2019 Chevrolet Malibu problems, complaints & recalls
FewerSteady
NHTSA has received 191 owner complaints about the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu, or 24.9 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.59, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 76 model-year 2019 vehicles we track, it ranks #32 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Chevrolet models its rate is 46% lower; against other Midsize sedans it is 38% lower.
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
Complaints filed between 2018-10-26 and 2026-09-01. Median delay from incident to filing: 11 days.
191Complaints
24.9Complaints per year on the road
0.59Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
1Recalls
4.7%Share involving a crash or fire
23Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2018) drew 81.3 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2020) drew 29.2 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2019 model collected 25 complaints, 69% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (33.5% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (27.2%) and Electrical (20.9%). Engine complaints are 1.5 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Engine reports, owners most often mention “power”, “engine”, “vacuum”, “reduced” and “throttle body”. 9 reports (4.7%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 7 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 50 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (44% of incidents). In the last 12 months 23 new complaints were filed, versus 32 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall for this model year. 1% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses. 1 NHTSA defect investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.59
vs. other Chevrolet models0.54
vs. other 2019 models0.54
vs. other Midsize sedans0.62
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (25)0.31
I am reporting a safety concern involving a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle was previously involved in accidents prior to my purchase and had known mechanical issues, including a gear shifting problem that was not properly repaired.
Electrical · 2026-03-30 · ODI 11727960 · Crash
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.
Engine · 2026-09-01 · ODI 11761246
Acceleration issues. Started once put in drive didnt want to accelerate, acceleration issues now at higher speeds while driving
Interior & equipment · 2026-07-06 · ODI 11748564
Since 2024/2025 car has been malfunctioning, I’ve had it checked out but it just got worse and nothing was fixed l, it is I driveable and very unsafe.
Engine · 2026-06-04 · ODI 11742162
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners.
Risk: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.
DP22005 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM · Opened 2023-01-27 · Closed 2023-08-07 · Campaign 22V063000 · Model years: 2018, 2019
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
How many complaints were filed for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?
191 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu, or about 24.9 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most common category is Engine, accounting for 33.5% of complaints.
Does the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall(s) for this model year. 1 NHTSA defect investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Is the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 23 new complaints were filed, versus 32 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
How does the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 191 owner complaints about the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu, or 24.9 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.59, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 76 model-year 2019 vehicles we track, it ranks #32 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Chevrolet models its rate is 46% lower; against other Midsize sedans it is 38% lower.