2010 Chevrolet Malibu Vehicle Speed Control Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 13, 2026 · 116 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu, 9% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 69,750 miles. The words owners use most often: “cruise control” (32% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Cruise control: mentioned in 37 of 116 complaints (32%)
  • Service traction: mentioned in 27 of 116 complaints (23%)
  • Electronic stability: mentioned in 16 of 116 complaints (14%)
  • Engine power: mentioned in 14 of 116 complaints (12%)

At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?

Based on 92 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles7 · 8%
10k–25k miles5 · 5%
25k–50k miles16 · 17%
50k–75k miles21 · 23%
75k–100k miles19 · 21%
100k–150k miles17 · 18%
150k+ miles7 · 8%

How serious are the reports?

Of 116 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.

Chevrolet Malibu vehicle speed control complaints by model year

Peak: 2016, with 152 complaints
1997: 1319971998: 221999: 719992000: 212001: 2520012002: 62003: 8520032004: 272005: 2720052006: 352007: 3120072008: 422009: 7320092010: 1162011: 8720112012: 522013: 2820132014: 172015: 2820152016: 1521522017: 13520172018: 1142019: 1220192020: 182021: 120212022: 42023: 220232024: 1

n = 1,181 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearVehicle Speed Control complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2024 Malibu12%—
2023 Malibu23%38,706
2022 Malibu44%60,000
2021 Malibu11%5,000
2020 Malibu189%80,000
2019 Malibu126%26,115
2018 Malibu11416%51,670
2017 Malibu13519%58,000
2016 Malibu15218%60,100
2015 Malibu2810%85,000
2014 Malibu175%45,000
2013 Malibu283%72,000
2012 Malibu526%56,700
2011 Malibu879%72,000
2010 Malibu1169%69,750
2009 Malibu735%82,500
2008 Malibu424%93,000
2007 Malibu313%99,840
2006 Malibu353%95,750
2005 Malibu273%150,000
2004 Malibu272%91,000
2003 Malibu8515%70,000
2002 Malibu61%84,000
2001 Malibu253%82,000
2000 Malibu212%73,000
1999 Malibu71%92,000
1998 Malibu222%60,410
1997 Malibu133%95,797

When owners reported it

Peak: 2014, with 28 complaints
2010: 3201032013: 152013152014: 282014282015: 9201592016: 192016192017: 102017102018: 142018142019: 8201982020: 3202032021: 3202132023: 1202312024: 1202412026: 220262

n = 116 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (1)

Electronic stability control (esc); vehicle speed control:cruise control; exterior lighting:brake lights:switch; electrical system:wiringMay 14, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V252000 · 2,440,524 vehicles

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 after driving for 5 miles, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, with the message "Service Traction" displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as intended after cooling down; however, the failure recurred after driving 5…

Received Jul 23, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11752487

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…

Received Jan 7, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11709371

I have replaced my transmission in 2019. Car still has transmission problems. I’ve replaced my passenger headlight and lamp but the light still won’t work. My brake lights or back blinkers don’t work even after changing the fuses. Tire pressure light won’t go off. I have had this car since…

Received Sep 9, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11613577
Chevrolet Malibu
Chevrolet Malibu (E2XX). Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Benespit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2010 Chevrolet Malibus have vehicle speed control problems?

No. NHTSA has 116 owner complaints about vehicle speed control for the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu (9% 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 vehicle speed control?

Yes: 1 safety recall list vehicle speed control. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems start?

The median reported mileage is 69,750 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu?

The most frequent phrase is “cruise control”, in 37 of 116 complaints, followed by “service traction” (27).

Other 2010 Chevrolet Malibu problems

See all 2010 Chevrolet Malibu problems or vehicle speed control problems across all Malibu years.