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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 5 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #176

Oct 302018

Malibu

  • 135,000 miles

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

The fuse box in trunk of car has a short in the wire and it is causing a burning smell. The vehicle doesn't start half of the time and when it does start, the car will stall out or completely shut down without warning. This is unsafe especially in traffic with the kids.

- Youngstown, OH, USA

problem #175

Feb 282019

Malibu

  • 94,000 miles
At 1st my car wouldn't crank every so often then started going drag while driving I googled it and had to beat on fusebox in trunk or wiggle wires so had to run wire straight to battery to fuel pump. My headlights on dim keep shooting and my speakers will go out sometimes

- Russelville, AL, USA

problem #174

Jul 252019

Malibu

  • 125,000 miles
Was driving and my car stopped accelerating. I pushed on the gas and it would not go. I was on the free way and almost had an accident. Also car would no longer start after stopped. Would act like it was going to start and does not. I've had several toes with my children in the vehicle. A huge safety concern.

- Jonesboro, GA, USA

problem #173

Jul 152019

Malibu

  • miles

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

Takata recall when I'm driving my vehicle, the headlights flicker as if I'm the police. I took it to Firestone and they told me to take it to a dealer the car only has 160,000+ and it just started every time I accelerate or drive it does this and I'm afraid that I will either get pulled over by the police, hit someone or someone hits me or/and the lights go completely out while driving at night. Is this due because whenever you have to change the build, the whole bumper has to come off to replace it? I like my car but this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. I see a lot of complaints regarding this

- Ypsilanti, MI, USA

problem #172

Jul 162019

Malibu

  • 0 miles
My car wouldn't crank then it would crank. Till I was driving down the road and it just died on me going around a curve lost control of steering and brakes thank god I didn't wreck so I got in line and researched and come to find out that it was something to do with fuel pump relay connection to fuel pump relay box. The wires aware too little voltage for the fuel pump and burnt wires to fuel pump relay box. I see that there are a lot of complaints on same car as line. So I'm filing a complaint cuase this is very dangerous.

- Aberdeen, KY, USA

problem #171

Jul 152019

Malibu 4-cyl

  • miles
2012 Chevrolet Malibu. Consumer writes in regards to NHTSA safety recall 14V-252. The consumer stated after the vehicle was repaired under the recall, the failure recurred. *

- Clover, VA, USA

problem #170

Jul 132019

Malibu

  • miles

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

I have a 2012 Chevy Malibu and since November we have had headlight problems and changes bulbs and got a new wire harness and we still have problems with passenger side low beam light going out. It is a real pain cause it takes a bit to even get to the headlight. Have to take the bumber off and real frustrating.

- Williamsport, IN, USA

problem #169

Apr 072019

Malibu

  • 100,000 miles
Passenger head light has been replaced several times it keeps turning off. Light bulb is not burned. When taping on or moving wires light goes on replaced wires and still having same issue. Vehicle can not be driven at night time. All this happens when vehicle is turned on.

- Sylmar, CA, USA

problem #168

Jun 302019

Malibu

  • 125,000 miles
Takata recall when my vehicle started having issues it started with lagging to start I would turn the key and literally let go and then it would start. Now it's to the point where it doesn't always want to start. When it does my sensors are all messed up. First time my airbag warning was coming up. Next my sensors on my tires were not working then I started to notice when I was driving and I would stop pushing the gas the gauge will go up and down. The last thing that happened was the check engine came on but turned off. I tried to get a diagnostics done but of course nothing came of it. So now my car is just sitting in my garage until I figure it out. But there are no type of check engine light or anything that comes on before the car starts not functioning properly

- Long Beach, CA, USA

problem #167

Jun 132019

Malibu

  • miles
Head lights keep going out

- Hephzibah, GA, USA

problem #166

Dec 132018

Malibu

  • 130,000 miles

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

I have replaced my low beams 3 times this year. The first time I reaplaced all the bulbs. The second time I reaplaced both wiring harness and bulbs. A month ago I replaced the passenger bulb and now the drivers side low beam is out again. It has cost me anywhere from $100-$200 each time to do this! I also have a problem with my dash telling me service ESC, ESC off, and service traction. A recall in 2014 addresses this issue and my VIN says the recall has been serviced but I am still having this issue. It happens with the car in park and while driving. Sometimes it stays on for hours sometimes minutes.

- Waynetown, IN, USA

problem #165

Jun 242019

Malibu

  • 140,000 miles
Headlamp harness keeps burning causing headlamp to fail to illuminate. Have replaced multiple bulbs as well as both harnesses within the last 6 months and again, harness has burnt and my low beam headlamps do not work. Reading similar complaints, I believe it has to do with the daytime running light feature. I've noticed the issue both when the vehicle is moving and when it's stationary. While there hasn't been a fire as a result of this issue yet, I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

- Auburndale, FL, USA

problem #164

Jun 202018

Malibu

  • miles
My right side low beam keeps going out. I have replaced the bulb 5 times this year. I've replaced the wiring harnesses for the light bulb. I really don't understand why this keeps falling

- Lacey, WA, USA

problem #163

Jun 012019

Malibu

  • 150,000 miles
My driver side light continues to keep going out after a couple weeks and the bulb is not blowing this is a common problem with the Chevy Malibu definitely needs to be recalled and fixed because if you don't have headlights can cause a bad accident. If you hit a bump it goes out. I was on a back road at night and both lights went out almost causing me to crash

- W. Bridgewater, MA, USA

problem #162

May 162019

Malibu

  • miles
Replaced low beam lights multiple times, had the wiring harness replaced due to a shortage that was supposedly leading to the low beams light blowing out constantly. Low beam lights still keep going out. Ongoing issue

- Wharton, TX, USA

problem #161

May 012019

Malibu

  • 141,500 miles
Without warning the cluster of gauges start going crazy and all warning lights are illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle loses power steering and vehicle speed will not exceed 20mph. Eventually the vehicle stalls out.

- Elk River, MN, USA

problem #160

Apr 102019

Malibu

  • 98,000 miles
Car would turn over but not crank. Go back a little later and it crank fine. After this happening several times had someone take a look at it and there was no codes and the car would crank fine so couldn't find the problem. Then when I was out somewhere it would crank and run sluggish and go dead and after a while it would crank and run. Got to researching it and people having same problem. Said that you could wiggle fuel pump relay and it would crank. Sure enough tried this and it worked. I'm pretty sure this is same problem. And also if you had been running the car and it wouldnt crank the fuel pump relay will be hot which suggest the wiring and or fuse box is problem. People talk about replacing fuel pump, fuse box, and cheap low gauge wiring from fuel pump to fuse box. Now I'm taking to mechanic to try to get this fixed before it catches fire and someone gets hurt. Try to get fixed and buy a Honda or anything except GM.

- Tuscumbia, AL, USA

problem #159

Apr 012019

Malibu

  • miles
Both headlights will not come on (low beam) high beams work fine. Bulbs are new and fuses are working just fine..someone needs to put in a recall because I see I am not the only one with this issue..this is ridiculous! can't drive without headlights and can't drive with high beams

- Mechanicsville, VA, USA

problem #158

Jul 282018

Malibu

  • 93,000 miles
The ecs light came on and shut my car off. The chrome dealer said there was nothing we could do about it but purchase anouther car

- Hanceville, AL, USA

problem #157

Apr 012019

Malibu

  • 80,600 miles
My Chevy Malibu would turn over slightly, but then would die. This happened about 3-4 times and then I had the battery replaced; thinking it was that. The car continued to fail, so I had the fuel pump replaced after checking with a fuel gauge and there being no fuel pressure. The car ran about 3 times driving it for shorter and a bit longer distances, but then the car would not turn over at all. The starter would try, but there was no ignition of the car. At my local Chevy dealer, don mccue, they diagnosed that the rear fuse box and a few terminals were burnt out. They replaced the rear fuse box and a few terminals, and the car now runs successfully.

- Bartlett, IL, USA

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