RECALL???

NHTSA ODI 11310850

Feb 23, 2020Lights

PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY. BULB IS NOT BURNT OUT. HAVE REPLACED COMPLETE HARNESS, USUALLY SOLVES PROBLEM FOR A MONTH OR SO AND THEN LIGHT GOES OUT AGAIN. HAVE CHANGED GROUNDING ALSO BUT PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER BY POLICE FOR 'BURNT OUT' HEADLIGHT SEVERAL TIMES NOW AND HAVE TO EXPLAIN HOW IT IS A VEHICLE FLAW, NOT A BAD BULB. I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE, IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET WITH OTHERS HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11310943

Feb 23, 2020SteeringElectronic Stability Control (esc)

FOR ABOUT THE LAST TWO WEEKS WHEN I TURN MY CAR ON A ESC POWER STEERING MESSAGE HAS ILLUMINATED THE DASH. I HAVE TO TURN MY CAR OFF AND BACK ON SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE MESSAGE TO DISAPPEAR. TONIGHT WHILE DRIVING THE SAME MESSAGE CAME ON. I ENDED UP HAVING TO PULL OVER SEVERAL TIMES DURING MY DRIVE EACH TIME LOSING POWER STEERING! VERY SCARY AND VERY UNSAFE. WHEN I SEARCH MY VIN NUMBER THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON IT, I FEEL THERE NEEDS TO BE BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR KILLED IN A ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11310957

Feb 20, 2020Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlWheels

CAR WAS RUNNING ON FREEWAY AND LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING AND THEN CAR SO STALLED AND CAR DOESNT START ANYMORE

NHTSA ODI 11310396

Feb 16, 2020Steering

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR A FEW DAYS AGO ON A CITY STREET AND AFTER I MADE A TURN, THE POWER STEERING SERVICE ESC LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS THE TRACTION CONTROL PICTURE. MY STEERING WHEEL GOT SUPER STIFF AND IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN IT. AFTER I PULLED OVER AND TURNED MY CAR OFF, I TURNED IT BACK ON AND EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO NORMAL. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS BUT I CHECKED ON THE GM RECALL WEBSITE AND PUT IN MY VIN BUT MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHICH DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE MUCH SENSE IF OTHER 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED BECAUSE OF THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11309468

Feb 15, 2020SteeringElectronic Stability Control (esc)

MY ESC COMES ON WITH TRACTION EMBLEM AND POWER STEERING LIGHT. I THEN LOSE ALL POWER STEERING WHILE IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI 11309357

Feb 8, 2020

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND CAR JUST SHUT OFF, NO LIGHTS WERE ON IN VEHICLE NO SIGNS OF ANY ISSUES AT ALL. VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11307885

Feb 7, 2020Steering

ON 2/5/2020 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK MY STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO TWITCH WHILE DRIVING . AFTER I ARRIVED TO WORK AND PUT IT IN PARK THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SHAKING BACK AND FOURTH. NOW AFTER WORK I COME OUT IT HAD NO POWER STEERING ESC LIGHT ON AND A MESSAGE POWER STEERING PROBLEM. TOOK VIN TO DEALER NO RECALL FOR MY CAR. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE GM ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTOMS. THERE ARE RECALLS OUT THERE FOR THIS PROBLEM. 2012 MALIBU INCLUDED JUST NOT MINE. VERY DANGEROUS

NHTSA ODI 11307655

Feb 4, 2020Electrical systemEngineFuel system

THE CAR SEEMS TO RUN FINE ONCE IT STARTS. THE PROBLEM IS GETTING IT TO START. SOMETIMES THE CAR STARTS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS AND THEN SOMETIMES IT WON'T. IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED MULTIPLE TIMES. WE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN THE SAME THING STARTED TO HAPPEN. WE REPLACED A COUPLE OF FUSES. AGAIN THIS SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN THE SAME THING STARTED TO HAPPEN. MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED THAT THERE IS SOME WIRING THAT IS ALWAYS HOT LEADING FROM THE FUSE BOX TO THE FUEL PUMP. BASICALLY WE BELIEVE THAT CHEVROLET USED CHEAP CRAPPY THIN WIRING. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE CAR WON'T START. WE DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND IT SEEMS THAT EVERYONE WHO OWNS A 2012 CHEVY MALIBU HAS HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM THAT HAS COST CONSUMERS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. WE HAVE ALWAYS OWNED A CHEVY AND THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE THAT WE HAVE EVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH. WE ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING SWITCHING TO TOYOTA OR NISSAN SINCE CHEVROLET HAS BEEN RECEIVING COMPLAINTS AND THUS FAR HAS CHOSEN NOT TO DO ANYTHING. CHEVROLET MANUFACTURED THE 2012 CHEVY MALIBU AND WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE FUSE BOX, FUEL PUMP, AND THE WIRING. ONE OF THESE DAYS, THE CAR IS GOING TO CATCH FIRE BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY SYSTEM. IT IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO SEE ALL OF THESE CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AND CHEVROLET DOES NOTHING. WE NEVER KNOW IF THE CAR IS GOING TO START; IT'S LITERALLY A GUESSING GAME. SOMETIMES WE TAP THE FUSE BOX, SOMETIMES WE KICK THE SIDE OF THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR, AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT 15 MINUTES AND THEN THE CAR WILL START. CHEVROLET NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL AND FIX THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE 2012 CHEVY MALIBU. EVENTUALLY THE WIRING IS GOING TO CATCH FIRE.

NHTSA ODI 11306933

Feb 3, 2020Steering

THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING. SERVICE ESC LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. NOW IT IS GOING IN AND OUT. SOMETIMES I CAN STEER AND SOMETIMES IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

NHTSA ODI 11306868

Feb 1, 2020SteeringCrash

SAME POWER STEERING PROBLEM. THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING GOES OUT SOMETIMES MIDTURN. IM AN ADULT MALE AND IVE HIT THE CURB A COUPLE TIMES IF THIS HAPPENED TO A FEMALE OR CHILD IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IM SCARRED TO DRIVE IT. G.M. NEEDS TO STOP SELLING THESE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING UNITS. MINE IS 2012 MALIBU JUST TURNED 100000. THE ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND SAYS POWER STEERING ON DASH.

NHTSA ODI 11306504

Jan 31, 2020Lights

I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM FOR MONTHS NOW. MY HEADLIGHT (BOTH SIDES AT DIFFERENT TIMES) KEEP GOING OUT. I'VE PROBABLY CHANGED MY HEADLIGHTS AT LEAST 6 TIMES IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. I'VE HAD THE HEADLIGHT HARNESS CHANGED AS WELL BECAUSE THAT BURNED OUT. 2 MONTHS LATER THE NEW ONE BURNED OUT!!! I'VE READ SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE, CHEVY NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I'M SO SICK OF BUYING HEADLIGHTS, HARNESSES, AND PAYING FOR SERVICE!! ITS NOT LIKE YOU JUST POP THE HEADLIGHT IN ON THIS STUPID CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11306413

Jan 30, 2020LightsElectronic Stability Control (esc)

HEADLAMPS KEEP GOING OUT WITHIN MONTHS AFTER SERVICE, LIGHTBULB SEEMS TO HAVE BLOWN BUT THEN COMES BACK ON LATER. HARNESS REPLACEMENT 2 TIMES IN 2 YEARS, PLASTIC CONNECTORS KEEP MELTING OR HEATING. BULB BLOWN ALSO ONE HOUR AFTER LEAVING DEALERSHIP SERVICING. MULTIPLE DATES OF INCIDENT WITH MOST RECENT 1/29/2020

NHTSA ODI 11306169

Jan 26, 2020Electrical systemLights

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. DEALERSHIP CHANGED FUSE BOX AND WIRING IN TRUNK DUE TO MELTING. NOW LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING. REPLACED ONE MONTHS AGO, NOW BOTH NOT WORKING AGAIN. NOTICED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE.

NHTSA ODI 11301937

Jan 26, 2020Steering

THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING. SERVICE ESC LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. NOW IT IS GOING IN AND OUT. SOMETIMES I CAN STEER AND SOMETIMES IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. I HAVE LOOKED IT UP AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT MY CAR DOES NOT SEEM TO BE PART OF THIS RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11302107

Jan 23, 2020

THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK BUT NOT OPEN

NHTSA ODI 11301482

Jan 23, 2020Steering

THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND MOTOR FAILED. I WAS ALMOST KILLED. THEY SAID IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE PART NUMBER IS 20821325. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MALIBU. NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS ON THE 2012

NHTSA ODI 11301303

Jan 23, 2020Lights

THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS AND CONNECTORS SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY OUT AGAIN FOR THE 8TH TIME

NHTSA ODI 11301499

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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 Hev verdict →