2010 Chevrolet Malibu Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 194 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu, 14% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 96,573 miles. The words owners use most often: “low beam” (19% of reports).
- 194exterior lighting complaints
- 96,573median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 35%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Low beam: mentioned in 37 of 194 complaints (19%)
- Stability control: mentioned in 23 of 194 complaints (12%)
- Service traction: mentioned in 21 of 194 complaints (11%)
- Brake without: mentioned in 11 of 194 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 136 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 194 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Malibu | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 Malibu | 2 | 2% | 1,900 |
| 2020 Malibu | 1 | 1% | 61,000 |
| 2019 Malibu | 4 | 2% | 16,180 |
| 2018 Malibu | 9 | 1% | 800 |
| 2017 Malibu | 21 | 3% | 51,888 |
| 2016 Malibu | 19 | 2% | 41,500 |
| 2015 Malibu | 4 | 1% | 39,346 |
| 2014 Malibu | 5 | 1% | 35,000 |
| 2013 Malibu | 28 | 3% | 70,000 |
| 2012 Malibu | 202 | 22% | 99,750 |
| 2011 Malibu | 130 | 13% | 103,000 |
| 2010 Malibu | 194 | 14% | 96,573 |
| 2009 Malibu | 172 | 11% | 94,236 |
| 2008 Malibu | 106 | 11% | 90,000 |
| 2007 Malibu | 29 | 3% | 105,000 |
| 2006 Malibu | 63 | 6% | 72,759 |
| 2005 Malibu | 153 | 16% | 76,500 |
| 2004 Malibu | 84 | 7% | 66,000 |
| 2003 Malibu | 28 | 5% | 80,000 |
| 2002 Malibu | 143 | 25% | 61,000 |
| 2001 Malibu | 108 | 15% | 63,600 |
| 2000 Malibu | 241 | 26% | 67,000 |
| 1999 Malibu | 58 | 7% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Malibu | 79 | 8% | 45,000 |
| 1997 Malibu | 40 | 9% | 74,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electronic stability control (esc); vehicle speed control:cruise control; exterior lighting:brake lights:switch; electrical system:wiring
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.
Risk: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that under previous vehicle ownership, the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control (ESC); however, the recall repair failed to…
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact had been informed by other drivers that the brake lights failed to illuminate as intended while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that the brake lights randomly illuminated while driving. The traction control warning light was…
This is in reference to GM Recall Number: 13036 - I noticed that from time to time the service traction warning comes on, service esc warning comes on, my cruise control stops working suddenly. I didn't think anything of it until I finally noticed my brake lights were illuminated in my back window…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2010 Chevrolet Malibus have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 194 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu (14% of the 1,363 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu exterior lighting?
Yes: 1 safety recall list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems start?
The median reported mileage is 96,573 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “low beam”, in 37 of 194 complaints, followed by “stability control” (23).
Other 2010 Chevrolet Malibu problems
- Steering problems (454)
- Electrical System problems (295)
- Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems (227)
- Service Brakes problems (184)
- Air Bags problems (144)
- Power Train problems (133)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (116)
- Engine problems (115)
See all 2010 Chevrolet Malibu problems or exterior lighting problems across all Malibu years.