general problems of the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu - part 1

242 problems related to electrical system have been reported for the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu based on all problems reported for the 2010 Malibu.

1 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 01/06/2026

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that under previous vehicle ownership, the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 14v252000 (electrical system, exterior lighting, vehicle speed control, electronic stability control (esc); however, the recall repair failed to prevent a failure. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the rear brake light failed to illuminate as intended; however, when the brake pedal was released, the brake lights would illuminate. No warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 270,000.

2 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 11/19/2025

Power steering randomly goes off taking the traction control with it. Terrible for the snow roads to have. Have to life the steering wheel slightly when starting to the car get it to work. Steering angle sensor or torque position sensor maybe??.

3 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 11/03/2025

I lost power steering while driving, making the wheel hard to turn. While the car is idle, the steering wheel shakes. Also “esc” pops on on the dashboard.

4 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 12/16/2024

The car will drive but is unable to turn. It's like the steering wheel is locked.

5 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 11/29/2024

Steering not working correctly it is ver hard to turn steering wheel. Cluster lights went out so dashboard lights do not work, brake lights not working seems to be electrical problems with the vehicle.

6 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 09/09/2024

The July 14, 2014 recall (13036) describes the issue perfectly. Brake lights come on when gas is pressed, goes off when brake pedal is pressed (very dangerous). Airbag, motor & traction control lights come on, message center says “esc” “traction control”. We have had the car on multiple diagnostic tools saying it’s the module and the electrical isn’t communicating with the module… according to the recall, it is exactly what is happening. We bought the car recently for our new driver not knowing and after hours of research and going to mechanics it seems to be the same recall but this car/VIN is not included in the recall. My child is going to get rear ended because nothing is fixing the issue and this VIN doesn’t have any “recalls”.

7 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 08/01/2024

The passanger air bag light stays on and the radio lights up but no sound for radio or turn signals.

8 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 07/17/2024

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact had been informed by other drivers that the brake lights failed to illuminate as intended while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that the brake lights randomly illuminated while driving. The traction control warning light was illuminated intermittently, causing the cruise control to become inoperable. The contact stated that as an independent mechanic, he had replaced the brake sensors twice; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 14v252000 (electrical system, exterior lighting, vehicle speed control, electronic stability control (esc); however, the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the failure might be related to the brake sensors. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

9 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 06/15/2024

This is in reference to gm recall number: 13036 - I noticed that from time to time the service traction warning comes on, service esc warning comes on, my cruise control stops working suddenly. I didn't think anything of it until I finally noticed my brake lights were illuminated in my back window without my foot being on the brake pedal. I replaced the sensor on the brake pedal hoping that would fix it and it did not. I looked up my VIN for active recalls and for some reason it's saying there are none. This is clearly the recall that is listed. I'm worried I'll be driving and someone may either rear end me or get confused thinking I'm braking when I am not. Very unsafe. I'm just unsure what to do. Any help would be appreciated as I need a vehicle and can't be without one.

10 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 01/05/2024

My 2010 chevy Malibu randomly started having electrical problems a few weeks ago. My gauge cluster lights will not turn on and I cannot see my blinkers or other information I need in the gauge cluster. The gauge cluster lights wont come on so I cannot see how fast I am going at night. The brake lights illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed. The car is difficult to get out of park. After researching the problems I found that gm has issued recalls for the bcm on Chevrolet Malibus recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured may 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012. I then contacted my local chevy dealership and they told me my vehicles VIN does not fall under the recall they issued so I would have to pay to have the problems addressed. I explained to the dealership that this is a well known issue and how unsafe that it is and they then told me “there is nothing we do about it. ”. I do not feel safe driving the vehicle and I feel that these issues that it is having will put my life at risk and others because these malfunctions will obviously increase the risk of a crash. I feel that it is wrong to have a customer pay for repairs on a part of a vehicle that has recalls and is a crucial safety component.

11 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 11/07/2023

My airbag light just recently came on driver frontal airbag may explode NHTSA-19001900 power steering NHTSA- 14e044000 u joint premature failure electrical system all out of wack nhsta-14v252000 bcm resistance result in voltage fluctuations in brake power train- NHTSA 12v460000 4 speed automatic transmission the tabs on transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.

12 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 10/18/2023

I submitted a complaint regarding traction service/escape alerts at any given time of my 2010 chevolet malbu and have not received an acknowledgment of my complaint. Therefore I am hoping it has been resolved. Thank goodness, ithe car passed inspection on 10/17/2023 for which the complaint of the traction service alerts have affected my yearly inspection for at least 3 years. I am asking for the status of your assessment of my complaint. Thank you. Hattie overman 718-320-8254.

13 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 07/21/2023

Head light wire is out , electrical wire is messing up . Car is shaking bad and won’t start . Air bag light is on.

14 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 06/26/2023

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the engine / it stopped while I was driving / dealer charged me $2000 for a replacement engine, then after that my power steering gave out , my esc turns off and on / car jumps while driving my whole dashboard goes crazy how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the car stopped while I was driving multiple times , my kids were in the car for 2 of them, it stops with out warning. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes the used car dealership I bought it from is well aware and basically not helping at all were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no , no warnings signs came on until after the engine was changed and they go on and off.

15 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 05/12/2023

After starting car, orange triangle indicator light came on (traction control I believe) and message: "eng reduction loss of power steering, drove to midas for oil change a couple miles away with manual steering(more difficult that my 61 pontiac tempest). I turned car off and immediately restarted and power steering was restored, car was fine driving home after oil change. In addition, I've owned the car about two months and have put on around 4,000 miles(drove it back from arizona), I've already had the thermostat replaced in s. Dakota, fuel pump replaced in wisconsin and exhaust manifold in michigan.

16 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 05/07/2023

The esc is hard to steer and the seatbelt light stays on even when I'm wearing my seatbelt.

17 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 04/12/2023

First off the power steering goes out and can only be fixed by applying dielectric grease to the bcm but that will fix it. Second the airbag light will randomly go on but this can also be remedy by fixing the yellow connection under the passenger seat try jiggling it if that doesnt fix it just cut the two wires off the connector's and splice with crimp connectors. Hope this helps you as much as it did me :).

18 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 04/01/2023

I was driving down the road after I bought the car and the steering suddenly went out the dic said "service esc" and "service traction" and I could barely move the steering wheel I was lucky to be on a country road because if I was on the highway I could have lost complete control and caused an accident I took it to a mechanic and they said "the dielectric grease in the bcm connector wore out" when I googled it I saw there was a recall but when I contacted the dealer they said there was nothing they could do for me. This is very concerning as who knows how many Malibus steering could randomly go out over such a stupid problem I could be available if you would like to inspect the car/systems.

19 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 03/09/2023

Passenger side low beam headlight wiring harness connector keeps melting even after replacement. Noticed online that many owners are experiencing the same issue. Replaced harness multiple times and same issue reoccurs after two to three weeks of use.

20 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 02/25/2023

Brake lights stay on while driving but turn off when braking, engine and traction control lights come on, car acts like it's going to die. This happens intermittently and sometimes without any warning lights. I noticed this again most recently within the last week and several times on 2/25/23. Vehicle has not yet been inspected but was previously taken in for the same issue in 2020. Dealership stated that since the lights weren't staying on and no codes were stored, they weren't required to make repairs. It goes without saying that driving with faulty lights can cause an accident and is also illegal. It is highly irresponsible of gm not to repair this known issue and of NHTSA not to issue a recall.

21 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 12/17/2022

Just replaced fuel pump, passenger headlight randomly goes out, top break light randomly goes out, had to replace wiper motor, & fuel pump relay wire faulty. Wiring to fuse boxes seem to be loose. Dealership or any other certified tech will listen or touch to fix the car when everything is working.

22 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 11/24/2022

I drive down the road and the brake lights come on I hit the brake then they go off. Randomly when I drive service esc service traction come on but as soon as I turn the car off and back on it is gone. Cruise control stopped working as well.

23 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 11/08/2022

The power steering system stops working when it’s cold. There are no warning signs prior to it malfunctioning. When I get it towed to be seen or bring an mechanic to check out the problem it is always resolved before they can inspect it. This is unsafe because there is no warning and it comes and goes with no consistency. I could drive for 30 minutes without a problem and then it stops working or I could get in the car and it stops working within 5 minutes. This could easily cause an accident.

24 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 10/26/2022

I was driving the car safely as always and within the speed limits and an officer was heading the same direction, the brake lights got me cited for mechanical repairs. I have noticed the brake lights work yet they do not work with light pressure on the brake pedal. The officer gave a warning about brake lights and it has to be repaired ASAP. What explanation might there be for the brake light? what should I ask the mechanic to look for?.

25 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 08/05/2022

The brakes are doing the same thing that was recalled and repaired back in 2014. They are illuminating while driving down the road and turn off while I hit the brakes. I have been pulled over several times and cannot get my car inspected without getting this corrected. I have bought several parts trying to repair this but the parts are not correcting the problem. Cruise control, stability control and sever other functions are not working either all of them are related to the same recall issued back in 2014. Is there any kind of warranty on the recall that was repaired?.

26 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 06/05/2022

The car shut off while driving down the street. Lost all control over steering and braking components. After the car shut itself off was not able to get it to turn back on after several hours. Turned it back on but when attempted to drive it home, it shit itself off again. Still could not control steering wheel.

27 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 05/31/2022

When I bought the car in December of 2018 the car only had 42,000 miles on it. I had two incidences where the anti theft system went off locking me out of the car. The second time the vehicle had to be towed back to the dealership. Fast forward to 2022 and the car only has 77,000 miles on it and in the past three months the anti theft system has gone off in this car more than ten times. I recently went to a Chevrolet dealership and had them recut keys from the VIN number.

28 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 05/16/2022

My daughter was driving back from school in a very busy road and a message came up on the dash board that said engine power reduced and speed droped to 5 mph. I told her to park somewhere and turn off car for like 15 minutes and turn it back on and car still didnt accelerate. Had to go get her and leave car there. I just purchased this vehicle on November 2021.

29 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 04/20/2022

Car will not start. There is a recall for this, but my car seems not to be included. Turn the key over and over. . . . Battery is good. . . . Will not start. . . . . After 50 or so tries, occasionally it will start, but when you get to your destination, you have to pray it will start again. Sometimes it will. . . . Most times it won't. This is a problem with a recall. Dealership will not fix it under the recall without the car being on the list. A little help from y'all would certainly help me. I'm 73, retired, on fixed income. Cannot afford to pay a dealership to fix this when it is a known problem. Please help. . . .

30 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 04/12/2022

Air bag light randomly pop on . Electrical system is so bad that I only have 1 head light and it’s very dangerous driving at night like that .

31 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 04/01/2022

I purchased the car for my mother on 10/20/2015 from mike savoie Chevrolet in troy, mi. At the time I had a concern because there was a message being displayed on the car “service esc”, I was informed by the dealer that it was a false message and there was no issue with the car, we should just disregard but if we had any problems to let him know moving forward. At that time we did not have issues with anything else. There was about 80,000 miles on the odometer when we bought it, there are only about 95,300 now. Recently the brake lights have been coming on when the brakes are not applied, we have taken the car to a mechanic three times for this issue but he has been unable to duplicate it, as a result he felt that the brake pedal sensor was at fault and replaced it, but the issue still exists, a wasted $200! my 17 year old grandson is now using the car, the issue occurred again today and I discovered that this issue may be associated with a recall which also includes the “service esc” message which has been on the car since I bought it. However, when I enter the VIN it shows no open recalls. Apparently it was not fixed and the dealer should have fixed it before I bought it or I should have been notified of the recall. I am very concerned about my grandson’s safety and will need to switch my car with him so that he can be as safe as possible! not only do the brake lights come on when not applied, but you need to tap the brake to turn them off at that point other drivers are not aware that the brake is being applied. Taking the car back to the repairman today. Please help. Thank you very much for your time and attention to this matter.

32 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 02/07/2022

While driving the power steering goes out and a warning message pops up that says ‘service esc’ and ‘esc off’. It is near impossible to turn the wheel when this happens. I was able to turn the car off and back on, and the power steering returns/messages go away, but the same problem happens on and off.

33 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 01/31/2022

“engine power reduced” comes on suddenly, alongside numerous other lights (check engine, service traction, esc, etc). This causes the vehicle to reduce speed in traffic, increasing risk of collision. Other models of chevy Malibu have been recalled for this same issue (faulty throttle sensor).

34 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 11/07/2021

Had test drove the vehicle everything was fine, picked the vehicle up and drove it home everything was fine, parked in the back of my house the car sat over night I go to pull it out the drive way, the power steering has gotten stuck and I mean it was stuck!, the “power steering” light came on the dash so I tried my best to turn to just pull it back in the driveway. It was so hard to turn I thought I would brake the steering wheel. Another thing whenever I ride over a bump my radio changes stations or turns off.

35 Electrical System problem

Failure Date: 10/19/2021

Service electronic stability control light comes on and brake light comes on and off at times.



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