2012 Chevrolet Malibu Steering Problems
NHTSA lists 191 steering complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 21% of all complaints filed for the year, with 9 crashes and 2 injuries. There are no related recalls listed, though the median failure mileage is 103,794 miles.
- Steering complaints
- 191
- 21% of 906
- Crashes reported
- 9
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 2
- Median mileage
- 103,794 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical steering symptoms owners report
- Owners report sudden loss of electric power steering assist, sometimes mid-turn, making the wheel suddenly hard to turn.
- Some describe the steering wheel and column physically dislodging or detaching after a rear collision, landing in the driver's lap.
- Several complaints mention an ESC or 'service esc' warning light appearing alongside the power steering failure, sometimes with a warning bell.
- A pattern of the steering wheel jerking or shaking violently at low speed, in some cases causing the vehicle to veer off the road.
- A few owners report the problem is intermittent, with power steering returning temporarily after turning the ignition off and on, then failing again days later.
When 2012 Chevrolet Malibu steering complaints were filed
First complaint Jun 25, 2012, latest Mar 11, 2026.
Steering recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Steering complaints by Malibu model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Is steering a common complaint for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu?
- Yes. NHTSA lists 191 steering complaints for the 2012 model year, making up 21% of all 906 complaints filed for that year.
- Is there a recall for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu steering problems?
- No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this steering complaint category on the 2012 Malibu.
- At what mileage do steering problems usually appear on the 2012 Malibu?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 103,794 miles.
- Did the steering issues cause any crashes or injuries?
- NHTSA data shows 9 crashes and 2 injuries linked to steering complaints on the 2012 Malibu, with no fires reported.
- How does the 2012 Malibu compare to other years for steering complaints?
- The 2012 Malibu's 191 steering complaints are lower than the 2010 model year's 454 complaints (33% share) but similar to 2011 (214) and 2013 (181).