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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 9 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #84

Nov 162020

Malibu

  • 38,000 miles

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

P2138 code this is a common problem with this vehicle.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #83

Sep 202020

Malibu

  • 6,900 miles
The check engine has come on three times already since I have bought this vehicle... everytime the code is for emissions system. We have replaces the valve and the canister for emissions and the engine light still comes on.. also the shift to park issue.

- Yahathey, NM, USA

problem #82

Nov 042020

Malibu

  • 54,000 miles
The vehicle engine reduced power while on the highway causing abrupt drop in speed to lower than the speed limit almost causing an accident and a bumper to bumper collision.

- Petersburg, VA, USA

problem #81

Nov 022020

Malibu

  • 13,500 miles

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

Car went back to dealership Monday because of problem I had last year. Lights comes on in dashboard : stabiltrack, engine icon, reduced steering, low fuel. On my way to work Monday just made it out my driveway and started up the hill and the lights started flashing. Brakes had to be pushed ask the way to the floor for it to stop rolling back down the hill. I let it roll back to get the car out of street. The car wouldn't turn off when I pressed the start/stop button. Pressed the button again the car turns off but all lights are on in the dash. Press button again and lights go out but the start button is lit. Shift to park comes on dash. It's in park. Couldn't get engine to turn on. Couldn't move gear shift that has no lights on column or dash to tell what gear it's is in. Got car towed to greenway in tuscumbia, al. Had to find a ride to & from work because they didn't have a loner.picked car up Tuesday(they said the battery needed to charged & there was a recall they fixed) made it home ok. Went to store, no problem. Got in car to go to work Wednesday and it starts acting up again. And when I got out of the car at work, there was smell like the brakes were really hot. Called dealership didn't get through to service but guy said he would get my number & have someone call, no one did. Got in car to leave work the lights started again but I was able to come home with no further incidents. The engine icon was still on though. I'm sick of this car! and I'm tired of going to the dearship every couple of days or every 2 weeks! buy this lemon back!

- Florence, AL, USA

problem #80

Sep 102020

Malibu

  • 53,801 miles
Car is stationary while waiting for red light to change, the car will shut off and reduced driving assistance error message will pop up before turning back on. The radio will also cut out in process of car turning back on frim auto shut off. It has been happening for over a month and seems to get worse. Engine light came on today aswell

- Surprise, AZ, USA

problem #79

Oct 172020

Malibu

  • 42,500 miles
While driving check engine light came on, display said diminished engine power, no throttle response

- Nicholson, PA, USA

problem #78

Sep 292020

Malibu

  • 50,000 miles

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

I was driving in a neighborhood about 15 mph. My car began to shake, the engine light was blinking, stability track light was on, and an icon came up saying that the 'service stablitrek.' I had little control over the steering and I felt no traction while trying to pull over. I also have a problem where the car prompts a shift to park, even though my car is in park.

- Farmingdale, NJ, USA

problem #77

Sep 242020

Malibu

  • 58,000 miles
Vehicle ECM fails when accelerating. Loses power/shuts down. Cannot enter freeways, pass, or perform other maneuvers requiring sudden increase power demands. ECM fails to record incident. Every time. Every day. Updated ECM software does not work. Reset check engine mode shuts down other vehicle functions. Have been too close to being run off the interstate, hit when entering from on-ramp, rear-ended in heavy traffic. NHTSA does not investigate because death and injury cannot be linked to failures because the module does not record issues/failures. There is no fix. Every day you get in your car and wonder if today is the day you die because your vehicle failed to perform at a critical moment. Now vehicle shut downs while driving on level surfaces, at constant speed, with no additional demands. Am installing cams to record traffic conditions and vehicle warnings displayed on dash since ECM does not record failures. I believe a thorough investigation into all rear end collisions involving 2018 Malibu should be conducted since the vital link, the ECM record, has been disabled by manufacturer.

- Benton, IL, USA

problem #76

Jun 132020

Malibu

  • 77,000 miles
I was driving the vehicle and all of a sudden the check engine light came on and the display read engine power reduced. I wasn't sure what that meant so I pulled over. I tried to pull off and I had no brakes. Apparently something in the braking system broke and my engine was destroyed. I talked with GM and they told me that it has happened before with this model car.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #75

Aug 152020

Malibu

  • miles
The locks will lock/unlock on their own. The battery has to be constantly jumped. The car rejected the ecw module update.

- Hyattsville, MD, USA

problem #74

Aug 142020

Malibu

  • miles

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

My car was recalled for a reduced power issue in April 2020. The vehicle was experiencing low power when driving, causing sluggishness and turning off when stopped at traffic signals. The car was taken to ourisman Chevrolet in marlow heights, md on April 4th and the recall was addressed. As of this writing, I am experiencing the exact same issue of low power when driving/stopping and am concerned that the issue (1) was not properly addressed, or (2) was misdiagnosed by Chevrolet. What is my recourse here? I have another appointment to have the vehicle looked at, again, at a charge of $190, which I don't feel I should be responsible for.

- Temple Hills, MD, USA

problem #73

Jul 182020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 33,500 miles
The vehicle engine reduced power while on the highway causing abrupt drop in speed to lower than the speed limit almost causing an accident and a bumper to bumper collision.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #72

Jul 082020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 37,000 miles
My car shuts off while I am driving (at a stop or idling) stationary

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #71

Apr 152020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
Car shut off in the middle of driving. With no engine light on. Engine light randomly comes on every other week. Tps doesn't function properly. Idles high some days then drives normally. Sensors was changed engine light comes back on a week later with same code vacuum sensor, maf,

- Miami Gardens, FL, USA

problem #70

Jul 052020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 78,000 miles
Car turned off in the middle of the road. Engine was completely off as well as no lights were on. So I could not put it on neutral to push it out of the road. I had several near misses where it could have gone badly. Also, took it to the dealership and nothing was found. Car still turns off for no apparent reason

- Baldwin, GA, USA

problem #69

Jun 212020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 30,617 miles
The car stalls while I'm driving on highways regular streets turning no check engine light car full tank proper oil levels etc

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #68

Jun 272020

Malibu

  • 55,474 miles
While in the middle of driving the car will say "reduced engine power" and will not let me accelerate. This is highly dangerous especially on the highway or middle of the street. It has done this once before at a stoplight where the engine totally shut off.

- Los Gatos, CA, USA

problem #67

May 282020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 29,000 miles
Once my car is stopped and I shift to 'P'(park) and I try to turn off my vehicle it still gives me the 'shift to park' message. The shift gear has previously been replaced by the car dealership. However and unfortunately, it started to do it again. It has under 36,000 miles on it and we thought the issue had been fixed already but it started to do it again less then a year later.

- Tolleson, AZ, USA

problem #66

May 022020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • miles
Auto stop just stoped working also when I put it on park it shows 'shift to park' but the vehicle is on park already.

- Pomona, CA, USA

problem #65

May 052020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 35,210 miles
Was driving the car on the highway the speed control was on the car powered down almost made us wreck and the check engine light came on followed by the power down alert the car was dragging in speed and could not accelerate. There is only 35000 miles on this vehicle.

- Black Jack, MO, USA

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