2012 Chevrolet MALIBU problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
906 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
86,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 646 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 282 of 906 complaints (31.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 199 | 22.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 151 | 16.7% |
| Braking behavior | 95 | 10.5% |
| Engine operation | 72 | 7.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 54 | 6.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 31 | 3.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 282 |
| Exterior Lighting | 195 |
| Steering | 188 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 129 |
| Air Bags | 99 |
| Engine | 99 |
| Service Brakes | 65 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 52 |
Electrical System: 282; Exterior Lighting: 195; Steering: 188; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 129; Air Bags: 99; Engine: 99; Service Brakes: 65; Vehicle Speed Control: 52
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 88 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 71 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 112 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 124 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 187 |
| 150,000 and above | 64 |
Under 25,000: 88; 25,000 to 49,999: 71; 50,000 to 74,999: 112; 75,000 to 99,999: 124; 100,000 to 149,999: 187; 150,000 and above: 64
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (187). 260 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 24 |
| 2014 | 74 |
| 2015 | 94 |
| 2016 | 79 |
| 2017 | 79 |
| 2018 | 146 |
| 2019 | 167 |
| 2020 | 87 |
| 2021 | 41 |
| 2022 | 32 |
| 2023 | 23 |
| 2024 | 25 |
| 2025 | 14 |
| 2026 | 10 |
2011: 1; 2012: 10; 2013: 24; 2014: 74; 2015: 94; 2016: 79; 2017: 79; 2018: 146; 2019: 167; 2020: 87; 2021: 41; 2022: 32; 2023: 23; 2024: 25; 2025: 14; 2026: 10
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 199 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 151 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 95 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10462996 · 2012-06-25 (June 25, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN A CLICKING SOUND EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 550.
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10462996 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10495304 · 2013-01-30 (January 30, 2013)
VEHICLE (2012 MALIBU) WAS PURCHASED APRIL 2012 - STARTING JULY 2012 VEHICLE WOULD STALL GOING DOWN THE ROAD, WITH LOSS OF ENGINE, POWER ASSIST STEERING AND POWER ASSIST BRAKES. DEALER REPLACED NUMEROUS MODULES, BUT IT OCCURRED AGAIN IN SEPT 2012 (3 TIMES) THEN AGAIN IN JANUARY 2013. TWO BODY CONTROL MODULES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, ENGINE CONTROL MODULES, TWO POWER STEERING MODULES, ONSTAR MODULE, TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, ETC. UNINTENDED POWER STEERING ASSIST OCCURS SUCH THAT WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, POWER STEE…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10495304 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10546056 · 2013-09-29 (September 29, 2013)
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH ON MAIN STREET IN FLORIDA,NY THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED & THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED OUT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 38,726 miles reported. Look up ODI 10546056 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10469556 · 2012-08-07 (August 7, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FOOT LEVER FAILED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE FOOT LEVER WAS DEPRESSED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LEVER. THE REMEDY FAILED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,255.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,255 miles reported. Look up ODI 10469556 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10484508 · 2012-11-13 (November 13, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 15 MPH, HE TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AT WHICH TIME AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF EFFORT HAD TO BE APPLIED AND A LOUD CRACKING NOISE COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. SEVERAL REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE TO DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,100. UPDATED 2/15/13…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10484508 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10574655 · 2014-03-25 (March 25, 2014)
ON 12/26/13 MYSELF AND TWO OTHER LADIES WERE HEADING HOME EARLY MORNING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY VEHICLE JUST SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HWY. WITHOUT WARNING, LUCKILY NO TRAFFIC WAS COMING BECAUSE WE HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OFF THE HWY. AFTER IT SAT FOR AWHILE IT CRANKED BACK UP AND WE MANAGED TO GET IT HOME. I DROVE IT TO WORK 12/27/13 BUT IT DID THE SAME THING TWICE (ONCE BEFORE 8 A.M. WHEN I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION TO GET SOMETHING TO DRINK AND AGAIN AT 12:00 P.M. ON MY LUNCH BREAK) DURING MY LUNCH BREAK I WAS AT THE GAS STATION PUMPING …
Owner-reported narrative. 53,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10574655 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10587697 · 2014-05-11 (May 11, 2014)
SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR IN THE LATER PART OF 2012 (USED WITH 40000MI) I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS STARTING WITH THE RADIO, WHEN I TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST THE RADIO WOULD GO TO COMPLETE STATIC ON ALL STATIONS. WHILE TRAVELING APPROX. 30MPH THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON THEN AFTER STOPPING THE CAR AND RESTARTING THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF AS WELL AS MINIMAL TURNING TO THE RIGHT THE SERVICE ESC LIGHT WOULD DISPLAY, IN ADDITION TO THE REMOTE START NOT WORKING HALF THE TIME, I HAVE REPLACED THE KEY FOB AND GOTTEN A NEW KEY AND STILL THE S…
Owner-reported narrative. 49,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10587697 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10473923 · 2012-09-05 (September 5, 2012)
I AM EXPERIENCING ERRATIC THROTTLE RESPONSE AND ERRATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS IN MY 2012 MALIBU. THE INCONSISTENT DELAYS IN THROTTLE RESPONSE POSE A SAFETY HAZARD. THIS ISSUE IS COMPOUNDED WHEN IT AFFECTS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS. WHEN YOU PUSH THE ACCELERATOR YOU DO NOT KNOW IF YOU WILL GET IMMEDIATE RESPONSE, OR DELAYED RESPONSE, NOR HOW SUDDEN THAT RESPONSE MIGHT BE TO THE EXTENT OF ALMOST LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ARE NOT CONSISTENT. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE I HAVE HAD IT SHIFT 2 GEAR DOWN, AND OTHER TIMES…
Owner-reported narrative. 14,574 miles reported. Look up ODI 10473923 at NHTSA ↗