2012 Chevrolet Malibu Electrical System Problems
Electrical System complaints account for 407 of 906 total complaints (45%) filed on the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, with 12 fires and 7 crashes reported. Median mileage at failure is 93,000, and NHTSA lists no recall specifically tied to these electrical complaints in this dataset.
- Electrical System complaints
- 407
- 45% of 906
- Crashes reported
- 7
- Fires reported
- 12
- Injuries reported
- 4
- Median mileage
- 93,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Rear defroster failures paired with a burning odor and sparking fuses near the rear wiring junction.
- Low beam headlights failing while driving, later diagnosed as melted halogen connectors or a melted wiring harness.
- Sudden loss of power while driving on the highway, followed by the rear of the vehicle catching fire.
- Smoke and a strong burning-wire odor entering the cabin near the dashboard, unrelated to the engine area.
- Brake lights failing without warning, in one case leading to a rear-end collision.
When 2012 Chevrolet Malibu electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Feb 26, 2012, latest Jul 22, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Electrical System complaints by Malibu model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are electrical problems in the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu?
- NHTSA lists 407 Electrical System complaints for the 2012 Malibu, which is 45% of all 906 complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu electrical system?
- The dataset shows no related recall listed specifically for the Electrical System complaints on this model year.
- At what mileage do 2012 Malibu electrical failures typically occur?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 93,000 miles.
- Have electrical issues on the 2012 Malibu caused fires or crashes?
- NHTSA data tied to this component shows 12 fires and 7 crashes reported for the 2012 Malibu, along with 4 injuries.
- How does the 2012 Malibu compare to other years for electrical complaints?
- The 2012 model's 45% share of complaints tied to the Electrical System is higher than most other Malibu years, matched only by the 2013 model year at 45%.