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2012 Chevrolet Malibu 3LT

The 2012 Chevrolet Malibu 3LT is a 3.6-liter V6 with an automatic and front-wheel drive. It starts at $28,300 MSRP and is rated at 20 mpg combined.

EPA fuel-economy estimates are 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway (20 mpg combined).

Spec Value
Vehicle
Body TypeSedan
PowertrainGas
Price
MSRP$28,300 ($40,059 *)
MSRP with Destination$29,060 ($41,135 *)
Destination Charge$760
Engine
Engine Type3.6L V6
Displacement3.6 L
Drivetrain
Drive TypeFWD
Transmission
TransmissionAutomatic (S6)
Fuel Economy
City17 MPG
Highway25 MPG
Combined20 MPG
Recommended FuelRegular unleaded gasoline
* Amount adjusted for inflation to 2026 dollars

Safety & Recalls

NCAP safety ratings

Overall ★★★★★
Frontal crash ★★★★★
Side crash ★★★★★
Rollover ★★★★★ (10.9 % risk)
Tested variant: 2012 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD

Recalls

3 recalls on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Chevrolet MALIBU. Not every recall applies to every trim or VIN — check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

May 8, 2015 · SEAT BELTS

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.

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

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.

NHTSA campaign 15V269000

Jul 21, 2014 · STEERING

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

NHTSA campaign 14E044000

May 14, 2014 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

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.

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

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.

NHTSA campaign 14V252000

907 owner complaints to NHTSA for the 2012 Chevrolet MALIBU

Owner Complaints

907 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Chevrolet MALIBU (50 mention a crash, 13 a fire, 27 an injury). See all on nhtsa.gov

Most-cited areas
Electrical System291
Exterior Lighting202
Steering191
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)129
Air Bags101
Engine99
A complaint can cite more than one area.
Most recent complaints
Sep 30, 2026 · Engine And Engine Cooling, Service Brakes, Electrical System
“See attached document for complaint.”
Aug 31, 2026 · Seats
“Car has 161,848 miles and the seat frame broke on the drivers side of my 2012 Chevy Malibu. It had a slight tilt to the right. It was taken to the Chevrolet Dealership and they inspected and verified…”
Jul 22, 2026 · Electrical System
“Electrical system problems that create unsafe driving conditions!! Vehicle has electrical glitches. Internal warning lights flicker on and off. Battery drains. Car randomly will not start. Multiple…”
Mar 26, 2026 · Electrical System
“Rear defrost stopped working. Hasn't worked in years. I took it to GM, they had a print out of a kit that I had to purchase to repair. This stopped working back around 2016.”
Mar 21, 2026 · Air Bags, Seat Belts
“My airbag warning light and notification have came on and sometimes seat belt lights come on unexpectedly and will not go off I feel like this is a safety issue”

Complaints are unverified reports submitted to NHTSA by owners. They cover the whole model year, not a specific trim, and a count alone doesn't show how common a problem is.

Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (nhtsa.gov), matched as 2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU. US-market vehicles only; data cached for up to 7 days.

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