ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING CAME ON WITH ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION LIGHT CAR SPEED DROPPED
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 →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
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.
What owners actually said
702 reportsMY VEHICLE HAS 6X,XXX MILES ON IT. I FIRST ENCOUNTERED A "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" MESSAGE ON NOVEMBER 27, 2019 AFTER DRIVING 15 MILES, TURNING THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, AND STARTING THE CAR AGAIN. I CALLED ON-STAR TO RECEIVE A DIAGNOSTIC REPORT, WHICH RETURNED A P2138 CODE. I LIMPED THE CAR HOME ON A RURAL ROUTE WITH REDUC…
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MY VEHICLE HAS 6X,XXX MILES ON IT. I FIRST ENCOUNTERED A "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" MESSAGE ON NOVEMBER 27, 2019 AFTER DRIVING 15 MILES, TURNING THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, AND STARTING THE CAR AGAIN. I CALLED ON-STAR TO RECEIVE A DIAGNOSTIC REPORT, WHICH RETURNED A P2138 CODE. I LIMPED THE CAR HOME ON A RURAL ROUTE WITH REDUCED POWER. ONCE HOME, THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON, THERE WAS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BUT IT RAN FINE. THE LIGHT EVENTUALLY TURNED OFF. THE CAR RAN FINE UNTIL THE EVENING OF MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2019. THIS TIME THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER CONDITION OCCURRED AS I WAS IN TRAFFIC COMMUTING HOME FROM WORK, MOVING AT A LOW SPEED. LUCKILY THE ROAD WASN'T BUSY AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A GAS STATION. I POWERED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, AND IT RAN FINE ALL THE WAY HOME. BASED ON SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I BELIEVE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR IS FAILING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES. I WILL BE REPLACING THE PART ON MY OWN. THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS VERY HARD TO FIND, SUPPORTING MY SUSPICION THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD AND LIKELY AN ISSUE THAT GM IS AWARE OF.
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…
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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.
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…
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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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND ENGINE REDUCED INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEVE RAYMAN CHEVROLET (678-269-7886, LOCATED AT 2155 COBB PKWY SE, SMYRNA, GA 30080) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND REPLACED THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLES…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND ENGINE REDUCED INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEVE RAYMAN CHEVROLET (678-269-7886, LOCATED AT 2155 COBB PKWY SE, SMYRNA, GA 30080) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND REPLACED THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.
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…
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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.
THE VEHICLES BRAKES KEEPS POPPING WHERE IT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO STOP. ALSO THE CAR IS DYING WHEN THE CAR DOES COME TO A STOP SO THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT IT IN PARK AND START IT AGAIN. THE BACK GLASS IS LEAKING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND SHOWS IT BEING THE TURBO BUT HAVE HAD IT IN THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CONTINUED TO SAY IT IS THI…
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THE VEHICLES BRAKES KEEPS POPPING WHERE IT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO STOP. ALSO THE CAR IS DYING WHEN THE CAR DOES COME TO A STOP SO THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT IT IN PARK AND START IT AGAIN. THE BACK GLASS IS LEAKING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND SHOWS IT BEING THE TURBO BUT HAVE HAD IT IN THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CONTINUED TO SAY IT IS THIS SENSOR OR THAT SENSOR OR A SENSOR IS DIRTY BUT NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE ANTENNA WAS REPLACED TO FIX THE BACK GLASS FROM LEAKING. NOW THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY IT COMES THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE ISSUES THAT NEVER WAS SEEN BEFORE ON THE CAR. I HAVE BOUGHT SEVERAL OF NEW VEHICLES AND THE IS BY FAR THE WORST CAR. I HAVE BOUGHT MY FAMILY A DEATH TRAP WAITING TO HAPPEN.
2017 CHEVY MALIBU REPETIVELY GETS REDUCED POWER LIGHT. I DRIVE HIGHWAY AT 65-80MPH AND THE CAR GETS THAT REDUCED POWER LIGHT AND CAR SLOWS TO 20 MPH AND WON'T ACCELERATE PAST 20MPH. IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 8 TIMES. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE FATAL CAR ACCIDENT. I FINALLY HAVE APPOINTMENT TOMORROW TO GET FIXED. IT'…
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2017 CHEVY MALIBU REPETIVELY GETS REDUCED POWER LIGHT. I DRIVE HIGHWAY AT 65-80MPH AND THE CAR GETS THAT REDUCED POWER LIGHT AND CAR SLOWS TO 20 MPH AND WON'T ACCELERATE PAST 20MPH. IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 8 TIMES. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE FATAL CAR ACCIDENT. I FINALLY HAVE APPOINTMENT TOMORROW TO GET FIXED. IT'S DEFECT WITH THROTTLE BODY AND PEDAL POSITION SENSOR.
ON NOV 12,2019 I WAS DRIVING IN GLEN BURNIE MARYLAND IN A STREET , COMING TO A STOP LIGHT I STOP AND THE CAR TURNED OFF, I TURN IT ON AGAIN AND GOT ON THE HWY I-97 NORTH CAME OFF RAMP. WHERE I STOP ON RED LIGHT THE CAR TURNED OFF AGAIN. BUT THIS TIME. I LOST ALL POWER IT WOULD NOT TURN ON NOR ANY LIGHTS , COMPLETELY DEAD. …
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ON NOV 12,2019 I WAS DRIVING IN GLEN BURNIE MARYLAND IN A STREET , COMING TO A STOP LIGHT I STOP AND THE CAR TURNED OFF, I TURN IT ON AGAIN AND GOT ON THE HWY I-97 NORTH CAME OFF RAMP. WHERE I STOP ON RED LIGHT THE CAR TURNED OFF AGAIN. BUT THIS TIME. I LOST ALL POWER IT WOULD NOT TURN ON NOR ANY LIGHTS , COMPLETELY DEAD. NOT EVEN EMERGENCY BLINKERS, AT THIS TIME I CALLED A TOW TRUCK , POLICE ASISTES ME , AFTER GIVING THE CAR A BOOST CABLE. IT TURNED ON , BATTERY IS NEW AS OF 3 MONTHS AGO , TOOK CAR TO GARAGE. THEY CAN NOT FIND NO PROBLEMS WITH ANYTHING ,
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR SAYS "STEERING ASSIST REDUCED. DRIVE WITH CARE". IT HAS STARTED OUT OF NO WHERE
Official recalls
421V649000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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