2011 Chevrolet Malibu: adaptive cruise control problems

Filed Jun 15, 2026 · Acceleration, Electrical · 122,000 miles · KS

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ESC and traction control warning lights remained illuminated. Additionally, while the cruise control was activated and the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. The contact stated that the gear shifter was able to be moved without the brake pedal being depressed. The cause of the failures were not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 122,000.

Filed Sep 18, 2022 · Acceleration, Brakes · KS

I have supposedly had the recall fixed. But when using the cruise control my car will not shut down the cruise unless I stomp on the brake or use the off button on my steering wheel. So I am wondering why I should have to pay big dollars for something that was supposedly done???

Filed Jul 23, 2021 · Acceleration, Brakes · KY

I’ve had dash warning lights since purchasing my vehicle since 2017. I have taken it to multiple places for diagnostic and repair. (Brake sensors, traction stability, throttle, and P010 and P011) my last repairs were over $2400 and after finally scraping money to complete the repairs was told the traction control warning light that had been coming on but coming on more often now was because I have one tire sensor that isn’t reading and that after fixing the accentuators the computer would stop going so crazy and triggering so many lights. On my recent trip to Michigan, when using my cruise control a car pulled in front of me in heavy traffic. When I braked my cruise didn’t disengage. I remembered this happening before but didn’t realize it was my cruise control and thought don’t tell me I have transmission problems!! Then when I was almost home during this same trip a car started honking at me and rolled his window down. He told me I had no brake lights. I then looked up recalls and found 13036, with all the problems my car has had except was told this was remedied/fixed on my car in 2017. I just now checked my car and I have brake lights. It appears the problem relates in conjunction to when the traction control lights are on and when there aren’t warning lights the brake lights work. My car has 20,000 since the recall repair and has had this problem the majority of this time except I didn’t understand. My car is not safe and I am very disappointed and concerned about GM product safety and remedies!

Filed Dec 21, 2019 · Acceleration, Brakes · 96,000 miles · IN · 1 injury

The ABS, ESC, and service traction lights came on while I was on the interstate suddenly my cruise control stopped working. I exited the highway and as my car came to a complete stop it started rolling backwards and the breaks locked up so I couldnt stop. It only stopped rolling after putting the car in park, hitting the emergency break, and quickly getting the key out before hitting the family behind me. I tried to turn on my hazards and they wouldnt come on. I restarted the car, and the whole dash was flickering. After trying this 3 times it started, but when I tried to accelerate the car went to 7/8 RPM and did nothing. Then it started to roll backwards again before I could put it in park I was thrusted forward into the center of a roundabout. After that it began to drive. I was less than 5 minutes from a family members home so I tried to make it. I was able to get the car going 30 MPH for less than 5 minutes before the speed immediately dropped to zero, and the car began to roll backwards again. My face hit the steering wheel because of the jolt which resulted in facial bruises. The air bags did not deploy. When this issue happened all of the electric in the car started going crazy. I was on a backroad, and luckily a good samaritan stopped to help me. I called my uncle who is a mechanic who towed me back to the house. This isnt the first time ive had issue with these warnings coming up and then I have to suddenly start fighting to survive being trapped in a car trying to kill me. Since this last incident I have not tried to drive the car. After seeing multiple mechanics they confirmed this was a common issue in this year make and model of the vehicle. No one seems to know what has been causing this. This kind of issue could kill someone. It needs to be investigated, and gm needs to be held responsible for selling unreliable, unsafe, death traps to consumers.

Filed May 27, 2019 · Acceleration, Airbags · 111,000 miles · ME

I was driving straight on the interstate when the cruise control deactivated itself. The seat belt light stays lit most of the time. It says service air bag and traction system. Traction system light goes off and on, but the air bag light stays on. Doesnt reset even when unhooking the battery and rehooking it up. Car makes rattling noise from front end. Pulls hard to the right.

Filed Mar 13, 2018 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 80,000 miles · MN

The car hesitates on a dry straight road going 55 miles per hour, but also on wet roads going 30 too. The cruise control randomly does not disengage. Most concerning for me is when I am at a complete stop and press on the gas to move forward the car randomly slows and shuts down without warning.

Filed Feb 15, 2016 · Electrical, Engine · 88,258 miles · MI

First, I had to jump the car to start it. Cold morning but the battery was only 3 months old. Driving from downriver mi area all expressway to grand rapids. Just entered grand rapids area when I had to reduce speed from 75 to 60. Car would not accelerate back to original speed. Cruise control had been engaged. Problem resolved itself but 15 minutes later the car went from 75 to 25 MPH by the time I had exited the freeway and stopped the car. The car would not accelerate and the pedal was to the floor. The traction control light went on as did messages:reduced engine power, service ESC, and the check engine light went on. The engine light stayed on. I was able to turn car back and accelerate but the check engine light stayed on and the engine felt like it chugged a bit. When I stopped at intersections, the car felt as if it wanted to stall. Mileage is 88,258.

Filed Aug 26, 2015 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 16,300 miles · KS

Cruise control would not disengage until I hit the brakes hard enough to activate the ESC. Recall #14v252000 covered this problem but gm says my VIN was not included. This is a definite safety issue and needs to be expanded to cover all malibu manufactured during the recall time frame.

Filed Dec 31, 2014 · Driver assistance · 80,263 miles · NC

I was driving to maryland for christmas break on i95 going 70 MPH on cruise control when all the sudden my car made a noise and shook. Then the ESC message came up on my dashboard along with the traction control symbol "service traction ESC."then my car switched to reduced engine power and I was only able to go 25 MPH. I was in the middle of traffic and had to turn on my hazards and make my way over to the shoulder to inch my way to the next exit. When I got to the shoulder the car was shaking like it would stall out and sounded like it was misfiring. I shut my car off and waited about five minutes. When I turned it back on I was able to drive another 20 miles before the same thing happened again. This happened 6 times before I finally made it to a mechanic who told me that I had a bad throttle body and it would need to be replaced. Four and a half hours later I finally made it to my destination. I went to a chevrolet dealer who then told me that the part and service would cost me 825 to fix and that this was not under warranty.

Filed Aug 17, 2014 · Acceleration, Brakes · 70,450 miles · SC · crash

On august 6,, 2014 I had taken my 3 kids to the lake @ dreher island state park. Upon getting ready to leave I put on brakes to see what my son asked me.for no reason the car started moving forward & I couldn't get it to stop get the wheels to turn as it was very hard & pushed the emergency brakes & it kept going till it went in the ditch on a concrete terracotta causing it to bend a piece of what was told to me the a frame & under the front end! I called the dealership & told it wasn't possible. Before this happened I could park my car & the engine would act is if it was trying to go w/o me mashing the gas or anything then idled down repeatedly acted as if it was going to shut off! I've even had 2 buy 2 new batteries, fixing to buy another! They said a connection was causing the battery to be drained & cells killed. On the interstate 2 days ago I had the cruise control on, for no reason it started losing speed then would start catching back up on it's own & I turned it off! The motor made a screeching noise! I have no idea what's going on! Even my tail lights wouldn't come on last night until I mashed the breaks a few times, cut off the lights, & restarted the car! My major issue is now I'm going to have to file a claim for the incident & I had no part of being @ fault & can't explain what happened! It still idles wrong & the cruise control light comes on @ times w/o me touching it! I'm beginning to worry about the safety of my children as well as myself, but especially my kids! What can I do? Please help me as this can't be normal! So far the engine light has came on, power steering light, air pressure light, & @ one point a red light came on & went off before I could see what it was! If you could do anything@ all to help & assist me I would be truly grateful! All I'm told is parts aren't in to fix some kind of recall, but what I don't know! Thanks & god bless!

Filed Apr 5, 2014 · Transmission · 317,322 miles · MD

While driving the vehicle on interstate 270 at around 50 to 60 MPH, the vehicle transmission down shifted upon breaking with a loud clunking noise. When I went to reaccelerate, the vehicle was unresponsive as though it was stuck in a higher gear and would not down shift to accelerate. This problem has recurred frequently so now when I drive on the highway, I set the cruise control to make sudden acceleration and deceleration unnecessary but the car still clunks out of gear upon exiting the highway.