Chevrolet Malibu problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 1,391 owner complaints and 10 safety recalls for the Chevrolet Malibu. That averages 26.3 complaints per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (index 0.63 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Midsize sedans segment it ranks #2 of 5 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 40.0.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
Across eight model years from 2018 to 2025, NHTSA has logged 1,391 owner complaints and 10 safety recalls for the Chevrolet Malibu, with the 2018 model year showing the highest rate at 81.3 complaints per year while 2025 is lowest at 6.6. The most common problem area is Engine, accounting for 34.3% of complaints and occurring 1.5 times as often as across all tracked vehicles, followed by Transmission / powertrain at 19.2% and Electrical at 18.0%. Owners report 37 injuries and 1 death in 60 complaints (4.3%) describing a crash or fire, with recurring terms including "shift park", "reduced", "engine power", "message" and "shifter". Although the trend is improving with 2023 and 2024 models running 83% below earlier years, recent data shows the pace rising as owners filed 306 complaints in the last 12 months versus 197 previously.
Summary drafted by an AI model running on our own server from the figures on this page, and checked number by number against the data before publishing. The statistics and the analysis above come from our fixed methodology, not from the model.The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 83% below the 2018 and 2019 models (9 early complaints per model year versus 61).
The 2018 model year has the highest rate (81.3 complaints per year) and the 2025 model year the lowest (6.6). The 2018 model year runs at least 50% above the model's own average — the one to research most carefully. Model years 2021 and 2024 sit well below the model's average.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (34.3% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (19.2%) and Electrical (18.0%). Engine complaints are 1.5 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Recurring terms in owner reports: “shift park”, “reduced”, “engine power”, “message” and “shifter”. 60 complaints (4.3%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 37 injuries and 1 death.
In the last 12 months owners filed 306 complaints versus 197 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising. The 2018 model year generated the most recent reports (62). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 44 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 10 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2018 (3). 2 NHTSA defect investigations have covered this model, 1 still open; the latest is “DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture” (opened 2025-10-21, still open).
Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Nissan Altima; Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have more.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Complaints in first 2 years on the road | vs. same-year average | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Years to research carefully | 705 | 81.3 | 1.93 | 98 | 1.1 | 62 | 6 | Engine | View › |
| 2019 | 191 | 24.9 | 0.59 | 25 | 0.31 | 23 | 1 | Engine | View › |
| 2020 | 195 | 29.2 | 0.69 | 22 | 0.39 | 42 | 1 | Engine | View › |
| 2021 | 88 | 15.5 | 0.37 | 5 | 0.08 | 37 | 2 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2022 | 94 | 20.1 | 0.48 | 7 | 0.09 | 47 | 1 | Engine | View › |
| 2023 | 68 | 18.5 | 0.44 | 12 | 0.14 | 53 | 2 | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 | 39 | 14.6 | 0.35 | 7 | 0.1 | 33 | 2 | Electrical | View › |
| 2025 Fewest complaints | 11 | 6.6 | 0.16 | — | — | 9 | 1 | Electrical | View › |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 306 · Previous 12 months: 197 Rising
Problem areas
Engine ›
477 · 34.3% · 1.54 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- engine power145
- reduced169
- engine light128
- check engine137
Transmission / powertrain ›
267 · 19.2% · 1.65 vs. all vehicles · Steady
- shift park164
- park message65
- shifter55
- message shift32
Electrical ›
250 · 18.0% · 1.14 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- shift park74
- prevention27
- park message21
- shut45
Interior & equipment ›
168 · 12.1% · 1.35 vs. all vehicles · Steady
- shift park83
- park park21
- turn56
- message35
Other
38 · 2.7% · 1.51 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- reduced22
- engine power15
- engine light15
- speed18
Fuel system
34 · 2.4% · 0.57 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- fuel15
- engine18
- injectors5
- ecm4
Airbags & seat belts
28 · 2.0% · 0.53 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- inflator wheel5
- dtn inflator5
- aftermarket dtn5
- affected aftermarket5
Steering
26 · 1.9% · 0.29 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- steering24
- wheel16
- assist reduced6
- straight7
Body & structure
17 · 1.2% · 0.13 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- moisture3
- trunk3
- safety hazard4
- rear6
Wheels, tires & suspension
10 · 0.7% · 0.29 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- tires4
- sound4
- rear5
- speeds3
Lighting
9 · 0.6% · 0.41 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- brake light4
- lamp3
- water3
- cracked3
Driver-assist systems
4 · 0.3% · 0.05 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Common terms in reports
- shift park381
- reduced266
- engine power197
- message307
- shifter107
- engine light193
- vacuum73
- check engine208
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 44 months
What owners report
Unknown, I parked the vehicle, got out of it, left car running for AC, locked the doors. The car was in park. Locks unlocked door, rear view camera display cut off, AC still running. I am viewing a house, so I walk around house and car still in park, 0-5min.
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked and turned off in front of the hotel lobby.
The problem with this model is the CVT Trasmission thats in the vehicle when put into drive mode it stalls to change gears and want change gears for about 5 min then it kicks in to go it does that very often i have took it to the dealership and spent…
I understand that the vehicle is outside of its original warranty period. However, I do not believe that the expiration of the warranty should automatically make me responsible for a component failure that occurred at only approximately 39,000 miles.
I was driving and all of a sudden all the warning lights start going off on my vehicle’s dashboard and the car jerks back and forth while decelerating. This has happened twice on the highway putting me in danger of crashing or making cars around me crash.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Midsize sedans
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nissan Altima | 798 | 15.7 | 0.37 | Improving | Steady | 14 | Electrical |
| 2 | Chevrolet Malibu | 1,391 | 26.3 | 0.63 | Improving | Rising | 10 | Engine |
| 3 | Hyundai Sonata | 1,211 | 26.7 | 0.63 | Stable | Steady | 10 | Engine |
| 4 | Toyota Camry | 1,935 | 43.9 | 1.04 | Improving | Rising | 21 | Engine |
| 5 | Honda Accord | 4,247 | 87.5 | 2.08 | Improving | Steady | 18 | Engine |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 10
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (6) · 2019 (1) · 2020 (1) · 2021 (2) · 2022 (1) · 2023 (2) · 2024 (2) · 2025 (1)
Investigations
- DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture Open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has become aware of eight vehicle crashes in which a rupture of a Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN) air bag inflator occurred during the deployment of the driver side air bag. All eight drivers in these crashes sustained serious or fatal injuries that appear linked to the ruptures. Six of those drivers sustained fatal injuri…
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Malibu model year has the most complaints?
The 2018 model year has the highest rate (81.3 complaints per year) and the 2025 model year the lowest (6.6).
Is the Chevrolet Malibu getting better or worse?
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 83% below the 2018 and 2019 models (9 early complaints per model year versus 61). In the last 12 months owners filed 306 complaints versus 197 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising.
What are the most common Chevrolet Malibu problems?
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (34.3% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (19.2%) and Electrical (18.0%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “shift park”, “reduced”, “engine power”, “message” and “shifter”.
How does the Chevrolet Malibu compare with other Midsize sedans?
Within the Midsize sedans segment it ranks #2 of 5 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 40.0. Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Nissan Altima; Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have more.
Does the Chevrolet Malibu have recalls or open investigations?
Recalls: 10 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2018 (3). 2 NHTSA defect investigations have covered this model, 1 still open; the latest is “DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture” (opened 2025-10-21, still open).