2016 Chevrolet Malibu stability control problems
77 of the 861 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu name the stability control (NHTSA’s “Electronic Stability Control” heading — as ODI groups the complaints it receives). Filed under the same heading: 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the stability control
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 77 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2017: 2 · 2018: 17 · 2019: 37 · 2020: 17 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 1
Half of the 62 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the stability control problem between 37,000 and 76,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
861 complaints in all about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, 1 filed in 2025. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Electronic Stability Control” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Chevrolet Malibu stability control problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the stability control. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Coming off the hwy my vehicle slowed down from 55 MPH to about 40 MPH fairly fast thankfully no one was behind me. Check engine light came on, tried pressing on the pedals but vehicle was not speeding up at all. The traction light also came up.
Around 50,000 miles sensor on throttle pedal went out and caused my car to stop accelerating with my kid in the car in the middle of the road driving. Next at 74,000 my 2016 chevy Malibu lt 1.5l turbo has a cracked piston. I believe recall 17019 stochastic pre egnition should be linked to my VIN.
The car stalls in traffic, losing all power. It doesn't start sometimes. Everytime I take it into the dealer the issue doesn't occur and they claim the computer is coming back clean.
Takata recall - I have been having problems locking, unlocking, and turning on my car. When the car finally gets turned on it will say that the keys are not detected. Or when I put it in drive it will tell me to turn the car off and then turn it back on.
I have taken my 2016 Malibu premier 2.0 turbo to the dealership four times now for the same problem with the park assist sensors going out. Now, they are out again, and the dealership wants me to pay a $250 deductible for my extended warranty to cover the repairs.
What is on file about the stability control
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 16V272000 HighMay 5, 2016 · 66 vehicles
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured March 7, 2016, through March 12, 2016. The memory chip in the electronic brake control module (EBCM) may fail and cause the loss of electronically controlled brake systems including anti-lock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC). As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
Source: the same files- engine problems 312 complaints
- electrical problems 234 complaints
- transmission and drivetrain problems 174 complaints
- fuel system problems 52 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre stability control problems common on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 77 owner complaints naming the stability control on this model year (9% of everything owners filed about it), and 1 recall is filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the stability control on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 16V272000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do stability control problems show up on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 55,000 miles; half of them between 37,000 and 76,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Electronic Stability Control" heading cover?
The area of the vehicle ODI files the complaint under. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.