Problems · by component

2010 Chevrolet Malibu structure problems

44 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu cite structure, 3% of all 1,365 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
44
3% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the structure

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS GOING TO WORK , WHEN I ARRIVED AT WORK MY DRIVER FRONT DOOR WAS STUCK SHUT IT WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE . I HAD TO CRAWL OVER CONSOLE TO GET OUT OF CAR THRU PASSENGER SIDE, AND NOW I HAVE TO GET IN IT TO DRIVE IT FROM PASSENGER SIDE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 17, 2020StructureODI 11349762
“FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WON'T OPEN. THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN USING EITHER THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND I CAN USUALLY GET IT WORKING BY OPENING THE DOOR WINDOW AND MANUALLY LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE DOOR WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PULLING AND RELEASING THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE. SOMEHOW THIS REESTABLISHES THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AND IT WILL OPEN. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 31, 2020StructureODI 11306294
“FRONT DOOR LOCKS MECHANISM SEIZES PREVENTING THEM FROM OPENING EITHER FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, OCCUPANTS WILL BE TRAPPED. I HAD TO CHANGE BOTH FRONT DOORS AT 5 YEARS OF LIFE AND THEN AGAIN AT 8 (DRIVERS). BOTH TIMES ORIGINAL OEM PARTS. INVOICES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 22, 2020StructureODI 11301018
“DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR FAILED TO OPEN BACK IN AUGUST 2015, FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL NOW NOT OPEN AS OF 5/30/19. SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, NEITHER FRONT DOOR WILL OPEN. PULLED INTO A PARKING GARAGE AND TRIED EXITING THRU THE PASSENGER SIDE ( LIKE I HAVE THE LAST 3+ YEARS) AND DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. HAD TO CLIMB OUT THRU THE BACKSEAT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 30, 2019StructureODI 11210858
“DOOR LOCKS DON'T UNLOCK THE DOORS TRAPPING OCCUPANTS INSIDE THE CAR. MANUAL OR ELECTRICAL DON'T WORK. MODULES ARE DEFECTIVE, AND MANUAL LOCK PULL DOES NOT WORK EITHER. VEHICLE COULD BE RUNNING OR NOT RUNNING-STILL DOES NOT WORK. IF YOU ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND TRY THE OUTSIDE HANDLE, STILL DOES NOT WORK. SOLENOID, IN THE DOORS MAKE A SOUND LIKE THE DOORS UNLOCK, BUT THEY DON'T. MAYBE ONE IN THE BACK WILL WORK, BUT VERY DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. YOUR STUCK WITH NO OPTIONS TO GET OUT. THIS IS A VERY SEVER SAFTY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS. TRIED TO BUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, AND BACK INTO PARK AND TURN OFF THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES WITH NO LUCK. TRIED TO ROCK THE DOOR LOCK SWITCH DOES NOT HELP. BELIEVE THE MODULES ARE DEFECTIVE. DOOR PULLS FOR UNLOCKING THE DOORS SHOULD STILL WORK, EVEN IF THE POWER WAS LOST. THEY DO NOT. TRIED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AND STATIONARY. BECAUSE I WAS STUCK IN THE CAR, I WENT AROUND THE BLOCK WONDERING IF IT WAS A CHARGING PROBLEM. IT'S NOT, AFTER GOING AROUND THE BLOCK AND PULLING BACK INTO THE DRIVE WAY, THEY STILL DID NOT WORK. WHEN CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND TRIED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS STILL DID NOT WORK. HAD TO CHECK THE BACK…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 31, 2018StructureODI 11144596
“2010 CHEVY MALIBU BRAKE LIGHT ON WITHOUT BRAKE BEING APPLIED CAR SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON AND SERVICE ESC I BELIEVE IT'S DUE TO A BAD BODY CONTROL MODULE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 17, 2018Electrical system, Structure, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11141147

Showing 6 of 44 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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