2012 Chevrolet Malibu: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1470 complaints
1470
Total Complaints
87,000mi
Median Mileage
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Top Issue
93
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

48,662 25th Percentile
87,000 Median Mileage
120,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
281
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
195
STEERING
188
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
129
AIR BAGS
99
ENGINE
99
SERVICE BRAKES
65
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
52
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
51
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
51

Severity Assessment

93
Crashes
24
Fires
66
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"THIS CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AS IT BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN ON A BUSY STREET, AND THEN WOULD NOT DRIVE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN, BUT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD, EVEN AFTER GAS PEDAL WAS PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. IT, IN FACT, STARTED COASTING BACKWARDS WHEN IT WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. NO INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. IT ..."
"THIS CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AS IT BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN ON A BUSY STREET, AND THEN WOULD NOT DRIVE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN, BUT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD, EVEN AFTER GAS PEDAL WAS PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. IT, IN FACT, STARTED COASTING BACKWARDS WHEN IT WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. NO INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. IT ..."
"A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WITH 64 MILES. WHILE DRIVING ON A RURAL ROAD, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE ACCELERATOR STOPPED WORKING. AFTER I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, IT WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. THIS CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE HAD I LOST CONTROL ON A MORE TRA..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28