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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
67,367 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Chevrolet Malibu electrical problems

electrical problem

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2013 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 5 of 17)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #258

Jan 022017

Malibu

  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving my vehicle and I come to a stop the engine dies out. There is no check engine light or warning before this happens and it has almost caused an accident 3 times now. Even in stop and go rush hour traffic, as soon as I need to slow down the car stutters and then stalls. All the lights and radio stay on but the engine just shuts off. I have to quickly throw it into, park turn the key to off and restart the car everytime. This has been going on for a couple of years and I just dont know what to do anymore. I am not able to trade it in yet and I am afraid to sell it and this happen to someone else.

- Oakland, CA, USA

problem #257

May 172019

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 118,000 miles
Chafed wiring under passenger seat to short out and ground..causing headlights to go out and all electrical parts to short out...no headlights or tail lights.

- Vandalia, MO, USA

problem #256

Apr 202019

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 132,000 miles
The car shuts completely off when driving. The steering wheel starts to lock in different places as you turn. All electronics shut off and sometimes cannot be restarted for days. You can be sitting in park and turn the steering wheel and it will still lock up. Not at the stopping point of the steering. Even if you try. A little. I also have a video of it happening it will not let you turn it at all. Unlock losing power steering makes it harder to turn but still possible. With this it stops completely like the car is shut off. When you switch your turn signal on and then turn all electronics and car shuts off until you turn the signal off or let go out the steering wheel. I have almost wrecked 4 times with kids in the car. I have personally read other people. Not just a few but at least 200 other people with this same problem. Currently looking into legal action against this before someone dies in a wreck because nobody wants to issue a recall.

- Granite Falls Nc, NC, USA

problem #255

May 182020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 1 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle occasionally loses power when in traffic or reduced speed, stabilitrak malfunctions consistently, initiating "limp mode", power steering went out this morning as my speed reduced.

- Hutto, TX, USA

problem #254

Apr 202020

Malibu

  • 108,100 miles
Often times as I'm driving down the road my whole dashboard will turn off and turn back on. More recently when I started my car in the morning the dash lights wouldn't turn on and all the gauges were stuck down as if the dash never turned on.

- Lake Linden, MI, USA

problem #253

Apr 112020

Malibu

  • 109,000 miles
When I was parked I was rolling the windows with the car running and all the lights and car was cutting off. While I'm driving I lose power all my dash lights go out and while making a turn the steering wheel locks up to where I can not correct myself from turning so I have to stop in the middle of the street until the power comes back on.

- Bakersfield, CA, USA

problem #252

Feb 012020

Malibu

  • 5 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Mientras el vehiculo esta en movimiento el motor SE apaga. Esto comenzo a ocurrir hace un mes.. ES una situacion muy peligrosa

- Guanica, PR, USA

problem #251

Feb 262020

Malibu

  • 80,000 miles
While on the road or highway the car power off and on while driving.it has happened on many occasions. It is dangerous

- Waldorf, MD, USA

problem #250

Jan 012020

Malibu

  • miles
I purchased my vehicle used. A month after I've had the car all the lights on my dash board would blink on and off while driving. No lights on the panel would show. Now I have no lights on panel. I can not see how fast I am going as it does not register, does not register C or H, mileage does not show, speedometer does not show. However, it gill get stuck on the speed I was going when the lights on panel.goes out.. took to dealer was told it was the instrument cluster. Paid for the part and the deposit for it. Which I feel should be covered since it was internal? I have been told the part is back ordered by manufacturer.

- Suffolk, VA, USA

problem #249

Jan 202020

Malibu

  • 160,000 miles
I purchased my vehicle new. A month after paying it off, all the lights on my dash board would blink on and off while driving. No lights on the panel would show. This happened for about a week. Now I have no lights on panel. I can not see how fast I am going as it does not register, does not register C or H, mileage does not show, speedometer does not show. However, it gill get stuck on the speed I was going when the lights on panel.goes out.. took to dealer was told it was the P&a cluster. Paid for the part and the deposit for it. Which I feel should be covered since it was internal? however, have been told the part is back ordered by manufacturer. It has now been 3 1/2 weeks and I am scared to drive my car..

- Clarksville, TN, USA

problem #248

Nov 252019

Malibu

  • 108,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I bought this 2013 Malibu in February 2014. In 2016 it started with the many issues. The hybrid system when stopped at stop sign or light would die. The car would completely die while driving down the road. That lead to the power steering going out. Every code on the dash board would come on. Then the battery would just completely die and need to be jumped. It would run ok for a few days then be dead the next. More and more the battery would completely be dead every few days. Had two new batteries installed and it would test fine usually. Seemed that something was draining it somehow. Took it to the dealer many time and could never get a definitive answer. Finally in November 2019 I was driving down the highway and it completely died and would not take a charge (jump). Stranded on the high I had to have it towed to coyle Chevrolet only to be told they didn't have a hybrid mechanic to look at it. Then had it towed to bachman Chevrolet only for them to tell me after having it for two weeks that there was something wrong with the engine. Either they needed to disassemble it to find the problem or I would need to get a new engine for $7,000. I had a claim with GM but they also just gave me the run around. The car itself is only worth $3,500-$4,500. I still was paying on the loan for it also. Not only have I not had a car since November I have a car that won't start and can not trade in on another car. Although there was many complaints about the same issues no recalls are on the car for them. Very frustrating situation I dealt with for a few years with the car and no solution for a fix. I loved that car and Chevy but very disappointed in them. Need to invest in another model I guess.

- Jeffersonville, IN, USA

problem #247

Feb 112020

Malibu

  • 120,000 miles
2013 Chevy Malibu ltz car shut down while driving on highway at 65mph no warning. Plenty of fuel.radio and signal lights stopped working first. New battery put in, worked for a month. Same thing while driving through intersection. Husband unplugged battery and plugged back in. Worked fine for a few days. Today it wouldn't start no power at all. Unhooked battery and it started again. This is not the first complaint on this and needs to be investigated. Someone is going to get killed.

- Oswego, NY, USA

problem #246

Sep 172019

Malibu

  • 70,000 miles
My 2013 Chevrolet Malibu headlights specifically the right passenger side light keeps going out, I've replaced the bulb, and eventually I had the wiring inside fixed because it was exposed. I bought the car certified pre-owned from the dealership and never realized until recently that the electrical wires that lead to the bulb socket were cut and then twist tied back together and wrapped in electrical tape, instead of having a complete rubber tube cover around the outside and being one continuous uncut piece the way it should be. So I had someone at a car shop try to fix it but now the light is going on and off again. I've seen many Chevrolet vehicles on the road with the right passenger side low beam headlight out while the left one continues to work fine. There are plenty of reports about this same problem by many other owners on the internet. I'm not the only one with this problem, and a costly safety hazard. A recall needs to be made.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #245

Oct 272019

Malibu

  • 71,398 miles
I purchased a 2013 Chevy Malibu 53,000 miles in October of 2018 from bob pulte Chevrolet. The car ran great until almost a year to the date of purchase, at 72,534 miles, issues began. While stopped at a red light, foot on brake, I looked down at the dashboard and noticed the RPM needle had dropped to 0 & the car had stalled.I put the car in park, turned the key off and then back on to start the car. It sounded as if it didn't want to start but ultimately did. I continued driving and it happened again at the next red light. I took the car to the nearest repair shop which was Firestone, to have it checked & was told the alternator and battery needed replaced. The following week the car stalled as it had 1st time & then sporadically again and again when I slowed down approaching a red light, stop sign & when pulling into a parking space. Each time the car stalled it was difficult to start again. I took the car to a different Firestone for a fresh set of eyes. This time the car stalled when their technician drove the car. A fuel system cleaning was recommended & done. The next suggestion was to replace the throttle body. A few days later, the car stalled again. When the car does stall I would lose power to everything except the radio. The lights shut off, doors stay locked & the car cannot be steered.I next took the car to the bob pulte Chevrolet dealership & discussed the problem with them. After having the car for two days, they advised the car did not stall when they drove it, there were no codes, no check engine light on & without that there was nothing they could do. The next day when I pulled into a parking space at work, the car stalled again. I called bob pulte again-they said they would update the ECM module and reprogram the throttle body and everything that goes along with it - believing Firestone was unable to do it. The car continues to stall.

- Mason, OH, USA

problem #244

Mar 152016

Malibu

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled and the traction light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer (ourisman Chevrolet of marlow heights 4400 branch ave, marlow heights, md 20748) for diagnosis. The diagnosis was the vehicle needed replacement hubs. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred with the power steering light illuminated. Within a few months, the vehicle was taken to (ourisman Chevrolet of bowie 16610 governor bridge rd, bowie, md 20716) and the diagnosis was the vehicle needed a replacement battery however the failure continued. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no solution. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

- Distric Heights, MD, USA

problem #243

Jan 152020

Malibu

  • 82,000 miles
The car was having interment electrical issues with the turn signals, and radio going off and on. Now, the radio stopped completely, and the turn signals do not function. I have a low battery after testing. Is this part of the generator module recall?? it is very unsafe for my daughter to drive, as there is nothing lit up on displays anymore.

- Elkton, MD, USA

problem #242

Jan 102020

Malibu

  • 13,970 miles
Loss of power of car it kill my factory battery had buy a new one and power steering is not working

- Mobile, AL, USA

problem #241

Dec 122019

Malibu

  • 73,000 miles
My gauge cluster started malfunctioning 2 weeks ago while sitting in car on parked position. Kicks on for about 30 minutes then will go black doesn't matter if I'm driving. My GM mechanic ordered the part but still has not arrived, there are other complaints for the same issue and this problem has not been corrected it seems up to this year. How am I supposed to fix my Chevy if I cannot get the part. This is unacceptable.

- Plant City, FL, USA

problem #240

May 082019

Malibu

  • 125,000 miles
While driving on the highway my car will just shut down completely then turn back on. Sometime the radio will go out with power steering, etc. It just shuts down for no reason. We've replacement the battery cable several months ago as we had the exact same problem and it worked for about 6 months. If I use my turn signal sometimes it will shut down and turn back on. Did it about 20 times today on the way to work. With my two small children in the car with me. I am usually driving around 65 to 75 mph when this happens.

- Drumright, OK, USA

problem #239

Nov 202019

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 52,000 miles
I have a 2013 Malibu lt with 52,000 miles on it. Last month on the 20th of November service power steering warning started to flash on the information system. When that happens my doors would lock and my car would stall. However; unlike most other consumers who are having this problem my steering wheel didn't get tight and I did not lose control of my car. I could not do more than 40mph and sometimes if I hit a bump in the road service power steering would come on and the doors would lock and the car would stall and then go back to normal. I took my car in to genesis Chevrolet to see what the problem was. They had my car for about a good 4 to 5 hours. They then came and informed me that they could not find anything wrong with my care because, no codes where popping up and the mechanic tried 4 times but could not duplicate the situation I was having. It is now December 11th and I am still having the same problem. I just drove to work today and went to make a right turn down the street leading to my job the service power steering flashed again, the car stalled, and the engine light came on. This time the car slowed all the way down until it came to a complete stop. Even though my car had come to a complete stop it was still on and running. My radio still worked my heat was still on and I still could shift my gear shift. I put the car in park turned it off for about a minute and then started it back up. When I started it back up the engine light had gone off and I was able to accelerate my car and pull into the parking lot of my job.

- Detroit, MI, USA

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