2011 Chevrolet Malibu Problems

Above Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu.

20102012
Complaints
1,514
Crashes
71
Fires
23
Injuries
78
Fatalities
Recalls
7

Worst 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1225 complaints

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Avg mileage:81,405 mi
Crash-related:3
Fires:10
#2209 complaints

STEERING

Avg mileage:93,144 mi
Crash-related:8
#3174 complaints

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

Avg mileage:84,437 mi
Crash-related:3
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu.

ComponentComplaintsCrashesFiresAvg MileageVolume
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM22531081,405 mi
STEERING209893,144 mi
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)174384,437 mi
ENGINE1604280,828 mi
EXTERIOR LIGHTING121298,701 mi
POWER TRAIN110371,416 mi
AIR BAGS922165,950 mi
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL84569,863 mi
UNKNOWN OR OTHER58286,143 mi
SEAT BELTS515175,912 mi
SERVICE BRAKES38876,742 mi
SEATS361183,748 mi
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM321187,377 mi
STRUCTURE:BODY152168,308 mi
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM1582,444 mi
SUSPENSION11147,600 mi
WHEELS11357,688 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1029,474 mi
VISIBILITY/WIPER891,179 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC6162,933 mi
TIRES539,264 mi
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS41123,750 mi
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE362,074 mi
STRUCTURE334,684 mi
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:REAR WINDOW364,667 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE210,650 mi
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS242,500 mi
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL2110,000 mi
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP2103,700 mi
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES273,500 mi

Recalls for 2011 Chevrolet Malibu

7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~12,640,810 vehicles.

19V019000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~1,145 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, the air bag inflator may explode due to being overpressurized.

15V269000SEAT BELTS
~437,045 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured April 8, 2010, to October 11, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cables that connect the seat belts to the vehicle at the outside of the driver seat and the front passenger seat may be bent from being sat on while entering the vehicle. This repeated bending may result in the cable breaking.

14V252000ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
~2,440,524 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

14V252000VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
~2,440,524 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

14V252000EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
~2,440,524 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

14V252000EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
~2,440,524 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

14V252000ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
~2,440,524 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Other Chevrolet Malibu Years

Wider context: See the full Chevrolet Malibu reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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