2011 Chevrolet Malibu problems
Owners have filed 1,530 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 15% of complaints. After that come steering (14%) and stability control (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,530 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 15% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 71 and 25
- Injuries and deaths
- 78 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 80,000 miles 1,122 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 95 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 91 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 159 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 215 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 201 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 147 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 106 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 47 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 40 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 15 |
| 200k+ miles | 6 |
What the data shows
Among the 1,122 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 80,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 80,000 miles (161 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 71 complaints mention a crash; 25 complaints mention a fire; 78 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2011 ranks 8th most-complained-about out of 28 model years of the Chevrolet Malibu with enough data (739 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
After having repairs made at the dealership for drivers seat heater not working. The driver seat heater element was replaced, I had driven approximately 20 miles when the seat started smoking and caught fire. By the time I got the car stopped and pulled to the side of the road the inside of the car was filled with smoke and the drivers seat was completely on fire. With the help of another motorist I was able to get out of the car. I received severe burns to my right leg and hands.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet malibu. While driving 65 MPH, the driver's seat heater burned a hole in the contact's coat. The consumer stated she was burned on the back under the right shoulder blade. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer (lithia chevrolet of redding, 200 e. Cypress avenue, redding, ca, 96002) advised the contact to schedule an appointment for diagnostic testing. The failure mileage was approximately 69,621.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while at a stop, a vehicle crashed into the contact's vehicle. As a result the contact crashed into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and there were two injuries reported. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 140,000.
As I was leaving work at night, I unlocked my doors with the key remote and I went to reach for my driver's side door handle and couldn't open the door. I tried locking and unlocking the door a couple times and I even tried to unlock it manually but could not open the driver's side door. I finally had to climb in through the passenger side door to get into the car. I have noticed that in the past when I went to shut my door it would just bounce of the latch, and I just attributed that to it needed lubrication.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while reversing out of a parking space at an unknown speed, the piece of plastic detached from the middle console and covered the accelerator pedal causing the vehicle to accelerate without warning. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.