2010 Chevrolet Malibu — Known Issues & Recalls

Your 2010 Malibu's electric power steering assist motor is failing and only works after you reset the system. You nearly lost power steering while driving, which is a serious safety issue. While older Malibus (2004-2009) were recalled for this same motor defect at no cost, your 2010 model only qualifies for limited special coverage (10 years/150,000 miles from original purchase) rather than a full recall with no expiration date. Fixing this typically requires replacing the electric power steering assist motor, which can cost around $1,500.

Your steering wheel twitches and may be failing due to a faulty torque steering sensor, making the car unsafe to drive. This sensor helps control steering response, and when it malfunctions, it can cause unpredictable steering behavior. The sensor will need to be diagnosed and likely replaced to restore normal steering function.

Your power steering intermittently fails, making the steering wheel harder to turn. You may see a power steering warning light on your dashboard, and the problem can occur when you start the car or while driving. Turning the engine off sometimes clears the issue temporarily, but it usually returns.

Your power steering has stopped working completely. This means the steering wheel will be much harder to turn, requiring significantly more physical effort. You should have this inspected and repaired as soon as possible, as it affects your ability to control the vehicle safely. The fix will likely involve diagnosis of the power steering system, which may include checking the power steering pump, fluid levels, hoses, or the steering control module.

While driving between 30-40 MPH, your power steering assist warning light came on. When you tried to make a left turn, the steering wheel became hard to turn and vibrated noticeably. This made the vehicle difficult to maneuver. The issue occurred at approximately 120,000 miles and has not been repaired.

Your power steering randomly shuts off, which also disables the traction control—a dangerous problem on snowy roads. You have to lift the steering wheel slightly when starting the car to get the power steering to work again. The issue is likely related to a faulty steering angle sensor or torque position sensor. Repairs will likely involve diagnosing and replacing the affected sensor.

Your power steering has stopped working, making the steering wheel difficult to turn while driving. When the car is parked or idling, you may notice the steering wheel shakes. Additionally, the ESC (Electronic Stability Control) warning light illuminates on your dashboard. This issue likely involves diagnosing the power steering pump and electrical connections that control the steering and stability system.

Your steering wheel has become very hard to turn, making it difficult to steer your car. Your dashboard cluster lights and brake lights have stopped working, suggesting an electrical problem in your vehicle.

Your turn signal lever doesn't automatically shut off after you complete a turn, which means your blinker stays on and confuses drivers behind you—they may think you're still turning and try to pass, creating a dangerous situation. This problem has existed since the vehicle was new and has been confirmed by multiple repair shops. The fix will likely involve inspecting or replacing the turn signal switch mechanism that's supposed to automatically reset the lever.

Your shift lever is stuck in park and won't move into drive. Additionally, your traction control light is coming on and preventing your cruise control from working. This appears to be a known issue covered under a GM recall, and the repair is costing approximately $500.

Your passenger side curtain airbags deployed unexpectedly while you were driving on the highway, even though there was no collision or reason for them to activate. The sudden deployment startled you, but fortunately didn't cause an accident. The airbag system may need diagnostic testing to identify why it deployed incorrectly.

Your car is displaying a warning light indicating the airbags are not operational. This is due to a faulty connector in the airbag sensor wiring, which General Motors identified in a 2014 recall (document 13040A). You may not have been notified about this recall, but other Chevrolet Malibu owners are experiencing the same issue. The fix will likely involve inspecting and replacing the faulty airbag sensor connector.

Your driver's seat bracket has broken, causing the seat to sag to the right and the backrest to rise up. In a crash, this could cause the seat to break away from its frame, potentially causing serious injury to the driver. The sudden shift in seat position could also startle you and cause you to lose control of the car. Fixing this will likely require replacing the seat bracket and having the welds inspected or reinforced.

The lug studs on your wheels keep breaking repeatedly, regardless of how they're installed. This is a serious safety issue since your wheel could separate from the vehicle while driving. The fix will likely involve replacing the damaged lug studs and having the wheel assembly inspected to ensure proper fitment and alignment.

Your car drives but the steering wheel feels locked and won't turn. This makes the car impossible to steer safely. The issue may involve the electrical system, steering mechanism, or fuel system components working together.

You discovered a mileage discrepancy with your 2010 Chevrolet Malibu after purchase. When you bought the car, the odometer showed 159,000 miles, but an O'Reilly diagnostic report indicated the vehicle had actually been driven 192,000 miles, suggesting the odometer may have been rolled back. This is a case of potential odometer fraud on a private sale.

Your brake lights aren't working correctly—they fail to turn on when you press the brake pedal, but they light up when you release it. This is the opposite of how they should work. Even though this issue was supposed to be fixed under a previous recall repair, the problem has returned. The dealer was unable to diagnose or repair the issue. Fixing this will likely require inspection and replacement of the brake light switch or wiring associated with the brake light circuit.

Your brake lights stay on constantly, and your traction control light is illuminated. You had the brake light switch replaced at a shop, but the problem returned two days later. You've identified a recall (NHTSA14V252) that matches your issue, but the Chevrolet dealership says the recalls are no longer open even though they show up on your vehicle's record.

Your brake lights aren't working reliably — they fail to turn on when you brake, and sometimes they illuminate when you're not braking. At the same time, your traction control warning light keeps turning on and off, which disables your cruise control. You've replaced the brake sensors twice yourself, but the problem keeps coming back, and the dealer couldn't figure it out even though your car was previously repaired for a similar issue. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the electrical connection between your brake pedal sensor and the lighting system, or potentially replacing the entire brake light switch assembly.

Your brake lights are staying on even when you're not pressing the brake pedal, which could confuse other drivers and make them think you're braking when you're not. You're also experiencing intermittent service traction and ESC warning lights, plus your cruise control cutting out unexpectedly. You already replaced the brake pedal sensor without solving the problem, and your VIN doesn't show any active recalls even though this matches a known GM recall. The fix will likely involve diagnosing and replacing the faulty brake light switch or related electrical wiring that's causing the brake lights to illuminate incorrectly.