Chevrolet Malibu 2013–2015 problems by year and mileage
8th generation · GM Epsilon II SWB (GMX351)
NHTSA data through 24 September 20261,555 complaints, 1,080 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
Close- Median failure report
- 67,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 922
- Recalls naming this year
- 11
Most reported on the 2013
- Electrical system424 reports · median 76,000 mi
- Engine226 reports · median 77,000 mi
- Steering197 reports · median 59,000 mi
11 recall campaigns name the 2013: Suspension — rear; Electrical system — ignition; Power train — automatic transmission. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Close- Median failure report
- 60,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 363
- Recalls naming this year
- 6
Most reported on the 2014
- Engine127 reports · median 75,000 mi
- Electrical system88 reports · median 65,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise57 reports
6 recall campaigns name the 2014: Electrical system — ignition; Visibility — sun/moon roof assembly; Service brakes, hydraulic — power assist. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
Close- Median failure report
- 50,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 270
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2015
- Engine70 reports · median 66,000 mi
- Electrical system68 reports · median 54,000 mi
- Airbag system49 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2015: Electrical system — ignition; Air bags — side/window; Visibility — sun/moon roof assembly. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2013 reports latest and the 2015 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2013 has had 2 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2013–2015 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 64,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 122,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 1,080
- Recalls
- 16
Most reported
- Electrical system37.3% of complaints · median 72,000 mi
- Engine27.2% of complaints · median 75,000 mi
- Steering14.9% of complaints · median 57,000 mi
Owners filed 1,555 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013–2015 Chevrolet Malibu; the electrical system leads with 37.3% of them, and half of the 1,080 that record an odometer reading came by 64,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 32,000 and 94,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2013–2015 Chevrolet Malibu last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2013–2015 Chevrolet Malibu, half of the 1,080 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 64,000 miles and 90% by 122,000 miles.
42 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 8 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Malibu reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Chevrolet Malibu 2013–2015 · 1,080 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 136 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 8 complaints (0.7%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 6,500
- 25%
- 32,250
- Median
- 64,000
- 75%
- 94,137
- 90%
- 122,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 136 | 12.6% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 72 | 6.7% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 50 | 4.6% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 73 | 6.8% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 84 | 7.8% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 85 | 7.9% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 88 | 8.1% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 89 | 8.2% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 105 | 9.7% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 62 | 5.7% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 59 | 5.5% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 46 | 4.3% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 41 | 3.8% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 26 | 2.4% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 22 | 2.0% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 11 | 1.0% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 8 | 0.7% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 7 | 0.6% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 5 | 0.5% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 3 | 0.3% |
| 200,000+ | 8 | 0.7% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common Malibu problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Chevrolet Malibu 2013–2015
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Airbag system134 reports54,00037,000–89,000Airbag system: 134 reports, median 54,000 miles, middle half 37,000 to 89,000 miles.
- Steering232 reports57,00018,000–85,000Steering: 232 reports, median 57,000 miles, middle half 18,000 to 85,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline145 reports61,00017,000–100,000Transmission and driveline: 145 reports, median 61,000 miles, middle half 17,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise188 reports65,00040,000–98,000Problems owners could not categorise: 188 reports, median 65,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 98,000 miles.
- Electrical system580 reports72,00046,000–100,000Electrical system: 580 reports, median 72,000 miles, middle half 46,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Electronic stability control (esc)136 reports73,00050,000–95,000Electronic stability control (esc): 136 reports, median 73,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 95,000 miles.
- Engine423 reports75,00046,000–103,000Engine: 423 reports, median 75,000 miles, middle half 46,000 to 103,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 580 | 37.3% | 72,000 | 46,000–100,000 |
| Engine | 423 | 27.2% | 75,000 | 46,000–103,000 |
| Steering | 232 | 14.9% | 57,000 | 18,000–85,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 188 | 12.1% | 65,000 | 40,000–98,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 145 | 9.3% | 61,000 | 17,000–100,000 |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 136 | 8.7% | 73,000 | 50,000–95,000 |
| Airbag system | 134 | 8.6% | 54,000 | 37,000–89,000 |
| Brakes | 115 | 7.4% | 48,000 | 17,000–83,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 81 | 5.2% | 80,000 | 45,000–102,000 |
| Suspension | 77 | 5.0% | 90,000 | 51,000–120,000 |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 64,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 37.3% of complaints (580 reports, 410 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 72,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 46,000 and 100,000 miles.
A single system taking 37.3% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The engine accounts for 27.2% of complaints (423 reports, 276 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 75,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 46,000 and 103,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 14.9% of complaints (232 reports, 192 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 57,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 18,000 and 85,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 12.1% of complaints (188 reports, 109 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 98,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 9.3% of complaints (145 reports, 103 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 61,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 17,000 and 100,000 miles.
Electronic stability control (esc) accounts for 8.7% of complaints (136 reports, 115 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 73,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 95,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2013–2015 Malibu
Engine 2013–2014
2.4L eAssist mild-hybrid system battery pack and 12V/battery-cable faults; the eAssist variant was dropped after 2014.
Body/Electrical 2013
Frequent complaints of hard starting and electrical faults on the 2013 launch year, largely resolved by the heavy 2014 front-structure and interior revision (a facelift, not a new platform).
Before you buy a 2013–2015 Malibu: the 3-minute check
Generated from 1,080 mileage-tagged complaints, 16 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 16 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check engine on 2013–2014 cars. 2.4L eAssist mild-hybrid system battery pack and 12V/battery-cable faults; the eAssist variant was dropped after 2014.
- Check body/electrical on 2013 cars. Frequent complaints of hard starting and electrical faults on the 2013 launch year, largely resolved by the heavy 2014 front-structure and interior revision (a facelift, not a new platform).
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 32,000 and 94,000 miles, with a median of 64,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the electrical system and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 72,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Malibu problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi46% below | At 90k mi72% below | At 120k mi88% below | At 150k mi96% below | At 200k mi99% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 46,000–100,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 46,000–103,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Steering | 18,000–85,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 40,000–98,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Transmission and driveline | 17,000–100,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 50,000–95,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Airbag system | 37,000–89,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Chevrolet Malibu 2013–2015 · 1,080 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 46% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 72% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 88% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 96% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 99% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.7% of reports (8) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2013–2015 Chevrolet Malibu recalls (16)
NHTSA records 16 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the suspension (4), the electrical system (3), the transmission and driveline (2). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Dec 2021 · 2013 · SuspensionA rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a…
The defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland…
What can happen. A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at…
Aug 2021 · 2013 · SuspensionA rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a…
The defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Regal, Chevrolet Malibu, and Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts…
What can happen. A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on September 30, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed…
Dec 2020 · 2013 · SuspensionA rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a…
The defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland…
What can happen. A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners were mailed an interim notification on…
Jul 2016 · 2013–2015 · Electrical SystemIf the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011…
What can happen. If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer…
Oct 2015 · 2015 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its…
What can happen. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal…
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300…
Apr 2015 · 2013 · Power TrainIf the console shift indicator does not illuminate the transmission gear selection, a driver could…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured April 10, 2012, to August 2, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the console transmission gear selection indicator may not illuminate the shift position selected.…
What can happen. If the console shift indicator does not illuminate the transmission gear selection, a driver could inadvertently select a transmission position other than the position the driver intended, increasing…
The free fix. GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the transmission gear selection control module, free of charge. The recall began on April 20, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at…
Mar 2015 · 2013–2015 · VisibilityThe Slide or Tilt roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed and the roof panel may auto-close…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles October 24, 2011, to March 5, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Slide or Tilt switch for the roof panel may not be adequately recessed to prevent the switch from…
What can happen. The Slide or Tilt roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed and the roof panel may auto-close unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a pinch injury.
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Body Control Module (BCM) software to remove auto-close feature for certain switch positions, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2015.…
May 2014 · 2014 · Service Brakes, HydraulicIf the hydraulic boost assist is disabled, slowing or stopping the vehicle will require additional brake…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured June 12, 2013, through May 2, 2014, and equipped with a 2.5L engine with the auto stop/start option. The affected vehicles may experience a complete loss of…
What can happen. If the hydraulic boost assist is disabled, slowing or stopping the vehicle will require additional brake pedal effort and a lengthened stopping distance. Both of these effects increase the risk of a…
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic brake control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 3, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at…
May 2014 · 2014 · Service Brakes, HydraulicIf a brake pad detaches from caliper, there may be a sudden reduction in braking, lengthening the distance…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Lacrosse vehicles manufactured January 29, 2014, through March 31, 2014 and 2014 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured February 7, 2014, through March 31, 2014, and equipped with 17 inch…
What can happen. If a brake pad detaches from caliper, there may be a sudden reduction in braking, lengthening the distance required to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake rotors, and install the correct rotors with new brake pads, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 20, 2014. Owners may…
Feb 2014 · 2014 · Power TrainIf a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, LaCrosse, Verano, and Enclave, and Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Cruze, and Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the…
What can happen. If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the…
The free fix. General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any affected transmission shift cable adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2014. Chevrolet owners may…
Nov 2013 · 2014 · VisibilityThe inability to turn on the windshield defroster may decrease the driver's visibility thereby increasing the…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured June 12, 2013, through November 5, 2013. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control in these vehicles may intermittently become inoperable…
What can happen. The inability to turn on the windshield defroster may decrease the driver's visibility thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic climate control module software, free of charge. The recall began during December 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's…
Nov 2013 · 2013 · SeatsIf the harness is chaffed enough to expose the wires, a short circuit could occur, resulting unintended…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured October 25, 2011, through June 29, 2012 and equipped with the 8-way power adjustable front seat feature. The wiring harness for the power seat may contact the…
What can happen. If the harness is chaffed enough to expose the wires, a short circuit could occur, resulting unintended movement of the seat, the seat to become inoperative, sparking under the seat, flickering…
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wire harness and repair and secure it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began during December 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300.…
May 2013 · 2013 · Electrical SystemIf the vehicle is continued to be driven, the engine may stall and/or the vehicle may not start.
The defect. General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Buick LaCrosse and Regal, and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco vehicles equipped with eAssist. These vehicles may have a condition in which the Generator Control Module (GCM) may not…
What can happen. If the vehicle is continued to be driven, the engine may stall and/or the vehicle may not start. In addition, there may be a burning or melting odor, smoke, and possibly a fire in the trunk.
The free fix. GM will notify owners and dealers will test the GCM and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 11, 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign…
Jan 2013 · 2013 · SuspensionSudden changes in vehicle handling may increase the risk of a crash.
The defect. General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles, manufactured December 6, 2011, through January 15, 2013. One or more rear suspension bolts may not have been tightened to the specified torque. This may lead to sudden changes in…
What can happen. Sudden changes in vehicle handling may increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and retighten the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notifications have already begun and will be completed shortly. Owners may…
Oct 2012 · 2013 · Exterior LightingIf the driver is not aware that a turn signal is not functioning properly, the driver may continue to drive…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Buick Regal and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with two turn signal bulbs in each front turn signal. If one of the two front turn signal bulbs burn out…
What can happen. If the driver is not aware that a turn signal is not functioning properly, the driver may continue to drive the vehicle. If half of a front turn signal is not illuminating, other driver's may not be…
The free fix. GM will notify owners, dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Buick at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet at…
May 2012 · 2013 · Electrical SystemIf this occurs during an aggressive turning maneuver, and then afterwards a potential vehicle rollover event…
The defect. General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from october 24, 2011, through march 31, 2012. After an event of hard braking, the sensing and diagnostic module (sdm) may reset itself.
What can happen. If this occurs during an aggressive turning maneuver, and then afterwards a potential vehicle rollover event is sensed, the roof rail airbag may unintentionally deploy. Additionally, the air bags…
The free fix. Gm will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the sdm. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on june 13, 2012.
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,555 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 75 (4.8%)
- Fires
- 28
- Injury reports
- 45
- Fatality reports
- 2
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Malibu problems by model year
The 2013 drew the most complaints of this generation, 922, most of them about the electrical system, and the 2015 the fewest, 270. A typical year drew about 363.
That makes the 2013 stand out at roughly 2.5 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 922 | 678 | 67,000 | Electrical system (424) | 11 |
| 2014 | 363 | 242 | 60,000 | Engine (127) | 6 |
| 2015 | 270 | 160 | 50,000 | Engine (70) | 3 |
What Malibu owners reported
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40-50 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and…
2014 · 74,000 miles · Steering
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the electrical system failed inside the vehicle, causing the air conditioning system to fail to operate, and the window control buttons failed to roll the window down. The battery saver active warning light was illuminated. The…
2013 · 114,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact attempted to stop to make a turn, and there was a popping sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was restarted, but failed to move or respond as…
2015 · 179,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while idling at a stoplight, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The failure occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally, but failed to immediately restart on several occasions. The…
2013 · 125,000 miles · Engine
Built from 1,080 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Malibu generations
- Malibu 1997–2003 2,351 reports with mileage, most about the electrical system
- Malibu 2004–2007 4,348 reports with mileage, most about the steering
- Malibu 2008–2012 4,465 reports with mileage, most about the steering
- Malibu 2016–2025 1,427 reports with mileage, most about the engine