Chevrolet Malibu engine problems, 2016–2025
1,062 of the 2,995 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Malibu 2016–2025 name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). The loudest years: 2016 (312), 2018 (289), 2017 (261). Filed under the same heading across these years: no document yet. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Chevrolet Malibu engine problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the engine | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | — | — | 16 TSBs | the year → |
| 2024 | 3 | 7% | — | 59 TSBs | the year → |
| 2023 | 16 | 23% | — | 82 TSBs | the year → |
| 2022 | 39 | 40% | 77k | 142 TSBs | the year → |
| 2021 | 14 | 16% | — | 179 TSBs | the year → |
| 2020 in depth | 62 | 31% | 77k | 199 TSBs | the record → |
| 2019 in depth | 66 | 34% | 51k | 316 TSBs | the record → |
| 2018 in depth | 289 | 41% | 50k | 368 TSBs | the record → |
| 2017 in depth | 261 | 36% | 58k | 421 TSBs | the record → |
| 2016 in depth | 312 | 36% | 53k | 436 TSBs | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the engine. Nothing here is a rate.
When the engine complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2016: 1 · 2017: 13 · 2018: 58 · 2019: 158 · 2020: 155 · 2021: 165 · 2022: 152 · 2023: 90 · 2024: 75 · 2025: 94 · 2026: 101
Across the model years, half of the 519 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 32,000 and 76,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine, from the model years with the most to say. 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.
Engine lost power on interstate highway. While this did not result in a crash/ rear end collision, the potential for such injury seems high. 1-2 days prior there were some warning lights (check engine light).
The car lost power while I was operating it. I had to put it in park and restart it. I was in the middle of parking it on a city street
Car accelerates on its own while I’m driving. In addition , without warning the car engines suddenly reduced speed. This has accrued while I’m on the freeway without any warnings
What is on file about the engine, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNothing filed under this heading on these model years.
Other systems with a record on the Chevrolet Malibu
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems
- electrical problems
- fuel system problems
- brake problems
- stability control problems
Every system, every model year: Chevrolet Malibu problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Chevrolet Malibu years have the most engine complaints?
2016, 312; 2018, 289; 2017, 261. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2018 (41%).
Is there a recall for the engine on the Chevrolet Malibu?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading on any of these model years. A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 55,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 32,000 and 76,000. 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.