IllustrationTHE TRUNK RELEASE STOPPED WORKING ON FOB AND THE TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON ON THE BACK OF THE CAR ON TRUNK.
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
Unknown Or Other complaints
35 reportsI WAS DRIVING ON A MAIN STREET, COMING UP TO A FULL STOP WITH CARS IN FRONT & BEHIND ME. I PROCEEDED TO SLOWLY ACELERATE WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN. AT THAT POINT, THE CAR BEGAN TO MOVE BACKWARDS WHILE IN DRIVE. I QUICKLY PRESSED ON MY BRAKES, CAR STOPPED. I STTEMPTED THIS 2 MORE TIMES, SAME OUTCOME. AT THAT POINT, I PLACED…
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I WAS DRIVING ON A MAIN STREET, COMING UP TO A FULL STOP WITH CARS IN FRONT & BEHIND ME. I PROCEEDED TO SLOWLY ACELERATE WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN. AT THAT POINT, THE CAR BEGAN TO MOVE BACKWARDS WHILE IN DRIVE. I QUICKLY PRESSED ON MY BRAKES, CAR STOPPED. I STTEMPTED THIS 2 MORE TIMES, SAME OUTCOME. AT THAT POINT, I PLACED THE CARR IN PARK, TURNED CAR OFF & BACKON AGAIN, CAR BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD.
BLIND SIDE..NOT EASY TO LOCATE VEHICLES ON EITHER SIDE.AND IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE CHILD IN REAR WITH REAR VIEW CAMERA.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE I STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR TURNED OFF DUE TO THE AUTO START/STOP WHEN IDLING. WHEN I LET OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR DID NOT TURN BACK ON. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR AGAIN NUMEROUS TIMES IT WOULD NOT. ALL ELECTRICAL STAYED ON AT THIS POINT. CAR WAS TOWED TO A CHEVY DEALER IN FENTON, MI AND …
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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE I STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR TURNED OFF DUE TO THE AUTO START/STOP WHEN IDLING. WHEN I LET OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR DID NOT TURN BACK ON. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR AGAIN NUMEROUS TIMES IT WOULD NOT. ALL ELECTRICAL STAYED ON AT THIS POINT. CAR WAS TOWED TO A CHEVY DEALER IN FENTON, MI AND THEY REPLACED BATTERY AND BATTERY CURRENT SENSOR. LATER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THE RADIO AND SCREEN STAYED ON EVEN AFTER CLOSING AND OPENING THE DOOR. THEN MY CAR WAS IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT TODAY AND IT AUTO TURNED OFF AS WHEN I LET OFF BRAKE IT DID NOT TURN BACK ON. ALL ELECTRICAL STAYED ON. THIS TIME I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR BACK UP BUT THERE'S NO TELLING WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS VEHICLE.
MY CAR HAS BEGUN DYING IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON ON TOP OF THE FUEL ECONOMY NOT WORKING CORRECTLY AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF FILLING IT UP. IT WILL SAY 195 MILES THEN JUMP TO 207 ON THE FUEL RANGE.
FIRST COMPLAINT WOULD BE THE BUTTON ON THE FACE OF THE RADIO SCREEN IS MELTING AND WHEN TRYING TO OPEN THE BLACK COLOR COMES OF INTO YOUR HAND. SECOND COMPLAINT IS THE SIDE OF THE DRIVERS SIDE WHOLE SEAT SWITCH COMPARTMENT CAME OFF OF THE SEAT HINGES.
WHILE DRIVING, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON RANDOMLY. WHEN STOPPING, THE CAR TURNS OFF. I TRY TO RESTART IT AND THE IGNITION FAILS. I NEED TURN THE KEY A FEW TIMES UNTIL THE CAR CAN FINALLY START. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.
I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAS TO SAN JOSE ON ISABEL AVE ON HIGHWAY 84 AND MY CAR JUST SHOUT DOWN WIITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGN IT WAS THE SCARIEST TIME GOOD THING I DIDNT HAVE MY KIDS WITH ME. I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN ON MY CAR AGAIN AND THE OFFICER HAD TO PUSH ME TO A CLOSE BY SHOULDER BECUASE WHERE THE CAR STOP THERE WAS NO SHOULDER AND …
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I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAS TO SAN JOSE ON ISABEL AVE ON HIGHWAY 84 AND MY CAR JUST SHOUT DOWN WIITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGN IT WAS THE SCARIEST TIME GOOD THING I DIDNT HAVE MY KIDS WITH ME. I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN ON MY CAR AGAIN AND THE OFFICER HAD TO PUSH ME TO A CLOSE BY SHOULDER BECUASE WHERE THE CAR STOP THERE WAS NO SHOULDER AND IT WAS A ONE WAY TRAFFIC SO I WAS BLOCKING TRAFFIC AND IT WAS IN A CURVE SO I COULD OF GET HIT ON THE BACK I HAD TO CALL AAA TO HELP ME TOW MY CAR NOW I CANT EVEN TURN IT ON
VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON A CITY STREET WHEN SMOKE STARTED AND FIRE BROKE OUT BURNING VEHICLE TO GROUND.
TAKATA RECALL PASSENGER SEAT WILL NOT GO FORWARD OR BACKWARD AND WHEN I GOT THE CAR I WAS SMELLING CO2 CARBON DIOXIDE WITH THE CAR MOVING.
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.