2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    engine stall or no start

    9 stranded, 99 unsafe

    108
    incidents
    Typical range: 28,500–60,500 mi

    Median 50,000 mi, based on 117 reports (51% had no usable mileage)

    • "I HAVE HAD MY MALIBU ABOUT 4 MONTHS NOW, I PURCHASED IT WITH 500 MILES ON IT. I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATING SHORTLY AFTER THE PURCHASE. I WAS MERGING ON TO THE INTERSTATE AND TRYING TO SPEED UP TO THE SPEED OF TRAFFIC. I WAS ALREADY OVER INTO TH…"~5,687 mi, complaint #1609063
    • "ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED WARNING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ANTI SKID WARNINGS COME ON."~23,700 mi, complaint #1652354
    • "WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CONTROL PANEL SAYS ENGINE POWER REDUCED. THE CAR SLOWS DOWN AND YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE.THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE I HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR AND TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHILE ACCELERATING."~42,000 mi, complaint #1642449
    • "WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AS I APPROACHED A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS BUT UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE, UNTIL IT IS JUMP STARTED IT WILL START, I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVIN…"~53,000 mi, complaint #1707315
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up. Additionally, the brake pedal was applied but was hard to depress. The engine power reduced message was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated…"~130,000 mi, complaint #1757350
  2. #2

    control module

    3 stranded, 66 unsafe, 27 annoyance

    96
    incidents
    Typical range: 29,000–54,000 mi

    Median 40,500 mi, based on 72 reports (54% had no usable mileage)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AND APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND LOST POWER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWER OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS…"~2,141 mi, complaint #1610559
    • "WHEN I'M SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT AWAITING MY TURN TO PROCEED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BREAK THE CAR IS FINE. AFTER SITTING AT THE LIGHT AND IT'S TIME TO DRIVE, I REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE BREAK AND MY CAR SHUTS COMPLETELY OFF. WHEN I APPLY A LITTLE GAS THE CAR TURNS…"~29,000 mi, complaint #1720386
    • "I HAVE A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU AND I HAVE TROUBLE PUTTING THE CAR INTO PARK. THE PROBLEM IS THE GEAR SELECTOR SWITCH. WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR FROM DRIVE INTO PARK A METAL BAR PUSHES UP ONTO A BLUE BUTTON WHICH SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE CAR'S COMPUTER THAT THE CAR IS…"~39,000 mi, complaint #1679699
    • "WHEN THE LEFT TURNING SIGNAL IS ON AND FOOT ON BRAKES THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF ALL LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD LIGHT UP AND WHEN YOU PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TRY TO RECRANK A MESSAGE STATED NO GASOLINE."~50,324 mi, complaint #1737007
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that there was a failure near the fuse box. Additionally, there was a grinding sound coming from the vehicle while the brake pedal was depressed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact…"~123,334 mi, complaint #2182436
  3. #3

    hv system fault reduced power

    78 unsafe

    78
    incidents
    Typical range: 41,500–68,000 mi

    Median 52,000 mi, based on 81 reports (44% had no usable mileage)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WHILE DRIVING. ONCE THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED, "REDUCED POWER" APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO…"~18,036 mi, complaint #1550282
    • "SINCE JULY 2019 MY VEHICLE HAS CONTINUALLY SHOWN A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH THE MESSAGE, POWER ENGINE REDUCED ON THE DASHBOARD. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE RPMS INCREASE DRASTICALLY AND VEHICLE CAN NOT GO OVER 30 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON HIGHWAYS AND MAIN ROADS. IT…"~40,000 mi, complaint #1663451
    • "MY CAR REDUCED ITS ENGINE POWER AND SLOWED DOWN FROM 60 MILES DOWN TO 20 MILES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGH WAY WITH A TANK TRUCK BEHIND ME. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO SCARED IN MY LIFE. THE ENGINE REDUCED ITS POWER THREE TIMES NOW! I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THI…"~52,000 mi, complaint #1656040
    • "I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY DOING 70MPH AND A WARNING POPPED UP ON THE DASH AND SAID ENGINE POWER REDUCED AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN TO 20MPH. I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED AND HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED ON A REGULAR CITY STR…"~68,958 mi, complaint #1744829
    • "ENGINE GOES INTO POWER REDUCED MODE REGULARLY AND PREVENTS ME FROM DRIVING. IT TYPICALLY HAPPENS ON THE INTERSTATE, BUT HAS HAPPENED ON CITY STREETS AS WELL. ONCE I RESTART THE CAR, I AM ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN, BUT IT IS HAPPENS MORE AND MORE OFTEN."~107,978 mi, complaint #1743462
  4. #4

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    58 unsafe

    58
    incidents
    Typical range: 7,500–57,000 mi

    Median 23,000 mi, based on 56 reports (54% had no usable mileage)

    • "IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH, MY CAR ACCERATION SHUT DOWN AND I STARTED LOSING SPEED EVEN THOUGH I WAS PRESSING ACELLERATOR. AT THIS TIME MY CAR STARTED TO DOWN SHIFT AND THE MORE I STEPPED ON THE ACCELLERATOR NOTHING HAPPENED. MY CAR THEN TURNED OFF ON TH…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1623521
    • "MY CAR IS LAGGING WHEN I COME FROM A COMPLETE STOP. IT SPUTTERS AT TIMES WHEN I ACCELERATE. MY CAR IS ALSO MAKING A VIBRATION NOISE WHEN I ACCELERATE, SLOW DOWN, TURNING, ON HIGHWAY, CITY STREETS AND WHEN I'M COASTING. THIS START HAPPENING WHEN MY VEHICLE REA…"~13,000 mi, complaint #1580394
    • "WHEN DRIVING THE CAR IT WILL LOSE PROPULSION AND POWER. AT ONE POINT IT ALMOST SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I TOOK THE CAR FOR INSPECTION TO CHEVROLET DEALER BUT I WAS TOLD THEY WILL TAKE WEEKS TO FIND THE EXACT ISSUE. IT ALSO HAS A SAFETY RECALL WHI…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1715329
    • "REDUCED ENGINE POWER NOTIFICATION IN MID DRIVE ON FREEWAY CAUSING CAR TO COME TO LOW SPEED IN A 70 MPH HEAVY TRAFFIC FLOW. MULTIPLE VEHICLES SWERVE TO AVOID CONTACT (ACCIDENT). UNABLE TO PULL OVER QUICKLY AS IT HAPPENED OUT OF NO WHERE. UNABLE TO ACCELERATE."~57,500 mi, complaint #1676948
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The “Engine Power Reduced” message was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power. While…"~186,000 mi, complaint #2067076
  5. #5

    transmission automatic

    1 stranded, 47 unsafe, 4 annoyance

    52
    incidents
    Typical range: 17,000–45,000 mi

    Median 36,500 mi, based on 35 reports (60% had no usable mileage)

    • "PURCHASED 2018 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 4,200 BUT NEW DUE TO IT BEING A DEALER COURTESY CAR ON 12/18/18, ON 1/7/19 THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHILE STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND WHEN SHIFTING BACK…"~4,700 mi, complaint #1569465
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while the vehicle was in a park, he noticed that a warning light indicating that the vehicle was not in park was illuminated. The contact also stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he he…"~21,000 mi, complaint #1858427
    • "WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN PARK THE SHIFTER DOES NOT FULLY ENGAGE RESULTING IN THE INABILITY TO PARK THE CAR OR TURN IT OFF. THE MESSAGE ON THE DASH SAYS "SHIFT INTO PARK" EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFTER IS ACTUALLY IN PARK."~36,000 mi, complaint #1687201
    • "WHEN PLACING MY CAR IN PARK, A WARNING COMES ON THAT MY CAR IS NOT IN PARK WHICH THEN CAUSES ME TO BE UNABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. I THEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH EACH GEAR AND JIGGLE THE SHIFTER NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET IT TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THIS SOMETIMES T…"~43,300 mi, complaint #1700452
    • "ON, JULY 15, 2020 MY CAR GAVE A "SHIFT TO PARK"MESSAGE ON THE DASH AFTER I HAD PLACED MY CAR IN PARK. I CONTINUED TO HAVE THIS ERROR FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY DEALERSHIP. THE ISSUE IS YOU ARE STRANDED IN YOUR CAR UNTIL YOU CAN WIGG…"~50,000 mi, complaint #1679069
  6. #6

    steering electric assist

    28 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    29
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=20, median 13,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "MY CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR MONTHS BECAUSE OF A "STICKING" SENSATION IN THE STEERING WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS. THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED THIS ISSUE WAS SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THE CAR IN SEPT OF 2018. DURIN…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1603140
    • "AFTER DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE FOR A WHILE, THE STEERING SEEMS TO HAVE A FLAT SPOT, WHERE IT IS HARD TO TURN AND THEN IT JERKS SLIGHTLY.. MORE FREQUENTLY THE COLDER THE WEATHER."~12,000 mi, complaint #1628924
    • "2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU WITH 15, 300 MILES. SINCE THE LAST RECALL WORK WAS COMPLETED, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD AN INCREASE OF TENSION THEN IT SUDDENLY RELEASES ALL TENSION WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO A RAPID OVER COR…"~14,500 mi, complaint #1629895
    • "2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU LT, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON A FLAT SMOOTH ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL WILL STICK IN THE STRAIGHT POSITION. IT REQUIRES EXTRA EFFORT TO BREAK FREE FROM THIS POSITION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK AND EXTRA CORRECTION IS NEEDED TO KEE…"~49,600 mi, complaint #1718594
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the steering wheel would jerk to the left. Additionally, the vehicle inadvertently rolled backward while at a full stop. The steering assist warning message was displayed. The v…"~85,379 mi, complaint #1778615
  7. #7

    engine internal

    1 stranded, 21 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    23
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=18, median 23,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "CAR WAS NOT ACCELERATING WOULD NOT GO PAST 20MPHTOOK TO DEALER SHIP TOOK 2 MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT IT WAS THE KNOCK SENSOR AND ALSO THE ECM WERE OUT MIND YOU MY CAR HAD LESS THAN 6K MILES I'M THE FIRST AND ONLY OWNER OF IT! I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM DON RINGLER WITH…"~5,670 mi, complaint #1545852
    • "TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IS NOT PERFORMING AS EXPECTED. AN ISSUE HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE IGNITION SYSTEM WHICH OVERSEES THE TIMING AND SPARK NECESSARY TO IGNITE FUEL INTO THE ENGINE. GM AND CHEVROLET DEALERSHIPS ARE CLAIMING THERE IS NO PROBLEM HOWEVER ENGINE LIGH…"~8,604 mi, complaint #1588729
    • "I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN TWICE FOR MY ISSUE NOW. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND I HAVE TO PUSH THE GAS TO THE FLOOR TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED AS I WAS GETTING ON THE EXPRESSWAY LAST TIME WAS PULLING OUT ONTO A BUSY…"~18,000 mi, complaint #1594872
    • "The contact's grandson owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while his grandson was driving 65 MPH, the reduced engine power warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to stall. His grandson was able to restart the vehicle and drove the…"~61,030 mi, complaint #1771037
    • "CUT CAR OFF WOULDNT START UP REPLACED VVT SOLENOIDS AND CAMSHAFT SENSORS HAD BATTERY TESTED HAD IT TESTED ON COMPUTER ALL CODES CLEAR AND BEING TOLD IT MAY BE ONE OR MORE CRACKED PISTONS CAR WAS IDLEING NORMAL IN PARK"~97,000 mi, complaint #1724463
  8. #8

    brake booster

    20 unsafe

    20
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "I WAS RECENTLY GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 2018 MALIBU AND HAD ABSOLUTELY NOOOO ENGINE POWER FOR ACCELERATION! LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET ONTO THE MEDIAN BEFORE I WAS REAR ENDED BY THE FAST MOVING CARS! SIMULTANEOUSLY THE 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED', 'SERVICE TRACT…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1557593
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed with the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard, the vehicle failed to reduce speed. As a result, he collided with the vehicle in t…"~75,000 mi, complaint #1915512
    • "The vacuum pump on my vehicle has gone out for the 3rd time in 2.5 years. This creates a safety issue as that the brakes stop working and it takes an extreme amount of pressure for the car to stop. This has occurred once on the freeway and twice in heavy traff…"~77,000 mi, complaint #1794914
  9. #9

    other

    11 unsafe, 9 annoyance

    20
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "REGARDING BULLETIN NO.: 18-NA-297: HISTORICALLY, IF A VEHICLE IS NOT IN "PARK" THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH PREVENTS THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. IN THE CASE OF THE CHEVY MALIBU, AND SIMILARLY AFFECTED VEHICLES, THIS IS NOT THE CASE. WHILE THE DISPLAY READS, "S…"~35,000 mi, complaint #1584037
    • "SHIFT TO PARK APPEARS WHEN CAR IS DEFINITELY IN PARK ALREADY"~40,000 mi, complaint #1657421
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for the tire rotation however, the mechanic informed the contact that the front driver’s side subframe was cracked. The contact took the vehicle…"~48,000 mi, complaint #1768290
  10. #10

    brake hydraulics

    18 unsafe

    18
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=13, median 79,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNED 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING AT A LOW SPEED INTO A DRIVEWAY THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID DEP…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1595893
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the contact had to pump the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The brake pedal went to the floorboard while depressed. Additionally, the "Shift to Park" warning message was displa…"~18,000 mi, complaint #1782617
    • "WELL I GOT IN A WRECK YESTERDAY AROUND 4 PM IN CITY LIMITS IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC AND THE LADY HAD STOP SOMEWHAT ABRUPTLY SO I HAD TO STOP ABRUPTLY AND MY BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME AND THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME AT THESE BRAKES HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE JUST A SE…"~37,000 mi, complaint #1637090
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the brake pedal depressed and it traveled to the floorboard as the vehicle failed to stop without warning. After the failure occurred, the contact stated that the vehicl…"~79,000 mi, complaint #1832402
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while coming to a stop, the brake pedal suddenly became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that excessive force was required to depress the brake pedal. The c…"~111,000 mi, complaint #2163507
  11. #11

    throttle and pedal

    16 unsafe

    16
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=8)

    • "MY VEHICLE OFTEN DOESN'T NOT ACCELERATE AS IT SHOULD. RPM WILL READ BETWEEN 3 AND 4 RPM SPEED WILL NOT GO ABOVE 5 TO 10 MPH. THIS IS A RANDOM OCCURRENCE BUT HAS BECAME MORE FREQUENT IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. IT'S HAPPENING ALMOST DAILY. LAST OCCURRENCE WAS THIS…"~18,476 mi, complaint #1565312
    • "ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR CORRELATION (P2138). ENGINE POWER REDUCED"~20,000 mi, complaint #1626979
    • "MY ACCELERATOR SENSOR DEFECTS AND MY SPEED CHANGES RAPIDLY WHILE DRIVING."~44,000 mi, complaint #1630149
    • "TAKING MY FIANC TO THE AIRPORT SO THAT HE CAN REPORT FOR DUTY AND THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY COMES TO A SPEED OF 20MPH ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSE A VEHICLE BEHIND ME TO COME TO A CLOSE CONTACT WITH MY CAR. REPLACED SENSOR AND PEDAL AS INSTRUCTED BECAUSE I AM FRESH OUT OF…"~57,000 mi, complaint #1716408
    • "FAULTY ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR. PART IS SUPPOSE TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THE CAR HAS 60000 MILES ON IT. IT THROWS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND REDUCES POWER TO THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS YOU CANT ACCELERATE TO GET OUT OF TRA…"~60,920 mi, complaint #1632634
  12. #12

    stability and traction control

    14 unsafe

    14
    incidents
    Typical range: 15,000–54,500 mi

    Median 50,000 mi, based on 25 reports (31% had no usable mileage)

    • "THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WAS CRUISING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, IT DID SO FOR A SPLIT SECOND. THE NEXT TIME WAS AT MY HOUSE, I NEEDED TO GO RUN TO THE STORE. I TRIED STARTING IT. IT SAID "SHIFT TO PARK" BUT I WAS IN PARK. THEN IT SAID "SERVICE STABILITR…"~1,700 mi, complaint #1491264
    • "DURING OPERATIONS WHILE TURNING CAR LOCKED UP; LOST POWER, LOST STEERING. WITH ENGINE RUNNING THE RADIO AND AC SHUT OFF. DRIFTED TO SHOULDER OF ROAD. ILLUMINATED DASH LIGHTS: POWER STEERING DRIVE WITH CARE, TRACTION CONTROL, EMERGENCY BRAKE, ABS LIGHT, TEMP S…"~16,467 mi, complaint #1596913
    • "I WAS DRIVING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT 15 MPH. MY CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS BLINKING, STABILITY TRACK LIGHT WAS ON, AND AN ICON CAME UP SAYING THAT THE 'SERVICE STABLITREK.' I HAD LITTLE CONTROL OVER THE STEERING AND I FELT NO TRACTION WHILE TRYI…"~50,000 mi, complaint #1699567
    • "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT BOTH ON, REDUCED ENGINE POWER, SPEED AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTING LIMITED, CANT GO PASS 3 GEAR. STARTED RANDOMLY ON NUMEROUS OCCASION WHILE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS."~57,000 mi, complaint #1651974
    • "AFTER 2 MONTHS OF HAVING THIS CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND AFTER THE STABILITRAK LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHICH REDUCED THE SPEED OF THE CAR . THIS WOULD COME ON WHEN I'M DRIVING OR EVEN IF I JUST CRANK THE CAR UP FROM IT SITTING OVER NIGHT . I GOT…"~98,000 mi, complaint #1709670
  13. #13

    unknown

    6 unsafe, 4 annoyance

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I paid a significant amount to have my car fixed after bringing it initially the first time in May. Since then I have had to return my car multiple times every other month because the engine light continues to come on and they don’t know why. I have worked dir…"complaint #1854832
    • "Again today my shift to park message came on to some odd noise help me please "complaint #1928832
    • "Just now getting to Walmart my shift to park message came on my 2018 Chevy Mailbu "complaint #1929194
    • "Made noise just now and shift to park message just now and dealers says there's nothing wrong with my car and gm don't want to repurchase my car please help me this is my only car"complaint #1929471
    • "Just now my car made noises shift to park message came on I called general Motor just now they refuse to fix my car and refuse to replace or repurchase my car who can help me with this please NHTSA help me or referred me to who can help me this is my only car…"complaint #1929656
  14. #14

    airbag system

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "HIT DEER DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED, DRIVERS SIDE. DAMAGE TO HEADLIGHT, BLINKER, GRILL, BUMPER AND SIDE PANEL. WAS CALLED BY ONSTAR DUE TO AIRBAG BEING DEPLOYED. HOWEVER, AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR IN CAR FOR SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AFTER INCIDE…"~800 mi, complaint #1417291
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 4 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR BRUISES AND THE CONTACTS WIFE SUFF…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1496579
    • "I WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER WORK ON A GRAVEL ROAD, THE ROAD PULLED ME INTO A DITCH WHERE I THEN IMPACTED ON A CONCRETE SLAB BUT NONE OF MY AIRBAGS WENT OFF LEAVING ME VULNERABLE TO LIFE SUSTAINING INJURIES. I ENDED UP WITH BROKEN RIBS AND BRUISES ALL OVER BECAUSE…"~9,500 mi, complaint #1598889
    • "THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, A SECOND VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. DURING THE CRASH THE TOP SECTION OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED AND DID N…"~96,336 mi, complaint #1748072
    • "The contact owned a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her son was driving down the road at 35 MPH, he switched lanes into a blind spot and was t-boned by another vehicle traveling at the same speed. The contact stated the impact occurred on…"~168,000 mi, complaint #2190302
  15. #15

    fuel injector

    1 stranded, 7 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=14, median 130,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "I HAVE HAD THIS CAR 6 MONTHS AND IT HAS BEEN SERVICED 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE. WHILE IN MOTION THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC WITH THE GAS PUSHED DOWN IT SLOWS AND THEN LUNGES. IT ALSO CAN HAPPEN WHEN GOING WITH THE SP…"~3,350 mi, complaint #1546048
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, there was an abnormal fuel odor coming from the engine and entered the vehicle…"~100,000 mi, complaint #2113166
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a gasoline odor coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed tha…"~165,660 mi, complaint #2071028
  16. #16

    engine turbo supercharger

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=8)

    • "THE CAR US UNDER 60,000 MILES THREE YEARS OLD AND ALREADY BREAKING DOWN. THE AIR FLOW SENSOR OUT OF SELF-TEST RANGE, TURBOCHARGE ENGINE UNDERBOOST PROBLEMS AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR PERFORMANCE IS ALSO PROBLEMATIC, MAKING THE CAR STOP INSTANTLY AND SPORADICALL…"~60,100 mi, complaint #1738855
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and the turbo charger warning lights illuminated. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. T…"~140,741 mi, complaint #2098980
  17. #17

    backup camera

    4 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Back up camera display screen on the dashboard repeatedly fails to display a visual view of the vehicle when the vehicle is placed in reverse. The dashboard display screen only shows a solid blue image 90% of the time. (Image attached)"complaint #1914186
    • "PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND WITHIN FIRST DAYS DISPLAY SAID "SHIFT TO PARK" EVEN THOUGH I PUT THE CAR IN PARK. NEXT PROBLEM, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, DISPLAY SAID "SERVICE REAR VISION CAMERA." THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEMS FOR DRIVER AND OTHERS. "complaint #2022870
    • "The backup camera for this vehicle is starting to fail and the view is blurry. Additionally, it seems that this also is affecting the rear traffic alert as I almost crashed into someone at a parking lot when trying to back out of a space. I will soon have no r…"complaint #2139516
    • "The back up camera cuts out while backing up. The lines vanish and leave only the picture. The check engine light comes on with the throttle body being the culprit."complaint #2146362
    • "The rear camera comes “loose” and does not register all the time. It seems to be a simple electric issue; possibly an electrical short. I believe it can be easily “fixed” (temporarily) by opening the trunk and running fingers over the camera, it should not hap…"complaint #2183873
  18. #18

    battery and charging

    3 stranded, 2 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failure of the battery and fuel pump. The contact…"~50,206 mi, complaint #2115175
  19. #19

    lighting exterior

    3 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WHILE DRIVING DURING NIGHTTIME:HEADLIGHTS LIGHTBEAM REACHES ONLY 12 FEET IN FRONT OF CAR. LEVEL ADJUSTMENT IS AT MAXIMUM HIGH. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO ADJUST LIGHTS TO A HIGHER LEVEL"~800 mi, complaint #1536149
  20. #20

    evap system

    2 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE AND SHAKE EACH TIME AFTER BEING REFUELED. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT STALLED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE W…"~39,000 mi, complaint #1595568
    • "The contact's daughter-in-law owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving various speeds, the vehicle would shut-off without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle would eventually restart after multiple attempts and would resume…"~40,000 mi, complaint #1762553
  21. #21

    power windows and locks

    2 unsafe, 1 broken, 1 annoyance

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact’s daughter owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the front driver’s side window intermittently failed to operate as designed. The contact stated that the front driver's side window became stuck while attempting to roll up or down. N…"~87,000 mi, complaint #1883600
  22. #22

    wiring harness

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while entering the vehicle, there was a warning light illuminated and a message stating: Action Required Place Vehicle in Park; however, the vehicle was already in park. The contact took the vehicle…"~15,050 mi, complaint #1819636
  23. #23

    engine cooling

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "OVER HEATING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON I -71 ABOUT 10 MI BEFORE COLUMBUS OH. I STOPPED AND SAW COOLANT POURING OUT . I PURCHASED ANTIFREEZE AND MADE IT TO THE NEAREST GARAGE. THE NEAREST GARAGE FOUND THAT THE CLIPS THAT HOLD THE RADIATOR IN PLACE BROKE,…"~38,000 mi, complaint #1741749
  24. #24

    glass and windshield

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Third brake light cracks on left side, resulting in damage to the brake light and letting water leak in through the roof damaging the car's interior, including the rear curtain airbags."complaint #1820792
    • " The rear liner had water indications, with an odor of mildew in the car. I couldn't drive around with mildew in my car. I notuved shortly after i purchased yhe vehicle that the brake light was cracked. I didmt think much of it, thought it was just a cosmetic…"complaint #1879474
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that he noticed that there were shattered pieces of glass in the rear seats. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked unattended in the rain, the rear windshield had exploded. The vehicle…"complaint #1923863
  25. #25

    suspension arms and bushings

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the rear end of the vehicle made an abnormal popping and clunking sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the failure was related to…"~75,633 mi, complaint #2027876
  26. #26

    emissions aftertreatment

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "THE CHECK ENGINE HAS COME ON THREE TIMES ALREADY SINCE I HAVE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE... EVERYTIME THE CODE IS FOR EMISSIONS SYSTEM. WE HAVE REPLACES THE VALVE AND THE CANISTER FOR EMISSIONS AND THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON.. ALSO THE SHIFT TO PARK ISSUE."~6,900 mi, complaint #1706127
  27. #27

    instrument cluster

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 93,000. The contact stated that while attempting to trade the…"~98,000 mi, complaint #2219967
  28. #28

    noise or vibration unspecified

    2 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I always get rattling noise during gas paddle pressed while driving. Once I start put foot on gas paddle, rattling noise starts and when foot remove then it stops. it does not matter what is the speed and whether I am accelerating/de-accelerating. I visited d…"complaint #1780562
    • "Made noises out while I was driving at right now I drove home to again shift to park message omg this is to much please help me today again gm said no to replacement no repurchase this is my only car please help me "complaint #1929778
  29. #29

    power steering hydraulic

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "POWER STEERING REDUCING AND THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF TEMPORARILY I HAD MY CAR SERVICED FOR THIS ALREADY 2 WEEKS AGO FOR THE SAME PROBLEM NOW IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN"~80,000 mi, complaint #1643557
  30. #30

    seat mechanism

    2 broken

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "DRIVERS SEAT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. SEAT IS LOCKED IN THE FORWARD POSITION AND WILL NOT MOVE BACKWARDS."~14,000 mi, complaint #1727431
  31. #31

    software or update

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE 2018 MALIBU REMEDY LISTED IS DEALER WILL REPROGRAM ECM SOFTWARE TO CORRECT THE ERROR. I MADE THE APPOINTMENT FOR THE RECALL. HOURS AFTER THE APPOINTMENT A TECHNICIAN FROM THE MURFREESBORO TN CHEVY DEALERSHIP CALLED ME AND SAID I…"complaint #1624534
    • " I received a recall letter in 2019 for N192221960. The engine control module software needed to be updated. I have taken my car to the Moran chevy dealership on Gratiot perhaps 3 times before. I was driving yesterday, Oct 4th and my car did the same thing aga…"complaint #1845798
  32. #32

    sunroof

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, WHEN SHE NOTICED THE BUG GUARD OF THE SUNROOF WAS DISCONNECTED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS ABLE TO PARK ON THE SIDE OF TH…"~48,000 mi, complaint #1641313
  33. #33

    suspension struts shocks

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, AN UNUSUAL SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN CHEVROLET DEALER, LOCATED IN CHESTER, VA, WHERE IT WAS DIAGN…"~67,000 mi, complaint #1662130
  34. #34

    transmission manual clutch

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Car continued to send message "Shift to Park" which required diagnosis and replacement of gear shift assembly by independent service garage because car warranty has expired. Battery would die without message being eliminated. The message infers that the car i…"complaint #1783774
    • "Shift knob found grounding inside shifter..had to PAY OUT OF POCKET. $1087 TO HAVE SHIFTER REPLACED!"complaint #2156890
  35. #35

    unintended acceleration

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving very slowly into a parking space, the brake pedal was pressed to stop the vehicle, but the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration and suddenly accelerated forward at a very hi…"~80,000 mi, complaint #2195477
  36. #36

    ac compressor and refrigerant

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE AIR CONDITIONING WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO! I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR A DRIVER , DRIVING IN 100+ HEAT. THE CHEVY SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE MALIBU AND CRUSE. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED AND NEEDED FREON AND THAT WAS DONE AND IT WOR…"~44,444 mi, complaint #1590076
  37. #37

    adas lane keeping

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "On July 7, 2023, my Aunt was in a car accident that caused severe injuries to her body, face, and head. Her car is totaled. She believes the car's Lane Keep or Lane Departure systems are the cause of the accident. She has asked me to assist with reporting t…"complaint #1913059
  38. #38

    alignment and pull

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The Vehicle wobbled when at 70 MPH. I have new tires but the wobble won't stop. I have visited a mechanical specialist was refer to this site. Also, the Radio Display touch screen is not working. "complaint #1957345
  39. #39

    door latch and hinge

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Doors do not lock when put into drive. Also when putting into park, car dings and error comes on stating shift to park. Doors have not locked in over 2 years, however at times it does but as of now they are not locked. "complaint #1805092
  40. #40

    fluid leak unspecified

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact called on behalf of his daughter who owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that his daughter informed him that she had noticed moisture on the inside of the windows and the front and rear windshields. Additionally, the contact stated tha…"~54,000 mi, complaint #1860775
  41. #41

    fuel pump

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Driving on I20 in heavy traffic all doing 75MPH the car lost all power.Although I had plenty of gas it did no good pumping the gas pedal .Fortunatly I was in the left lane and coasted to the shoulder before anyone collided with me. If I was in the right lane I…"complaint #1784214
  42. #42

    fuel tank and lines

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The vehicle shut off in the middle of the street. I had to get it jumped to start again. There was a fuel leak. Car is still smelling like fuel after getting it repaired. The vehicle doesn't alert if your close to a car or anything "complaint #2167351
  43. #43

    heater core and blower

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "AFTER TURNING ON MY HEATER AND DRIVING THE CAR 10 MINUTES THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE. I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING WHEN I PARKED AND GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. I CAME BACK TO MY CAR 2 HOURS LATER AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT…"~24,000 mi, complaint #1692512
  44. #44

    key fob and immobilizer

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE CAR SAYS IT'S NOT IN PARK WHEN YOU SHUT IT OFF. THE FOB SEEMS TO NOT RESPOND SOMETIMES. SOMETIMES IT WON'T START AND TELLS YOU TO PUT IT INTO THE CENTER CONSOLE POCKET BUT IT STILL WON'T RESPOND. IT WILL SAY THERE IS NO FOB IN THE CAR. I REPLACED THE BATTE…"~60,000 mi, complaint #1714917
  45. #45

    parking brake

    1 stranded

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Micro switch for Park is faulty. “Shit to Park” error message. Vehicle is completely disabled and is not drivable. "complaint #2089054
  46. #46

    starter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Vehicle won't start and dealership determine it was the battery. Replaced battery now vehicle shuts off completely when making a complete stop. Vehicle will maintain in normal operation if shifted into neutral upon stopping. The vehicle was taken to Harper Mo…"complaint #1804700
  47. #47

    torque converter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I've taken my car in now 4 times to Chevy dealers just to be told there was nothing wrong. Turnes out that my torque converter (transmission) is going bad. And I can't get a Chevy dealer to honor my almost expired warranty. "complaint #2170892
  48. #48

    wheel or rim

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I had a tire installed by a repair shop approximately one month ago. I recently discovered that the tire installed on my vehicle is the incorrect size. My vehicle requires size 225/55R17, but the shop installed size 245/45R17. This creates a safety concern du…"complaint #2193220
  49. #49

    wiper and washer

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "ALL WINDOWS GET EXTREMELY FOGGY & VISIBILITY IS POOR & I CAN BARELY SEE."~15,000 mi, complaint #1525518

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for CHEVROLET MALIBU directly.