IllustrationTHE ABS SENSOR IS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL OUT AND NOT GO OVER 11 MILES PER HOUR. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR UNDER $1000 AND SIMILAR ISSUE WAS RECALLED ON THE 2014 MODEL.
2015 Chevrolet Malibu
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 310.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Malibu years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
410–25K
3825–50K
2450–75K
2575–100K
23100–150K
9150K+
160 reports with mileage · 110 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 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports9 fire reports10 injury reports
Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints
16 reportsI HAVE A 2015 CHEVY MALIBU WHILE DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE AC CAME ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON LIGHTS DIMMED WHEN CAR STARTED FLASHING ME I HIT MY BRIGHT LIGHTS AND MY ABS SLAMMED MY CAR TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP ALSO CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO COME ON AND THE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT CAR SHUT OFF TOOK A WHILE TO COME BACK ON CAR …
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I HAVE A 2015 CHEVY MALIBU WHILE DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE AC CAME ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON LIGHTS DIMMED WHEN CAR STARTED FLASHING ME I HIT MY BRIGHT LIGHTS AND MY ABS SLAMMED MY CAR TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP ALSO CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO COME ON AND THE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT CAR SHUT OFF TOOK A WHILE TO COME BACK ON CAR WAS NOT DEAD BUT ONLY THINGS THAT WERE OFF WERE WORKING THINGS THAT WERE ON OR NOT CAR KEEPS DYING WHEN YOU CRANK IT UP AND THINGS THAT ARE TURNED OFF COME ON ONCE THE CAR CRANKS UP DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND CAR TURNED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING AND DID THE SAME THING ON THE TURNPIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING.
SENSOR FOR ANTI STABILITY AND ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM FAILING MULTIPLE TIMES , THIS HAS BEEN RECALLED ON THE 2014 BUT NOT 2015. HAD PART REPLACED WHICH WAS REPLACED WITH SAME ISSUE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS ABS DISENGAGES AND THE ANTI STABILITY ALSO DISENGAGES.
"TAKATA RECALL" DURING A SIDE IMPACT COLLISON AT 45MPH , THE SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY (NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED) AND THE STABILITRAK WAS DISABLED . AN ERROR MESSAGE OF SERVICE STABILITRAK APPEARED DURING THE ACCIDENT
BOUGHT 2013 MALIBU MARCH 2013 NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT UNTIL AT ABOUT 34,000 MILES. ON MY WAY TO WORK STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM LIGHT AND (ABS) BREAK LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER MY SHIFT AT WORK, I STARTED THE LIGHT WAS NOT ON. I THOUGHT JUST AN ERROR, MAY HAVE RESET IT'S SELF. AT ABOUT 46,000 MILES STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM, (ABS)…
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BOUGHT 2013 MALIBU MARCH 2013 NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT UNTIL AT ABOUT 34,000 MILES. ON MY WAY TO WORK STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM LIGHT AND (ABS) BREAK LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER MY SHIFT AT WORK, I STARTED THE LIGHT WAS NOT ON. I THOUGHT JUST AN ERROR, MAY HAVE RESET IT'S SELF. AT ABOUT 46,000 MILES STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM, (ABS) BREAK LIGHTS ARE BACK ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. I AM CURRENTLY MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT.
I HAVE BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH A PAUSE IN THE ENGINE WHEN I'M SPEEDING UP ONTO A HIGHWAY OR TO PASS ON THE HIGHWAY . IT'S MOST DANGEROUS WHEN I ENTER THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR INSTEAD OF JUST SPEEDING UP HAS BEEN KNOWN TO PAUSE.. AND THEN SPEED UP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO DETERMINE WHEN THE CAR IS GO…
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I HAVE BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH A PAUSE IN THE ENGINE WHEN I'M SPEEDING UP ONTO A HIGHWAY OR TO PASS ON THE HIGHWAY . IT'S MOST DANGEROUS WHEN I ENTER THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR INSTEAD OF JUST SPEEDING UP HAS BEEN KNOWN TO PAUSE.. AND THEN SPEED UP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO DETERMINE WHEN THE CAR IS GOING TO "PAUSE" . I WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR DECIDED TO "PAUSE " AND THEN GO BUT THAT SLIGHT PAUSE EFFECTS THE TIMING OF ENTERING TRAFFIC . ALSO, I AM NEAR A HIGHWAY WITH A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION. THE ROADS BECOME UNEVEN IN PARTS WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE TO KEEP BOTH MY HANDS TIGHTLY SECURED TO THE WHEEL OR THE CAR TRIES PULLING YOU. FOR INSTANCE : I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT AND THERE WAS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN UNEVEN PAVEMENT AND MY CAR SEEMED LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO EVEN OUT THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR AND IT TRIED PULLING ME LEFT AND WHEN I WENT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT MY CAR BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE AND THANK GOD THERE WASN'T SOMEBODY IN THE RIGHT LANE BECAUSE IT PULLED ME ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY AND I COULDN'T CONTROL IT . TO BE HONEST I HAVE HAD ABOUT 6 CARS AND NEVER HAVE I FELT SO UNSAFE. ALSO MY CAR IS AN ECO CAR- IT TURNS OFF AT LIGHTS.. SOMETIMES IT SHAKES WHEN IT TURNS BCK ON AND ALSO IT LAGS TO MOVE ONCE IT DOES COME BACK ON. MY DEALERSHIP SAID THEY FOUND A DEFECT IN IT AND GM WILL "FIND A SOLUTION IN 45 DAYS" .. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OTHER REVIEWS ABOUT THIS? *TR
Official recalls
316V502000 · Electrical System:ignition; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
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.
15V666000 · Air Bags:side/window
Oct 16, 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.
15V164000 · Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly
Mar 23, 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles October 24, 2011, to March 5, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Slide or Tilt switch for the roof panel may not be adequately recessed to prevent the switch from inadvertently being pressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The Slide or Tilt roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed and the roof panel may auto-close unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a pinch injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Body Control Module (BCM) software to remove auto-close feature for certain switch positions, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15176.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.