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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
27,290 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.

2016 Chevrolet Malibu drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2016 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 5 of 8)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #75

Jun 192020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 54,000 miles

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

Problem has huge accident potential. *driving on the freeway in moderately heavy traffic. *traveling at a 65-70 mph to keep up with the flow of traffic, I began receiving "engine power is reduced" message on my info screen. * the engine light comes on (and I immediately start counting how much time and money this will cost me). * there is a slight jerk/pull of the car where it immediately starts a drastic reduction in speed down to 20-30 mph. * I've had to pull to the side of the road to stop the car (I pray I am able to do this safely). *eventually, I found that by shutting the engine off completely for several minutes, the car somehow "resets" and drives normally. * occasionally, the engine light would go away immediately upon re-ignition. Other times the engine light went off after a couple day. * this happened several times during within a (1) hour commute to work.

- Victorville, CA, USA

problem #74

May 222020

Malibu

  • 71,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after stopping the vehicle and shifting the gear shifter to the park position, the instrument panel displayed the transmission not in park message. Additionally, on several occasions the contact was unable to turn the vehicle off. The contact stated that on several occasions the doors failed to remain securely locked. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 71,000.

- Auburn, GA, USA

problem #73

Feb 152020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 27,000 miles
Shift to park issue is well known by Chevrolet service dept and I have checked other forums. When you shift car to park and try to turn off the car, it tells you to shift to park. The car won't shut off. I had to shift back and forth quite a few times for it to finally work. Service replaced the "harness" for roughly $100 which worked temporarily but started in again. So new shifter has been ordered at cost of approx $350. I don't understand why there hasn't been a recall with all the problems they have had. Mine is a 2016 with very low miles. They have lots of problems with '16, '17 and some '18. I hate fixing again and have it happen in another 20K miles..... recall please"!"!

- Blue Springs, MO, USA

problem #72

Jun 152020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 124,579 miles

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

The gear shift is stuck in the park position. It's not moving and stuck in park.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #71

Jun 082020

Malibu

  • 28,000 miles
Car will not shut off as it does not register that the vehicle is in park when shifted to the park position.

- Mentor, OH, USA

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problem #70

Feb 012020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • miles
When I place the car in park and hit the button to turn the car off it keeps telling me the shift to park when the car is off. I will have to turn it off and on multiple times to get the message to stop showing up. I will have to shift it to drive and park multiple times as well to get the message to go away. This has been happening for some time now.

- Bonne Terre, MO, USA

problem #69

Mar 242020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 17,000 miles

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

When I put the vehicle in park and try to shut off the engine, the engine will not shut off. It keeps running. It appears that the vehicle does not know it is in park. The vehicle is stationary but keeps on running.

- Rosedale, MD, USA

problem #68

Dec 012016

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 15,000 miles
Shift to park cable went out one time within first couple months. Now its bad again. Engine light always on. Roof leaked from third brake light. Reduced power message on dash.

- Macon, GA, USA

problem #67

Apr 222020

Malibu

  • miles
Component power train:automatic transmission

- Englewood, CO, USA

problem #66

Mar 112020

Malibu

  • 56,000 miles
This is the second time that this has happened with this vehicle. After arriving at my destination, I parked my car and shifted to park. Upon turning the car off, an error message appears directing me to "shift to park." The car only has 56000 miles. This has been fixed previously (car had almost 40000 miles at the first occurence) and now it is happening again. Very frustrating. The car will not allow you to fully turn the car off with this error message and if you get out and shut the door, the car acts as if it is still running by honking and not allowing you to lock your vehicle.

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #65

Mar 032020

Malibu

  • 53,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was shifted to park, then the message shift to park appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was driven to rydell Chevrolet located at (18600 devonshire St, northridge, ca 91324), to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the shifter cable needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.

- Reseda, CA, USA

problem #64

Jan 032020

Malibu

  • 29,959 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the engine reduced message displayed on the instrument panel and the vehicle independently decelerated. The contact was able to guide the vehicle off of the roadway safely. The contact stated that after approximately 15 minutes the vehicle was restarted and operated as designed. George matick Chevrolet (14001 telegraph rd, redford charter twp, mi 48239) was contacted by phone and informed of the failure. The contact was informed that since the warning light was no longer illuminated, the technician would be unable to retrieve a fault code or duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The failure was intermittent. The manufacture was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 29,959.

- Detroit, MI, USA

problem #63

Sep 092017

Malibu

  • 11,000 miles
When stopping the vehicle the shifter control module does not recognize when the vehicle is in the park position. When this happens the vehicle display's a message and a warning bell sounds when you open the car door. The interior lights, dash and radio of the vehicle will not turn off until the vehicle believes it's properly put into park. No error code is stored in the cars memory. GM has a fix for this but the problem keeps recurring. My vehicle's shifter module was replace under the original warranty. That fix failed 2 years later. The most recent fix was to replace a harness in the shifter module. The dealer would not fix this under the existing cpo warranty even though it was a recurring issue and there have been multiple service bulletins concerning this issue and originally repaired under the original warranty. This most recent fix has failed again after 6 weeks of being replaced. If the vehicle does not recognize what gear it is in I believe this could be a safety issue. As it is when the vehicle does not recognize that the vehicle (shifter module) is in the park position the vehicle stays active and drains the battery until the error is corrected. You also cannot lock the vehicle. The car has to be restarted and moved and if you are lucky when the vehicle is shut down it will finally recognize that the vehicle is in park. As this happens intermittently if the vehicle is taken to the dealership they will not address the issue if they do not see the error message on the vehicles driver information screen when the vehicle is brought in for service.

- New Smyrna Beach, FL, USA

problem #62

Dec 102019

Malibu

  • 29,000 miles
After putting my car in park I get a warning that the car is not in park. When this happens the car will not lock plus the lights and the radio will not turn off. My concern is that the car is really not in park plus my security with the doors not locking. Have had it to the dealer twice now they want me to replace the shifter assembly at my cost since it is over 3 yrs old but still under 30,000 miles.

- Bloomington, IL, USA

problem #61

Jan 062020

Malibu

  • 46,000 miles
On Jan 6 2020. I was driving a 2016 Chevy Malibu, when the check engine light and engine reduce power light came on. I pulled over and let the car seat for maybe 10 mins. I restarted the vehicle and begin driving again (it was pulling normal). About 3 miles down the road I was making a left turn and the car stop pulling and the reduce engine power light comes on which leaves me in the middle of a intersection section causing a vehicle coming from my right side to slam into the side of vehicle deploying all of my airbags and making on-star assistance come on. In the result I have neck, back and side injury from the impact. Which in the result I'm getting sued because my car stalled in the middle of the turn going left. My car was totaled out and my insurance don't want to pay the full value of what I was leasing it for. Which I have to come out the pocket with expenses. After reviewing the "engine reduce power" and doing my research I come to find out it has been numerous complaints. I could have lost my life!

- Stone Montain, GA, USA

problem #60

Jan 022020

Malibu

  • 27,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while the gear shift lever was placed in the park position, the park warning indicator light illuminated indicating that the vehicle was not in park. The vehicle was taken to (watson Chevrolet 625 w auto mall dr, tucson, AZ 85705 (520) 777-9425, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission control module failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.

- Saharita, AZ, USA

problem #59

Jan 072020

Malibu

  • 44,000 miles
Check engine lights blinks on and off car defects as if it will cut off found out its the piston and throttle body from fieldsman Chevrolet now im out of a car with no loaner car because they are backed this car was called for recall for these repairs

- Inkster, MI, USA

problem #58

Dec 122019

Malibu

  • 65,000 miles
Engine light comes on a least once a week. When driving my car looses speed when pressing on the brakes. I would have to pull over before my car cuts off in the middle of the road. After pulling over I would have to restart my car. I took my car to the dealer they say there is nothing wrong with my car. The stability light comes on and off for no reason. I get notifications on emission related to my fuel tank even though I have sufficient fuel.

- Laurel, MD, USA

problem #57

Nov 222019

Malibu

  • 83,000 miles
System reading 'engine power reduced'

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #56

Nov 082019

Malibu

  • 70,600 miles
Nothing but issues after issues after issue! the dealer doesn't even know what is wrong with my car. I had reducing engine issues, took to dealer and seems as if they just cut a wire. I still get the reduced engine power without the message appearing. Then an oil leak out of nowhere and now my car will not start, on lunch at work 30 miles from home. Everyone with this car just should be given a new one. I feel like were test dummies, not cool! or safe!!

- North Braddock, PA, USA

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