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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2020 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | MY CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING (AT A STOP OR IDLING) STATIONARY | Crash: No Fire: No | 37,000 |
| Jul 2020 | POWER TRAIN | REDUCED ENGINE POWER NOTIFICATION IN MID DRIVE ON FREEWAY CAUSING CAR TO COME TO LOW SPEED IN A 70 MPH HEAVY TRAFFIC FLOW. MULTIPLE VEHICLES SWERVE TO AVOID CONTACT (ACCIDENT). UNABLE TO PULL OVER QUICKLY AS IT HAPPENED OUT OF NO WHERE. UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 57,500 |
| Jul 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | WHEN I PUT MY CAR IN PARK, A MESSAGE APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD 'SHIFT TO PARK'. IT WON'T LET MY CAR TURN OFF COMPLETELY | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2020 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 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, | Crash: No Fire: No | 60,000 |
| Jul 2020 | POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | SHIFT TO PARK MESSAGE DISPLAYS ONCE CAR IS PLACED IN PARK. CAR WILL NOT COMPLETELY TURN OFF ONCE IN PARK AND IGNITION IS SHUT OFF | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,032 |
| Jul 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | RECEIVE INTERMITTENT 'SHIFT TO PARK' LIGHT ON DASHBOARD ONCE CAR IS PLACED IN PARK AND WILL NOT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. DRIVER MUST PULL SHIFT BACK TO DRIVE, THEN NEUTRAL THEN REVERSE AND BACK TO PARK BEFORE THE 'SHIFT TO PARK NOTICE SHUTS OFF' . IF NOT REPAIRED THIS CAN ULTIMATELY DRAIN BATTERY OR EVEN DAMAGE BATTERY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,028 |
| Jul 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 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 | Crash: No Fire: No | 78,000 |
| Jul 2020 | POWER TRAIN | WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO PARK VEHICLE WILL GIVE MESSAGE SAYING THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN PARK WHEN IT CLEARLY IS IN PARK. I SOMETIMES HAVE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF OR MESS WITH THE GEAR SHIFT FOR A LITTLE WHILE FOR THE MESSAGE TO FINALLY GO BECAUSE THE VEHICLE ITSELF WILL NOT POWER OFF UNTIL THE MESSAGE GOES AWAY. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND CHEVY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ASAP! THESE ARE BRAND NEW CARS THAT ARE DOING THIS AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ISSUES WITH IT BEING A BRAND NEW CAR. THEY NEED TO MAKE IT A SERVICE BULLTIN AND OR RECALL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 49,000 |
| Jul 2020 | WHEELS,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | THE CAR STALLS WHILE I'M DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS REGULAR STREETS TURNING NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAR FULL TANK PROPER OIL LEVELS ETC | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,617 |
| Jun 2020 | ENGINE | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 55,474 |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN PARK, A MESSAGE COMES ON THE DASH SAYING 'SHIFT TO PARK'. THE VEHICLE IS ALREADY IN PARK, BUT THE CAR DOESN'T PICK THAT UP. IT IS A KNOWN CHEVY ISSUE THAT THEY HAVE YET TO RECALL. HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 35,000 |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I WAS FORCED TO GO OVER A CARDBOARD BOX THAT HAPPENED TO BE ON MY LANE. I FELT IT HIT THE UNDERSIDE OF MY CAR. A FEW MINUTES LATER, I SMELLED SMOKE AND I WAS ALSO ALERTED BY SURROUNDING DRIVERS TO PULL OVER. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND RAN OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO ABOUT 100FT AWAY. I COULD SEE FLAMES IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. BY THE TIME I REACHED OUT TO EMERGENCY SERVICES AND THEY GOT TO THE LOCATION, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. *TR | Crash: No Fire: Yes | 29,000 |
| Jun 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | THE CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT IT DOES IT SOMETIMES A FEW TIMES A DAY. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHILE PRESSING THE PUSH TO START BUTTON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO REED CHEVROLET LOCATED AT 4500 RAEFORD RD, FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28304, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECM AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A YEAR LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 88,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 88,000 |
| May 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 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. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,000 |
| May 2020 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | AUTO STOP JUST STOPED WORKING ALSO WHEN I PUT IT ON PARK IT SHOWS 'SHIFT TO PARK' BUT THE VEHICLE IS ON PARK ALREADY. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2020 | POWER TRAIN | VEHICLE TRANSMISSION NOT ENTERING IN PARKING , CAUSING VEHICLE TO MOVE FORWARD OR BACK IF PUT ON PARKING. THIS COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT AND SERIOUS INJURIES . THIS MIGHT BE A SENSOR OR AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN THE GEAR SELECTOR, BECAUSE IF YOU WIGGLE THE SELECTOR SOMETIMES IT WILL GO AWAY. VEHICLE WILL SHOW MESSAGE VEHICLE NOT IN PARKING. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET I GOT AN ALERT ON THE DASH INDICATING 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. CAN'T ACCELERATE. CAN'T GO MORE THAN 30 MPH. NO OPEN RECALLS IN MY VEHICLE, BUT SEEMS A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING SAME ISSUE? *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 32,000 |
| May 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 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. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 35,210 |
| May 2020 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | SINCE JULY 2019 MY VEHICLE HAS CONTINUALLY SHOWN A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH THE MESSAGE, POWER ENGINE REDUCED ON THE DASHBOARD. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE RPMS INCREASE DRASTICALLY AND VEHICLE CAN NOT GO OVER 30 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON HIGHWAYS AND MAIN ROADS. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE I CAN BE GOING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT DROPS DOWN TO 30MPH. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS MULTIPLE TIMES. I HAVE ATTACHED MULTIPLE SERVICE RECORDS WHERE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE WORKED ON, BUT YET THE ISSUE STILL OCCURS AT ANYTIME. THE VEHICLE IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THERE HAS BEEN RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE AND ALTHOUGH HE DEALERSHIPS SAY THEY FIXED IT FOR MY VEHICLE, IT STILL OCCURS. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN AN ANSWER OR HAD THE PROBLEM RESOLVED AND IT HAS BEEN OVER A MONTH I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM. THERE LAST REASONING FOR NOT GIVING ME A RESOLUTION WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE WAITING ON SERVICE RECORDS, YET I CALLED THE DEALERSHIPS AND HAD THE SERVICE RECORDS IN LESS THAN AN HOUR. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 40,000 |
| May 2020 | SUSPENSION | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, AN UNUSUAL SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN CHEVROLET DEALER, LOCATED IN CHESTER, VA, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHOCKS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE THE SHOCKS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 67,000 |
| May 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | IT KEEPS GIVING THE SHIFT TO PARK WHEN THE VEHICLE ITS IN FULL PARK ALREADY. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2020 | POWER TRAIN | CAR SAYS SHIFT TO PARK ON DASH MONITOR WHEN CAR GEAR SHIFT IS DEFINITELY IN PARK. CAR WAS STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT AFTER DRIVING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 54,000 |
| Apr 2020 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | ON 4/5/2020, WHILE DRIVING ON A SIDE STREET, THE CAR LOST PROPULSION. IT READ ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED AND STABILITRAC HAD ACTIVATED. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR. MY VERY FIRST ENCOUNTER WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY (I-270) THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED (PER RECALL) ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. IT HAS DONE THE VERY EXACT THING AT LEAST THREE (3) TIMES SUBSEQUENT OF THE RECALL MANDATE. EVERY TIME I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR THE MOTOR WILL VIOLENTLY SHAKE. I HAVE MADE THIS COMPLAINT TO GENERAL MOTORS, PRIOR TO THIS LATEST EVENT ON 4/5/2020, MY COMPLAINT HAD BEEN DISMISSED. I AM BEING FORCED TO OPERATE THIS VEHICLE; KNOWING IT POSES A SERIOUS RISK OF ACCIDENT OR DEATH TO ME AND OTHER MOTORIST. LUCKILY, I WAS ON A SIDE RESIDENTIAL STREET A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM MY RESIDENCE. HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT THE ALWAYS THE CASE AND THIS IS A CONTINUOUS EVENT. I LIVE WITHIN A 3/4-MILE RADIUS OF BALTIMORE'S SEA-PORT, TRAIN & TRUCK TERMINAL AS WELL AS INTERSTATES I-895 & I-95'S (HARBOR AND FORT MCHENRY TUNNEL). I TRAVEL THE I-895 TUNNEL TO WORK EVERYDAY. AFTER SEVERAL RECALL ATTEMPTS TO FIX, THIS CAR IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. WHEREAS, WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGNS, IT LOSES ENGINE POWER AND STALLS WHILE IN MOTION. INCLUDED ARE ONSTAR ONBOARD DIAGNOSIS REPORTS AND SERVICE RECORDS AFTER THE INITIAL RECALL SERVICING OF THE CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 68,914 |
| Apr 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | SHIFT TO PARK APPEARS WHEN CAR IS DEFINITELY IN PARK ALREADY | Crash: No Fire: No | 40,000 |