2021 Chevrolet Malibu problems, complaints & recalls
Far fewerRising
NHTSA has received 90 owner complaints about the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, or 15.5 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.38, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #32 of 85 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Chevrolet models its rate is 66% lower; against other Midsize sedans it is 59% 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 2021-04-15 and 2026-10-12. Median delay from incident to filing: 18 days.
90Complaints
15.5Complaints per year on the road
0.38Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
2Recalls
1.1%Share involving a crash or fire
36Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 29.2 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2022) drew 20.5 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 5 complaints, 92% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain (27.8% of complaints), followed by Unspecified or other (20.0%) and Electrical (18.9%). Transmission / powertrain complaints are 2.4 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 1 report (1.1%) describes a crash or fire; owners mention 1 injury and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 45 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (53% of incidents). In the last 12 months 36 new complaints were filed, versus 21 in the 12 months before — up 71%.
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.38
vs. other Chevrolet models0.34
vs. other 2021 models0.4
vs. other Midsize sedans0.41
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (5)0.08
Blower motor area caught fire while sitting in the driveway. Car door was opened about 20 minutes prior to my security camera catching smoke billowing from the vehicle
Electrical · 2026-05-18 · ODI 11738610 · Fire
In the case of a hard brake while in motion, the vehicles seats both front and rear un-latch and become free in motion.
Other · 2021-04-25 · ODI 11413839
This car has the same issues even after you get it replaced . this car is not a good car I have spent so much money replacing the oz sensor .the radio, and the turbo keeps going out .
Engine · 2026-10-12 · ODI 11770501
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…
Unspecified or other · 2026-09-02 · ODI 11761497
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed; however, the RPM was extremely elevated.
Transmission / powertrain · 2026-08-21 · ODI 11758483
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 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, 2022 Chevrolet Equinox, Blazer and Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The driver's seat cushion frame may have an improper weld in the power tilt-adjustment mechanism.
Risk: An improperly welded seat frame may not adequately restrain the driver in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driver's seat and replace the cushion frame, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212356050.
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.
