2011 Chevrolet Malibu Air Bags
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. UPDATED 09/03/15*LJ UPDATED 10/20/2017*CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED AND ENTERING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE FRONTAL DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE SUSTAINED A BURN TO HIS ARM AND STOMACH INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG ON/OFF INDICATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PRESSURE SENSOR FOR THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. UPDATED 6/18/15*CN THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 06/25/15*JB
SERVICE AIRBAG DISPLAY MESSAGE CAME ON. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER SAID IT NEEDS A NEW SDM. $902 TO FIX. DEALER SAID IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
MY 2011 MALIBU WAS RECALLED FOR A BRAKE LIGHT ISSUE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT DEALERSHIP, THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DEVELOPED A "MALFUNCTION." DEALER STATES THAT THE SDM HAS FAILED. THE DEALER AND GM ARE TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ISSUE. THEIR POSITION IS THEY DID NOT CAUSE THE ISSUE AND IT IS JUST BAD TIMING. A FRIEND, WHO OWNS A 2010 MALIBU, JUST HAD THEIR CAR RECALLED FOR A RECALL REGARDING THE SDM. MORE TO THE POINT, WHAT INCENTIVE DOES A PERSON HAVE TO BRING A RECALLED VEHICLE IN, WHEN THE VEHICLE CAN BE RETURNED IN A FAR LESS SAFE CONDITION. I THINK THAT ANY REASONABLE PERSON WOULD BE DOUBTFUL THAT THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO THIS SITUATION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS A WIRE CONNECTION THAT FAILED AND THE WIRING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,356.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.
MY LIGHT KEEP COMING ON SAYING SERVICE AIRBAG. *TR
HELLO I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ( CHEVY MALIBU 2011) DOWN THE STREET AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE AIRBAG CAME ON. I WAS NOT SPEEDING I WAS GOING 30 MPH. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THE AIRBAG IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAS AN ERROR CODE B0014. I NOTICED IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH GM MOTORS IN GENERAL. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ME TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC ALONG WITH REPAIRS. THE CAR DID NOT HAVE A CRASH NOR AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY THE WARNING "SERVICE AIR BAG" POPPED UP ON MY DASHBOARD MESSAGE SCREEN. I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT NOR DID I HIT ANYTHING. WITH THE RECENT RECALLS, I AM VERY CONCERNED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
RECENTLY MY 2011 MALIBU WITH 32,000 MILES ON IT HAS STARTED TO SHOW THE SERVICE AIR BAG ON THE DISPLAY. TOOK THE CAR TO THE SERVICER AND THEY TOLD ME MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. WITH ME RECENTLY LOOSING MY JOB OUT OF POCKET IS NOT AN OPTION. AFTER RESEARCH ONLINE I FOUND THAT THE SERVICE AIR BAG ISSUE IS VERY COMMON AMONG THE 2010-2011 MODELS. I LOCATED THE SERVICE BULLETIN AND CONTACTED GM AND THEY SAID THAT MY CAR DOESN'T QUALIFY WITH THE VIN FOR THE SERVICE BULLETIN. I DID INFORM THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT I CONTACTED A CHEVY DEALER A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN THE ISSUE STARTED OCCURRING TO MAKE SURE THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE AN AIR BAG RANDOMLY BLOWING UP IN FACE WHILE DRIVING SINCE THE ISSUE OCCURS RANDOMLY AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 0-70 MPH. THE TECH ADVISED ME THAT WOULD NOT OCCUR AS WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON THE AIR BAG SYSTEM IS DISABLED. ADVISED GM THIS DURING OUR PHONE CONVERSATION THAT THIS WOULD BE A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR THERE VEHICLES AS THEY HAVE CORRECTED ON VIN SPECIFIC 2010-2011 IN THERE WORDS THAT I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD WANNA MAKE SURE THE PROBLEM ISN'T BIGGER. NEEDLESS TO SAY I HAVE TO WAIT FOR A RESOLUTION. *TR
2011 CHEVY MALIBU LT2 WITH A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE, 28000 MILES, 3-1/2 YEARS OLD, IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, OUT OF THE BLUE SHOWS THE "SERVICE AIR BAG" AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT DROVE OVER RUMBLE STRIPS AND CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER GUARD RAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED STERNUM, INJURIES TO THE LEFT SHOULDER BLADE AND RIGHT KNEE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A WRIST INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DECLARED AS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400.
I WAS DRIVING AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT SHUT OFF. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME JUST TO LOOK AT MY CAR. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN ANY AUTO ACCIDENT FOR THIS TO EVEN HAPPEN. THIS MUST BE A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG> PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS MATTER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP, A VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE TWO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
I HAD JUST GOT THE VEHICLE 2 YEARS AGO AND I HAVE HAD A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THE CARS AIR BAG SENSORS. I HAD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERS AFTER ONLY HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS SO THEY CAN FIX THE PROBLEM THE 1ST TIME THEY HAD TO ME THAT THIS WAS A REGULAR PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND YEAR. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER 10000 MILES LATER THE LIGHT WAS ON AND OFF AGAIN AND DID NOT WANT TO FIX THIS AGAIN.
SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE NEXT MORNING IT DID NOT COME ON. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, SAME ISSUE, SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED. IT CONTINUED TO COME ON EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. WE CALLED THE DEALER, THEY SAID IT WOULD COST 400 FOR THE NEW PART AND ANOTHER 200 TO "FLASH" THE COMPUTER. THEY ALSO SAID OUR AIRBAG WOULD NOT WORK AS LONG AS THIS LIGHT WAS ON. A COUPLE DAYS LATER, THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND STAYED OFF. THEN ON 3/26/14, THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, AND CONTINUES TO COME ON EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND SINCE THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT WORK, IT JEOPARDIZES THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIX. *TR
THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON OUT OF NOWHERE, AND WHEN WE TOOK IT TO OUR DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THAT THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS WITH THE MALIBUS. THEY ADVISED US THAT THE "AIRBAG CONTROL SYSTEM" HAD DIED AND THOUGH THE CAR WAS STILL DRIVABLE THAT IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT WORK. THE SERVICE TO REPLACE THE "BRAIN" WOULD COST $1000 PARTS AND LABOR. AFTER THROWING A SMALL FIT THEY "GOT WITH THE CHEVY CUSTOMER TEAM" AND WERE ABLE TO DO IT FOR JUST COST OF PARTS ($400 +/-). WE PAID FOR THE SERVICE, AFTER MUCH COMPLAINING, AND THE CAR HAS BEEN FINE SINCE. WE WERE ADVISED THAT IT IS POSSIBLE IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT NOT TO WORRY BECAUSE THE PARTS CARRIED A 1 YEAR WARRANTY, YIPPEE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AFTER A HARD BRAKING EVENT, THAT THE CONTROL BOX SHORTS OUT. I THINK THAT IF THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE, A RECALL SHOULD BE INITIATED. IT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM IF IT WAS SOMETHING INCONSEQUENTIAL, BUT THIS IS A VITAL SAFETY COMPONENT. WE HAD TO GET IT FIXED, I'M NOT LETTING MY WIFE DRIVE HER CAR WITHOUT AIRBAGS. *TR
THE SERVICE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINS LITE AND THE WORDS STAY ON THE DISPLAY WINDOW. HAD A DIAGNOSTIC DONE ON THE CAR ON 11/29/2014 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER MODULE IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT IF IN A ACCIDENT THAT THE AIR BAGS MIGHT NOT DEPLOY. COULD THIS ALSO CAUSE THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY? IF THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE, SHOULDN'T IT BE COVERED NO MATTER IF THE WARRANTY/EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED? *JS
SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I STARTED MY CAR ITS BEEN TWO DAYS NOW AND IT HASNT GONE AWAY IVE NEVER HIT ANYTHING NOR HAVE I BEEN HIT BY ANYONE... *TR
I STARTED MY VEHICLE ON JANUARY 11, 2013 AND THE "SERVICE AIRBAG" LIGHT CAME ON IN THE INFORMATION CENTER IN MY DASH. I TOOK THE CAR TO HORNE AUTO IN SHOW LOW, AZ, WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR, ON JANUARY 18, 2013 TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I HAD PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $730 TO FIX. I WENT HOME AND GOT THE INFORMATION FROM MY LOCAL MECHANIC TO CONTACT GM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A BULLETIN SENT OUT THAT I HAD UNTIL NOVEMBER 30, 2012, TO GET SAID PROBLEM FIXED. IN RESEARCHING THIS BULLETIN ON SAFERCAR.GOV, THIS BULLETIN WAS SENT OUT NOVEMBER 1, 2012. SINCE I NEVER RECEIVED THE BULLETIN AND DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL JANUARY 11, I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE FIX OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. I PUT IN A COMPLAINT TO GM AND WAS THEN TOLD I COULD GET IT FIXED FOR HALF THE COST SINCE GM WAS GOING TO COVER THE OTHER HALF. I PUT IN ANOTHER COMPLAINT TO GM TO HAVE THEM FIX THE PROBLEM, SEEING THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY KIDS THAT I DRIVE AROUND IN THIS VEHICLE, I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING FOR A SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS NOT MY FAULT AND THAT GM KNOWS ABOUT. I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS ISSUE EITHER. I AM STILL WAITING FOR GM TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER BACK AND NECK, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN AND A SPECIAL ENGINEER SENT ON BEHALF OF THE MANUFACTURER. BOTH THE TECHNICIAN AND THE ENGINEER STATED THAT THE CRASH DID NOT MEET THE THRESHOLD IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,700.
AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A VEHICLE CRASH AT 55 MPH WHEN HIT BY LARGE PICKUP TRUCK HAULING EMPTY HORSE TRAILER WHEN DRIVER FELL ASLEEP AT WHEEL. IMPACT CAUSED 2011 MALIBU TO SPIN AT HIGH VELOCITY AND ROLL OVER. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. INJURY OF FRONT PASSENGER OCCURRED. THE SDM MODULE READING SHOWED "NO EVENT" OCCURRING AND THAT IS JUST PLAIN UNBELIEVABLE. A COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FILED WITH GM AND DENIED. *KB
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Quick Summary
The 2011 Chevrolet Malibu has 50 Air Bags complaints on file. 11 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.