1,027 of the
29,413 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Malibu
are about the airbag system —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2010.
I was driving my car my electrical system is throwing all kinds of code.my sftey restrain is coming on to check my seat belt .the car goes blank .it stop in the middle of the road.this car has a lot of issues.can some one help me with this I work at the cardiologist office .
NHTSA complaint #11756284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was t-boned on the front side panel near the door at a high rate of speed. I would estimate well above the posted limit of 35 mph and my front and side airbags failed to deploy. I have video from the intersection and dash cam demonstrating the impact. My head hit off the steering wheel causing a concussion, neck and spine dislocations, bruising, and cracked xiphoid, dislocation on the left side of my chest, and cut on my ear. I went to the hospital, have the police report, and the two videos are also available. My car was totaled and towed to the lot off of Lamb, north of Craig Road.
NHTSA complaint #11752215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the driver's side curtain air bag erroneously deployed and struck the left side of the contact's head. The contact immediately pulled over to the side of the road. No warning light was illuminated before or after the failure. Police Officers arrived at the scene, but no police report was filed. The contact sustained a headache and a partial left-ear hearing loss. The contact received a paramedic evaluation. The following day, the contact was taken to the Emergency Room, where it was confirmed that the contact had not sustained a concussion. The vehicle was towed to an autobody shop, where it was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a field inspector would be sent to investigate the failure; however, the contact was later informed that the case was closed because the root cause of the air bags deployment could not be determined upon inspection. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
NHTSA complaint #11744780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hi my name Is [XXX] . JD Byrider financed me this car knowing that it had open recalls putting me and my family's lives in danger. The car has had electrical problems since Ive had it. Every other day different lights appear on the dashboard Service Airbags ,Service ABS and traction ESC off are some of the few. The car has been to their service department 14 times since Ive owned it each time they said its fixed then its right back in their shop again. I have one daughter with sickle cell disease and one with autism. My kids are afraid to ride in the car and Im afraid to drive it. Last Monday while bringing my kids to school every light on the dash board came on then the car shut down on me on the highway. If the car behind me wouldnt have swerved around me and the one behind it didnt jam their brakes my kids and i would have been seriously hurt or possibly killed. I got the car pulled to byrider they claim it was the alternator said it was fixed but soon as i started the car those same lights were on again. So i brought it back and the guy told me that was another problem and i would have to make another appointment. I cant keep putting myself and my kids in danger. I am returning Byrider their vehicle today. Please help us. Byrider cant keep taking advantage of poor people like myself. I am surrendering that car today. Please do not let them put that car back on the road. Someone is going to be seriously injured or killed. My name is [XXX] and my phone number is [XXX] . Thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11736721 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This vin is most likely affected by the aftermarket DTN inflator wheel airbag. Please let the final owner know of this. This vehicle was sold to Rightway Automotive credit from Tallmadge Ohio on October 19, 2022 who then sold it to the current owner.
NHTSA complaint #11732348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This vin is most likely affected by the aftermarket DTN inflator wheel airbag. Please let the final owner know of this. This vehicle was sold to Bargain Auto Sales Inc from West Palm beach on August 25, 2021.
NHTSA complaint #11732351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This vin is most likely affected by the aftermarket DTN inflator wheel airbag. Please let the final owner know of this. This vehicle was sold to Auto Boutique LLC from Jacksonville Florida on November 23, 2022.
NHTSA complaint #11732352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This vin is most likely affected by the aftermarket DTN inflator wheel airbag. Please let the final owner know of this. This vehicle was sold to Auto Boutique LLC from Jacksonville Florida on August 31, 2022.
NHTSA complaint #11732353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This vin is most likely affected by the aftermarket DTN inflator wheel airbag. Please let the final owner know of this. This vehicle was sold to Auto Boutique LLC from Jacksonville Florida on January 11, 2023 who then sold it to the current owner.
NHTSA complaint #11732355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle experienced a serious and ongoing electrical and system malfunction shortly after being returned from repairs related to a prior accident. Within a short period of driving, multiple warning messages and system errors began appearing simultaneously, indicating failures across several vehicle systems. The issues included repeated computer system faults affecting critical functions. The malfunction made the vehicle unreliable and unsafe to operate, as the errors appeared suddenly and without warning while driving. This created a significant safety risk due to the potential loss of vehicle control and unpredictable system behavior. The problem has been persistent and has not been properly resolved. The vehicle has remained at a repair facility for an extended period, where it has not been successfully diagnosed or repaired due to lack of proper equipment or manufacturer-certified technicians capable of addressing the issue. The defect has been observed but not corrected, and the vehicle has not been restored to safe operating condition. The condition has prevented normal use of the vehicle and has caused ongoing safety concerns. Warning indicators and system messages appeared prior to full failure and continued throughout attempts to operate the vehicle. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Car remain in shop over 6 months not full repair from electrical problem, head light issues and air bag defectiveness.
NHTSA complaint #11729126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am reporting a safety concern involving a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle was previously involved in accidents prior to my purchase and had known mechanical issues, including a gear shifting problem that was not properly repaired. In February 2024, while the vehicle was insured under Ocean Harbor Casualty Insurance Company, it sustained a significant front-end collision impacting the driver side. The impact was severe enough to cause structural damage, including a dent to the vehicle frame. Despite the severity of the collision, the airbags did not deploy at all. Based on the extent of the damage, airbag deployment would reasonably be expected. Prior to this incident, the vehicle had ongoing issues following repairs, including system errors and concerns that repairs may not have been properly completed by a certified facility. This raises concern that the airbag system may have been defective, improperly repaired, or compromised prior to the accident. I was not informed of any airbag or safety-related defects at the time of purchase from HGreg. I am submitting this complaint due to concerns of a potential safety defect involving failure of the airbag system during a serious collision.
NHTSA complaint #11727960 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her son was driving down the road at 35 MPH, he switched lanes into a blind spot and was t-boned by another vehicle traveling at the same speed. The contact stated the impact occurred on the driver's side, left front, and passenger doors, which caused the vehicle to spin out. The contact stated the passenger side then struck a light pole during the spin. The contact stated the driver's side windows were broken, and the entire passenger side of the vehicle was smashed. The contact stated that not a single air bag deployed during either impact. The contact stated no warning lights appeared on the dashboard prior to or during the incident. The contact stated a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was later moved to a body shop, where it was declared totaled. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 168,000.
NHTSA complaint #11726975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My airbag warning light and notification have came on and sometimes seat belt lights come on unexpectedly and will not go off I feel like this is a safety issue
NHTSA complaint #11725989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I haven’t been in an accident or even tapped anything with my vehicle but a system warning stating the airbags may be malfunctioning continuously flashed on the driver dashboard and now my “check engine” warning light is continuously lit.
NHTSA complaint #11718099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When I was in a car accident I was hit on the rear passenger side of my vehicle, right near where my side air bags are supposed to be located. I was hit at 50 mph and the airbags did not deploy.
NHTSA complaint #11707590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On December 24, 2025, the contact's 2023 Chevrolet Malibu was involved in a severe side-impact collision. The vehicle was struck on the rear passenger side by a full-size pickup truck traveling at high speed (est. 60 mph) that failed to stop at a red light. The impact caused the contact's vehicle to spin approximately 180 degrees and strike a concrete median sideways, generating high lateral G-forces. FAILURE 1: AIRBAG NON-DEPLOYMENT. Despite the severity of the impact and the violent spin into a curb (rollover trip point), the side curtain airbags and front seat-mounted side impact airbags failed to deploy. The failure of the restraint system caused the driver to be thrown against the driver-side door structure, striking their head on the window and B-pillar. The driver sustained a concussion, cervical strain, and lumbar strain. Medical records confirm the injuries are consistent with impact against the vehicle interior due to non-deployment. FAILURE 2: EMERGENCY TELEMATICS MALFUNCTION. Immediately post-collision, the driver attempted to manually activate the OnStar/SOS emergency buttons. The system failed to connect to an advisor. Instead, the vehicle's infotainment screen malfunctioned, opening a voice-to-text transcription application. The system then bypassed the vehicle's internal telematics module and attempted to route the emergency call to the owner's personal cell phone, indicating a complete failure of the vehicle's emergency communication hardware. This resulted in a 34-minute delay in coordinating professional assistance. Contact notes; while this vehicle currently shows 0 open recalls, the failure mechanism (sensor non-response during side impact) mimics the defect described in NHTSA Campaign 22V923000 (GM Recall N222392300), where improper welding of the front impact bar causes crash sensors to fail. The vehicle is available for inspection. Police and medical reports confirm the incident details. No warning lights were illuminated prior to crash.
NHTSA complaint #11707356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When I accelerate and try to stop brakes goes down to the floor. I’ve had my rotors. Brakes changed and it’s impossible to stop at times. Purchase vehicle. 2018 and the check engine light came on shortly after I purchased it. It’s been on. I’ve got diagnostics. It’s unknown why! Tire sensors has been changed, including with new tires and none of them work and the airbag light is illuminated. I am concerned about my safety in this vehicle. I reported many times and I’m unaware of any recalls. Please help.
NHTSA complaint #11699188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 30-35 MPH, another vehicle collided with her vehicle on the rear end of the vehicle as well as the rear passenger side. The contact mentioned that the seat belt did retract during the impact. The air bags on the front driver and passenger sides deployed partially. The vehicle was still drivable. The insurance company informed the contact that they are waiting for a response from the auto body shop. The vehicle was not deemed a total loss. The contact stated she did not sustain any injuries. No Medical Attention. A police report was filed, however the police report was unknown. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000.
NHTSA complaint #11686423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.