68 complaints reported

2010 Chevrolet Malibu Exterior Lighting

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
68
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Oct 2023

The headlights will repeatedly stop working. I got both headlight bulbs replaced and two months later the passenger side low beam light was flickering. it would sometimes come back on if a bump in the road was hit or if it was tapped then it went out completely. This is very costly and unsafe to be driving at night with. It is most likely a problem with the headlight assembly. I have had the vehicle inspected multiple times and there was not anything reported to me. I can not afford to keep spending hundreds of dollars over and over again on the same issue. This is a continuous issue that I have seen in many other Chevy malibus and this needs to be fixed immediately.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2023
Sep 2023

The issue is that there are times when the brake lights kick on when I’m not braking and they stay on and when I brake they turn off. I’m at risk and so are the people who drive in back of me. The lights kick on and they don’t know when I’m actively braking. I took it to the Merle stone a year ago now and they “fixed it” but it still occurred. No warning lamps/lights. It was my moms car before it became mine and she’s told me that when she drove it, it was already happening before it was gifted to me so I can’t pinpoint exactly when it started happening. I’ve searched the internet and I’ve came upon stories of other people with this same make and model have the same issue. I currently don’t that the invoice of when they “fixed” the issue but I could always contact the Merle stone and get a copy emailed (hopefully) if needed.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2022
Apr 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD FAIL TO ILLUMINATE AS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SPITZER CHEVROLET (33 E AURORA RD, NORTHFIELD, OH 44067) WHO ATTACHED THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE BCM WITH A SPACER AND APPLIED DI-ELECTRIC LUBRICANT TO THE BCM AND HARNESS CONNECTOR HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE SAME FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,281.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2021
Apr 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD FLASH WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ESC AND TCM SERVICE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2020
Feb 2021

The component that has malfunctioned or failed is the pigtail for the low beam headlight on the driver side. The safety issue is that I am driving with one headlight reducing the visibility of the road. The problem has been reproduced because this is the second time that I had to change the headlights. The vehicle was not inspected by the manufacturer, police, or Insurance representative because the price would have been more than $300. There are no warning lamps or messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to failure. It occurred two years ago. And once again this year.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2021
Oct 2020

THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Sep 2020

THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT HAS GONE OUT 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. THE FUSE WAS NOT BLOWN ANY OF THE THREE TIMES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
Apr 2020

MY HEADLIGHT WENT OUT, I CHANGED IT, AND IT WENT OUT AGAIN IMMEDIATELY. I LOOKED AT THE WIRING, AND IT HAD MELTED THE CONNECTORS. I REPLACED THE PIGTAIL WIRING PART, AND IT CONTINUES TO GO OUT AS SOON AS I PUT A NEW HEADLIGHT IN. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2018
Apr 2020

WITHIN A YEAR I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHT BULBS IN MY 2010 CHEVI MALIBU REPLACED 7 TIMES. THAT IS INSANE! IT IS TIME CONSUMING, EXPENSIVE AND UNEXCEPTIONAL. THE REPLACEMENT IS NO EASY FIX AS THE BUMPER AND WHEEL COVER HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO GET ACCESS. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND NEEDS A RECALL TO FIX THIS ONCE FOR ALL.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2020
Apr 2020

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. THE BULBS ARE NOT BURNING OUT. IT'S SOMETHING IN THE ELECRICAL THAT'S CAUSING THIS. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT BECAUSE BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAVE GONE OFF ALL OF A SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I BELIEVE THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN & CHEVY NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON & HAVE A FIX FOR IT. AFTER READING ON A BUNCH OF FORUMS, THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. AFTER GETTING THE BULBS TO WORK, THEY ONLY WORK FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS THEN GO OUT AGAIN. THIS QUESTIONNAIRE WANTS ME TO PUT IN A DATE THAT THIS HAPPENED BUT IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS, SO I'LL JUST PUT IN THE MOST RECENT DATE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Mar 2020

I HAVE A 2010 CHEVY MALIBU AND THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. NOT BURNING OUT, BUT QUITS WORKING! I HAVE GONE TO CHANGE THE BULB AND WE REALIZED THAT IT WASN'T BURNT OUT. ALL THE OTHER LIGHTS ON THAT SIDE WORK FINE. WE WIGGLES SOME WIRES AND IT WOULD WORK AGAIN. A FEW TIMES WE COULD TAP ON THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND IT WOULD COME BACK ON. SO WE PUT IT TOGETHER AGAIN AND IT WORKED FINE FOR 2 WEEKS OR SO BEFORE IT WENT OUT AGAIN.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
Feb 2020

I HAVE A 2010 CHEVY MALIBU AND THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. NOT BURNING OUT, BUT QUITS WORKING! I CHANGED THE BULB ABOUT 5 TIMES BEFORE I REALIZED THAT IT WASN'T BURNING OUT. ALL THE OTHER LIGHTS ON THAT SIDE WORK FINE. A FEW TIMES I COULD TAP ON THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND IT WOULD COME BACK ON. I TOOK IT APART AND FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR WAS BROKEN AND SHORTED OUT, SO I ORDERED A NEW WIRING HARNESS THAT GOES FROM THE GROUND WIRE SPLIT TO THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, PUT IT TOGETHER AND IT WORKED FINE FOR 2 DAYS AND WENT OUT AGAIN. I TOOK THE FRONT END OFF AGIAN AND UNPLUGGED THE BULB AND PLUGGED IT BACK IN AND IT WORKS FINE AGAIN. I HAVE CHECKED ALL THE WIRES AND THE GROUND SCREW AND CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM. THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. I HAVE ALSO LOOKED THIS UP AND A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH THIS FROM 2009-2012 CHEVY MALIBU.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Jan 2020

PASSENGER LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES. UPON REMOVAL OF THE 4TH HEADLIGHT I NOTICED THE WIRING HARNESS WAS MELTED. I REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS WITH A NEW ONE AND NOW THE LOW BEAM DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. I JUST RECEIVED A TICKET LAST NIGHT FROM THE POLICE. A FIX IT TICKET...AND NOW I DON'T KNOW HOW I AM GOING TO FIX THIS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2018
Jan 2020

THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT STOPS WORKING APPROXIMATELY EVERY 6-8 WEEKS. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 6 MONTHS AND HAVE REPLACED THE SAME BULB 4 TIMES. I KNOW I AM NOT ALONE AS THE INTERNET FORUMS ARE FILLED WITH OTHER MALIBU OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
Jan 2020

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS COMES ON AND OFF. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE AT NIGHT THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON. THE NEXT MORNING IT CAME ON. A FEW DAYS LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON. NOW BOTH LIGHTS WON'T COME ON. I AM ONLY DRIVE DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS UNTIL THEY ARE REPLACED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
Dec 2019

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHTS HAVE REPEATEDLY GONE OUT FOR THE 7 YRS I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. I HAVE CHANGED THE HEADLIGHTS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 3-4 MONTHS. I HAVE SEARCHED FORUMS/MESSAGEBOARDS RELATED TO CAR PROBLEMS AND THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE BUMPER NEEDS TO BE REMOVED TO REPLACE THE LIGHT WHICH I CAN NOT DO MYSELF AND I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A SERVICING SHOP WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE. HERE IS A WEBPAGE DEDICATED TO THE ISSUES. HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T32066_DS667897?SNTEMLID=3535135585#MSG1032451

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2019
Dec 2019

HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2019
Nov 2019

MY PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WONT STAY ON. WHEN IT DIED I WENT TO REPLACE IT AND IT TURNED ON SO I WENT TO PUT IT BACK TOGETHER AND IT TURNED OFF AGAIN, SO I TOOK IT BACK A PART. I WENT THROUGH THAT A FEW TIMES BEFORE GIVING UP

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2019
Oct 2019

THE HIGH-MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT WILL LIGHT (AND STAY LIT) WITHOUT THE BRAKE BEING DEPRESSED. WHEN THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED USING NORMAL FORCE TO SLOW THE CAR, THE LIGHT WILL GO OFF. WHEN THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED FURTHER AS IF TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON. THIS BEHAVIOR IS INTERMITTENT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2019
Oct 2019

I HAD TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE HEADLIGHT UNIT DUE TO THE LOW BEAM CONNECTOR MELTING AND NOW ONLY 3 MONTHS LATER, BOTH LOW BEAM CONNECTORS HAVE MELTED LEAVING ME WITH NO HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE CARS AND A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. BOTH TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED, I WAS DRIVING. ONCE ON CITY STREETS AND TWICE ON THE INTERSTATE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2019
Sep 2019

EVER SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD CONSTANTLY GO OUT. EVERYTIME I HIT A BUMP OR WOULD HIT IT. IT WOULD COME BACK ON. RECENTLY I REPLACED BOTH BULBS. THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS OFFICIALLY DIED. NOW THE DRIVER SIDE IS ACTING UP. I HAVE TO HIT BASICALLY EVERY MORNING TO TURN IT ON BEFORE I GO TO WORK. WHILE I AM DRIVING IT WILL GO OUT SPORADICALLY AND COME BACK ON.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2018
Aug 2019

PASSENGER LOW BEAM SOCKET BURNS OUT I'VE REPLACED THE HARNESS TWICIN LAST SIX MONTHS WITH A FEW NEW BULBS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2018
Jul 2019

HELLO, MY CAR IS HAVING THE ISSUES DESCRIBED IN RECALL NUMBER 13036, MY BRAKE LIGHTS TURN ON WHILE NOT PRESSING THE BRAKE AND SOMETIMES WHEN BRAKING DO NOT TURN ON AT ALL. MY VIN # SAYS THAT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED HOWEVER MY CAR IS EXPERIENCING THE ISSUES DESCRIBED. THIS ALL HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2019
Jul 2019

LOW BEAM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS DIM WHEN IT WORKS AND GOES OUT OFTEN. SOMETIMES IT COMES BACK ON OUT OF NOWHERE. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST 7 MONTHS. I'VE CHANGED MY BULB ABOUT 6 TIMES IN THAT TIME FRAME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2019
Jul 2019

THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM KEEPS GOING OUT, EVEN AFTER REPEATEDLY REPLACING HEADLIGHT. JUST YESTERDAY, THE DRIVER SIDE WENT OUT TOO SO NO LOW BEAMS USABLE CURRENTLY. MY READING HAS BROUGHT ME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IN 2008-2012 CHEVY MALIBUS, THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE PULLING VOLTAGE FROM THE LOW BEAMS WHICH IS INCREASING THE AMPERAGE IN THE LOW BEAMS WHICH IS CAUSING OVERHEATING AND THEREFORE THE BULBS AND CONNECTORS TO GO OUT REPEATEDLY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2019

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Quick Summary

The 2010 Chevrolet Malibu has 68 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.