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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
20,366 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.

2018 Chevrolet Malibu engine problems

engine problem

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2018 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 5 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #164

Jan 242022

Malibu

  • miles

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

Driving on my way to work and the check engine light came on with the traction control light. A message was displayed that said the engine-??s power was reduced.. My speed also decreased to about 20-25 MPH and it was hard trying to get it back about that without the car sounding all funny.

- Hammond, IN, USA

problem #163

Jan 182022

Malibu

  • miles
My daughter was driving and the engine power is reduced message appeared on her dashboard. Once it appeared she couldn-??t go more than 20 miles an hour and this is dangerous.

- Canal Winchester , OH, USA

problem #162

Jan 062022

Malibu

  • miles
Reduced power mode warning came on and 3 seconds later I went from 70mph to 10mph on a freeway and could only do about 10 from that point on, the accident that was avoided would have been deadly if I wasn-??t in the right lane to immediately pull over Took it to the mechanic and he said that there-??s a recall that the dealership REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE even tho we got a reading of #n1-82188250-01 told the manufacturer and there fixing it Monday My question is why has this not been recalled"? I do not feel safe, I do not want this car I WANT THIS PROBLEM ACKNOWLEDGED by ppl who care and can do something, what is Chevy waiting for someone to die before this is addressed??" This is so criminal put a RECALL OUT

- Apple Valley , MN, USA

problem #161

Nov 012021

Malibu

  • miles

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

I am driving and all of a sudden car "reduces power" and won't let me go over 20 mph. Sometimes it dies completely even on the highway. Out if no where, it shows "Reduced Engine Power" on the dash and won't go over 20 mph. This has almost caused a few accidents with my baby in the backseat, too. This has happened several times

- Franklin, IN, USA

problem #160

Jan 052022

Malibu

  • miles
Vehicle jerks when accelerating. Loses power. Usually will stop after turning the car off for a few minutes. Different engine codes have came up (camshaft position timer, air intake system) no one can seem to find the problem

- Gainesville, FL, USA

problem #159

Jan 022022

Malibu

  • miles
A few days after I got my in October 2018 my car did not start! I pressed the push start and it turned on but wouldn-??t -??start.-?? It went back to normal shortly after that but then randomly -??steering issues-?? started happening. THEN my car would LITERALLY STOP at lights and take a minute to turn back on. Or I would be trying to get speed and my CAR WOULD NOT GO. Do you know how unsafe that made me feel especially having a 5 year old and 2 year (when it happen in the last they where obviously 3 and a new born) but it was scary. The check engine light comes on and off. And TODAY MY CAR did what it do a here and there it shut off-?? and then on a BUSY road WOULD NOT GO. I had to sit and wait until my family could help push my 2 year old car off the busy road with my 2 babies in the car. It was horrible. Im paying so much for a car I CONSISTENTLY have issues with. Im scared to drive my own car. Now im being told my car needs a new battery, a weird part is needing to be replaced. I have had the same issues taken it to the shop and told everything is good. Oil changes kept up etc. everyone I know that has a Malibu has issues with their Malibu-??s

- Fort Worth , TX, USA

problem #158

Dec 072021

Malibu

  • miles

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

Driving on I20 in heavy traffic all doing 75MPH the car lost all power.Although I had plenty of gas it did no good pumping the gas pedal.Fortunatly I was in the left lane and coasted to the shoulder before anyone collided with me. If I was in the right lane I am sure a collision would have occured as traffic would not have allowed me to get to the shoulder.After several hours I got towed 70 miles to the dealership.There was absolutely no warning of a problem prior to the incident. According to the dealership the fuel pump sensor shorted out and no gas could get to the engine.The car is still at the dealers as they have not gotten the backlogged part to repair the vehicle

- Terrell, TX, USA

problem #157

Dec 062021

Malibu

  • miles
Driving at a speed 55-65 engine power being reduced light comes on and vehicle slows to about 40 speed while engine light is on. It goes in and out like this for days then it does it again. Vehicle was repaired at Chevy dealer 3/18/21. Now it-??s doing it again.

- Salisbury , MD, USA

problem #156

Dec 142021

Malibu

  • miles
For over two years now I have been getting a reduced engine power when I drive. The car becomes slow and it is very dangerous especially on the highway. I have almost crashed a couple of times due to this issue. Once I turn the car off and on it goes off but off late that no longer works for me. This has been constant and has made my car useless. I can-??t even go anywhere with it. A recall needs to me done because this is heartless and painful. Spending much on a car that I can-??t even drive anymore.

- Oxon Hill, MD, USA

problem #155

Dec 072021

Malibu

  • miles
Vehicle slows way down and loss of power. Engine power reduced. On heads up display. Seems to use alot of gas when this happens. I need to pull over and shut off car. Wait a bit and then restart. And get back on road. It did this 3 times in my commute to work. Also was snowing that morning and was slippery out so very dangerous almost was involved in an accident but luckily not. Seems to do this more in the colder Temps. It has happened however in summer also but not as often. I have read many complaints about this issue. I am not sure why GM has not figured this issue out yet. Very concerned.

- Watertown, MN, USA

problem #154

Nov 212021

Malibu

  • miles

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

The check engine light came on and after getting it diagnose I recieved a P1101 code indicating air mass flow problem. After replacing the sensor I later received an engine power reduce on the dashboard. I received that warning while driving on the interstate and my vehicle started reducing speed possibly causing an accident.

- Orangeburg, SC, USA

problem #153

Nov 152021

Malibu

  • miles
My vehicle acts as if it doesnt want to start after being at a red light or stop sign when my feet is released off the break it takes a few seconds to start back up. Also I have issues with check engine light coming on took it to auto zone and they received a code dealing with the wiring on the battery not the actual battery needing to be replaced

- Round Rock, TX, USA

problem #152

Nov 302021

Malibu

  • miles
The second morning in a row my 2018 Chevy Malibu overheated. Early in the morning, the temperature out was about 45-50 degrees, I was driving on the highway about 65-70 mph, I turned on the heater and my cars temperature gage immediately shoots up and the "overheating engine" warning lights start flashing. Confused I pulled over popped the hood there were no signs of smoke or over heating sounds coming from the motor. I got back into the car, turned off the engine, turned it back on, and the temperature gage immediately falls to normal temperature. Happened two mornings in a row now.

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #151

Nov 162021

Malibu

  • miles
When I push the button car won-??t start

- Inglewood , CA, USA

problem #150

Nov 172021

Malibu

  • miles
This has been going on since i got the vehicle, At any moment you could be driving 70MPS and all of a sudden your vehicle drops to 35, and man is it scary especially on the expressway. you are NOT able to accelerate. You have to pull over where you are, shut the vehicle off and restart it to rest it till it does it again, and it does it ALOT. I love this vehicle but this is NOT safe, and i'm tired of paying for this and should NOT have to when its in writing from GM. This will be my 3rd time taking my vehicle in for this same issue. i've read up on this and did my research this has been going on since 2016-2018 Malibu vehicles. I've reached out to GM asked about recalls, they said there is none. I asked how do i file a complaint so this doesn't happen to others. they told me i have to make a complaint with the dealership(that right there told me that calling GM customer support directly they are not willing to help with this safety issue. that is so sad too. what is happening to this world, the kindness and compassion for your customers and quality of items you purchase. I will probably be doing a law suet as well as this complaint. I pray you all are able to do something to help me and others having this issue.

- Chelsea, MI, USA

problem #149

Sep 062021

Malibu

  • miles
My car is showing -?? Shift To Park -?? error on dash and i can-??t properly turn off car. Once since the error on screen the doors were locked and my son and i could not get out of the car. The Also when driving the car, , it does frequent jerking. The car also was doing it one time when we seen smoke coming from under the hood and we could not get out

- Little Rock , AR, USA

problem #148

Oct 232021

Malibu

  • miles
Car suddenly stops and takes several minutes to turn back on. During the time the car is off there is no electrical power. After a few minutes (5-10) electrical power returns and car is able to be started. This has happened everywhere from our driveway to a highway ramp and happens without warning.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #147

Oct 242021

Malibu

  • miles
-??Engine power reduced-?? shows on dash after I-??ve taken it to the dealership. I-??ve been on the highway where the speed slow down drastically cars coming behind me! Very dangerous! Also -??shift to park-?? displays when it is already in park! Have to either wiggle the gear shift or, turn car off/on several times for the message to go away. Also when backing up, there-??s a popping noise in the rear. Dealership acknowledged I want the only customer with this issue. Claimed they didn-??t find anything wrong. I purchased this vehicle in 2019 and it was only a year old. Issues started almost simultaneously at the end of 2019-??Too new for all of these issues.

- Jesup, GA, USA

problem #146

Oct 122021

Malibu

  • miles
The engine shut down while driving and about caused me to wreck. Luckliy traffic was light. Jack Schmitt Chevrolet said it was a factory defect in the turbo function of the car and Chevrolet would not pay for the repaires. $2290 I was charged. They also said it was not the software issue of the outstanding recall for this same car that was causing this same exact problem.

- Shipman, IL, USA

problem #145

Sep 262021

Malibu

  • 61,030 miles
The contact's grandson owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while his grandson was driving 65 MPH, the reduced engine power warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to stall. His grandson was able to restart the vehicle and drove the vehicle off the highway. The contact then met his grandson in a parking lot where the vehicle would not restart, and the check engine and reduced engine power warning lights were illuminated. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer and he was informed that the failure was related to a defective camshaft. The contact did not believe the stated cause for the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 61,030.

- Lake Charles, LA, USA

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