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2023 Chevrolet Malibu

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu are lower than the model-year median of 310.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

21 reports with mileage · 48 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.

  • Back Over Prevention. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

69 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 2026
EnginePower Train

The issue appears to involve the engine and turbocharger system. The vehicle has shown symptoms consistent with a turbo underboost condition, including loss of power and reduced acceleration. A mechanic indicated that the symptoms may be consistent with diagnostic code P0299 (turbo underboost). The vehicle is available for inspe…

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The issue appears to involve the engine and turbocharger system. The vehicle has shown symptoms consistent with a turbo underboost condition, including loss of power and reduced acceleration. A mechanic indicated that the symptoms may be consistent with diagnostic code P0299 (turbo underboost). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This issue affects safe operation because the vehicle loses power unexpectedly while driving, which creates a risk when merging into traffic, accelerating, or maintaining speed in normal traffic conditions. The loss of power is inconsistent and can occur without warning, increasing the potential safety concern. The problem has been ongoing. The check engine light is currently on and has remained on. The warning light first appeared around January 2026, and the issue has continued since then. Similar turbocharger-related issues have been reported in prior model years, including 2022 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles, where coverage or corrective actions were provided, raising concern that the same or similar issue may be affecting 2023 models.

NHTSA ODI #11733160

50,000 miles · Apr 17, 2026
Back Over Prevention

The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the camera screen was black. While reversing, the camera failed to engage and was flickering. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V212000 (Back Over Prevention). The local dealer was contacted, and was …

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The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the camera screen was black. While reversing, the camera failed to engage and was flickering. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V212000 (Back Over Prevention). The local dealer was contacted, and was ordering parts for the recall repair, but requested that the owner show up in person to provide the demographics but declined once the contact was leaving a bad review. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the local dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ODI #11731769

Mileage unknown · Apr 14, 2026
Engine

My engine keeps decreasing and throwing code p0299, wastegate/turbo, under boost. 84k miles. After a few drive cycles, engine light may go off, then next drive cycle come back on. I’ve seen this is a common issue and has been recalled in previous year model.

NHTSA ODI #11731176

Mileage unknown · Apr 7, 2026
Power TrainUnknown Or Other

We decided to take a road trip 2023 chev Malibu with 142000 miles and transmission goes bad

NHTSA ODI #11729746

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2026
Unknown Or Other

The rearview camera system fails intermittently when the vehicle is placed in reverse. The display will either show a distorted image or go completely blank without warning. This issue has occurred multiple times. This malfunction significantly reduces rear visibility and creates a dangerous condition while backing, especially …

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The rearview camera system fails intermittently when the vehicle is placed in reverse. The display will either show a distorted image or go completely blank without warning. This issue has occurred multiple times. This malfunction significantly reduces rear visibility and creates a dangerous condition while backing, especially in environments with pedestrians or other vehicles. The failure increases the risk of a collision because the driver cannot rely on the camera system to safely monitor the area behind the vehicle. There were no warning lights, alerts, or messages prior to or during the failure. The issue appears to occur randomly and without any clear triggering condition. The vehicle has not yet been repaired because the manufacturer has issued a recall, but the remedy is not yet available. The condition has not yet been inspected by a dealer, but it matches the known recall involving rearview camera failure. The vehicle and camera system are available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ODI #11729047

57,619 miles · Mar 9, 2026
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle jerked abnormally with several unknown warning lights illuminated and unknown messages were displayed. Additionally, there was a white fuel warning light illuminated with the message “Low Fuel” displayed after refueling the vehicl…

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The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle jerked abnormally with several unknown warning lights illuminated and unknown messages were displayed. Additionally, there was a white fuel warning light illuminated with the message “Low Fuel” displayed after refueling the vehicle. The white exclamation warning icon with the "Shift to Park" message, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the “Engine Power Reduced message was displayed. Additionally, the power train and ESC warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and towed to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but the failure was not replicated; an aftermarket tracker was disconnected. The failure persisted, and the vehicle was taken to the same dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred the following week. The vehicle was then taken back to the same dealer, but the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 57,619.

NHTSA ODI #11722895

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2026
Electrical SystemEnginePower TrainInjury

MY 2023 CHEVY MALIBU HAS A MISSING TURBOCHARGER SCREW THAT RANDOMLY CAME OFF FROM UNDER A METAL PLATE ON ITS OWN, GMC HAS A RECALL ON 2022 -2023 CHEY MALIBU WITH TURBO CHARGER ISSUES BUT THEY WONT COVER MINES BECAUSE IT DIDNT COME FROM A CERTIAN FACTORY ALTHOUGH THEY KNOW A HELL OF ALOT OF CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS HAVE TURBO CHARGER …

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MY 2023 CHEVY MALIBU HAS A MISSING TURBOCHARGER SCREW THAT RANDOMLY CAME OFF FROM UNDER A METAL PLATE ON ITS OWN, GMC HAS A RECALL ON 2022 -2023 CHEY MALIBU WITH TURBO CHARGER ISSUES BUT THEY WONT COVER MINES BECAUSE IT DIDNT COME FROM A CERTIAN FACTORY ALTHOUGH THEY KNOW A HELL OF ALOT OF CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS HAVE TURBO CHARGER ISSUES AND THAT FACTORIES SHARE PARTS WITH OTHER FACTORIES THEY SAY THEY WONT DO A RECALL ON ALL THE MALIBUS UNLESS ALOT OF PEOPLE REPORT AND NHTSA MAKES GMC REALL ALL CHEVY MALIBUS TURBOCHARGER ( GM launched a special coverage program for 2022-2023 models with 1.5L engines due to turbocharger failures leading to "Reduced Engine Power". The program covers, or potentially reimburses, repairs up to 15 years/150,000 miles)BUT MY VEHICLE VIN ISNT COVERED.

NHTSA ODI #11717268

Mileage unknown · Feb 10, 2026
Tires

Tread started separation on driver front tire

NHTSA ODI #11717063

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 2025
Air BagsCrash

When I was in a car accident I was hit on the rear passenger side of my vehicle, right near where my side air bags are supposed to be located. I was hit at 50 mph and the airbags did not deploy.

NHTSA ODI #11707590

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 2025
Air BagsElectrical SystemStructureCrashInjury

On December 24, 2025, the contact's 2023 Chevrolet Malibu was involved in a severe side-impact collision. The vehicle was struck on the rear passenger side by a full-size pickup truck traveling at high speed (est. 60 mph) that failed to stop at a red light. The impact caused the contact's vehicle to spin approximately 180 degree…

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On December 24, 2025, the contact's 2023 Chevrolet Malibu was involved in a severe side-impact collision. The vehicle was struck on the rear passenger side by a full-size pickup truck traveling at high speed (est. 60 mph) that failed to stop at a red light. The impact caused the contact's vehicle to spin approximately 180 degrees and strike a concrete median sideways, generating high lateral G-forces. FAILURE 1: AIRBAG NON-DEPLOYMENT. Despite the severity of the impact and the violent spin into a curb (rollover trip point), the side curtain airbags and front seat-mounted side impact airbags failed to deploy. The failure of the restraint system caused the driver to be thrown against the driver-side door structure, striking their head on the window and B-pillar. The driver sustained a concussion, cervical strain, and lumbar strain. Medical records confirm the injuries are consistent with impact against the vehicle interior due to non-deployment. FAILURE 2: EMERGENCY TELEMATICS MALFUNCTION. Immediately post-collision, the driver attempted to manually activate the OnStar/SOS emergency buttons. The system failed to connect to an advisor. Instead, the vehicle's infotainment screen malfunctioned, opening a voice-to-text transcription application. The system then bypassed the vehicle's internal telematics module and attempted to route the emergency call to the owner's personal cell phone, indicating a complete failure of the vehicle's emergency communication hardware. This resulted in a 34-minute delay in coordinating professional assistance. Contact notes; while this vehicle currently shows 0 open recalls, the failure mechanism (sensor non-response during side impact) mimics the defect described in NHTSA Campaign 22V923000 (GM Recall N222392300), where improper welding of the front impact bar causes crash sensors to fail. The vehicle is available for inspection. Police and medical reports confirm the incident details. No warning lights were illuminated prior to crash.

NHTSA ODI #11707356

Official recalls

2

26V212000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Apr 2, 2026

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rearview camera screen may display a distorted or blank image.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A rearview image that does not display correctly reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2026. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262551720. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.

22V923000 · Structure:frame And Members

Dec 14, 2022

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The front impact bar, a structural portion of the vehicle frame, may not be properly welded to the front frame rail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An improperly welded front impact bar may result in the front crash sensors not performing correctly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the right-hand and left-hand side of the vehicle's motor rail for an incomplete weld. If the condition is found, the vehicle will be repurchased by GM. Owner notification letters were mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

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.