Complaint volume
679 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2018 Chevrolet Malibu Complaints
679 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, grouped by component category.
679 Total complaints
23 Crash reports
4 Fire reports
14 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are engine, unknown or other, power train. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 23 crash reports, 4 fire reports, 14 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 303 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 47,477 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, unknown or other, power train?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Chevrolet Malibu
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu complaints?
23 Crash
4 Fire
14 Injury
0 Fatality
32 Towed
10 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Chevrolet Malibu complaint categories?
ENGINE 74
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 70
POWER TRAIN 57
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 31
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 30
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 18
STEERING 17
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 17
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 16
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 16
679 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | VEHICLE IS NOT REGISTERING IN PARK, WHEN GEAR SHIFTER IS IN PARK. STARTED DOING THIS APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS AGO AND IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE | Crash: No Fire: No | 41,200 |
| Nov 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | AFTER 2 MONTHS OF HAVING THIS CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND AFTER THE STABILITRAK LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHICH REDUCED THE SPEED OF THE CAR . THIS WOULD COME ON WHEN I'M DRIVING OR EVEN IF I JUST CRANK THE CAR UP FROM IT SITTING OVER NIGHT . I GOT IT TESTED AND THE SHOP DOESN'T KNOW WHY IT KEEPS COMING ON . THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS READS THAT THE THROTTLE NEED TO BE CHANGED BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ISSUE . MY BOYFRIEND BELIEVES THAT THE HUB BEARING NEEDS TO BE FIX BUT WE DON'T KNOW . THE CAR DOES NOT PICK UP SPEED WHEN THE TRACTION LIGHT IS ON . THE TRACTION LIGHT ALSO READS 'ENGINE POWER REDUCE ' BEFORE THE LIGHT COMES ON . I JUST GOT THIS CAR AND I'M NOW HAVING TO SPEND 1,000+ DOLLARS ON A CAR THAT'S 'NEW' . NONE OF THE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH MY CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY . | Crash: No Fire: No | 98,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE WITH RANDOMLY DISPLAY ERROR CODE SAYING 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED'. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE CAR'S SPEED REDUCES TO ~25 MPH AND IT'S INCREDIBLY HARD TO ACCELERATE PAST THAT. THIS REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING COMES ON FREQUENTLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING. SOMETIMES IT WILL GO WEEKS WITHOUT DOING IT, AND SOMETIMES IT WILL DO IT MULTIPLE TIMES A TRIP. EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS, THE ENGINE LIGHT & TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON. THE ONLY THING THAT TEMPORARILY FIXES THE CAR IS PULLING OVER, TURNING THE ENTIRE CAR OFF, THEN TURNING IT BACK ON. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS VERY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING WITH ANY TRAFFIC AROUND YOU. ONCE I TURN MY CAR BACK ON, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON (TRACTION LIGHT TURNS OFF), AND THEN EVENTUALLY TURNS OFF BY ITSELF (GRANTED IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN SOON AFTER). AFTER SPEAKING TO OTHER CHEVY OWNERS, I'VE LEARNED THIS IS VERY COMMON & I'VE EVEN BEEN ABLE TO FIND POSTS ON ONLINE FORUMS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50,000 |
| Nov 2020 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2018 CHEVY MALIBU. FIRST STARTED WITH CORRODED WIRES UNDER THE CAR WHICH HAS LEAD TO THE USB PORT MELTING MY CELLPHONE CHARGER WHICH WAS FIXED BUT AFTER THAT THE AC/HEATER ONLY WOULD BLOW OUT THE DEFROSTER THAT GOT FIXED. CAR HAD ABOUT 20,000 MILES. MY CAR HAD A RECALL FOR THE ECM MODULE NEEDED UPDATED BUT AUTO NATION SAID IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE UPDATED AFTER GETTING MY CAR BACK IT WOULDN'T START I WOULD HAVE TO LOCK IT UNLOCK IT OPEN THE DOOR A FEW TIMES AND THEN IT WOULD START, SO MY BATTERY GOT FRIED BECAUSE SOMETHING WAS DRAINING IT PAID 200$ FOR A NEW ONE BECAUSE AUTO NATION SAID THEY DIDN'T TOUCH THE CAR BECAUSE IT DIDN'T NEED AN UPDATE BUT WHAT GETS ME IS THEY HAD TO PLUG INTO IT TO FIND OUT IT DIDN'T NEED AN UPDATE, THEN THE CAR STARTED SAYING (SHIFTER TO PARK) GOT GM CORPORATE INVOLVED AND THEY MADE AN APPOINTMENT 1/13/2020 AT CHAPMAN FOR ME TO TAKE MY CAR IN TO FIGURE OUT THAT I NEEDED A NEW WIRING HARNESS FROM THE SHIFTER TO THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY UPDATED THE ECM MODULE BUT YET AUTO NATION SAID IT DIDN'T NEED THE UPDATE, SO BASICALLY THE AUTO NATION DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CAR MESSING UP. I SAT AT AUTO NATION FOR 45 MINUTES AND THEY DIDN'T TOUCH MY CAR. SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT AND NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. YESTERDAY I PICKED MY CAR UP FROM CHAPMAN 1/27/2020, THEY REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS FROM THE SHIFTER TO THE TRANSMISSION, TODAY 1/28/2020 I'M GETTING THE SAME MESSAGE 'SHIFT TO PARK'. I'M GETTING TIRED OF THE RUN AROUND WITH BRITTANY AND HAVING 3-4 OTHER PEOPLE CALL THAT DOESN'T KNOW THE SITUATION AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS SITUATION. SO NOW THE MILES ARE AT 59,000 MILES NO WARRANTY. THIS ISN'T A RELIABLE CAR. GM SAID IS OUR FAULT WHY THIS HAPPEN THAT IS WHAT TAYLOR THE ADVISOR TOLD US TODAY 2/3/2020. STILL HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE PARK TO SHIFT AS OF 11/24/2020. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2020 | STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | DELAYED ECCEL ELECTRICAL STEERING AN BATTERY LOSS. TIRE LOW WARNING RESET FOR ALL TIRES CONTINUE TO COME ON, BATTERY DIES BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER THEY SAI IT HAD ONLY 1 RECALL AN IT WAS FIXED | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AS I APPROACHED A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS BUT UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE, UNTIL IT IS JUMP STARTED IT WILL START, I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. ONCE I ARRIVED AT HOME AND I PARKED THE VEHICLE, IT COMPLETELY SHUT ITSELF OFF AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE IT JUST STARTED AGAIN. WHICH I WAS ABLE TO LOCK THE VEHICLE WITH THE REMOTE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES NOW ON DIFFERENT DATES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 53,000 |
| Nov 2020 | ENGINE | P2138 CODE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 38,000 |
| Nov 2020 | ENGINE | THE CARS REDUCED ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF, SLOWING DOWN ON THE FREEWAY AND THE TRACTION LIGHTS KEEP COMING ON. AFTER BEING PAID THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX IT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50,000 |
| Nov 2020 | STEERING | WHEN CAR SHUTS DOWN WHILE WAITING FOR GREEN LIGHT TO CHANGE, CAR SHUTS OFF AND WHEN IT TURNS BACK ON, I HAVE A WARNING SIGN THAT APPEARS ON MY DASHBOARD THAT SAYS "STEERING ASSIST IS REDUCED, DRIVE WITH CARE" AND THEN IT DISAPPEARS. NO ISSUES WITH CAR JUST THAT WARNING SIGN. | Crash: No Fire: No | 70,952 |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | WHEN PUTTING MY CAR IN PARK TO TURN OFF, THE CAR DOESN'T RECOGNIZE IT'S IN PARK AND THUS WON'T TURN OFF. AS SUCH, I CANNOT LEAVE THE VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 36,200 |
| Nov 2020 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,900 |
| Nov 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I WAS DRIVING ALONG LIKE NORMAL AND THE CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING. WE CANNOT GET IT TO START. WE TRIED JUMPING IT, BUT NO LUCK. I HAVE A BRAND NEW BATTERY, SO IT'S NOT THE BATTERY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 53,000 |
| Nov 2020 | STEERING | I WAS DRIVING MY CAR THIS MORNING THIS HAPPENED 4 TIMES, I WAS IN A STOP WHEN I WOULD RESTART THE CAR TO GO MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD DO A QUICK SHIFT TO THE LEFT THEN BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION THEN I WOULD GET THE STEERING ASSIST REDUCED SIGN FOR SECOND THEN DISAPPEAR. IT DID IT 4 TIMES IN A MATTER OF AN HOUR AND A HALF. AND DID IT ONCE LAST WEEK WITH NO MASSAGE DISPLAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 62,000 |
| Nov 2020 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 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! | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,500 |
| Nov 2020 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 54,000 |
| Oct 2020 | POWER TRAIN | THE CAR IS A 2018 AND THE DEALER SAYS THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SHIFTER IS BAD. THE CAR READS IT'S IN PARK BUT SAYS SHIFT TO PARK TO SHUT CAR OFF. IN TALKING WITH OTHERS FOUND OUT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. I JUST BOUGHT IT USED IN JULY 2020 WITH 41000 MILES AND IT'S BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I GOT IT OFF AND ON. I TOOK IT TO DEALER TO REPORT PROBLEMS BEFORE I HAD IT 30 DAYS AND WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 49,329 |
| Oct 2020 | STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 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 | Crash: No Fire: No | 53,801 |
| Oct 2020 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON , DISPLAY SAID DIMINISHED ENGINE POWER , NO THROTTLE RESPONSE | Crash: No Fire: No | 42,500 |
| Oct 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY WAITING FOR RED LIGHT TO CHANGE, THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF AND POWER CYCLE SHOWING STABILITRAK ERROR MESSAGE BEFORE TURNING BACK ON. THIS ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY AND ENGINE IS OFF FOR SEVERAL HOURS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 46,560 |
| Oct 2020 | POWER TRAIN | WHEN PLACING MY CAR IN PARK, A WARNING COMES ON THAT MY CAR IS NOT IN PARK WHICH THEN CAUSES ME TO BE UNABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. I THEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH EACH GEAR AND JIGGLE THE SHIFTER NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET IT TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THIS SOMETIMES TAKES UP TO A HALF HOUR OF SITTING IN MY VEHICLE DOING THAT. IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE FREQUENT, TO THE POINT IT IS SEVERAL TIMES A DAY NOW. I HAVE READ WHERE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND FEEL THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL ITEM AS IT IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT | Crash: No Fire: No | 43,300 |
| Oct 2020 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50,000 |
| Oct 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | NARRATIVE FROM DRIVER: "ON TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 AM, I LEFT MY RESIDENCE LOCATED IN BOCA RATON, FL WITH MY GSA VEHICLE (TAG G10 3884V) TO DRIVE TO THE MOBIL LUBE OIL EXPRESS (MOBIL) LOCATED AT 90 NW SPANISH RIVER BLVD, BOCA RATON, FL. THE MOBIL IS APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES FROM MY RESIDENCE. I DROVE DIRECTLY FROM MY RESIDENCE TO THE MOBIL AND DID NOT MAKE ANY STOPS. AS I WAS DRIVING AROUND THE BACK OF THE MOBIL BUILDING TO PULL INTO ONE OF THE BAYS FOR AN OIL CHANGE, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY PARKED THE CAR IN A PARKING SPACE BEHIND THE MOBIL AND EXITED THE CAR. MOMENTS LATER, FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE CAR. UPON SEEING THE FLAMES, I CALLED 911, WHO THEN CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO CAME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE IN THE CAR. ADDITIONALLY, I CALLED GSA WHO CALLED A TOWING COMPANY (WESTLAKE TOWING) TO TOW THE VEHICLE AWAY FROM THE MOBIL PARKING LOT AS THERE IS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND IT IS INOPERABLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE GSA CAR." | Crash: No Fire: Yes | 11,259 |
| Oct 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | CAR WON'T SHIFT TO PARK, WHILE IT'S ALREADY IN PARK AND CAR WILL NOT TURN OFF. CHEVROLET SHOULD RECALL THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. MY CAR WAS BRAND NEW WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND NOW I'M HAVING THIS ISSUE AND I KNOW IT'S NOTHING I HAVE DONE TO CAUSE IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED WEN YOU GOING AT 50 TO 60 IN THE FREEWAY IS DANGEROUSLY | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHEN MY CAR IS IN PARK, MY SYSTEM IS NOT PICKING UP THAT IT IS IN PARK WHICH MEANS I CANT TURN OFF THE VEHICLE WHICH WILL CAUSE THE VEHICLES BATTERY TO DIE. YOU HAVE TO LITERALLY JAM THE SHIFTER IN ORDER FOR THE CAR TO READ IT, WHICH EVENTUALLY DOESN'T WORK EITHER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 55,000 |