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2010 Chevrolet Malibu: engine and transmission complaints

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
25%
261 of 1,047 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 25% of relevant complaints.

Better than 79% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 315 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 19%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
261
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
1,362
this model year
Fires reported
14
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
41 crashes · 47 injuries

Complaints by component

STEERING455 · 33%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM294 · 22%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)227 · 17%
SERVICE BRAKES200 · 15%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING194 · 14%
AIR BAGS145 · 11%

The years either side

2010
25%
261 of 1,362
2011
40%
289 of 977
2012
30%
175 of 906
2013
35%
291 of 922
2014
51%
173 of 363
2015
50%
107 of 270
2016
55%
456 of 861
2017
58%
399 of 724
2018
64%
436 of 706
2019
65%
120 of 189
2020
58%
111 of 198
2021
51%
42 of 88
2022
58%
53 of 96
2023
34%
21 of 68

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

What owners reported

STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN,E04/15/2016CRASH2 INJURED
RIGHT NOW I HAVE THE SERVICE ESC AND SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT ON AGAIN FOR THE 3RD TIME. I TOOK EACH TIME TO CHEVY CLASSIC IN GRAPEVINE TX AND THEY TOLD ME NO CODES THE 1ST TIME, TOOK IT TO CLAY COOLEY IN IRVING--LIGHT CAME ON THEN NO CODES THEY SHOWED. TODAY 4-15=16 LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND I TOOK IT TO CLASSIC CHEVY A…
STEERING,SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,STRUCTU06/12/2014CRASH2 INJURED
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY ROUGH TO TURN. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY AND THE BATTERY CONTINUED TO DRAIN PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION WAS UNSTABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN T…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM06/07/2025
The car will drive but is unable to turn. It's like the steering wheel is locked.

Three of 261 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (4)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
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 veh…
STEERING
Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers …

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.