2016 Chevrolet Malibu engine problems
312 of the 861 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 436 manufacturer bulletins. 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 engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database5 of the 312 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 7 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 1 · 2017: 10 · 2018: 36 · 2019: 66 · 2020: 50 · 2021: 42 · 2022: 33 · 2023: 23 · 2024: 23 · 2025: 18 · 2026: 10
Half of the 172 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 35,000 and 80,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
861 complaints in all about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, 10 filed in 2026. 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 “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Chevrolet Malibu engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Vehicle stalled on highway while driving at speed on two different occasions despite servicing after the first incident. Both times, pop up alert says "shift to park" and then "engine has reduced power" after which the gas pedal no longer works. After pulling to the side of the road, there was a low battery alert
5/4/2018 took the car to service a check engine light. They reprogramed the hybrid powertrain control module 2 - per a factory service bulletin but it did not fix the problem, light came back on. 5/26/2018 - 100 degrees. Car shut down while driving straight at 40 MPH on city street.
My car is constantly saying engine power has been reduce. No mechanic can find the correct problem
"reduced engine power" warning came and power was suddenly reduced and vehicle speed reduced. This happened while travelling 70mph on an interstate road. Very dangerous as the speed dropped to 40 MPH
September 2017 stablitytrack warning came on after weeks chevy told me they were putting a new engine in. Went to pick up car 10/4/2017 check engine light still on left car, service said it was a cracked connector and replaced. Dec 22 today engine power is reduced alert comes on and can't go over 20mph was on the highway
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications436 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P2138 P0300 P1101 P050D B3055 B3060 B3935 P2097
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
Source: the same files- electrical problems 234 complaints
- transmission and drivetrain problems 174 complaints
- stability control problems 77 complaints
- fuel system problems 52 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 312 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (36% of everything owners filed about it), and 436 manufacturer bulletins are 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 engine on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 10 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 53,000 miles; half of them between 35,000 and 80,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.