2012 Model Year

Chevrolet Malibu

NHTSA Complaints & Reliability Data

Compare
Complaints
901
Recalls
3
Crashes
50
Severe
90

Active Recalls

Manufacturer safety recalls

15V269000 May 2015

Other

No consequence data available

14E044000 Jul 2014

Other

No consequence data available

14V252000 May 2014

Other

No consequence data available

Recent Complaints

Latest owner reports

Steering
Feb 2026

i was driving and the steering wheel locked, the whole steering column has to be replaced it brought up a code saying torque input sensor i've only pu...

Seat Belts
Feb 2026

I have tried since July of 2025 to have a recall fixed I have been in contact with multiple dealerships for Chevy and none have contacted me to fix my...

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Feb 2026

Was driving home on the parkway and the headlights shut off on their own had to call for roadside assistance to get my vehicle home they will work on...

Steering
Jan 2026

The “service ESC” light came on while I was driving on the freeway causing the steering wheel to lock up and I couldn’t turn the wheel. It was really...

STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
Jan 2026

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the power steering warning light was illuminated, and the message "ESC OFF" was disp...

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),STEERING
Nov 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly lost motive power and cam...

STRUCTURE,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES Crash
Aug 2025

The brake caplier screw came out why driving the vehicle and broke the brake line and the vehicle lost control try to use the emergency brake and it d...

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER Fire
Aug 2025

Passenger and or driver side low beam headlight continues to go out. Mechanic has found connector keeps burning out the socket. Light is burnt out on...

Electrical System
Aug 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at 40 MPH the traction warning illuminated. The contact stated that the ABS...

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,AIR BAGS
Aug 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the temperature gauge began to indicate the vehicle was ove...

VS

Vehicle Safety Research Team

Automotive Data Analysts

Independent researchers analyzing NHTSA data to help consumers make informed vehicle decisions.

Data updated: March 4, 2026

Summary

The 2012 Chevrolet Malibu has 901 complaints and 3 recalls on record. The most commonly reported issue is Exterior Lighting. 50 crash-related incidents have been reported.

Complaint Trend