2012 Chevrolet Malibu ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING
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
Passenger and or driver side low beam headlight continues to go out. Mechanic has found connector keeps burning out the socket. Light is fine but connector is shorting out. Fire and safety issue. This issue is on a lot of chevrolet malibu and needs a recall fix.
Passenger side headlamp burned out took off bumper to inspect and the wiring pigtail to the headlight has melted causing it to malfunction so now in order to make it work you have to disconnect the daytime running lights so that the melting stops this is supposedly happened to a lot of Malibu's why there isn't a recall on this fire hazard is beyond me and it is a safety issue cuz you can't use your daytime running lights any longer. This issue has not been reported because upon investigation it's been reported many times and nothing gets done about it you have to pay for it yourself. This will be the last GM product.
Electrical problem causing the passenger side low beam to keep burning out. Fourth time in one year. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This issue causes a safety concern because you can be driving down the highway at night and all of a sudden you have no headlight.
The front exterior low beam bulbs / wiring harness keeps burning out. I have replaced them twice already and they have blown again. What is going on already a headache just to even get to the headlights, now have to spend MORE money to repair.
My brake lights constantly go out. My fuses keep blowing. Every time I try to adjust my mirrors the fuses blow for the mirrors and brake lights. Also my headlights keep blowing and the headlight harness has been changed and everything. It is very dangerous not having brake lights, or being able to adjust my mirrors.
The headlights keep.going out. I've replaced everything amd it keeps happening and it's not easy to even get to the headlight. This is a hazard as my 16 year old drives this car. We fix it and then it's out all.over again. This has to be a recall as I've done some research and im.not the only one with this problem. We've been pulled over and we just explained our frustration and they've been nice enough to send us on our way.
Passenger headlight continues to go out, replaced bulb and wiring harness multiple times
The brakes light keep going out they won’t blink the won’t turn on fuses are blowing
Passenger headlight caught fire while driving
Passenger side low beam headlight wont work. Replace fuses relays and wiring harness. Ive read online where this is very common with these cars and even replacing the headlight assembky isnt a sure fix.
I bought my chevy Malibu in 2018 from a used car dealership. A couple months after I bought it the radio blew. I tried replacing fuses it would not work. The lights keep blowing. I keep replacing them and have had a new pigtail that's been grounded. That replacement happened last Thursday. Right light has blown again. Short in electrical system. Cause battery to go down. Windows will only work sometimes and the same goes for the door locks. I currently waiting for a tow truck. The new battery will not start.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving, the brake light was illuminated. The contact stated that at the time she was not depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that when she was switching gears from either drive or reverse the brake light only illuminates once in gear and does not turn off. The contact also stated that the traction control warning light also illuminates while driving, however the vehicle does not drive any differently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised her that there was a recall on the same year, make and model vehicle as her vehicle NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) . The contact said she was advised that her vehicle had to be taken to the dealer to have her vehicle reprogrammed. The contact stated that she has not yet contacted the dealer or the manufacturer at this time. The failure milage was 60,000.
MY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS HAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING OR FROM THE HEADLIGHT BULB TO THE SHORT WIRING HARNESS TO THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS. I SENT GENERAL MOTORS A MESSAGE. THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR IT. IT IS A FACTORY FAULT. I ONLY GET SOCIAL SECURITY FOR MY FUNDS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT CONNECTORS WERE MELTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED 7 TIMES WITHIN THE PAST THREE MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH VOLTS GOING TO THE HEADLIGHT WIRING CONNECTORS CAUSING THE CONNECTORS TO MELT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VAN CHEVROLET (100 NW VIVION RD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64118, 816-527-8564) TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, A WEEK LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT EMAILED THE MANUFACTURER AND RECEIVED A RESPONSE WHICH STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
HAVING ISSUE WITH PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT AFTER REPLACING IT STILL SEE THE LIGHT GOES IN AND OUT I LOOKED UP THE ISSUE ONLINE AND SEE MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT AND EVERYBODY EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM THE LIGHT WILL GO IN AND OUT EVEN AFTER YOU REPLACE THE BULB.
I'VE CHANGED MY PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT 3 TIMES AND IT KEEPS GOING OUT. I'VE HAD THIS DONE 3 TIMES SINCE SEPTEMBER 2020. ALSO, MY LOCK AND UNLOCK BUTTONS DO NOT WORK, EXCEPT FOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, ONLY THE UNLOCK SIDE OF THE BUTTON WORKS. I'VE HAD THIS CAR SINCE SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER I BELIEVE OF 2018. IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING AND I'VE WAISTED OVER $500 GETTING IT REPLACED.
MY 2012 CHEVY MALIBU PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HAS GONE OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN A YEAR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE FOR THE CHEVY MALIBU. ENTRIES STATING SIMILAR ISSUES SPECIFICALLY EFFECTING THE SAME PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM, TOTALED MORE THAN 300 ON CARPROBLEMZOO.COM THIS IS NOT ONLY A MONETARY ISSUE, NOT ONLY A RESOURCE ISSUE, BUT A SIGNIFICANT RISK TO OPERATOR AND BYSTANDER SAFETY. IF GM DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE SUPPLIED A FAULTY PRODUCT, AS DESCRIBED BY THE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS LISTED ONLINE, THEY ARE COMPLICIT TO ANY ACCIDENTS OR INJURY CAUSED BY THEIR LACK OF ACTION AND CONCERN. MY OWN EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN FRIGHTENING, NOTICING A LACK OF POWER AFTER I'M ALREADY ON THE ROAD, ONLY SEEING ONE LIGHT FROM MY CAR REFLECTING ON ANOTHER CAR OR SURFACE. THE GENERAL PUBLIC TAKES GREAT CARE TO MAKE SURE THEIR VEHICLES CAN BOTH SAFELY OPERATE AND TRANSPORT THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. WITH THIS DAMAGED PART IN CHEVY'S MALIBU, MAKING GREAT STRIDES FOR A SAFE VEHICLE COULD BE FOR NOTHING IF THE LIGHT DOES NOT DO ITS JOB. WITH THIS IN MIND, PLEASE CONSIDER THE CLIMATE WE LIVE IN TODAY. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FAULTY HEADLIGHT, AND A RELIABLE LIGHT, COULD MEAN LIFE OR DEATH NOT ONLY FOR THOSE ON THE ROAD, BUT FOR POC, TARGETED BY POLICE, FOR A FAULTY HEADLIGHT. IN 2015, DARRIUS STEWART WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2009 CHEVY MALIBU. HE UNJUSTLY LOST HIS LIFE TO A POLICE OFFICER AFTER THE DRIVER WAS PULLED OVER FOR WHAT DO YOU ASK? A HEADLIGHT OUT. DARRIUS STEWART. GENERAL MOTORS- RECALL. HTTP://CHNG.IT/RPXWYMBW9V
THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT. A MELTED SOCKET WAS THE FIRST ISSUE. IT WAS REPAIRED A MONTH AGO AND NOW THE SAME PROBLEM IS AGAIN AT PLAY. THERE MUST BE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES THAT MANY HAVE REPORTED. IT COSTS DEARLY TO HAVE A MECHANIC TAKE APART THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND WORK ON THE LIGHTS SINCE YOU MUST TAKE OFF THE WHOLE FRONT BUMPER TO ACCESS THE HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE PAID FOR REPAIR AND BULB REPLACEMENT ALREADY IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. TO SEE IT HAPPENING AGAIN IS VERY DISCOURAGING.
VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. DEALERSHIP CHANGED FUSE BOX AND WIRING IN TRUNK DUE TO MELTING. NOW LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING. REPLACED ONE MONTHS AGO, NOW BOTH NOT WORKING AGAIN. NOTICED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE.
THREE TIMES IN TWO MONTHS THE PASSENGER LOW BEAM HAS GONE OUT. I WORK NIGHTS AND EACH TIME IT HAS GONE OUT IT HAS BEEN WHILE I AM DRIVING TO WORK IN THE DARK. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND NO CLEAR ANSWER HAS BEEN GIVEN ON HOW TO FIX THE ISSUE.
LOW BEAM LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY GOING OUT. BULB IS STILL GOOD. HAVE REPLACED BULB. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED SOME WIRING OR HARNESS. NOW PASSWNGER SIDE LOW BEAM IS OUT AGAIN!
PASSENGER HEAD LIGHT HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES IT KEEPS TURNING OFF. LIGHT BULB IS NOT BURNED. WHEN TAPING ON OR MOVING WIRES LIGHT GOES ON REPLACED WIRES AND STILL HAVING SAME ISSUE. VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT TIME. ALL THIS HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED ON.
FUSE 6 BLOWS WHEN LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED. IT FIRST BLEW IN OCT 2018, THEN NOT AGAIN UNTIL DECEMBER (SEVERAL TIMES) AND STILL HAPPENING AGAIN IN JAN 2019. SIGNALS WILL WORK FINE FOR A DAY OR TWO AFTER REPLACING FUSE, BUT THEN FUSE BLOWS AGAIN.
HEADLAMP HARNESS KEEPS BURNING CAUSING HEADLAMP TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE. HAVE REPLACED MULTIPLE BULBS AS WELL AS BOTH HARNESSES WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND AGAIN, HARNESS HAS BURNT AND MY LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS DO NOT WORK. READING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, I BELIEVE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT FEATURE. I'VE NOTICED THE ISSUE BOTH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AND WHEN IT'S STATIONARY. WHILE THERE HASN'T BEEN A FIRE AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE YET, I'M SURE IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME.
I HAVE REPLACED MY LOW BEAMS 3 TIMES THIS YEAR. THE FIRST TIME I REAPLACED ALL THE BULBS. THE SECOND TIME I REAPLACED BOTH WIRING HARNESS AND BULBS. A MONTH AGO I REPLACED THE PASSENGER BULB AND NOW THE DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM IS OUT AGAIN. IT HAS COST ME ANYWHERE FROM $100-$200 EACH TIME TO DO THIS! I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY DASH TELLING ME SERVICE ESC, ESC OFF, AND SERVICE TRACTION. A RECALL IN 2014 ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE AND MY VIN SAYS THE RECALL HAS BEEN SERVICED BUT I AM STILL HAVING THIS ISSUE. IT HAPPENS WITH THE CAR IN PARK AND WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES IT STAYS ON FOR HOURS SOMETIMES MINUTES.
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Quick Summary
The 2012 Chevrolet Malibu has 55 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.