186 Total complaints
8 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
4 Injury reports
Quick answer: The 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has 186 consumer-submitted complaints in our database. The most common complaint categories are power train, electrical system, unknown or other. Enriched records show 8 crash reports, 1 fire report, and 4 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.

Complaint volume

186 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.

Pattern to inspect

The most common categories are power train, electrical system, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.

Severity flags

Enriched records include 8 crash reports, 1 fire report, 4 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.

Mileage clue

Mileage is available on 56 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 45,501 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.

Questions to ask the seller

  • Have you had any problems related to power train, electrical system, unknown or other?
  • 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 2019 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.

2019 Chevrolet Malibu
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.

How severe are the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu complaints?

Enriched complaint indicators from official bulk records.

8 Crash
1 Fire
4 Injury
0 Fatality
9 Towed
3 Medical attention

Mileage at failure is available on 56 complaints ; average reported mileage is 45,501 miles.

What are the most common 2019 Chevrolet Malibu complaint categories?

186 total complaints on record

Latest complaints

Showing 176-186 of 186 complaints.

Date Component Summary Severity Mileage
Apr 2020 ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM AT 7473 MILES, REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. DIAGNOSTIC CODE: P0013. CAR WAS TOWED 50 MILES TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF EXHAUST CAMSHAFT POSITION ACTUATOR. CAR WAS DRIVEN 4 TIMES BEFORE THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MILEAGE UNDER 8000. DIAGNOSTIC CODE: P0013. IN BOTH CASES, THE CAR STILL RAN BUT IT MISSES AND CUTS OUT. *TR
Incident: Mar 2020
Crash: No Fire: No Towed 7,473
Mar 2020 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THE 2019 MALIBU OWN WHICH IS AN LT WITH A SUNROOF AND HEATED FRONT SEATS, HAS HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE BATTERY CONNECTION WHERE AS THE CAR WAS BRAND NEW OUT FROM THE SHOP. AND THEN A WEEK OR TWO LATER I GOT INTO MY CAR TO LOOK FOR MY HEADPHONES, THEN I JUST WANTED TO SIT INSIDE MY BRAND NEW CAR FOR A MOMENT. AND THEN I TURNED THE RADIO ON TO LOOK AT THE TIME, AND THEN THE GAUGE CLUSTER CAME UP WITH A MESSAGE SAYING BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW. SO THEN LATER WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM CHEVY TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE AND HOW CHEVY WOULD LIKE TO FIX IT FOR US. SO THEY FIXED IT. BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. ALSO! I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY SUNROOF WHICH ISN'T A SAFETY CONCERN BUT IT'S WORTH NOTING. SO AS WE GOT THE CAR. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHY THE SUNROOF WOULDN'T OPEN WHILE WE WERE DRIVING OR ANYTHING. AND SO WHEN WE GOT HOME WE TRIED FIGURING IT OUT AND AT THE TIME IT WOULD ONLY OPEN UP IF YOU HAVE YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE, IN DRIVE WITHOUT MOVING. GOT IT FIXED AFTER TRYING TO GET THEM TO FIX IT. AND THEN THEY MESSED UP THE HEADLINER IN THE CAR AND HAD TO GET THAT REPLACED AND THEN THEY WANT TO TRY AND CHARGE US FOR USING THEIR LOANER CARS WHEN THEY MESSED UP THE HEADLINER. LIKE WTF.
Incident: Oct 2019
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Feb 2020 ENGINE WITH UNDER 10K MILES ON THIS CAR, WE DROVE AN HOUR TO A BASEBALL GAME, THEN FOUND WHEN WE STARTED IT BACK UP, IT WAS ON REDUCED POWER. TURNED OUT TO BE THE THROTTLE BODY THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. TODAY, WITH UNDER 17K MILES, MY WIFE WAS PICKING THE CHILDREN UP FROM SCHOOL, AND IT LOST POWER AND SAID "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" AGAIN. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.
Incident: Feb 2020
Crash: No Fire: No 17,000
Feb 2020 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE IGNITION IN THE OFF POSITION, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION, THE RADIO WAS STILL OPERATIONAL. THE PUSH TO START BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED AND THE RADIO TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT INFORMED AN UNNAMED DEALER OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,359.
Incident: Nov 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 14,359
Sep 2019 ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM NEW CAR. 500 MILES ON MOTOR. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. P2097. NOTICED DECREASED ENGINE POWER WHEN PRESSING GAS PEDDLE. CAR STALLED ON START. FELT SLIGHT SHIMMY FROM MOTOR WHILE SITTING IDLE.
Incident: Sep 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 493
Jul 2019 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM FAULTY FUEL PUMP COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND KEY KOB READER
Incident: Jul 2019
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jun 2019 VISIBILITY/WIPER TAKATA RECALL. AFTER DRIVING MY MALIBU FOR MORE THAN A QUICK DRIVE AROUND THE BLOCK I NOTICED THAT MY LEFT EYE WAS GETTING BLURRY AND I SEEMED A LITTLE NAUSEOUS. THE SYMPTOMS STARTED EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I NOTICED A DISTORTION OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD THAT IS CAUSING THE NAUSEA. WHEN LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AT ONCOMING TRAFFIC MY VIEW IS DISTORTED. THE SAME AS WHEN I LOOK THE VERY RIGHT OF THE WINDSHIELD. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND DROVE ANOTHER BRAND NEW MALIBU FOR A DAY AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. AT THIS POINT EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE VEHICLE I GET NAUSEATED AND HAVE A SMALL HEADACHE. GM THEN DECIDED TO REPLACE MY WINDSHIELD. I RECEIVED A LONER EQUINOX TO DRIVE AND HAD NO ISSUES. I DROVE A SILVERADO FOR A FEW DAYS WITH NO PROBLEM. I TRADED IN MY OLD 2016 MALIBU THAT HAD NO ISSUES. I HAVE HAD COUNTLESS FRIENDS DRIVE MY NEW MALIBU AND THEY ALL SEE THE DISTORTION. I HAVE TRIED MOVING MY SEAT, CLEANING MY WINDSHIELD, PUTTING A TOWEL ON MY DASHBOARD TO REMOVE GLARE AND NOW ANOTHER BRAND NEW WINDSHIELD. I CAN'T DRIVE THIS CAR ANYMORE. I DRIVE TWENTY MINUTES TO WORK AND TAKES MY BRAIN ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES TO READJUST AFTER I GET OUT. I WANT MY OLD CAR BACK. THE DISTORTION IS A CONSTANT WHETHER DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS, AROUND THE BLOCK, SUNNY OR RAINY DAYS.
Incident: Jun 2019
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jun 2019 POWER TRAIN THE SPRING STEEL C-CLIP HOLDING THE CVT FLUID COOLING LINE IN PLACE AT THE RADIATOR FELL OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON INTERSTATE 5. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID DRAINED OUT ONTO THE ROADWAY RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER TO THE WHEELS. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BUT THE ENGINE RAN FINE.
Incident: May 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 3,201
Apr 2019 ENGINE START/STOP ON POWERTRAIN / MOTOR CONTROL. MOTOR STOPS ON BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE AND STARTS UPON ? ? DECREASE IN PEDAL PRSSURE ? MOTOR STARTED AND RPM ACCELERATED BU ITSELF WHILE BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED, VEHICLE "SURGED" AND HIT POST. MOTOR ACCELERATES RPM / WORKS BY ITSELF. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DELAY IN "START / STOP" CAUSING SURGE. SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING PROBLEM ?
Incident: Apr 2019
Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Medical attention 2,500
Feb 2019 POWER TRAIN THE ENGINE "AUTO STOP" FEATURE CAN HAVE ENOUGH OF A DELAY TO ALLOW THE ACCELERATOR TO BE PRESSED AS THE ENGINE STARTS CAUSING IT TO LURCH FORWARD RATHER THAN ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY. IT ALSO CAN CAUSE A DELAY WHEN PULLING OUT INTO HEAVY TRAFFIC. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO WAY TO TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY DEFEAT THE SYSTEM ON THIS GM MODEL ACCORDING TO GM SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THOUGH I AM SURE IT IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED FOR CERTAIN OWNER DRIVING STYLES AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS THIS CAN BE A SERIOUS HAZARD. CAR MAKERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO EITHER DISABLE THE FEATURE PERMANENTLY BY OWNER REQUEST OR HAVE A METHOD FOR THE OWNER TO BYPASS THE SYSTEM. WITH LESS THAN 250 MILES I HAVE EXPERIENCED 2 INCIDENTS OF ALMOST HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME FROM A STOP AND 1 OF ALMOST BEING HIT PULLING INTO HEAVY TRAFFIC FROM A STOP. I SEE MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND HOPE THIS CAN BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR WORSE DUE TO IT.
Incident: Feb 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 1,000
Oct 2018 EQUIPMENT I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR MAIMED BY A DEFECTIVE TIRE JACK THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE TIRE CHANGING EQUIPMENT THAT CAME WITH A NEW IMPALA I RENTED FROM ENTERPRISE CAR RENTAL. THE JACK BENT IN TWO WHEN I TRIED TO CRANK THE JACK HIGH ENOUGH TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE. I HAVE A PHOTO OF THE CHINESE-MADE PART #13592351/2017. I HAVE NOTIFIED BOTH ENTERPRISE AND GENERAL MOTORS. IN DISCUSSING THE ISSUE, IT SEEMS THAT NEITHER COMPANY INCLUDES A SAFETY CHECK OF THE TIRE JACK. MY CONCERN IS THAT 40-50 THOUSAND IMPALAS WERE SOLD IN 2018. CAR RENTAL COMPANIES PURCHASED THEM AS DID DEALERSHIPS. THOUSANDS OF UNUSED, I.E. NEW TIRE JACKS MAY BE SITTING IN THE TRUNKS OF IMPALAS THROUGHOUT THE US, CANADA, ETC. AND SOME COULD BE DEFECTIVE. THE GM EXECUTIVE OFFICE REP SAID THEY WERE GOING TO CONTACT ENTERPRISE REGARDING THE SAFETY ISSUE. TO ME THIS IS SHORT SIGHTED ON GM'S PART. THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE INTERESTED IN FINDING THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE JACK. ARE THEY MORE LIKELY TO CHANGE THEIR TUNE, IF CONSUMERS DIE AS A RESULT OF USING THE GENERAL MOTORS PROVIDED DEFECTIVE JACKS? STAY TUNED.
Incident: Oct 2018
Crash: No Fire: No 1,374

Related research