2018 Chevrolet Malibu transmission and drivetrain problems
175 of the 709 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). Filed under the same heading: 164 manufacturer bulletins, 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 transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA complaint database3 of the 175 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2018: 2 · 2019: 19 · 2020: 30 · 2021: 21 · 2022: 29 · 2023: 43 · 2024: 9 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 13
Half of the 80 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the transmission and drivetrain problem between 27,000 and 61,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
709 complaints in all about the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 13 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 “Power Train” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Chevrolet Malibu transmission and drivetrain problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The car has a reoccuring problem where is stalls in the middle of driving the vehicle. A warning comes up to shift to park. The car then restarts, runs extremely rough and stalls out. It then signals to shift to park again. The car is extremely unsafe.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The shift-to-park warning light was illuminated. The contact could pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart.
Auto stop just stoped working also when I put it on park it shows 'shift to park' but the vehicle is on park already
Vehicle transmission not entering in parking , causing vehicle to move forward or back if put on parking. This could cause accident and serious injuries . This might be a sensor or and electrical failure in the gear selector, because if you wiggle the selector sometimes it will go away. Vehicle will show message vehicle not in parking
Car says shift to park on dash monitor when car gear shift is definitely in park. Car was stationary in a parking lot after driving
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 20V668000 HighOct 29, 2020 · 194,105 vehicles
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
164 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
P1101 P0299 P0747 P0101 P0506 P1AEE P1AEF P1AF0
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu
Source: the same files- engine problems 289 complaints
- electrical problems 196 complaints
- fuel system problems 104 complaints
- brake problems 72 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 175 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (25% of everything owners filed about it), and 164 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall 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 transmission and drivetrain on the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 20V668000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 44,000 miles; half of them between 27,000 and 61,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Power Train" heading cover?
The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.