2012 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,472 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 65/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 94,300 miles.
Below average
Where 2012 sits among all Malibu years
What owners report
“Passenger side headlight( low beam) continues to go out after being replaced several times in a short amount of time, 2-3 weeks.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Malibu
“Will be driving and after applying the brake the service esc will come on and then my car does not want to stop.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Malibu
“Stationary steering wheel shakes, esc off light then it's says power steer steering wheel is almost impossible to move”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Malibu
“While driving on the highway at 55 mph, service ecs light came on, reduced power warning light came on and car came to a full stall.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Malibu
“The front passenger airbag light always say it is off when a passenger is riding in the front”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Malibu
“Warning on dashboard service traction control when applying the brakes. Brake lights does not come on when the service traction control come on. There has been a recall on this issue previously and issue still occurring.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Malibu
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 979 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 90,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 53,000 and 122,500 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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
1,336 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 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 2012 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
The 2012 Chevrolet Malibu drew 1,472 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 65/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2012 Chevrolet Malibu problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu are electrical (492 complaints), other (192), and steering (191).
At what mileage do 2012 Chevrolet Malibu problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Chevrolet Malibu problems around 90,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 53,000 and 122,500 miles.
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 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.