Chevrolet Malibu

Where it stands out against its peers

• Electrical system: more complaints than 96% of 2013 cars — 46% of its 922 complaints, where an ordinary 2013 car has 17%.
• Electronic stability control (esc): more complaints than 95% of 2013 cars — 9% of its 922 complaints, where an ordinary 2013 car has 3%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 133 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire
• ENGINE — 64 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire
• STEERING — 60 owners reported this, 3 involving a crash
• SUSPENSION — 48 owners reported this, 5 involving a crash
• AIR BAGS — 42 owners reported this, 10 involving a crash
• STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 41 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 37 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash, 2 involving a fire
• SERVICE BRAKES — 25 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) — 24 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
• STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 21 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• POWER TRAIN — 20 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
• VISIBILITY/WIPER — 17 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY — 12 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 11 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 10 owners reported this
• STRUCTURE — 10 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 9 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS — 8 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE — 8 owners reported this
• ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) — 8 owners reported this
• SEATS — 8 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire
• WHEELS — 8 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) — 7 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE — 7 owners reported this
• STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 7 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

77% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 12V224000

  IF THIS OCCURS DURING AN AGGRESSIVE TURNING MANEUVER, AND THEN AFTERWARDS A POTENTIAL VEHICLE ROLLOVER EVENT IS SENSED, THE ROOF RAIL AIRBAG MAY UNINTENTIONALLY DEPLOY. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIR BAGS AND/OR SEATBELT PRETENSIONERS MAY NOT DEPLOY DURING A SEVERE CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

  GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE SDM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 13, 2012.

• 12V484000

  If the driver is not aware that a turn signal is not functioning properly, the driver may continue to drive the vehicle. If half of a front turn signal is not illuminating, other driver's may not be aware that the affected vehicle is turning, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

  GM will notify owners, dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Buick at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 12212.

• 13V024000

  Sudden changes in vehicle handling may increase the risk of a crash.

  General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and retighten the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notifications have already begun and will be completed shortly. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

• 13V566000

  If the harness is chaffed enough to expose the wires, a short circuit could occur, resulting unintended movement of the seat, the seat to become inoperative, sparking under the seat, flickering lights, smoke, or possibly a fire.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wire harness and repair and secure it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began during December 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13342.

• 13V567000

  The inability to turn on the windshield defroster may decrease the driver's visibility thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic climate control module software, free of charge. The recall began during December 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13380.

• 14E044000

  A joint bearing that fails prematurely may cause separation of the u-joint resulting in a complete loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  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.

• 14V092000

  If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the driver may be able to shift the lever to the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

  General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any affected transmission shift cable adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Buick owners at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC owners at 1-800-462-8782. General Motors' number associated with this recall is 14048.

• 14V240000

  If a brake pad detaches from caliper, there may be a sudden reduction in braking, lengthening the distance required to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake rotors, and install the correct rotors with new brake pads, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 20, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14128.

24 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened October 2025, still open.

• Pedestrian alert sounds

  Defect petition, opened January 2023, closed August 2023.

• Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit

  Audit query, opened November 2010, closed December 2015.

• Turn Signal Lamps

  Engineering analysis, opened March 2009, closed August 2010.

• Turn signal lamps

  Preliminary evaluation, opened October 2008, closed March 2009.

• Turn signal failures

  Preliminary evaluation, opened September 2005, closed January 2006.

• Windshield wiper failure

  Recall query, opened July 2004, closed January 2005.

• Loss of electric power steering

  Engineering analysis, opened July 2004, closed May 2005.

• Turn signal failures

  Recall query, opened June 2004, closed November 2004.

• Loss of electric power steering

  Preliminary evaluation, opened March 2004, closed July 2004.

• Front suspension coil spring fracture

  Engineering analysis, opened November 2003, closed October 2004.

• Front suspension coil spring fracture

  Preliminary evaluation, opened July 2003, closed November 2003.

• Power rack and pinion steering failure

  Recall query, opened January 2003, closed September 2003.

• Turn signal failures

  Engineering analysis, opened December 2002, closed September 2003.

• Erratic fuel gauge

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2002, closed December 2003.

• Engine stall due to fuel starvation

  Preliminary evaluation, opened September 2002, closed November 2003.

• Engine coolant boils over

  Defect petition, opened September 2002, closed September 2002.

• Turn signal failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened August 2002, closed December 2002.

• Power rack and pinion steering failure

  Engineering analysis, opened April 2002, closed December 2002.

• Steering rack and pinion

  Preliminary evaluation, opened November 2001, closed April 2002.

• Erratic fuel gauge

  Investigation SQ, opened January 2001, closed September 2002.

• Windshield wiper

  Engineering analysis, opened July 2000, closed March 2001.

• Stop lamp assembly overheat

  Engineering analysis, opened March 2000, closed August 2001.

• Windshield wiper

  Preliminary evaluation, opened February 2000, closed July 2000.

• Accelerator cable detaches from throttle

  Investigation SQ, opened February 2000, closed January 2001.

• Stop lamp

  Preliminary evaluation, opened November 1999, closed March 2000.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Chevrolet filed 144 bulletins about the 2025 Malibu.

• Electrical system: 22
• Engine: 10
• Power train: 6
• Structure: 4
• Forward collision avoidance: 3
• Visibility/wiper: 3
• Lane departure: 2
• Wheels: 2
• Exterior lighting: 1
• Fuel/propulsion system: 1
• Other: 90

• This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues · August 2026
• PI to help diagnose A/C concern · July 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still displayed after an OTA event and how to reset/clear the message. · July 2026
• This preliminary information is to inform technicians that GM is placing the B174W Front View Camera Module (ACP2) on part restriction due to elevated replacement rates and ongoing engineering… · June 2026
• This PI addresses leaks from the case half and provides repair direction to dealer technicians · June 2026
• PIP6032B provides diagnostic direction for dealers when encountering transmission leaks · June 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates to technicians to remove the pulley assembly and inspect the drive chain and pulley surfaces. · June 2026
• This preliminary information is to inform technicians and customers that the voice command will be inoperative when trying to open applications. Engineering is investigating and this PI will be… · June 2026

136 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.