2012 Chevrolet Malibu: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 905 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
905
Complaints
3
Recalls
50
Crash reports
13
Fire reports
35
Injuries
61.7
Severity index
Severity index 61.7 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 71 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 45% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 290 | 32.0% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 202 | 22.3% |
| STEERING | 191 | 21.1% |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 129 | 14.3% |
| AIR BAGS | 101 | 11.2% |
| ENGINE | 99 | 10.9% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 73 | 8.1% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 52 | 5.7% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 290 of 905 complaints (32.0%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 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 (year to date) | 9 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15V269000 | 08/05/2015 | SEAT BELTS | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured April 8, 2010, to October 11, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cables that connect the seat belts to the vehicle at the outside of the driver seat and the f |
| 14V252000 | 14/05/2014 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 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, 20 |
| 14E044000 | 21/07/2014 | STEERING | Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers 425-167, 2425167, and 7-3074, for installation on 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6, and 2007-2 |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.