Reliability & cost of ownership
Chevrolet Malibu Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Chevrolet Malibu? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Chevrolet Malibu problems by model year
130 recall entries and 19,365 owner complaints on file across 29 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Chevrolet Malibu, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- steering5,558 complaints
- electrical system4,714 complaints
- engine2,171 complaints
- exterior lighting1,913 complaints
- power train1,665 complaints
- unknown or other1,296 complaints
- service brakes, hydraulic1,286 complaints
- electronic stability control (esc)1,236 complaints