2010 Chevrolet Malibu Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) · data through 07/14/2026

226Electronic Stability Control (ESC) complaints

16.7%Of all 1,357 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How electronic stability control (esc) ranks on this vehicle

STEERING448 · 33%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM287 · 21.1%

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)226 · 16.7%

SERVICE BRAKES183 · 13.5%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING176 · 13%

Share of the 1,357 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu overview page.

What owners report

“BRAKE LAMPS INTERMITTENTLY FLASH OR STAY ON WITHOUT THE BRAKES BEING APPLIED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES. THE WARNING LIGHTS FOR ELECTRIC STABILITY CONTROL FAULT…”NHTSA complaint 10515604 — filed 06/07/2013

“THERE ARE THREE ISSUES THAT APPEAR TO BE RELATED: 1) BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT BEING DEPRESSED, AND STAYS ON, AND/OR…”NHTSA complaint 10502478 — filed 03/12/2013

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ECS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATED…”NHTSA complaint 10499458 — filed 02/20/2013

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu have electronic stability control (esc) problems?

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu: 226 of 1,357 complaints on file (16.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu have in total?

1,357 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 41 involved a crash, 14 involved a fire, 47 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electronic stability control (esc) category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.