2011 Chevrolet Malibu Electrical System
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
Car started having issues with electrical had to put in a new fuel pump then a new ecm. Then car malfunctioned again with electrical issues relating to the wiring harness. There is a recall for my exact model and year but supposedly my car is not affected. I find this rather strange.
It started out as a minor intermittent problem, alerting that I need to service traction and service esc. When this problem occurs, the car hesitates to accelerate from stop. Problem has gotten to the point that the vehicle is trying to die when idling for more than a minute or so and is struggling to accelerate. From doing research, I have found that this problem is very common in this Make and Model, with years varying. This is an issue that needs to be addressed as many people have experienced this and filed complaints and are spending lots of money out of pocket to try to find the issue.
I have had my Chevy Malibu since 2016. In the almost 7 years I have had this car I has had the same issue with both starting and stalling while driving. There has been many time it has completely shut off while on the expressway. I have had it looked at by an outside mechanic and the dealership. The back Fuse box has been completely replacement 3 times twice of which were in the past year. There is a shot with the fuel pump relay causing the issue. The dealership will not acknowledge this issue. Each time I have been told it was the fuse box going out however a fuse box does not go completely bad every few years and now few month. I have same many many videos and comments from other owners of Chevy Malibu 2011 with the exact same issue. I have been lucky that I have been able to pull to the side of the road without accident due to this issue. This issue should be recalled if the vast number of 2011 Chevy Malibu's having the same issue.
The rear defrost stopped working. Had my auto mechanic review and Rear Fuse Box had melted fuses which was effecting rear defrost. The rear Fuse Box needs replacing per mechanic. ($400) My concern is what is cause of the electrical issue in my Malibu and if not corrected by Chevrolet will it occur again?
Power steering turned off. Lost all steering while driving.
ALL OF A SUDDEN MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START IT WOULD CRANK BUT WOULDN'T START AND THEN IT WOULDN'T CRANK AT ALL AND I COULDN'T HEAR MY FUEL PUMP FREAKING AS WELL. IT STARTED OUT AS AN INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEM AND THEN IT WOULDN'T EVER START AFTER THAT SO I WENT TO THE FUEL PUMP WIRING IN THE TRUNK FUSE BOX AND SEPARATED THE WIRING FOXES FROM THE FUSE PANEL AND CAME ACROSS A BURNT FUEL PUMP WIRE IT WAS A TAN WIRE AND IT WAS SCORCHED BLACK FROM THE END OF THE WIRE ABOUT 4 INCHES UP THE WIRE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BROWN WIRE AND IT WAS BLACK I REPLACED IT AND NOW IT'S FINE
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS KEEPS GOING OUT!! HEADLIGHT BRACKET MELTED! CAR FORUMS REVEAL THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ELECTRICAL ISSUE. WHEN ANYBODY REPLACES HEADLIGHT HARNESS AND HEADLIGHTS, THEY END UP WITH THE SAME ISSUE A FEW WEEKS LATER. VERY DISAPPOINTING! PLEASE RECALL! CAR FORUM CONTAINING MULTIPLE CASES OF SAME ISSUE HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T32066_DS667897
GOT A 2011 CHEVY MALIBU FROM MY FATHER IN LAW. CAR ONLY HAS 44500 MILES ON IT. SO OF COURSE IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY. NOTICE THAT THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS NOT WORKING, SO DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE WITH MELTED FUSES IN FUSE BOX IN TRUCK AND FUSE BOX MELTING ALSO. WHY IS CHEVY NOT TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT OR OFFERING A FIX OR RECALL. IT'S A FIRE HAZARD.
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT SOCKET MELTED ON BOTH SIDES NOT ALLOWING LOW BEAM LIGHTS TO WORK. HAD TO REWIRE A NEW WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE READ MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS ON LINE OF THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENING. UNTIL I DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM I HAVE HAD TO ONLY DRIVE DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. RIDICULOUS!
THE ISSUE IS CONCERNING HEADLIGHTS ON THE CHEVY MALIBU. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES ONLY TO HAVE THEM BURN OUT WITHIN DAYS/WEEKS. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC THE FAULT LIES WITH THE DESIGN. THE LIGHT GETS HOT ENOUGH TO BURN OUT THE HARNESS. THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE EXCEPT TO CONTINUE TO REPLACE THE BULB/HARNESS WHICH REQUIRES REMOVAL OF THE END FRONT BUMPER WHICH ONLY ADDS TO THE EXPENSE. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS ISSUE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE LIGHT WILL GO OUT WHICH HAS CAUSED US TO BE PULLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BY THE POLICE AND GIVEN WARNINGS.
I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN A FEW TIMES, WHEN I PARK MY CAR SHUT OFF ENGINE PULL KEYS OUT OPEN DOOR THE IGNITION KEY KEEPS RINGING LIKE I LEFT MY KEYS IN THE IGNITION BUT I DIDN'T. I GET OUT OF THE CAR AND CLOSE THE DOOR AND IT WILL STOP AFTER A WHILE.
NEITHER FRONT DOOR ELECTRIC LOCKS WILL UNLOCK WHEN CAR IS STOPPED. OPERATOR AND PASSENGER MUST PHYSICALLY TURN AROUND AND UNLOCK THE DOOR TO GET OUT OF CAR. EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL IN THE CAR (SWITCHES, RADIO, GAUGES, LOCKS, WINDOWS) HAS MALFUNCTIONED AT ONE POINT IN TIME, EVEN WHEN THE CAR HAD AS LOW AS 40,000 MILES ON IT, BUT CHEVROLET HAS NEVER TAKEN ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY OF IT.
NUMEROUS DASH LIGHTS RANDOMLY COME ON SERVICE ESC SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL ENGINE POWER REDUCED ENGINE POWER REDUCED FOLLOWED BY ENGINE DISABLED . AT THAT POINT THE ENGINE DIES AND YOU ARE UNEXPECTEDLY FACED WITH THE SURPRISED HORROR OF BEING AT A ROLL UN ABLE TO POWER OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC .AND AT THE MERCY OF THE EXACT LOCATION OF ALL THESE THINGS SUDDENLY HAPPENING AT RANDOM ALL THE WARNINGS ARE QUICK SO QUICK U HAVE NO TIME TO PULL OVER BEFOR YOU ARE AT A DEAD ROLL . TODAY MY MOM N ME AS WELL AS MY GIRLFRIEND WERE ALL MOST KILLED BY A SEMI TRUCK CARRYING HOT ASPHALT . I COULDNT IMAGINE HAVING TO BE SMASHED TO DEATH WITH NO CHANCE TO REACT AND TO TOP IT OFF POSSIBLY EVEN BURNED TO DEATH CRUSHED ALL WHILE HAVEING TO HEAR MY MOTHERS SCREAMS IN MY LAST MOMENTS OF LIFE.PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM I'VE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND IVE FOUND MANY FORMS WHERE PPL AREHAVEIBG SIMPLER ISSUE. THE WHOLE SMASHED BURNED BY HOT ASPHALT SENERIO WAS ONLY A FLASH OF IMAGES I IMAGINED BUT THE FIVE FOOT OF SPACE BETWEEN THE TRUCK THAT FACT ALL MOST SIDE SWIPED US TODAY IS AND WAS FACT THAT CAUSESD THIS HORRIBLE VISION DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE ENGINEERING IN SOME DESINE OF THE CAR SHE BOUGHT ONLY DAYS AGO FROM HWY 59 MOTORS CAR LOT . THANK YOU
THE FUSE FOR MY REAR DEFROSTER GOT SO HOT IN THE FUSE BOX IT MELTED THE PANEL-THE FUSE BOX IS IN THE TRUNK-I TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY WANT OVER 500.00 TO REPAIR- I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAZARD FOR DRIVERS AS IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE IF IT WAS THAT HOT- I DO NOT FEEL LIKE THIS IS MY FAULT AND MORE A MANUFACTURE ISSUE-IF I DON'T GET THIS FIXED I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHEVY AGAIN AND I AM LOOKING TO PURCHASE A CAR WITHIN THE END OF THIS YEAR. WHY TRY AND MAKE DRIVERS PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS MANUFACTURE? SHADY BUSINESS! ALSO NOW MY RADIO DISPLAY IS GOING IN AND OUT-THINKING MAYBE ANOTHER FUSE ISSUE OR ELECTRICAL.
MY CAR WILL DISPLAY THE SERVICE ESC/TCS LIGHT AND THEN THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE MY CAR IS GOING TO DIE FOR NO REASON. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS, NORMALLY HAPPENS WHEN ROAD CONDITIONS ARE EXCELLENT. I USUALLY HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND TURN MY CAR OFF AND RESTART ENGINE, THEN CAR RUNS LIKE NEW AGAIN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE IMMOBILIZER INDICATOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE TIM LALLY CHEVROLET DEALER (440-359-8781, 24999 MILES RD, WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, OH 44128) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS KEPT FOR OBSERVATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
MY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. I REPLACED THE LIGHT AND IT WENT OUT THE NEXT DAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO GET SERVICED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE HEADLIGHT PIGTAIL WAS MELTED.I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM TO BE THE DRL RELAY SWITCH BECAUSE THERE ARE NUMEROUS CHEVROLET MODELS HAVING THIS PROBLEM.
RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WIRING HAS A SHORTAGE. IT CONTINUES TO GO OUT EVEN AFTER WIRE HARNESS CHANGED. I FIRST NOTICED THIS WHEN I WAS TRAVELLING TO CHICAGO FROM TEXAS AND JUST GOT IT CHANGED PRIOR TO THE TRIP. IT WORKED FOR A DAY THEN JUST HAD GONE OUT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF AND ON INDEPENDENTLY FIVE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS. IN ADDITION, THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING. THE CONTACT PLANNED ON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO BAYWAY CHEVROLET (5719 BROADWAY ST, PEARLAND, TX 77581, (281) 606-0465) FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,312.
MY 2011 MALIBU HAS STARTING ISSUES BUT IF I MESS WITH THE REAR FUSE BOX AND WIGGLE THE WIRES CONNECT TO IT, IT START. IT CUTS OFF VERY OFTEN. WHEN I TOOK IT TO DIFFERENT SHOPS NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THERE IS ONE MECHANIC THAT SAYS HE HAS RAN INTO THIS PROBLEM MULTIPLE TIME ESPECIALLY WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF RECALL OR EVEN A WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM.
MY PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT AND REPLACED IT FOUR TIMES. I HAD SUN CHEVY RT. 19 MCMURRAY PA REPLACE IT THE FIRST TIME, LAUREL AUTO SERVICE MUNHALL, PA REPLACE IT 2ND TIME IN 12/2017 AND I HAVE REPLACED IT TWICE IN 2018. I PURCHASED BULBS AT ADVANCED AUTO, W. HOMESTEAD, PA. I HAVE COPIES OF INVOICES IF NEEDED FOR DOCUMENTATION. I NOTICED IT WHEN DIVING VEHICLE OR AT NIGHT.THIS JUST HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY ON 8-30-2018. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM TO FIX AS YOU HAVE TO TAKE OFF FRONT SHROUD OF CAR EACH TIME TO REPLACE LIGHT BULB.
THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. AFTER REPLACING THE BULB. I HAVE REPLACED THE 4 TIMES WITHIN 3 MONTHS
THE CAR HAD A "SHORT" IN THE BLINKER. WHEN TRYING TO LOCATE THE SHORT, THE CAR WENT COMPLETELY OFF. IT APPEARS TO HA E TRIGGERED AN ANTI THEFT DEVICE. IN THIS MODE, YOU CAN DO NOTHING. SO, EVEN IN MY DRIVEWAY, I CAN'T GET THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO TOW IT. EVERYTHING IS LOCKED DOWN DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE BLINKER.
MY CAR WILL RANDOMLY SHOW THE OIL 100 ONE DAY AND NEXT IT'S 50% AND THE TIRES SENSERS WOULD SHOW LOW WHEN THE TIRE WOULD BE FULL AIR BAG WOULD SAY TO GET CHECKED THEN I'D TAKE IT IN FOR A OIL CHANGE AND EVERYTHING WOULD BE GOOD . NOTHING WRONG IT'S VERY ODD AND OFF
CAR SEAT (HEAT WARMER) CAUGHT ON FIRE
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Quick Summary
The 2011 Chevrolet Malibu has 61 Electrical System complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.