← New search

2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Malibu years

Owner complaints for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu are substantially higher than the model-year median of 310.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

397 reports with mileage · 305 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 253 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 161 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 139 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports4 fire reports8 injury reports

Power Train complaints

139 reports
Clear category filter
3,000 miles · Dec 20, 2019
Electrical SystemPower Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. IN ADDITION, THE PARK ASSIST AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO STIVERS CHEVROLET (111 NEWLAND RD, COLUMBIA, SC 29229, (803) 254-1431) WHERE THEY WERE INITIA…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. IN ADDITION, THE PARK ASSIST AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO STIVERS CHEVROLET (111 NEWLAND RD, COLUMBIA, SC 29229, (803) 254-1431) WHERE THEY WERE INITIALLY UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE DEFECT. AFTER MULTIPLE FAILURES, THE CONTACT BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A FAULTY SENSOR. THE PART WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

NHTSA ODI #11290341

59,555 miles · Dec 19, 2019
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Power Train

THE ELECTRICAL BLINKS OUT . ENGINE REDUCED SPEED IS A PROBLEM AND IS VERY DAMGEROUS I WAS ALMOST HIT ON THE FREEWAY. THIS CAR IS A DUD AND MOST MODELS LIKE IT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11290148

85,000 miles · Dec 3, 2019
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EnginePower Train

WHILE DRIVING MY 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY SON IN THE CAR, THE DRIVER SCREEN DASH FLASHED A MESSAGE 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED', THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON, AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE SAFELY. AFTER THIS HAPPENED, MY CAR WOULD NOT EXCEED 45 MPH AND WOULD NOT SHIFT. AFTER PU…

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING MY 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY SON IN THE CAR, THE DRIVER SCREEN DASH FLASHED A MESSAGE 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED', THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON, AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE SAFELY. AFTER THIS HAPPENED, MY CAR WOULD NOT EXCEED 45 MPH AND WOULD NOT SHIFT. AFTER PULLING MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE BUSY HIGHWAY AND LETTING IT SET, I WAS ABLE TO GET MY CAR TOWED TO MY HOME. THIS HAS SINCE HAPPENED FIVE ADDITIONAL TIMES AND IS HAPPENING AT A MORE RAPID RATE. I TOOK MY CAR THE OREILLEYS AND AUTOZONE TO HAVE THEM RUN A GENERAL DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND THE ERROR CODE BEING RETURNED WAS 'P2138' - 'THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION SENSOR/SWITCH D / E VOLTAGE CORRELATION'. I THEN SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, WHERE TECHNICIANS ALSO RAN A MORE THOROUGH DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND FOUND MY CAR NEEDED A NEW ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR. THIS PART IS NOT FUNCTIONING AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO AND AT THE VERY LEAST IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA ODI #11286721

65,000 miles · Nov 27, 2019
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HER THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE CAMSHAFT VACUUM PUMP. TH…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HER THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE CAMSHAFT VACUUM PUMP. THE CONTACT CALLED VAN CHEVROLET (100 NW VIVION RD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64118, (816) 527-8564), BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

NHTSA ODI #11282718

39,000 miles · Nov 26, 2019
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

CAR WILL INDICATE 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' AND WILL ABRUPTLY REDUCE SPEED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN NOT ONLY TO MYSELF BUT OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD AS WELL. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM? I SEE IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE MODELS OF CHEVY MALIBU. HAPPENS EVERYDAY, MOST OF THE TIME MORE THAN ONCE. MY COMMUTE TO…

Read full complaint

CAR WILL INDICATE 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' AND WILL ABRUPTLY REDUCE SPEED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN NOT ONLY TO MYSELF BUT OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD AS WELL. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM? I SEE IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE MODELS OF CHEVY MALIBU. HAPPENS EVERYDAY, MOST OF THE TIME MORE THAN ONCE. MY COMMUTE TO WORK IS ABOUT 25MIN AND IT DID IT 3 TIMES TODAY.

NHTSA ODI #11282402

Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 2019
Power Train

AFTER DRIVING, VEHICLE PARKED AND GEAR SHIFT TO PARK. VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF BUT WARNING LIGHT ON DASH SAYS 'SHIFT TO PARK'. VEHICLE STAYS 'ON' (RADIO ETC) ENGINE IS OFF. WHEN YOU EXIT CAR TO LOCK YOU GET A DOUBLE BEEP INDICATING CAR IS STILL ON. USE TO HAPPEN EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE (1/WEEK) NOW IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. (4…

Read full complaint

AFTER DRIVING, VEHICLE PARKED AND GEAR SHIFT TO PARK. VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF BUT WARNING LIGHT ON DASH SAYS 'SHIFT TO PARK'. VEHICLE STAYS 'ON' (RADIO ETC) ENGINE IS OFF. WHEN YOU EXIT CAR TO LOCK YOU GET A DOUBLE BEEP INDICATING CAR IS STILL ON. USE TO HAPPEN EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE (1/WEEK) NOW IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. (4X DAY)

NHTSA ODI #11279551

38,000 miles · Nov 4, 2019
Power Train

GOING INTO PARK THE CAR SAYS YOU NEED TO SHIFT TO PARK. CAR WILL NOT SHUT OFF.

NHTSA ODI #11277960

40,500 miles · Oct 28, 2019
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

FOR THREE WEEKS I HAVE BEEN GETTING A "SHIFT TO PARK" ERROR WHEN I PLACE CAR IN PARK. IT PREVENTS ME FROM FULLY TURNING CAR OFF AND WILL NOT ALLOW DOORS TO LOCK. I HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE SHIFTER TO GET THE WARNING TO COME OFF. LAST WEEK IT WAS IN THE SHOP AT BASIL CHEVROLET IN DEPEW, NY AND THEY REPLACED THE SHIFT RELAY AND IT…

Read full complaint

FOR THREE WEEKS I HAVE BEEN GETTING A "SHIFT TO PARK" ERROR WHEN I PLACE CAR IN PARK. IT PREVENTS ME FROM FULLY TURNING CAR OFF AND WILL NOT ALLOW DOORS TO LOCK. I HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE SHIFTER TO GET THE WARNING TO COME OFF. LAST WEEK IT WAS IN THE SHOP AT BASIL CHEVROLET IN DEPEW, NY AND THEY REPLACED THE SHIFT RELAY AND IT IS STILL DOING IT. TODAY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY MY CAR SUDDENLY SHOWED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, SLOWED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MILES PER HOUR AND SHOWED "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO A PARKING LOT BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT SHUT OFF AND THE "SHIFT TO PARK" WARNING SHOWED. FINALLY GOT THAT ERROR TO GO OFF AND SHUT OFF CAR. CAR WAS ABLE TO RESTART WITH ONLY THE ENGINE LIGHT ON. STAYED ON FOR THE NEXT 35 MILES. JUST WENT BACK OUT AT LUNCH TIME AND NOW NO LIGHTS AND IT WAS DRIVING FINE UNTIL I TRIED SHUTTING OFF AND THE "SHIFT TO PARK" WOULDN'T GO OFF NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRIED TO WIGGLE THE HANDLE. CAR GOING BACK TO DEALER AT 5PM.

NHTSA ODI #11271593

Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 2019
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

REDUCED ENGINE POWER IS A NORM FOR THESE NEW CHEVY MALIBU'S MY ENGENDER IS REDUCING POWER AGAIN. THEY CHARGES ME $345 LAST DECEMBER 3018 TO REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THIS OCTOBER 2019, IT'S DOING THE SAME THING. IT WILL REDUCE SPEED ON HIGHWAY UNDER 50 MPH AND I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY OTHER CARS IF THEY DID NOT NOTICE.

NHTSA ODI #11268079

47,000 miles · Oct 11, 2019
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED, BUT NEVER STALLED. ALSO, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWED THE VEHICLE IN PARK; HOWEVER, THE 'SHIFT INTO PARK' MESSAGE APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KELLER MOTORS INC (LOCATED AT 1795 …

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED, BUT NEVER STALLED. ALSO, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWED THE VEHICLE IN PARK; HOWEVER, THE 'SHIFT INTO PARK' MESSAGE APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KELLER MOTORS INC (LOCATED AT 1795 S PERRYVILLE BLVD, PERRYVILLE, MO 63775, (573) 547-1002) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11267896

Official recalls

4

21V649000 · Seat Belts:critical Fasteners; Seat Belts:rear/other:retractor

Aug 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.

18V400000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

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.

18V358000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

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.

16V870000 · Air Bags:side/window

Dec 2, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017 Malibu vehicles manufactured on November 10, 2016. The right-hand rear side air bag inflator manifold may have insufficient welds.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Insufficient welds could cause the inflator to separate and propel air bag debris into the cabin during a crash. Also, the inflator could fail to inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 16146.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.