general problems of the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu - part 1

52 problems related to engine and engine cooling have been reported for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu based on all problems reported for the 2015 Malibu.

1 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 11/30/2025

The car continues to die when I come to a stop. The error code for the engine light is p305f. I have changed both batteries along with several different sensors and spent thousands of dollars in repairs at a couple different shops and still can’t find the problem with this error code. I have fixed everything that this error code points to. The car will not pass inspection with the check engine code on. This should have been recalled as this is a very common problem.

2 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 07/20/2024

As your driving the reduced engine power pops up and dropped your speed down to 25-20 mph no matter how fast you're going no way to reset it unless you have a scan tool but then it comes back on scan tool says pedal accelerator position sensor is the issue put new one on and a day later same thing same answer now im putting second pedal accelerator position sensor on.

3 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 03/27/2024

Have a 2015 chevy Malibu that is randomly trying to start itself. The key fob is the original when I bought it. It has the auto start on the fob but is the kind that requires the key in the ignition to drive. Car completely off (not in aux) but the key is in ignition, could be for 2 minutes or hours, and randomly it will try and start, but not fully turn the engine and actually start, just that little half second of a start and then go right back off. Today it did it 3 times in a row. Obviously I won’t be leaving my key in the ignition any longer as it does seem to require that,.

4 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/13/2023

When driving at highway speeds the car will show “engine reduced power” and will either drop to 20-40 mph or shut off completely. Engine codes show as cam shaft sensor, crankshaft sensor and fuel pressure regulator. I had the cam shag and crank shaft sensors replaced and it stopped for a few months. It started doing it again this week and today it did it then shut off completely and won’t restart.

5 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 06/08/2023

The vacuum boost pump failed suddenly leaving the vehicle with no brakes and potentially causing catastrophic engine damage.

6 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 11/27/2022

At 2:30am car was sitting in driveway and the engine caught on fire burning the engine, front left tire etc.

7 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 11/04/2022

I was almost to work on the highway and my car dashboard said engine power is reduced. It quickly started powering down from 74 directly to 50 then 40, then 35 and finally to 26 before I could safely pull off to the side of the road. This issue is getting worse it takes at least 10 minutes of waiting and turning my car off and on before it is back to normal. Others have said that they have gone to the garage and had it replaced and it just continues to happen. This needs to be a recall and not just a change of parts every few months.

8 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/30/2022

I was driving to harrisburg, PA on the highway traveling at around 68 mph and my car dashboard said engine power is reduced speed reduced to 45 mph and it instantly slowed to that speed. Then it counted down very quickly to 35 and then 25 before I could find a safe place to pull off to the side of the road. I turned off my car, waited for a bit and then turned it back on, it still said engine power is reduced, so I turned it back off and waited again. I turned it back on and it still said engine power is reduced so I had to turn it back off again and wait. Sitting along side the road on the highway is not pleasant. I turned it back on and it was fine again.

9 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/30/2022

I was driving back home from harrisburg, PA on the highway traveling at around 72 mph and my car dashboard said engine power is reduced speed reduced to 45 mph and it instantly slowed to that speed. It took quite a while to find a place to pull of to the side of the road because of the area I was in. It was quite frightening because everyone else is going the actual speed limit of 70 mph or over. By the time I found a place to pull over my car was reduced to less than 25 mph. As usual, I turned off my car, waited for a bit and then turned it back on, it still said engine power is reduced, so I turned it back off and waited again. I turned it back on and it still said engine power is reduced so I had to turn it back off again and wait. I turned it back on and it was fine again.

10 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/30/2022

I was on the highway traveling at around 68 mph and my car dashboard said engine power is reduced speed reduced to 45 mph and it instantly slowed to that speed. Fortunately I was able to pull of to the side of the road quickly and I turned off my car, waited for a bit and then turned it back on, it still said engine power is reduced, so I turned it back off and waited again. This was at night, in the dark and it was not a pleasant experience to be pulled to the side of the road with your hazard lights on while traffic just buzzes by and your vehicle is disabled. This happened three times in one day during one trip. It's absolutely ridiculous and numerous other people have the same issue.

11 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/26/2022

I was on my way to work and my car dashboard said engine power is reduced. I was in road construction and only going about 5 mph. I turned off my car and waited for about a minute as I just happened to be stopped waiting for the sign to turn for me to go and turned it back on, but it still said engine power is reduced. I turned it back off and waited for another few seconds and turned it back on and it was ok again. This happens so frequently it's appalling.

12 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/23/2022

My dad was driving my car when the car dashboard said engine power is reduced speed reduced to 25 mph. He pulled off to the side of the road and turned off my car. He waited for about 2 minutes and turned it back on, but it still said engine power is reduced. He turned it back off and waited for 5 minutes and turned it back on and it was ok again.

13 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/17/2022

My vehicle dashboard says engine power is reduced. This has happened to me before and I know that it starts slowing down quickly and then just stops. I turned off my car and waited for three minutes, and turned my car back on - it still showed engine power is reduced, so I turned it back off for about 5 minutes and turned it back on and then it was back to normal. I've reported this before. This is extremely dangerous on a regular road and it could be catastrophic if it would happen on the highway.

14 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/17/2022

I had almost gotten to the exit from the highway to get to my job, I was driving at approximately 56 mph. And my car dashboard started saying engine power is reduced and then it started to flash slowing to 52 mph, slowing to 48 mph, etc. Fortunately I was able to safely make my exit and pull into a parking lot where I turned my car off and waited for 5 minutes and turned it back on it still said engine power is reduced, so I repeated that procedure of turning off and turning on and was finally able to go to work. This is insane and needs to be recalled.

15 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/13/2022

My vehicle dashboard says engine power reduced then proceeds to slowing to 35 then counts down quickly. This morning I was in an area that I couldn't pull off to the side for about 1/2 mile. It slows down to the point that it's frightening then it goes to zero and will not move! fortunately I was in an area where I could finally pull off to the side of the road when it got to that point. This has happened numerous times in this vehicle. A quick search on google shows that this is a huge problem with this make, model and year. This is extremely dangerous. I have to turn my car off for about 5 minutes before my car is back to working condition.

16 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 09/17/2022

I was going out for breakfast and my car dashboard said engine power is reduced. I pulled off to the side of the road and turned off my car. I waited for about 5 minutes and turned it back on, but it still said engine power is reduced. I turned it back off and waited for another 5 minutes and turned it back on and it was ok again.

17 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 09/15/2022

My vehicle dashboard says engine power reduced - slowing to 35. This has happened to me before and I know that it starts slowing down quickly and then just stops, so I pulled of to the side of the road and put on my flashers, turned off my car and waited for several minutes and then it was back to normal. I've reported this before. This is extremely dangerous on a regular road and it could be catastrophic if it would happen on the highway.

18 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 08/10/2022

Vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment while parked and unoccupied.

19 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 07/27/2022

I have a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. I was driving in traffic and stopped. The auto stop engaged. When I put my foot on the gas peddle to continue on in traffic, the engine would not start. I had to set there for 5 minutes before the car would restart.

20 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 05/09/2022

The transmission and engine fails repeatedly. The vehicle repeatedly stalls while accelerating at all speeds, simultaneously, the gear shift lights,dash lights, radio, etc restarts. Issue also happens when shifting gears. Issue happens at every stop light and stop sign, when the vehicle is engaged in ‘auto stop’. The vehicle has been in and out of the repair shop since 2022 for tcm/ecm failure. The vehicle has been inspected by Chevrolet twice and other repair shops. Problem persists and the vehicle is not safe to drive. The vehicle has to be jumped daily in order for it to work even after purchasing several batteries and alternators. Warranty company, silverrock, denied claim. When shifting gears, the warning message states ‘power steering’ and all of the car lights disappear and the vehicle stalls. These issues appeared 31 days after purchase in may of 2022.

21 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 02/22/2022

Several times my vehicle has said engine power is reduced (I have a photograph) then it says reducing speed to 35 etc. It reduces speed very quickly and continues to do so. It's a safety hazard and I've had to pull off the side of the road so that I don't cause an accident.

22 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 01/31/2022

During the automatic start/stop function, the car stalls out after it stops itself. For example, I exited an interstate and came to a red stoplight. The car engaged the fuel saving system and shut down the engine. However, after I tried to press the gas to get the car to reengage, the car completely shut down requiring me to put the car in park on an exit ramp and re crank the car to get it to start again. Batteries were tested and no one can figure out what the problem is.

23 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 01/15/2022

The car is stalling upon acceleration, which causes a jerking sensation. It has been diagnosed as an intake rocker arm solenoid valve (oil). I have researched and notice that this has been a recall on previous models such as the 2014 chevy Malibu. I don't understand why the 2015 Malibu would not be included in this recall. I am preparing to have this item fixed at the dealership, fearing that if I don't I could have an accident. The dealership is not inexpensive and times are hard. This is a hardship for me trying to pay for these repairs. I feel that Chevrolet/GMC needs to do something about this situation. Obviously, the problem is still not fixed.

24 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 12/01/2021

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light and the message "dual battery" were displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel saving battery was faulty and needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced however, the failure persisted. The mechanic then diagnosed that the fuse block was faulty. The fuse block was replaced and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,000.

25 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 11/11/2021

On 11-11-21 my check engine light came on and message came up reducing engine power and also my speed was reduced. Stability track light came on. Took to shop they repaired but a week later same exact problems occurred. Took back to shop. So far hasn’t happened again. My husband chevy equinox all of a sudden car does the same exact thing. The check engine light went off so he’s watching it.

26 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 11/10/2021

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated the vehicle failed to start without warning. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,496.

27 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 10/22/2021

P16cf dtc and check engine light after some engine noise and an incident where I was trying to accelerate around an obstacle but was unable to. The car bottomed out and would not accelerate until I took my foot off the gas and tried again more slowly. It's an issue with the intake solenoid rocker arm (oil control valve). The issue with this particular part was noted on earlier Malibu models but not mine. I have not taken it to the dealer yet as I am out of the power train warranty.

28 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 06/29/2021

My car keeps cutting out while I'm driving I've taken it to the chevy dealership and they did a diagnostic test and it comes up with air intake system cat is running to lean.

29 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 06/15/2021

This 2015 chevy Malibu has been serviced over 10 ten times for a stalling/check engine issue(s). Sometimes the check engine light will activate after stalling and other times it will not. This vehicle has only had 1 owner since the initial purchase with on-star showing all the times/dates that a problem was detected and reported via email (on star). The dealership has had ample attempts to fix the issues with the vehicle, as well as private ase certified mechanic/shop after the issues continued with this problem vehicle. This vehicle is a lemon, it is not dependable, and the stalling issues seem to be an on-going issue with gm chevy Malibu. On 05/15/2021 while in natick massachusetts, I was almost rear-ended after my vehicle stalled in traffic and I could not get to the bdl. As quickly as the vehicle stopped working, I was able to restart the vehicle and move it out of the road. This problem can not be ignored or downplayed, someone will eventual get hurt or killed because their vehicle stalls without reason or warning. I need a dependable vehicle and do not have the luxury to run to the dealership multiple times for an on-going problem.

30 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 05/06/2021

2015 chevy Malibu with 2. 5l engine with rocker arm oil control valve malfunctioning. Check engine came on Thursday may 6, 2021 and had it diagnosed Monday may 10, 2021. 2014's have a recall, but 2015s do not and my mechanic can't even find a gm part to fix this.

31 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 03/02/2021

When turning left from a stop my car all at once said engine power reduced to 25mph, service airbag, service stabilitrac, and service brake assist.

32 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 03/15/2020

Gm part number 12633613 vvt rear oil control solenoid is faulty causing engine jerking. Gm does not have this part available or any aftermarket part, and appears to have stopped producing it.

33 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 03/04/2020

The car reduced speed while my wife and grands where in traffic almost causing an accident reduced to 25 mph on highway.

34 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 02/11/2020

My variable valve timing solenoid went out on my car. The part number is 12633613. It has been in the shop for 10 days and chevy has failed to even give the shop an eta on this part. Not one chevy dealer in the country has the part. Absolutely horrible business practice.

35 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 02/04/2020

My car was driving perfectly fine. It had just passed the admissions test, and everything was fine. I started driving my car in the city limits, and while at a stop light I smelled smoke. I thought it was the car behind me. As I pulled into a parking lot I realized that it was my car that was smoking. Upon lifting my hood I seen oil everywhere and my engine was smoking. An alert came across my screen urging me to decrease speed and add oil. After investigating it was told to me that it is my engine variable timing oil control valve, and gm is currently not making anymore and this part is sold out everywhere. I need this part in order for my car to run!!!!!.



Malibu Service Bulletins
Malibu Safety Recalls
Malibu Defect Investigations