2011 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,526 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 66/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 90,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2011 sits among all Malibu years
What owners report
“Every year had to get my connector replaced because my light bulb keeps going out. Happening for the past 3 years.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Malibu
“I went to start my vehicle and immediately got an esc/power steering alert. I had no power steering and not able to drive my car.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Malibu
“My power steering keeps going in and out while i'm driving. The service esc light appears and then will turn off when i turn my car off”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Malibu
“Car had abs light come on mentime them check engine light light come on then abs light come on”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Malibu
“Transmission computer (tcm) failed at 87,700 miles. Part had to be replaced and reprogrammed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Malibu
“It have the air bag light on in the dash say service air bags and with the steering wheel when you drive it like it won't to lock up”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Malibu
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 1,086 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 54,000 and 110,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, the air bag inflator may explode due to being overpressurized.
Fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 25, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-522-9559. GM's…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured April 8, 2010, to October 11, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cables that connect the seat belts to the vehicle at the outside of the…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the outboard lap anchor mounting bracket and inspect the flexible steel cable, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November…
Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers 425-167, 2425167, and 7-3074, for installation on 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2010…
Fix: Dorman will notify owners, and dealers will refund the purchase price or replace the steering shafts, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Dorman customer service…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and…
Technical service bulletins
1,302 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2011 Malibu TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
The 2011 Chevrolet Malibu drew 1,526 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 66/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2011 Chevrolet Malibu problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu are electrical (364 complaints), other (249), and steering (212).
At what mileage do 2011 Chevrolet Malibu problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Chevrolet Malibu problems around 80,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 54,000 and 110,000 miles.
Does the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.