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Chevrolet · Midsize Sedan

2023 Chevrolet Malibu

Gas

Midsize Cars
1 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

87 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints5 crash · 1 fire · 8 injured reported 72

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 30 mpg

2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2023 Chevrolet Malibu is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan. The most efficient version, the Malibu, is EPA-rated at 30 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 72 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Chevrolet Malibu — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Chevrolet Malibu · Photo: Benespit · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Malibu	Gas	FWD	1.5L 4-cyl turbo	27	35	30	$2,250

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 45903.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Malibu	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	1.5 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Blind-spot monitoring, Parking assist, Rear cross-traffic alert

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: LS (1FL), LS (1LS), LT (1LT), Premier (2LZ)). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	193.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.8 in
Height	57.5 in
Wheelbase	111.4 in
Track, front	62.6 in
Track, rear	62.6 in
Curb weight	3,126–3,223 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	59/41 to 61/39

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: Ls/Rs/Lt 4-door Sedan, Premier 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

●moderate

Back Over Prevention

N262551720

276,879 vehicles 21% reported repaired built May 26, 2022 – Aug 3, 2023

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rearview camera screen may display a distorted or blank image. Risk A rearview image that does not display correctly reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2026. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262551720. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 26V212000 reported Apr 2, 2026 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Structure

2,108 vehicles 89% reported repaired

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The front impact bar, a structural portion of the vehicle frame, may not be properly welded to the front frame rail. Risk An improperly welded front impact bar may result in the front crash sensors not performing correctly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect the right-hand and left-hand side of the vehicle's motor rail for an incomplete weld. If the condition is found, the vehicle will be repurchased by GM. Owner notification letters were mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 22V923000 reported Dec 14, 2022 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Malibu

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2023 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Chevrolet publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Chevrolet’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

72complaints filed

5 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 8 injuries · 0 deaths reported

6.2 per 10,000 built · Chevrolet reported 115,997 Malibu built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2023: 8 · 2024: 4 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 51

Most-cited components

Engine 17

Back Over Prevention 16

Unspecified 14

Electrical System 12

Air Bags 8

Fuel/Propulsion System 8

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

We decided to take a road trip 2023 chev Malibu with 142000 miles and transmission goes bad

Power Train Apr 7, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11729746

The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle jerked abnormally with several unknown warning lights illuminated and unknown messages were displayed. Additionally, there was a white fuel warning light illuminated with the message “Low Fuel” displayed after refueling the vehicle.

Engine at 57,619 miles Mar 9, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11722895

MY 2023 CHEVY MALIBU HAS A MISSING TURBOCHARGER SCREW THAT RANDOMLY CAME OFF FROM UNDER A METAL PLATE ON ITS OWN, GMC HAS A RECALL ON 2022 -2023 CHEY MALIBU WITH TURBO CHARGER ISSUES BUT THEY WONT COVER MINES BECAUSE IT DIDNT COME FROM A CERTIAN FACTORY ALTHOUGH THEY KNOW A HELL OF ALOT OF CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS HAVE TURBO CHARGER ISSUES…

Electrical System Feb 11, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11717268

When I was in a car accident I was hit on the rear passenger side of my vehicle, right near where my side air bags are supposed to be located. I was hit at 50 mph and the airbags did not deploy

Air Bags Dec 29, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11707590

At 40,000 miles, check engine light illuminated. Code reader stated P023F fuel pump secondary circuit open. When trying to take 2023 Malibu to dealership for repairs car would not start. Had to have car towed to dealership. Dealership confirmed same fuel pump error code. Confirmed no recall.

Fuel/Propulsion System Jul 11, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11672718

The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu equipped with Continental Tires, Tire Line: Pro Contact, Tire Size: 245/40/R19, DOT Number: 6Y66WBR27. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at highway speeds, there was a blowout of the front driver's side tire. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The tire was replaced.

Tires at 11,000 miles Aug 29, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11611653

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Chevrolet itself: 16 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 killed, 24 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 14 per 100,000 built. Every Malibu model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 66k

miles, typically

Half the 21 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 45,000 and 70,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 21 on file: 1 under 10k, 1 10k–20k, 1 20k–30k, 2 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k, 4 50k–60k, 4 60k–70k, 3 70k–80k, 3 80k–90k, 1 100k–150k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	10%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · GM warranty extension 22-NA-244This warranty administration service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories - Dealer-Installed, Repaired or Replaced During Warranty Coverage Period.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 433

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-10-16

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 426 service bulletins, 3 service campaigns, 2 over-the-air updates

Most often about: Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Equipment, Engine, Power Train.

PIC6626B Service bulletin
2026-10-16 · Unknown Or Other
PI created to guide technicians through radio restriction process
PIT6457C Service bulletin
2026-09-28 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information is for technicians that may see DTCs that are history and should not perform any part replacements. They should follow the notes mentioned prior to anything being replaced.
PIC6540K Service bulletin
2026-09-28 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to dealers a procedure to reset the radio.
PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIC6551C Service bulletin
2026-08-20 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5966F Service bulletin
2026-06-23 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still displayed after an OTA event and how to reset/clear the message.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P023F P023F on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	7 bulletins · 1 owner report
P129F P129F on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	7 bulletins
B000A B000A on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
B3924 B3924 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	4 bulletins
B3925 B3925 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	4 bulletins
B3926 B3926 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	4 bulletins
B3927 B3927 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	4 bulletins
B3928 B3928 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	4 bulletins
P0513 P0513 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
U0155 U0155 on Chevrolet →	A module has stopped hearing from the instrument cluster.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
P0299 P0299 on Chevrolet →	The turbocharger or supercharger is not making the boost the computer asked for.	Engine	2 owner reports
P1001	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 2.0%

failed emissions

1,198 initial inspections of 1,174 vehicles.

Measure	The 2023 Malibu	Every 2023 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	2.0%	1.6%	1,195
Failed the safety inspection	1.5%	1.1%	1,198
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.17%	0.16%	1,198
Miles driven a year	12,593	10,038	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	41,843	32,673	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2023 vehicle” is every 2023 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Malibu by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2025 A 1 11 31 mpg 2024 A 2 43 31 mpg 2023 this page B 2 72 30 mpg 2022 A 1 99 32 mpg 2021 B 2 90 32 mpg 2020 A 1 199 32 mpg 2019 A 1 195 46 mpg 2018 D 6 711 46 mpg 2017 C 4 725 46 mpg 2016 F 10 865 46 mpg

Common questions about the 2023 Malibu

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The most serious on file is 22V923000, covering Structure. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu?

NHTSA gave the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (87/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu?

For the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, the best EPA combined figure is 30 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu?

Transport Canada measured it at 193.7 in long, 72.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.5 in tall, on a 111.4 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,126–3,223 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu?

Owners have filed 72 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, most often about engine, back over prevention, unspecified. Of those, 5 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 8 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu?

The EPA smog rating for the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu is 7 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu?

The manufacturer has filed 433 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, most often covering electrical system, unknown or other, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-10-16. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu failed the emissions check on 2.0% of first inspections — higher than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.5% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	1 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	1 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	72	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	433	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	7 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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