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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 6
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
62,547 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Chevrolet Malibu electrical problems

electrical problem

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2012 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 7 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #136

Dec 102018

Malibu

  • 136,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Head light keeps popping off and on and when running an obd test after clearing codes several times it 1st provided me with 2 codes then 9. two hours later 32 codes popped up. The buttons on the streinng wheel cut in and out at random. ## VIN passed ## Chevrolet Malibu 2012 ##

- Fresno, CA, USA

problem #135

Dec 062018

Malibu

  • 223,000 miles
Service ESC, traction control inactive, loss of power/sluggish when driving or stopped at a light. Code 13036

- Urich, MO, USA

problem #134

Dec 062018

Malibu

  • 168 miles
1)air bag service light came on.12062018 (2) windows/electric constant problems. Several repair and correction same problem. )1st team Mazda hpt va) window sticks, freezes, doesn't work. (3) drives bumpy. Sounds rough. Ran smooth before then several repeated same problems with car. (see maintainability. Log)(3) drive felt awkward. Had new tires, rotation etc. Drive is off. (4) can feel rough run while stationary, drive is not as smooth. (5) 1 recent incident. Parking lot female drive along drivers side front bumper. Repair 1st team Mazda hpt va. 23666

- Hampton, VA, USA

problem #133

Dec 042018

Malibu

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The passenger low beam keeps going out its not the bulb I've changed it atleast 4 unless this year yet it stills goes out and everybody else has the same problem on same side of the same car. There needs to be a recall for this.

- Oak Ridge, TN, USA

problem #132

Nov 242018

Malibu

  • 100,000 miles
Rear fuse block melted at fuse location 23 for rear window defogger 2nd occurrence on vehicle. Rear defogger illuminated on dash indicating that defogger was on. Was not working properly. Opened rear fuse block in truck to examine fuse and found fuse had melted and fuse block is also melted showing potential for fire hazard. Fuse was charred and blacked and hard to distinguish 30 amp rating on fuse. Fuse block plastic at wires is also melted. Pulled fuse and defogger relay to prevent further damage to fuse block. This is the second time this has happened to my vehicle as first was still under factory warranty (2015). Known timeline for fuse finally blowing and preventing system to work is 11/24/18. System worked prior to that. Search of internet has reviled more vehicles having similar problem. Possible safety issue. Can provide pictures of fuse and block upon request.

- Clinton Twp, MI, USA

problem #131

Oct 082018

Malibu

  • 190,000 miles
Low beam headlights have been replaced several times but now fail to operate.

- Newnan, GA, USA

problem #130

Jan 012013

Malibu

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start and the air bag and check engine warning indicators illuminated. The contact stated that the failures occurred on different occasions. The vehicle was taken to cox Chevrolet (2900 cortez rd w, bradenton, fl 34207, (941) 348-6417), but the cause of the failures could not be determined. The contact stated that the dealer made unknown repairs to the vehicle, but the warning indicators remained illuminated. The contact also mentioned that the vehicle was taken to a local tire shop for the replacement of the exterior lighting. The contact stated that every three months a different exterior light would go out and had to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Sarasota, FL, USA

problem #129

Jun 272013

Malibu

  • miles
My car had had the heads replaced in the first motor it came with then the whole motor replaced before 100K miles now the new motor doesnt barely have 100K miles on it and they are telling me my cylinder 6 isnt holding compression so I'll need another motor eventually! my transmission is leaking, its had a whole new air conditioning unit installed when my motor was replaced because it went out. The speakers on my passenger side dont work and my heating system on my seat on the driver side has went out!

- Coldwater, MS, USA

problem #128

Oct 102018

Malibu

  • 40,000 miles
Car will shut down. Head lights stop working less then every two months. Fuse inside the car where to charge the phone isn't working both front and middle. Car dies randomly after being left on for a little while. Hot and cold rate stays on cold all day and has the ac unit blow out cold air when on heat and if on cold it just blows air. Car wont drive faster then 5 mph after having the batery rebooted depending on if te car was allowed to sit idol or a while. Car will place it's self in shut down de to elecrical problems. Once one starts acting up they all start acting up.

- Lithonia, GA, USA

problem #127

Dec 222017

Malibu

  • 35,000 miles
My car can run for a certain amount of time and the battery will die randomly. My headlight constantly cut off and interior my hot an cold level stay down on a reglar day. The ac blows out cold air when on heat or it will just blow air. My car will just stifen up and not drive after restarting the battery.

- Lithonia, GA, USA

problem #126

Oct 202018

Malibu

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

In less then one year the passenger side low beam light is out. I look on line and a lot of 2012 Malibu are having the same problem. It cost over $100 to change it because they have to remove the bumper to do it.

- Wrightstown, NJ, USA

problem #125

Jul 012018

Malibu

  • 130,000 miles
Low beams both headlights repeatedly go out. Heater/air conditioner turns off and on by itself. Motor has been changed and tested. Is there a wiring problem with this vehicle across the board. I read a lot of people with this vehicle have the exact same issues. Heater/air turns off while in park or drive randomly.

- Topeka, KS, USA

problem #124

Oct 042018

Malibu

  • 180,000 miles
The passenger side headlight keeps going out I'm changing these out every couple months I've researched and found several other drivers are having this same issue

- Manteca, CA, USA

problem #123

Sep 212018

Malibu

  • 99,000 miles
Intermittent starting issues on this vehicle. Will randomly turn over but not start. If we let it sit for a couple of days it will then start, but leaves us stranded. This happens every 2-3 months. Lights start blinking randomly as driving, traction control will turn on as we are driving causing reduction in power. There are numerous complaints online about this issue.

- Lyons, NE, USA

problem #122

Sep 082018

Malibu

  • 124,000 miles
Headlight keeps going out

- Adrian, MO, USA

problem #121

Aug 232018

Malibu

  • 110,000 miles
While driving the car the check engine light came on and warming message read engine power reduce ESC and service traction control.. the car shook and dropped down to 30 mph while I was on highway..I was barely able to get to side of highway.. I waited a few minutes and started car back up again message cleared but right before I got home car did the same thing.. I called triple a and has it towed home

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #120

Aug 242018

Malibu

  • 112,000 miles
While in motion car jerks and almost stalls. Rough idle again jerking and almost stalling. Service ESC / service traction /engine light come on. If car is not used for a few days, warning light will not come on. Then about 30 miles into drive lights come on and condition described above occur. This is a very dangerous condition.

- Rochester Hills, MI, USA

problem #119

Aug 032018

Malibu

  • 115,000 miles
While driving I noticed my lights showing engine power reduced from my understanding this is the throttle position sensor.

- Monticello, GA, USA

problem #118

Jul 302018

Malibu

  • 100,600 miles
While driving down the highway the chimes started dinging and the cabin filled up with smoke the airbag light came on after pulling over it was discovered that the front seat belts were locked in the wearing position

- Bolingbrook, IL, USA

problem #117

Jul 102018

Malibu

  • 99,500 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the engine overheated, stalled, and various warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and was later taken to master Chevrolet (3625 richland ave w, aiken, SC 29801, (806) 353-6343) for diagnostic testing and repairs. The contact stated that the dealer was unable to determine a specific cause of the failures, but stated that the vehicle was a flood vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact also mentioned that the vehicle had electrical wiring issues, the transmission failed to switch gears correctly, and the brakes had been replaced at least twice since owning the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 99,500.

- Wagner, SC, USA

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