Vehicle report

2020 Chevrolet Malibu

Recalls, consumer complaints, safety ratings, fuel cost estimate, and next steps from official public data sources.

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2020 Chevrolet Malibu
1 Total recalls
Aug 20, 2021 Latest recall date
188 Complaint reports
$2,555 Estimated fuel cost
Quick answer: The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu has 1 official recall and 188 consumer complaints in our database. The latest recall date is Aug 20, 2021. The most common complaint categories include power train, electrical system, unknown or other. Estimated annual fuel cost is $2,555 based on the current calculator assumptions.

Buyer interpretation

What this record means before you buy

The useful question is not just whether this page has records. It is what those records should make you verify before money changes hands.

Recall homework

There is 1 official recall listed for this model year. Before buying, use the VIN to confirm which campaigns are still open and ask for dealer repair records on completed work.

Owner complaint pattern

Owner complaints most often mention power train, electrical system, unknown or other. Scan those categories before the test drive so you know what symptoms, warning lights, or service history to ask about.

Open investigation signal

1 federal defect investigation is still open. That is not a recall, but it is worth reading before assuming the issue is settled.

Ownership-cost check

The fuel-cost estimate is based on a representative EPA match, not every trim. Confirm the actual engine, drivetrain, and tire setup before comparing this listing with another year or model.

Questions to ask the seller

  • Can you show the current VIN recall status for this 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
  • Do you have dealer invoices or campaign paperwork for the listed recall repairs?
  • Have you noticed any issues related to power train, electrical system, unknown or other?
  • Can I review recent maintenance records before the test drive?
Used-car checklist

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2020 Chevrolet Malibu Premium Gasoline
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Safety ratings

Official safety ratings were found for 1 tested variant of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu.

Overall 4/5 stars
Frontal crash 5/5 stars
Side crash 4/5 stars
Rollover 4/5 stars

Displayed variant: 2020 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD ; rollover risk 10.3%

Safety ratings can vary by tested body style, trim, drivetrain, or variant. Do not assume every trim has the same rating unless the official record says so.

How many recalls does the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu have?

Verify with official VIN lookup

1 official recall on record for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. 8 matched quarterly completion reports are available.

Latest recall: August 20, 2021

Recall data is based on official records. This page is not an official VIN recall check. Always confirm open recalls with an official VIN lookup, the manufacturer, or an authorized dealer. Completion reports are campaign-level, delayed, and not VIN-specific.
Campaign Component Summary Consequence Remedy Date Completion
21V649000 SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners. An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380. Aug 2021 2023-2
282 remedied / 402 involved (70.2%)

Are there federal defect investigations for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?

Official records show 1 federal defect investigation matched to the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu.

1 open 0 closed
Investigations are not recalls. They show official defect reviews and may close without a recall, or may reference a related campaign when one exists.
Action Status Component Subject Opened Related recall
EA25005 Open AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has become aware of eight vehicle crashes in which a rupture of a Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN) air bag inflator occurred during the deployment of the driver side air bag. All eight drivers in these crashes sustained serious or fatal injuries that appear linked to the ruptures. Six of those drivers sustained fatal injuries and two sustained severe injuries. In all eight incidents, the subject inflators had been installed as replacement equipment after the vehicle was involved in a previous crash. Information gathered during NHTSA’s initial analysis of these incidents indicates that the inflators were potentially imported illegally into the United States. In conjunction with this safety investigation, NHTSA is also working with appropriate authorities to address any illegal activities associated with the importation of these inflators. As a result of the significant safety concerns relating to these inflators, as well as extensive information already obtained by ODI relating to their field ruptures, ODI is moving directly to the Engineering Analysis (EA) stage of its investigative process rather than first opening a Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA has taken a variety of actions to address the risks posed by the importation of substandard or counterfeit air bag components. However, until recently, these risks appeared spread across a variety of components and manufacturers. As part of ODI’s continuous monitoring of this issue, the agency has obtained information to suggest that at least eight incidents involve ruptures of inflators manufactured by DTN. In parallel with this dedicated investigation into DTN inflators, ODI will continue to monitor reports of field incidents to evaluate risks from other substandard imported air bag components. In 2012, ODI first became aware of substandard or counterfeit air bag modules sold through online marketplaces, such as auction sites. NHTSA obtained examples of these air bag modules and conducted testing. None of the inflators equipped in these modules were manufactured by DTN. This testing revealed that the inflators consistently malfunctioned during deployments, such as by failing to deploy the air bag or expelling metal shrapnel due to a rupture. This led NHTSA to release a consumer advisory in October 2012 to alert the public and repair professionals to the potential dangers of substandard or counterfeit air bag modules. ODI also worked with major vehicle manufacturers, who released advisories and notifications concerning the use of such air bag modules. Since then, NHTSA has continuously monitored for reports of malfunctioning air bags that may be associated with substandard or counterfeit components. These monitoring efforts have been supported by the increased visibility the advisories have brought to the issue, and by several standing general orders in place as part of separate investigations into Takata and ARC inflators, which require certain manufacturers to report any alleged or suspected inflator field ruptures to NHTSA. Until 2017, ODI was not aware of any field incidents involving an abnormal deployment of an imported substandard or counterfeit air bag module. In September 2017, ODI became aware of a crash involving a model year (MY) 2009 Honda Civic where the air bag ruptured during deployment, killing the driver. After inspecting the vehicle and air bag parts, ODI determined that the air bag inflator was not original equipment and that the air bag module was likely a substandard import. Insufficient information existed to determine the manufacturer of the inflator in this incident, however, it does not appear to resemble those manufactured by DTN. On June 16, 2023, ODI received a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ #11527380) alleging that the rupture of a driver side air bag caused fatal injuries to the driver of a MY 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. ODI’s assessment of the rupture indicated that the air bag inflator was not original equipment but was instead manufactured by DTN, a Chinese company (also known as Yoshibayashi Toku theanol Automotive Safety Systems Co. Ltd.). From June 2023 to July 2024, ODI became aware of four additional ruptures involving substandard air bag modules equipped on Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. At the time, insufficient information existed for these crashes to determine who manufactured the ruptured inflators. As a result, NHTSA released a consumer advisory on July 10, 2024, alerting car buyers and owners to be aware of cheap, substandard replacement air bag inflators that can cause death or serious injury in a crash. The advisory urged consumers who own or are considering the purchase of a used vehicle to learn the vehicle’s history and ensure the vehicle has genuine air bag inflators. In March 2025, NHTSA learned about another rupture involving a suspected substandard, aftermarket inflator that was equipped in a MY 2017 Hyundai Sonata. The driver of this vehicle sustained fatal injuries that appeared related to the rupture. In August 2025, NHTSA received a similar report of a fatal air bag rupture in a MY 2019 Hyundai Sonata. Most recently, in October 2025, ODI received a report of a fatal air bag rupture in a MY 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. Photographs of the air bag components in these three crashes indicated that the ruptures all involved inflators manufactured by DTN. Further investigation of the inflator fragments in three of the prior incidents confirmed that they also involved DTN inflators. Photographs of the components involved in one of the other incidents also strongly suggest that the ruptured inflator was manufactured by DTN. This opening resume exceeded space limitations and is continued in an attachment uploaded to the investigation. 		Oct 2025 None

Are there manufacturer notices for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?

Official records show 686 manufacturer communications on record for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu.

1 warranty 3 service campaigns 0 software/OTA

Common components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (169), EQUIPMENT (162), ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (106), UNKNOWN OR OTHER (95), POWER TRAIN (91)

Manufacturer communications are not recalls. They can include service bulletins, repair instructions, warranty extensions, software updates, service campaigns, and other notices.
Date Type Component Summary ID / document
Apr 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available. 11030974
PIT3271Q
Mar 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance. 11030091
PIP4902V
Mar 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect. 11030092
PIP6104
Mar 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC'ss 11029950
PIT6425D
Jan 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC's 11027697
PIT6425C
Jan 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This PI advised dealer technicians of possible causes of diesel fuel contamination in gasoline powered vehicles and advises of warranty direction. 11027701
PIP6098
Jan 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance. 11027601
PIP4902U
Dec 2025 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This Preliminary Information addresses an issue with the odometer displaying dashes and provides direction for the dealership/technician. 11026726
PIC6636
Nov 2025 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does not correct the customer complaint, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support. For any vehicles that remains unrepaired after being at the dealer for three days or more and a related bulletin or PI is not found, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support. 11025755
PIT5214G
Oct 2025 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This PI advises to get a session log for transmissions with broken chains 11024755
PIP5975B

What are the most common 2020 Chevrolet Malibu complaints?

188 total complaints on record

How much does the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu cost in fuel?

Estimated annual cost $2,555 $213/month at 12,000 miles/year
Effective efficiency 25.6 MPG
Energy used 469 gal/yr
Price assumption $5.45 $/gal

Assumptions: 22 city / 32 highway / 26 combined MPG · Premium Gasoline · efficiency ratings from official public data when available · fuel price default: official public data (U.S. average, Jun 3, 2026)

344 g/mi CO2Fuel score 5/10Smog 5/10

Model-year comparison

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022