Problems · by component
2017 Chevrolet Malibu electronic stability control (esc) problems
54 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu cite electronic stability control (esc), 7% of all 727 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
54
7% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electronic stability control (esc)
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN MY CAR DISPLAYED A WARNING ON THE DASH THAT THE POWER IS REDUCED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE SPEED REDUCED TO 20 AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. I RESTARTED IT AFTER A MINUTE AND THE TRACTION LIGHT WENT OFF BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON. THE CAR THEN DROVE AT NORMAL SPEED THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. THIS IS TERRIFYING AS I DIDN'T HAVE A SHOULDER TO PULL OFF AND HAD TO PULL IN SOMEONES DRIVEWAY. LUCKILY NOBODY PLOWED INTO ME. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR ANYWHERE”
“DRIVING AND MY CAR WOULDN'T STOP BECAUSE MY STABLITRAK AND ABS SYSTEM MALFUNCTION AND NOW THE DEALER IS SAYING I NEED A VACUUM PUMP AND THROTTLE CHANGE. THIS IS A KNOW ISSUES IN THE GM CARS JUST SEEN ON GOOGLE THAT A GLOBAL LETTER WAS SENT OUT AUG OF 2019 ABOUT THIS ISSUES BUT I NEVER RECEIVED IT. THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND WE SHOULD BE GIVEN OUR MONEY BACK. I HAVE 2017 CHEVY MALIBU AND I FEEL THIS PREMEDITATED MURDER BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S A ISSUE AND I COULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE JULY 30 2020 AT 959PM”
“EVERYTIME I STOP AT A RED LIGHT OR BRAKE THE VEHICLE(WHEN COMING TO A STOP IN TRAFFIC)THE CAR COMPLETELY CUTS OFF.THE ALERT STEERING ASSIST IS REDUCED, DRIVE WITH CARE CONSTANTLY COMES ON WHENEVER THERE IS AN AUTO STOP AND THE CAR RESTARTS. THE RADIO AND AIR WOULD ALSO TURN OFF WHEN AUTO STOP IS ACTIVATED. THIS TURN OFF ALSO CAUSES THE RADIO SCREEN TO GO BLACK FOR A SHORT TIME UNTIL IT RESTARTS. WHICH IS A BIG PROBLEM AND DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. THE NORMAL AUTO STOP WOULD BE SOMEWHAT SILENT, BUT WHEN IT TURNS BACK ON NOW IT HISSES AND TURNS BACK ON. I ALSO HEAR SOMETHING AS IF WATER IS PASSING THROUGH PIPES AFTER AND/OR DURING AUTO STOP SOMETIMES. LASTLY, LAST NIGHT(7/8/20)I ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON MY CAR AND BACK OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. THE CAR TURNED ON BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT DID NOT ALLOW ME TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEARS OR ACCELERATE. I NOTICED THE LIGHTS THAT ILLUMINATE,D,R,L,ETC. WAS NOT ILLUMINATING AT THAT TIME WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT GEARS. I THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF BUT IT STATED SHIFT TO PARK. NOTE THE CAR WAS IN PARK. AFTER I LET IT SIT IN PARK FOR A WHILE I TRIED RESTARTING THE CAR AND IT RESTARTED. THE CAR SHIFTED IN TO GEARS AND…”
“CAR STALLS WHILE OPERATING, CAR SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND FAILS TO RESTART WITHOUT WARNING. "SERVICE STABILITY" 'BATTERY SAVE MODE' 'SHIFT TO PARK' ALL BLINK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR. CAR WILL ALSO SHUT DOWN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN MOTION IE STOP SIGNS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, STOP & GO TRAFFIC...ETC. THE CAR HAVING NO POWER THAT I CAN'T EVEN PUT MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON. THIS HAPPENS FOR THE LAST TIME ON 6/11/2020 CARS BRAKES BECAME TOUGH TO PUSH COULD BARELY STOP THE CAR, ONCE STOPPED THE CAR LOST ALL POWER SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART AND HAD TO BE TOWED ONCE AGAIN. ALL THE SAME WARNING LIGHTS. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY BROKE DOWN AND NOT STARTING AT ALL. ALSO I HAVE 2' OF WATER IN WHEEL WELL CAR LEAKS WATER INTO SPARE TIRE WELL. CAR IS MOLDING DUE TO THIS ISSUE. THIS CAR MODEL SHOULD BE RECALLED. THIS COULD CAUSE SOME HORRIBLE ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTION/ DEFECTIVE PART THAT WAS INSTALLED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY MANY PEOPLE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. PEOPLE ARE SPENDING LOTS OF MONEY FOR REPAIRS AND RENTAL CARS. IM A SINGLE MOTHER OF 3…”
“SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST MONTH OR SO MY CAR HAS DISPLAYED A WARNING THAT SAYS ENGINE POWER REDUCED, AND EVEN IF YOU'RE GOING HIGHWAY SPEED, WILL REDUCE YOUR SPEED DOWN TO AROUND 20 MPH. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT WAS AROUND 6PM IN BUSY TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO WRECK. IT STOPPED HAPPENING FOR A WHILE, BUT NOW IT HAS DONE IT OVER 20 TIMES IN THE PAST 48 HOURS. IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN YOUR VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.”
“LATELY WHEN I STOP AT A LIGHT OR INTERSECTION MY VEHICLE AUTO STOPS BUT WHEN I TRY TO GO THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF AND WILL NOT START. I HAVE TO PUT ON MY FLASHERS WHILE IN TRAFFIC AND SHUT THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF UNTIL IT RESTARTS. ONE OF THE WARNINGS READ STABIL AND ANOTHER READS POWER SHUT OFF AS WELL AS BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN BUT HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG SO THEY RESET THE SYSTEM HOWEVER, THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE REMAINS. THIS STARTED THE BEGINNING OF MARCH AND HAS CONTINUED.”
Showing 6 of 54 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.