2010 Chevrolet Malibu Steering Problems
Owners have filed 454 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 100,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “service esc” (15% of reports).
- 454steering complaints
- 100,000median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,100typical repair cost reported by owners
- 30%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.
- Service ESC: mentioned in 69 of 454 complaints (15%)
- Power steering went: mentioned in 40 of 454 complaints (9%)
- Wheel became: mentioned in 27 of 454 complaints (6%)
- Difficult turn: mentioned in 26 of 454 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu at $1,100, and half of them between $910 and $1,400.
Based on 25 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2014–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 371 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 454 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Malibu | 1 | 9% | — |
| 2024 Malibu | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2023 Malibu | 5 | 7% | 54,000 |
| 2022 Malibu | 2 | 2% | 29,901 |
| 2021 Malibu | 2 | 2% | 68,000 |
| 2020 Malibu | 16 | 8% | 61,000 |
| 2019 Malibu | 2 | 1% | 48,000 |
| 2018 Malibu | 42 | 6% | 15,484 |
| 2017 Malibu | 47 | 7% | 65,782 |
| 2016 Malibu | 42 | 5% | 51,000 |
| 2015 Malibu | 9 | 3% | 71,500 |
| 2014 Malibu | 26 | 7% | 36,731 |
| 2013 Malibu | 181 | 22% | 60,000 |
| 2012 Malibu | 191 | 21% | 103,794 |
| 2011 Malibu | 214 | 22% | 89,500 |
| 2010 Malibu | 454 | 33% | 100,000 |
| 2009 Malibu | 768 | 51% | 120,000 |
| 2008 Malibu | 460 | 47% | 83,000 |
| 2007 Malibu | 667 | 68% | 105,000 |
| 2006 Malibu | 811 | 73% | 85,142 |
| 2005 Malibu | 506 | 52% | 91,000 |
| 2004 Malibu | 798 | 70% | 72,000 |
| 2003 Malibu | 21 | 4% | 67,623 |
| 2002 Malibu | 13 | 2% | 92,000 |
| 2001 Malibu | 41 | 6% | 94,000 |
| 2000 Malibu | 45 | 5% | 108,000 |
| 1999 Malibu | 37 | 5% | 68,500 |
| 1998 Malibu | 74 | 8% | 82,500 |
| 1997 Malibu | 80 | 18% | 82,827 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering for the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
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 while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel was shaking and locked up, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light was illuminated. A dealer or an…
Power steering has gone out.
1.The ESC system and power steering lights come on and sometimes go off making it extremely unsafe to drive due to not having proper control of the steering wheel. It is available for inspections at any time. 2.Being able to turn and use steering wheel correctly puts me and my family at risk for…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2010 Chevrolet Malibus have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 454 owner complaints about steering for the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu (33% 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 steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 100,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,100 (half paid between $910 and $1,400), from 25 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “service esc”, in 69 of 454 complaints, followed by “power steering went” (40).
Other 2010 Chevrolet Malibu problems
See all 2010 Chevrolet Malibu problems or steering problems across all Malibu years.