2012 Chevrolet Malibu Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 7% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 51,150 miles. The words owners use most often: “electronic stability control” (12% of reports).
- 66service brakes complaints
- 51,150median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 27%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.
- Electronic stability control: mentioned in 8 of 66 complaints (12%)
- Service traction: mentioned in 7 of 66 complaints (11%)
- Engine power: mentioned in 5 of 66 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 48 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 66 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 3 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Malibu | 1 | 9% | — |
| 2024 Malibu | 4 | 9% | — |
| 2023 Malibu | 3 | 4% | — |
| 2022 Malibu | 5 | 5% | — |
| 2021 Malibu | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2020 Malibu | 42 | 21% | 57,000 |
| 2019 Malibu | 22 | 11% | 68,000 |
| 2018 Malibu | 61 | 9% | 24,112 |
| 2017 Malibu | 68 | 10% | 56,000 |
| 2016 Malibu | 94 | 11% | 54,500 |
| 2015 Malibu | 16 | 6% | 40,000 |
| 2014 Malibu | 42 | 12% | 52,000 |
| 2013 Malibu | 44 | 5% | 55,640 |
| 2012 Malibu | 66 | 7% | 51,150 |
| 2011 Malibu | 38 | 4% | 75,000 |
| 2010 Malibu | 184 | 13% | 73,400 |
| 2009 Malibu | 142 | 9% | 75,000 |
| 2008 Malibu | 62 | 6% | 88,000 |
| 2007 Malibu | 36 | 4% | 104,669 |
| 2006 Malibu | 50 | 4% | 84,000 |
| 2005 Malibu | 43 | 4% | 112,300 |
| 2004 Malibu | 30 | 3% | 100,000 |
| 2003 Malibu | 14 | 2% | 84,000 |
| 2002 Malibu | 11 | 2% | 82,000 |
| 2001 Malibu | 6 | 1% | 125,000 |
| 2000 Malibu | 8 | 1% | 170,000 |
| 1999 Malibu | 4 | 1% | 155,000 |
| 1998 Malibu | 4 | 0% | 80,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists service brakes for the 2012 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.
See attached document for complaint.
The brake caplier screw came out why driving the vehicle and broke the brake line and the vehicle lost control try to use the emergency brake and it didn't work vehicle crash
I bought the car a year ago from a used car lot. Replaced the cam shaft positioning sensor as per diagnostic reading for check engine light. Since then, svc air bag light has stayed on. Traction control light stays on and is disengaged. When braking ESC warning goes on and off and sliding occurs…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Chevrolet Malibus have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 66 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu (7% of the 907 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 2012 Chevrolet Malibu service brakes?
No recall currently lists service brakes for this vehicle.
At what mileage do service brakes problems start?
The median reported mileage is 51,150 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “electronic stability control”, in 8 of 66 complaints, followed by “service traction” (7).
Other 2012 Chevrolet Malibu problems
See all 2012 Chevrolet Malibu problems or service brakes problems across all Malibu years.