2011 Chevrolet Malibu recalls

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. Between them they involve air bags, seat belts and electrical system. The most recent was received on January 16, 2019.

January 16, 2019Air bags

Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode

NHTSA campaign 19V-019 · 1,145 vehicles potentially affected · Air bags

The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, the air bag inflator may explode due to being overpressurized.

The risk: If the inflator explodes, sharp metal fragments may strike the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The remedy: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 25, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N182206630.
May 8, 2015Seat belts

Steel Cable that Anchors Seat Belt may Fail

NHTSA campaign 15V-269 · 437,045 vehicles potentially affected · Seat belts

The defect: 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.

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

The remedy: 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.
May 14, 2014Electrical system

Brake Lights may or may not Randomly Illuminate

NHTSA campaign 14V-252 · 2,440,524 vehicles potentially affected · Electrical system

The defect: 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…

The risk: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

The remedy: 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 by VIN

A campaign rarely covers every Malibu built in 2011. Enter your 17-character VIN to find the recall campaigns filed for your make, model and model year. The VIN is on the driver’s side of the dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the door-jamb label, and on your registration and insurance documents.

Is a recall still open on your vehicle? Only NHTSA’s official VIN check can say whether a campaign applies to your exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been done.

Your VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s public vPIC service to identify the make, model and year. It is not stored and is not added to any page address.

What 2011 Chevrolet Malibu owners should do

Check your VIN on NHTSA’s lookup to see which of these campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether any are still open.
Call a Chevrolet dealer and book the repair, quoting the campaign numbers (19V-019, 15V-269, 14V-252).
If you have bought the vehicle used, the recall still applies: the repair is free whoever owns the vehicle now.
Make sure your current address is on file with the manufacturer so the owner letters reach you.

Other Chevrolet Malibu model years

Common questions

Does the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 campaigns for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu: 19V-019 (Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode); 15V-269 (Steel Cable that Anchors Seat Belt may Fail); 14V-252 (Brake Lights may or may not Randomly Illuminate).

How do I know if my 2011 Chevrolet Malibu has an open recall?

Enter your VIN in NHTSA’s recall lookup. Most campaigns cover only part of a model year’s production, and the lookup also shows whether the repair has already been done on your vehicle.

Will the dealer charge to fix the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu?

No. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge by Chevrolet dealers. Quote the NHTSA campaign number when you book.