Car · Chevrolet recalls

2012 Chevrolet Malibu recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, filed between May 14, 2014 and May 8, 2015. Each one is below with what is wrong and the free fix.

Check my VIN for open recalls

Campaign	Filed	Part
15V269000	May 8, 2015	Seat belts
14E044000	July 21, 2014	Steering
14V252000	May 14, 2014	Electrical system: wiring

Seat belts (15V269000)

Filed May 8, 2015

What is wrong. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured April 8, 2010, to October 11, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cables that connect the seat belts to the vehicle at the outside of the driver seat and the front passenger seat may be bent from being sat on while entering the vehicle. This repeated bending may result in the cable breaking.

What could happen. If the cable breaks, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the outboard lap anchor mounting bracket and inspect the flexible steel cable, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 16, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15031.

Steering (14E044000)

Filed July 21, 2014

What is wrong. Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers 425-167, 2425167, and 7-3074, for installation on 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6, and 2007-2009 Saturn Aura vehicles. The affected steering shafts may have a yoke that inadequately supports the u-joint bearing resulting in a premature failure.

What could happen. A joint bearing that fails prematurely may cause separation of the u-joint resulting in a complete loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix. Dorman will notify owners, and dealers will refund the purchase price or replace the steering shafts, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at 1-800-523-2492.

Electrical system: wiring (14V252000)

Filed May 14, 2014

What is wrong. 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.

What could happen. Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

The 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.

Check that your car is on the list

Most campaigns cover only cars built in a certain date range or at a certain plant, so a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu may or may not be included. The VIN is the only sure test. It is 17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield and on the driver door jamb sticker. Look up your VIN.

How to confirm the repair is free

Call any authorized Chevrolet dealer service desk and give them the VIN and the campaign number from the list above.
Ask them to confirm the campaign is open for your car. If it is, the parts and labor are covered.
If the dealer says the part is not in stock, ask for a written note with the date, and ask about a loaner if the notice says not to drive the car.
Keep the repair order. It shows the campaign number and proves the work was done.

If you already paid for a repair that a recall later covered, Chevrolet may owe you a refund. Ask the dealer or Chevrolet customer service about reimbursement, and keep your receipts.

Other model years of the Malibu

More: all Chevrolet recalls, check-engine codes, car repair costs.

2012 Chevrolet Malibu recall questions

How many recalls does the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. A campaign can cover only some cars of that model year, so check your VIN to see whether yours is included.

Is a recall repair on a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu free?

Yes. A safety recall repair is free at an authorized Chevrolet dealer, whatever the age or mileage of the car and no matter who owns it now.

How do I know if my 2012 Chevrolet Malibu was already fixed?

Enter the VIN on our recall page. If a campaign is still open, it shows as open. You can also ask a dealer to run the VIN, or look at the service history paperwork for the campaign number.

Source: NHTSA recalls API, checked 2026-10-28. Text is NHTSA's wording of each campaign. New campaigns are added over time. Not a repair shop, estimates only.