Problems · by component

2004 Chevrolet Malibu electronic stability control (esc) problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu cite electronic stability control (esc), 1% of all 1,698 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
25
1% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electronic stability control (esc)

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WHILE DRIVING CAR STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO MAKE A CLICKING SOUND BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT THEN WHEN I STOPED CAR BATTERY NEEDED TO BE JUMPED STARTED BECOME HARD TO CONTROL CAR AND IT SEEMED AS IF CAR WANTED TO LOSE POWER I WAS ON WATERMAN AND BASELINE. ON THE STREET WHEN IT BEGAN..07/15/2020 I HAD RECALL N140226 14116 WITH A CHEVY MANUFACTURER MALIBU DEALERSHIP”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2020Steering, Wheels, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11353253
“THE DASH HAS ABS, TCH AND SECURITY LIGHT COMES SHORTLY AFTER CAR HAS BEEN STARTED WITH IN SCOUND COMES A BEEPING SOUND WERE ALL THREE LIGHTS STAY ON UNTIL ENGINE IS CUT OFF. THE LIGHT BULBS HAS MELTED PLASTIC COVER ON THE FRONT TURN SIGNAL/PARK LAMP DRL. WHEN SPEED IS INCREASING ON HIGH WAY FREE WAY CAR TENDS TO PULL LEFT ON ITS OWN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 8, 2020Steering, Suspension, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11338113
“CLUNKING SOUND THAT YOU CAN FEEL IN THE FOOT PEDAL AND WHEN YOU ROCK STEERING WHEEL BACK IN FORTH AND CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT ENDIN STEERING WHEEL AND UNABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE FELLING OVER LOOSING CONTROL OF CAR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 17, 2019Steering, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 11196854
“NO STEERING,STEERING TURNS AROUND AND AROUND WITHOUT STOP TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION,RIGHT OR LEFT. SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED,SPENT APPROXIMATELY $1200.00 BEFORE. CAR THIS TIME ENDED IN A TOW POUND YARD. TRIPLE AAA MOVED MY CAR TO A SHOP CALLED QUICK STOP WHERE I WANTED TO GET MY CAR FIXED AT ONLY TO DISCOVER THEY DIDN'T DO ELECTRICAL WORK WHICH THEY DISCOVERED WAS THE PROBLEM AMONG OTHERS. AGAIN THE TOWING COMPANY TRIPLE AAA CARRIED IT TO WEBB CHEVROLET SUGGESTED BY THIS SHOP. WEBB CHEVROLET DISCOVERED ALSO ELECTRICAL ISSUES. MY INSURANCE NOTIFIED ME AFTER I CONTACT THEM FOR A CLAIM REPORT. AN ESTIMATOR WAS SENT TO WEBB CHEVROLET ALSO THEY DISCOVERED AFTER A TEAR DOWN DIAGNOSIS THAT IT IS A RECALL ISSUES. NOW YOU ARE BEING NOTIFIED BY ME,RUBY WELLS OF THESE PROBLEMS. THIS IS WHY IM NOTIFYING YOU OF THE RECALLS FOUND ON THIS MAKE,MODEL AND YEAR 2004 VEHICLE. NOT STATIONARY,IT WAS IN MOTION WHEN HAPPENED ON CITY STREET. MY SON WAS ARRESTED FOR NO REASON $2000 BAIL TIMES 2 . COURT JUDGE THROUGH CASE OUT ON APRIL 45TH 2019 AFTER DISCOVERING BOGUS TICKETS WRITING AND ARRESTS THEY INDICATED THERE WAS NO INSURANCE ON VEHICLE AND HAD MY CAR TOWED TO POUND WITHIN…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 5, 2019Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11194247
“WHEN DRIVING MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME HARD TO TURN AS IF I DON'T HAVE ANY POWER STEERING FLUID WHILE DRIVING THE CAR... AND THE ODOMETER WILL STOP WORKING AND THEN GO UP AND DOWN MY DRIVE CONTROL LIGHTS WILL STOP WORKING AND BELOW WHERE THE ODOMETER IS THE NUMBERS WILL TURN INTO SAYING ERROR THEN MY CAR WILL NOT CRANK PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 17, 2018Steering, Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11162110
“IM HAVING SERIOUS BRAKE PROBLEMS I ALMOST HAD A MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF MY THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAR BRAKES BY ITSELF SPECIALLY WHEN I SPEED UP TO 50MPH AND ABOVE. AND ALSO THE BRAKE PEDAL WONT DISENGAGE BY ITSELF WHEN BRAKING AND THE WHOLE CAR STARS SHAKING UNCONTROLABLE. AND IM AFRAID EVERYDAY MORE AND MORE THAT I MIGHT KILL MYSELF DRIVING THIS CAR BECAUSE THIS IS MY ONLY CAR I HAVE AND DRIVE EVERYWHERE I NEED TO GO SPECIALLY NOW THAT IM EXPECTING A BABY BOY I CONSTANTLY NEED CHECK UPS IN MY CLINIC I GO TOO. MOST OF MY BRAKING PROBLEMS ACCURED WHILE IM DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY BUT SOMETHING I DONT NEED TO BE ON THE FREEWAY FOR ALK THIS TO HAPPEN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 24, 2018Wheels, Unknown or other, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11153468

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.