At a glance

Reported mileage122,533 mi

LocationWi, USA

ColorBlack

Last listed price$6,200

Open recalls4

Vehicle identity & specifications

Make

Chevrolet

Model

Malibu

Year

2011

Trim

LT1

Body style

Sedan/Saloon

Vehicle type

PASSENGER CAR

Engine

2.4L 4-cyl

Cylinders

4

Fuel type

Gasoline

Doors

4

Assembly plant

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, UNITED STATES (USA)

Manufacturer

GENERAL MOTORS LLC

What's a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu worth?

What comparable 2011 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles are listed for — a quick gut-check before you negotiate.

Low

$5,900

Typical price

$8,270

High

$10,600

Most 2011 Chevrolet Malibu listings fall between $5,900 and $10,600, from 891 comparable cars.

Is the seller's price fair? Get this exact VIN's current market value — retail, trade-in & loan value — in the full report.

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Full vehicle history report

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What a full report checks for VIN 1G1ZC5E19BF290485

⚠️ 4 open safety recalls — shown above, free 🔒 Title & brand records 🔒 Accident & damage history 🔒 Salvage, total-loss & theft 🔒 Odometer & owner count 🔒 Liens & market valuation

A full report searches national title databases (NMVTIS) and licensed history providers for this VIN and shows whatever records are on file — not every vehicle has every record type. The decode, safety recalls and owner complaints above are always free.

📜 Title status Clean, salvage, rebuilt, junk, flood or lemon

🏷️ Title brand history Every brand ever applied, by state

🧾 Number of owners How many registrations on record

🛞 Odometer readings Reported mileage over time

🔎 Rollback check Mileage inconsistency / tamper flags

💥 Accident & damage Reported collisions and damage events

🚧 Total-loss records Insurance total-loss declarations

♻️ Salvage & auction Salvage-yard and auction history

🚓 Theft records Reported / recovered theft events

🏦 Liens & impounds Outstanding liens or impound records

🏷️ Sale & listing history Past marketplace and dealer listings

💰 Market valuation Estimated value for this exact spec

Unlock full report — $14.99 → or get up to 20 reports a month for $19.99/mo → One-time purchase · permanent access · VIN 1G1ZC5E19BF290485

Safety recalls 4

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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.

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.

NHTSA Campaign #19V019000 · 16/01/2019

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 t…

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 let

NHTSA Campaign #14V252000 · 14/05/2014

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 r…

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 · 21/07/2014

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 c…

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 rec

NHTSA Campaign #15V269000 · 08/05/2015

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Common problems & what to inspect

Based on 976 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu, here are the most-reported problem areas — and exactly what to check before you buy.

🔥 2 involved a fire

Electrical System 7 reports

🔍 Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.

Steering 5 reports

🔍 Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.

Exterior Lighting 4 reports

🔍 Confirm all headlights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights work, with no moisture inside the housings.

Engine 2 reports

🔍 Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.

Vehicle Speed Control 1 report

🔍 Test cruise control and throttle response, and watch for any hesitation or unintended acceleration.

Air Bags 1 report

🔍 Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.

Pre-purchase checklist

Match the VIN on the dash, door jamb and title — they must be identical.
Cold-start the engine; listen for knocks and check for blue or white exhaust smoke.
Test-drive through all gears at low and highway speed — no slipping, shudder or pulling.
Confirm every warning light clears at startup (none should stay on).
Check fluids — oil, coolant, transmission — for level, color and leaks.
Look underneath for rust, fresh undercoating or signs of collision repair.
Always get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic.

Owner complaints 976

Complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu.

STEERING

Everytime I turn on my car, I get a warning for ESC power steering and I have no power steering. Usually it will fix itself have shutting it off once and starting it again immediately. There has been a couple times where it has taken multiple starts to fix itself.

NHTSA ODI #11746504

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

There was a fire in the trunk on the way to work. Fire department was called to inspect the car and make sure that the fire was out. Fire melted fuse box located in the trunk along with wiring harness and wires, also causing all electrical items to stop working. Claim was attempted to be made, but insurance did not cover this particular issue. After hours of…

Fire · NHTSA ODI #11745051

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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…

NHTSA ODI #11744231

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Hi my name Is [XXX] . JD Byrider financed me this car knowing that it had open recalls putting me and my family's lives in danger. The car has had electrical problems since Ive had it. Every other day different lights appear on the dashboard Service Airbags ,Service ABS and traction ESC off are some of the few. The car has been to their service department 14…

NHTSA ODI #11736721

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS

I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2011 Chevrolet Malibu LS related to the electronic stability control (ESC), traction control, and electric power steering systems. My vehicle is currently experiencing the following problems: * “Service ESC” warning message * “ESC Off” displayed * Traction control disabled * Electric power steering warning…

NHTSA ODI #11732967

STEERING

The Powersteering is failing in my 2011 Chevrolet Malibu with 93K miles on it. The warning light on the dashboard appears randomly then it becomes difficult to steer. This has become a safety issue because when driving on the highway or trying to navigate turns requires a lot of strength and can be a hazard while driving in traffic or alone. I have taken th…

NHTSA ODI #11727609

SEATS

Weld on the back, right side of the driver's seat broke causing the seat to rock while driving. This is the second time this has happened, as we replaced the original seat when this happened to it.

NHTSA ODI #11722790

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35–40 MPH, the vehicle experienced transmission failure. The contact stated that the RPM was elevated while driving, and the transmission shifted abnormally rough. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and t…

NHTSA ODI #11716754

+ 968 more complaints on record.