Problems · by component

2013 Chevrolet Malibu electronic stability control (esc) problems

84 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu cite electronic stability control (esc), 9% of all 924 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
84
9% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electronic stability control (esc)

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE EASSIST SYSTEM. THE AUTO STOP FUNCTION CAUSE THE CAR TO STALL AND STOP AND SHAKE SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING AND STOP AT THE LIGHT OR STOP SIGN I HAVE TO DRIVE IN MANUEL MODE TO DRIVE THE CAR. IF THE CAR NOT IN PART OF IT'S NEUTRAL THE CAR HAS ROLLED BACKWARDS OFF THE PARKING PAD. THAT HAPPENED JUST ONE TIME TO ME. AFTER READING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE REPORTING THIS, I KEEP THE SAFETY BREAK ON. ALSO I READ ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE E ASSIST . I'M CURRENTLY HAVING THE SAME ISSUES BUT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED. I GOT THE CAR USED AND ONLY HAD IT FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2020Unknown or other, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11372798
“WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CUTS OFF, MAKING IT HARD TO STEER AND AFFECTING OTHER ELECTRICAL CONTROLS SUCH AS: TOUCH SCREEN, LIGHTS, AND CONTROL PANEL. THE SYSTEM USUALLY SHUTS OFF FOR A BRIEF MOMENT WHEN UTILIZING POWER LOCKS, TURN SIGNALS, AND POWER WINDOWS. RECENTLY, THE ENGINE WON'T START BUT AFTER WAITING FOR A FEW MOMENTS, IT STARTS UP AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST 8 MONTHS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2020Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11365461
“AFTER ABOUT A MONTH WITH MY CAR MY BLUETOOTH SYSTEM WENT OUT AND WOULD NOT LET ME CONNECT, THEN AFTER SWITCHING TO THE ACTUALLY USB PORT TO PLAY MUSIC AND TALK IT STILL WILL NOT CONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 26, 2020Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11361287
“CAR WILL STALL OUT AND WON'T GO AT TIME WITHOUT PUMPING THE GAS. WE HAVE REPLACED VACUUM PUMP AND BOTH O2 SENSORS. POWER STEERING LOCKS UP WHEN HITTING A SMALL BUMP, WON'T START UNLESS I MOVED THE DRIVERS SEAT UP AND BACK, IF I USE THE BLINKERS MY RADIO GOES OFF IF I USE MY HIGH BEAMS THE RADIO FREEZES. IT WILL DO WEEKS WITH NO ISSUES THEN ONE DAY IT WILL START ACTING UP AND DOES IT FOR DAYS OR WEEKS. CHEVY SAYS THERE IS NO RECAP FOR THAT MODEL BUT I'VE READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THINGS SO WHY IS IT NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY GM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 24, 2020Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc), Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11360864
“IS BEEN A FEW TIMES WHEN I'M IN A LIGHT AND WHEN I'M ABOUT TO TAKE OFF THE CAR LIKE HOLDS UP AND IT DOESN'T WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD UNLESS I HIT THE GAS HARDER OR JUST PARK IT AND SHUT IT OFF AND IS BEEN SMOKING TROUGH THE A.C. IN LESS THEN 6 MONTHS I HAD TO REPAIR SERTAIN STUFF 3 TIMES. FIRST I TOOK IT TO REPLACE THE FAN ASSEMBLY HYBRID BATTERY AND A NEW HYBRID BATTERY THE OIL FILTER AND THE OIL GASKET CAUSE IT WAS LEAKING OIL AND UPDATE THE SOFTWARE. I TOOK IT OUT IN 3 WEEKS IT WAS BACK IN THE SHOP CAUSE I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAINS AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND PREFORM A SYSTEM SCAN WICH FOUND THAT THERE IS A MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE AND ALSO THE HIGH FUEL PRESSURE WAS MAKING SLOT OF NOISE. AND PUT A NEW HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PIPE. I SPENCER A FEW DOLLARS ON THAT. I TOOK IT OUT IT WAS OK TILL IT STARTED GROWING SMOKE TROUGH THE A.C AGAIN IT KEEPED HOLDING BACK ON ME IN THE LIGHTS AND IT SHUTED OFF ON ME TWICE IN WERE I HAD TO HIT PARKING AND SHUT OFF AND BACK ON SO IT CAN WORK. AND FINALLY WOKE I'M DRIVING ON SOUTH 95 IN 60MPH THE CAR STARTED SMOKING TROUGH THE A.C THEN IT MADE THIS LOUD NOISE IN THE MOTOR SO WHEN I…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 6, 2020Electronic stability control (esc), Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11353409
“MY CHEVY MALIBU STALLED OUT ON 3 OCCASIONS NOW. THIS OCCURS AFTER BEING AT A STOP AND APPLYING PRESSURE ON THE GAS TO PLACE THE CAR BACK IN MOTION. I WAS NEARLY STRUCK BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE ON 2 OCCASIONS WHEN THE CAR STALLED OUT. WOULD HAVE HAD AMPLE TIME AT A GREEN LIGHT HAD THE VEHICLE NOT STALLED. POWER STEERING IS LOST WHEN THIS OCCURS. I HAVE TO POWER OFF AND REPOWER THE VEHICLE TO GET STARTED AGAIN, RESULTING IN SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND A SMELL OF BURNT RUBBER.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2020Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 11344158

Showing 6 of 84 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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