2011 Chevrolet Malibu Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu, and owners have filed 978 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
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3 safety recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags)
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.
Remedy: 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 number for this…
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Seat belts
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 driver seat and the front passenger seat may be bent from being sat on while…
Remedy: 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 16, 2015. Owners…
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Electronic stability control (esc) and 4 other components
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 manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura…
Remedy: 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 will relearn the brake…
978 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu have filed 978 complaints with NHTSA; 40 describe a crash and 17 describe a fire. Reports cite 41 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 81,789 miles. Complaints peaked in 2015 with 161 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“My power steering went out while pulling out of a parking spot. The message read “power steering/service ESC. I have read that these vehicles between the years 2007-2012 had a recall for this issue. M”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 22, 2026 · Steering
“Power steering assist motor is out and it was under recall in 2011 but it was out of the recall window but it has less than 150000 miles”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 28, 2026 · Steering
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 20–26 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17–22 / 25–32 |
| Fuel | Gasoline or E85, Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 4/6 cyl, 2.4/3.6 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6) |
Compare Chevrolet Malibu model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Chevrolet Malibu model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
How do I know if my 2011 Chevrolet Malibu has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Chevrolet dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 14V252000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Chevrolet models
- Silverado 150018,029 complaints
- Impala10,434 complaints
- Tahoe10,032 complaints
- Equinox9,161 complaints
- Silverado8,799 complaints
- Blazer8,192 complaints
- Suburban8,164 complaints
- Cobalt7,681 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.