Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 21, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

198 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
126

Most reports here involve sudden stalling. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

sudden stalling 42software faults 42transmission slipping 19
A recent report: The vehicle's transmission shifter mechanism has failed for a second time, preventing the vehicle's computer from communicating with the gear shifter. When shifting the physical gear lever forward…
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The vehicle's transmission shifter mechanism has failed for a second time, preventing the vehicle's computer from communicating with the gear shifter. When shifting the physical gear lever forward into the "Park" position and attempting to shut off the engine, a warning message reading "Action Required: Shift to Park" appears on the driver instrument dashboard display.This exact failure previously occurred in 2022, two years after purchasing the vehicle. It was formally repaired and covered under an extended warranty policy. However, the underlying manufacturer defect has recurred, proving that the extended warranty repair did not permanently resolve the systemic design flaw.The vehicle was contacted, and an authorized service dealer location in Phoenix, Arizona was notified of the recurrence. The dealer advised that because the vehicle is no longer under warranty coverage, the manufacturer will not cover the repair, and it must be paid entirely out-of-pocket. This creates an unfair financial burden as the vehicle is nearing its final loan payoff timeline at the end of the year. The component is still installed in the vehicle and available for inspection upon request. The issue corresponds to GM Technical Service Bulletin 19-NA-206.Safety is actively put at risk because the vehicle's computer does not recognize that it is safely in Park. As a result, the car refuses to shut off its electrical systems completely. This leaves the dashboard, radio, and electronic modules powered on indefinitely, creating a severe battery-drain and stranding hazard. Furthermore, because the vehicle remains partially awake, it poses an electrical safety hazard and prevents the driver from securely locking and leaving the vehicle.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762898 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
17

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 8software faults 3
A recent report: So while I was driving my car going 60 on the highway it seemed to be having electrical issues all the lights on my dash popped on then popped off and only a few lights actually stayed on I can't…
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So while I was driving my car going 60 on the highway it seemed to be having electrical issues all the lights on my dash popped on then popped off and only a few lights actually stayed on I can't remember exactly but the check engine and my abs stayed on and then on my screen it read to me warning power steering fault my headlights were dimming on and off like my car was going to die, so I had to pull over for my safety and other drivers safety, so after I pulled over safely I shut my car completely off and waited about 5 minutes and turned it back on when it turned back on the only light that popped on my dash was the check engine light, but the check engine light had actually been on the dash for a while after I replaced the 21 fuses that were missing that I didn't know were missing when I purchased the vehicle as is from a dealership the only thing that made me decide to check my fuses was because my check engine light was popping on and off and would stay off for a while then come back on a code reader said it was something to do with my turbo that code it was just very odd and the car was shifting weird 3 or 4 months after the purchase date XXX also after I put all the fuses back in a ton of codes popped up others safety and mine were at risk as I didn't really have control of my vehicle when it was doing that and it started breaking itself when I wasn't even hitting the break it was like jolting it's self and stopping slightly. I took my car to AAMCO Total car Care for a free diagnostic test, and then I had recently took my car to a Chevy dealership in Nampa Idaho off garrity boulevard because online it had told me there was recalls for my car and that recall was exactly what I was thinking had started off as the original problem originally leading into the other problems I got told to bring my car in then the fed me information saying pretty much it was a bust and that specific Malibu has no recall I think they just didn't want to work on it

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11754086 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
36

Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 3 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

loss of braking 32sudden stalling 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brakes failed to respond and seized, causing the contact to engage the parking…
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The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brakes failed to respond and seized, causing the contact to engage the parking brake. The contact was able to pull over while awaiting tow truck assistance. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact stated that a Lexus engineer retrieved the EDR; however, there was no failure found with the braking system. The failure mileage was 120,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762742 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
9

Most reports here involve loss of steering.

loss of steering 6loss of braking 1software faults 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the message "Steering Assist Reduced - Drive with Care" was intermittently displayed on the instrument panel while driving. The…
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The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the message "Steering Assist Reduced - Drive with Care" was intermittently displayed on the instrument panel while driving. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to turn the steering wheel. In addition, the message "Service ESC" was displayed, and the steering failure became more frequent. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was provided with an estimate for a diagnostic test. The contact declined the diagnostic test.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762753 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Read closely
4

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 2
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while her daughter was driving at 65 MPH, the contact's daughter was run off the road by another vehicle. The contact stated that the air…
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The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while her daughter was driving at 65 MPH, the contact's daughter was run off the road by another vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that the vehicle was forced to crash into the guard rail. The contact's daughter was knocked unconscious and sustained a concussion due to hitting her head on the driver's door glass. The contact's daughter was transported to the local medical center. The contact stated that a police report was not filed because it was a single-vehicle crash. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was 94,073.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11619365 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Worth reading
2

Most reports here involve fluid leaks. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

fluid leaks 1
A recent report: This vehicle was purchased on February 10, 2023 under false pretenses, deceit, and fraudulent activities by Frank Leta Honda of Missouri. Frank Leta Honda and its Salesman failed to disclosed that…
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This vehicle was purchased on February 10, 2023 under false pretenses, deceit, and fraudulent activities by Frank Leta Honda of Missouri. Frank Leta Honda and its Salesman failed to disclosed that this vehicle was in a major accident prior to me purchasing it. The front-end bumper and the front quarter-panel on the passenger side were damaged. This car was re-painted with non-factory paint, and it shows. Most importantly, the procedure and process required in painting a vehicle was not followed. I even questioned the salesman whether or not this vehicle was in a major accident, and the salesman said, "no." I had taken this vehicle to two professional auto body businesses, and two owners/auto body workers informed me without me asking that the vehicle had been in a major accident. Can you please give me a report on whether or not the previous owners of this vehicle reported an accident with this vehicle being involved in, and the original color of this vehicle. The dealer is calling it red. However, this vehicle is a deep dark burgundy.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11518864 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
4

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 4
A recent report: Shift to park

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11672776 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 198 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2020 and 2026, roughly 30 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.