2010 Chevrolet MALIBU: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED PROCEEDING TO A COMPLETE STOP. SUDDENLY, DURING ACCELERATION FROM THE FULL STOP WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURES OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION; HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERNS OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,600. UPDATED 12/30/09 *BF THE CONSUM…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293959 at NHTSA ↗

WE BOUGHT A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE SALESMAN SAID TO INFLATE THE TIRE TO 35 LBS. ONE TIRE (HANKOOK) LOST AIR FREQUENTLY. I WENT TO FILL THE TIRE AND THE TIRE HAD WRITTEN INFLATE TO 42 LBS. THE INFORMATION ON THE DOOR SAID TO INFLATE TO 32 LBS. THE TIRE TOOK ABOUT 38 LBS. BEFORE MY TIRE PUMP WOULDN'T FILL IT ANY MORE. I CALLED GM AND COMPLAINED. AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS THE PERSON I SPOKE TO SAID TO INFLATE TO WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAID TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON THE TIRE. WHAT SHOULD I DO? IF I OVER INF…

Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10296605 at NHTSA ↗

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE SEE IF THE 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU HAS THE SAME STEERING AS THE COBALT? I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 1 MONTH NOW AND HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. PROBLEM: OVER 45MPH THERE IS A DISCONNECTED FEELING IN THE STEERING. ON ROUGH ROADS OR ON A WINDY DAY THE CAR IS HARD TO KEEP IN YOUR LANE. I HAVE HAD 3 OTHER PEOPLE DRIVE THE CAR AND THEY CONFIRM THE UNDER-STEER FEELING. CAR IS GOING BACK TO THE DEALER SHIP THIS WEEKEND TO BE INVESTIGATED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10304727 at NHTSA ↗

AT 500 MILES, A NOXIOUS ODOR SIMILAR TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT EMANATES FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10305659 at NHTSA ↗

I BOUGHT A 2010 CHEVY MALIBU IN NOVEMBER OF 2010 AND THE CAR ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN JANUARY OF 2010. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY WHILE I WAS SLEEPING. AT APPROXIMATELY 9 P.M. MY NEIGHBORS AWAKE ME TO NOTIFY ME THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THEY HAD CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD SHOWN UP SHORTLY AFTERWARD. THE FIRE CAME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I NOTIFIED AMERICAN CHEVROLET IN MODESTO, CA, WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THEY TOWED IT TO THERE DEALERSHIP. SINCE THEN I HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN A DEFINITIVE ANSWER AS TO WHAT T…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10315966 at NHTSA ↗

NEW MALIBU 2010 (14 MILES ON ODOMETER ON 02/27/2010) HAS SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. UPON STARTING VEHICLE, IT HAS A VERY STRONG VIBRATION AND LOOKS LIKE ENGINE MAY STOP RUNNING EVERY MINUTE. WHEN ACCELERATING, ENGINE PROVIDES NOISE AND VIBRATION AND ENGINE GENERATES RATTLING NOISE. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT ON 02/26/2010 DOES NOT LIKE TAKE TO PROVIDE REPAIR OR SO ON. GM DOES NOT RESPOND TO OUR E-MAILS AND CALLS, BUT WHEN COMPLAINT WAS SUBMITTED TO BBB WE GOT A CALL THAT SAID THAT IT IS GM L…

Owner-reported narrative. 14 miles reported. Look up ODI 10318582 at NHTSA ↗

THE THEFT SYSTEM IS HANGING UP IN MY 2001 CHEVY MALIBU AND MAKING IT NOT START. I CAN BE STUCK WITHOUT IT STARTING DAY OR NIGHT. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AT $500 EACH. THEY KEEP SAYING THAT IT IS NOT A RECALL AND HAS TO BE PAID 4 BY ME. ON THE INTERNET THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING. WHY R WE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AND IT SEEMS TO B A CONSTANT PROBLEM? *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10319461 at NHTSA ↗

CHEVY MALIBU 2010 - BRAND NEW WITH 16MI ON ODOMETER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 578 miles reported. Look up ODI 10327163 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2012-09-18 (September 18, 2012)

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.

Consequence: If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Reported: 2014-05-14 (May 14, 2014)

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.

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Reported: 2019-01-16 (January 16, 2019)

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.

Consequence: If the inflator explodes, sharp metal fragments may strike the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 25, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N182206630.