NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Air Bags complaints
18 reportsClear category filter194,000 miles · Sep 4, 2026
Air BagsCrash
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH and taking her children to school, there was an abnormally loud banging sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that several air bags deployed. The steering wheel air bag struck the contact, and she was knocked unconsci…
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The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH and taking her children to school, there was an abnormally loud banging sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that several air bags deployed. The steering wheel air bag struck the contact, and she was knocked unconscious. The vehicle drove across the street and crashed into a divider. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact sustained minor bruises on the nose. Medical attention was provided by the emergency personnel on the ambulance. The manufacturer was contacted over the phone after the issue. A product allegation was filed, and the contact was informed there would be a response within four business days. The failure mileage was approximately 194,000.
NHTSA ODI #11762128
Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2025
Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine
URGENT Complaint: NO RESPONSE to Demand for Rescission - Odometer Fraud, Deceptive Practices - Banner Ford of Monroe, LA
NHTSA ODI #11704161
Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2024
Air Bags
My airbag light comes on intermittently and will show a passenger is not in my front seat when they are. I took my car to the dealer and they got a current and past code B0074 for the passenger presence module. There was a recall (18208) for this on certain 2016 Malibus but my vin was not included.
NHTSA ODI #11598038
174,000 miles · Mar 12, 2024
Air Bags
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag light was illuminated and there was a message displayed "Service Air Bag". The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA …
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The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag light was illuminated and there was a message displayed "Service Air Bag". The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 174,000.
NHTSA ODI #11576886
113,537 miles · May 19, 2023
Air BagsCrashInjury
The contact owned a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle was involved in a rear collision. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact's friend sustained rib, back, and neck injuries. The vehicle was towed to a salvage lot. The manufacturer was not …
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The contact owned a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle was involved in a rear collision. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact's friend sustained rib, back, and neck injuries. The vehicle was towed to a salvage lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 113,537.
NHTSA ODI #11522839
Mileage unknown · Nov 14, 2022
Air BagsEngineVehicle Speed Control
UNKNOWN the air bag on my dash board come on and off ALL THE TIME even if I have no one sitting in my passenger seat.I got this vehicle for the winter thinking it was going to help me save gas and be a good reliable car for my daily routine to work, school, and my kids school. But it’s definitely the opposite. I’m struggling fin…
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UNKNOWN the air bag on my dash board come on and off ALL THE TIME even if I have no one sitting in my passenger seat.I got this vehicle for the winter thinking it was going to help me save gas and be a good reliable car for my daily routine to work, school, and my kids school. But it’s definitely the opposite. I’m struggling financially and In a hole now the engine light is on and I can’t get to my destination without going more then 30-40mph because “engine speed reduce” appears on my dash board and reduced the speed and not only is this inconvenient and annoying but also dangerous I dam almost got into accident because of this I was driving in the highway about 65-70 mph when this happen with a 18-wheeler behind me not only was my daughter’s life and mine put in danger. But the person driving the 18-wheeler. He definitely lost somewhat the control to swerve my vehicle it was a miracle of god no other cars where next to us and that nothing happened.their is so many 2016 Chevrolet malibu like this that I hope from the bottom of my heart that their is some compassion for this issue where they can make the issue get recalled. To help people like me I’m struggling to make ends meet day to day and I have forcefully have to keep using my car on the daily. I have no other transportation. And like i said not only for my safety but everyone around I am not the only one with this issue if the make in model. Their is hundreds of us !
NHTSA ODI #11493400
Mileage unknown · Mar 9, 2022
Air BagsSeat Belts
Purchased vehicle from Car Key Autoplex at 13546 Method St, Dallas TX 75243 (214) 210-9998 in March 2020. Vehicle was involved in previous wreck and owner purchased this vehicle and made repairs. Repairs were verified cause the air bag light stopped coming on. In December 2021 vehicle was involved in a wreck. Auto body shop …
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Purchased vehicle from Car Key Autoplex at 13546 Method St, Dallas TX 75243 (214) 210-9998 in March 2020. Vehicle was involved in previous wreck and owner purchased this vehicle and made repairs. Repairs were verified cause the air bag light stopped coming on. In December 2021 vehicle was involved in a wreck. Auto body shop looked into replacing seat belts. Noticed that seat belts had deployed, one of the seat belts was the wrong one for the vehicle as well as an incorrectly installed bolt for the SRS. Had to replace both seat belts and pretensioners and airbag control module installed ($2,250). Then the auto body shop noticed that pigtails were missing and spliced together. Had this fixed at a dealership for $1,800 along with programming of the airbag control module to the vehicle. Owner of Car Key Autoplex said that vehicle was repaired 100% when it wasn’t. He committed fraud and sold us a vehicle that was unsafe for the road and cost me over $4,000 to fix all of this.
NHTSA ODI #11455794
84,000 miles · Aug 6, 2020
Air BagsEngineFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, SMOKE SEEPED INTO THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STOPPED CLOSE BY AND THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY HER SON AND SAW THERE WAS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF ANTIFREEZE LEFT IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER RIVERSIDE CHEVR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, SMOKE SEEPED INTO THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STOPPED CLOSE BY AND THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY HER SON AND SAW THERE WAS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF ANTIFREEZE LEFT IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER RIVERSIDE CHEVROLET (707 W 51ST ST, TULSA, OK 74107 918-446-7700) WHILE IT WAS RUNNING HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY THE DEALER WITH AN OIL CHANGE AND FLUID CHECKS TWO MONTHS EARLIER. THE DEALER SUGGESTED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEATER COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. *TR
NHTSA ODI #11343622
Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 2020
Air Bags
IM GETTING AN ALERT OF AIR BAG PROBLEM AND I RECEIVED A LETTER ABOUT AN AIRBAG PROBLEM RECALL. ALSO THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH MY HUSBAND FIXED AND A ROOF WATER LEAK WHICH MY HUSBAND ALSO FIXED.
NHTSA ODI #11337376
10,523 miles · Sep 4, 2019
Air BagsElectrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)
MY CAR JUST STOPPED CRANKING AND ITS LIKE I HAVE ALL THE POWER TURNED OFF, I WAS IN MY YARD. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY, CHANGED IT STILL NO CHANGE. MY AIRBAG REPAIR LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND MY CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING FINE ALL DAY FINE UNTIL I PARKED IT AND EVERYTHING STOPPED.
NHTSA ODI #11253173
Official recalls
9Aug 20, 2021
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seat Belts:rear/other:retractor
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.
Consequence: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
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.
Consequence: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
Jun 14, 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. During servicing, a Passenger Presence System (PPS) may have been installed that was not correctly calibrated to the vehicle's seat type. As a result, the PPS may not properly identify an adult passenger from a child passenger in the front passenger seat, potentially causing the air bag to not deploy when it should, or causing the air bag to deploy when it shouldn't.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash, improper air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18208.
May 31, 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
Oct 26, 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured November 18, 2015, to June 7, 2016. The fabric of the side-impact air bag cushion may tear during deployment.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the air bag tears during deployment, the air bag may not perform as designed, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 27, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 16079.
Jul 5, 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System:ignition
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
May 5, 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured March 7, 2016, through March 12, 2016. The memory chip in the electronic brake control module (EBCM) may fail and cause the loss of electronically controlled brake systems including anti-lock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC). As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the EBCM fails the primary braking system will still function, however, the loss of ABS and ESC increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a replacement EBCM, free of charge. The recall began on June 17, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020). GM's number for this recall is 39440.
Mar 11, 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016 Malibu vehicles manufactured February 16, 2016, to March 5, 2016. The two weld studs that mount the front and rear side impact air bags may fracture and separate from the air bag during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 214, "Side Impact Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Fractured weld studs may allow the side air bag to move out of position during deployment, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 31820.
Mar 2, 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured January 19, 2016, to February 2, 2016, Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured January 9, 2016, to January 26, 2016, and 2016 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 21, 2016, to February 4, 2016. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 28030.
Feb 11, 2016
Genera Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, Malibu, Silverado and GMC Sierra vehicles. The radio may intermittently fail to provide an audio warning when the key has been left in the ignition and the door is opened or when the driver does not fasten their seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection", and/or 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An unbelted driver is at a greater risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15808.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗