Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Chevrolet Malibu - part 1

The brake vacuum pump broke, causing my brakes to go rock hard and pieces fell down into the camshaft, causing engine damage.

See all problems of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

I went to put my car in park and it was saying "shift to park" on my dashboard even though I was already in park. I know that there was a lawsuit that was won for this very defect but my car is not recalled for this and I feel every Malibu should be especially if almost every Malibu is experiencing the same issue nationwide. It cannot be a coincidence. Also I have been having issues with a knocking noise on the back of the car when I am driving and I'm being told it's also another common issue with Malibu's known as the knuckles that need replaced which are not cheap. If these are common issues on every Malibu then every Malibu needs to be recalled for the issue to be fixed not just certain ones. My Malibu has not had one recall but has had the same issues that other Malibu's had with multiple recalls done.

See all problems of the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly entered limp mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the turbocharger had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for further assistance. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

See all problems of the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

While driving my 2013 Chevrolet Malibu (2. 5l), I experienced a sudden and severe failure of the braking system. [insert exactly what happened here—for example: 'the brake pedal suddenly went completely to the floor,' 'the brakes unexpectedly locked up,' 'the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of braking power,' or 'the brake warning lights illuminated right as the brakes failed']. This occurred while traveling at approximately 25 mph on a one-lane road. This total/partial loss of braking power created an immediate safety hazard and a high risk of a crash. The vehicle had to be shifted into manual, then safely coasted to a stop. No prior warning signs or brake issues occurred immediately leading up to this event.

See all problems of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

My cars check engine light keeps coming on and the first time it came on with an engine under boost failure and I took it to a 3rd party shop to get fixed and they had to replace the turbo charger. I paid $2500. 00 for that. 2 weeks later the same light came on and they had to replace it again. Well now the light came on again after a month for the same thing and I am taking it back into the shop again. That will be 3 times.

The vacuum break booster went out. My check engine light came on and it said power reduced I’m not sure exactly. Because my power didn’t reduce but my car seems to be misfiring. Luckily I was going to be turning at a light and there was a few cars in front of me so I wasn’t going fast. As I got closer to the car in front of me I applied my breaks. They would not move and were hard and I gave it all I had to try to get my car to stop and thank god it did. Then my car stalled. I tried to start it and it just kept cranking but wouldn’t turn over, it also would not turn off till about the 3 times I push then button it finally turned off. Yes my safety and others would surely been at risk I wouldn’t have been able to stop in time if someone pulled in front of me or stopped suddenly I would not have been able to stop. If a child ran into the street I inn o way could’ve stopped! my step dad is a mechanic and he also ran a test on the check engine light and it threw 7 codes from this occurring. It didn’t give me no time it was very sudden. Once the engine power reduced appeared on my dash the check engine light came on and my car began misfiring in less then 45 seconds I went to apply the breaks and they were hard and I could barely stop. That was when I was almost about to be at a full stop so I wasn’t going very fast at all and I almost rear ended the person in front of me waiting to turn at the light. Then my car stalled. It all happened within 1 min 30 seconds from the warning my engine power was reduced but my engine power wasn’t not reduced either, and from then my check engine light and it all only took less then 2 minutes to all occur. It was sudden, no warning to think my breaks would not work at all and very quickly it could’ve been so much worse I can’t even imagine. Very alarming and fearful or my life and others from this occurring with no time to react and no idea what happened was going to. I will not buy a chevy Malibu again and I was going to!.

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the reduced power mode message was displayed. The contact linked the failure to TSB 22-na-224. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who confirmed there was no coverage. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.

My battery warning light on the dash is illuminated with the notification saying "service battery charging system. " I've researched online and found out that more vehicles of the same year make and model of my vehicle have been recalled for the same issue, but when putting in my VIN number my vehicle does not show up. This issue poses a high risk of danger if not fixed and I would like it to be fixed at dealership for free because I'm a single mother of 2 and can not afford it at the time.

On 04/28/2026, when diagnosing a reoccurring check engine light on the vehicle at a chevy certified service, the mechanic "borescoped cylinder 4 and found significant scuffs on the cylinder wall which along with the misfires indicate a cracked piston. The big picture appears to be the piston cracked which caused excessive oil consumption and misfires. The excess oil and unburned fuel overloaded the converter causing it to fail. The engine and converter will need to be replaced. " in 2017, a recall was issued by gm to mitigate stochastic pre-ignition (spi) causing cracked piston (17019). Between the initial purchase of the vehicle (11/2016) and performed service required by this recall (03/10/2017), there were approximately 5000 miles driven. No engine diagnosis was performed or recommended. After the 17019 was addressed, the engine misfires continued along with reoccurring cel. C. S. P. N182195660 predictive monitoring for stochastic pre-ignition (spi) released in 2019 states the 1. 5 l lfv engines in certain 2016 and 2017 model year Chevrolet Malibu vehicles may have a preignition condition that requires immediate repair. This condition may cause the engine to perform poorly, misfire, run rough, and/or excessively consume oil. It may also illuminate the vehicle’s service engine light. Over time, if not repaired, the condition can damage the vehicle’s pistons and engine. The VIN for this Malibu was not attached to this notice despite it having spi recall history. On 06/2023 (after the n182195660 program ended), at 80k miles a diagnosis revealed a potential cracked cylinder with no mention of the pre-ignition condition that could cause the crack, and the only way to fix is to replace the entire engine (as per dealer recomendation). Since vehicle was out of warranty, the repair est. Was nearly $10k. I firmly believe my 2016 Malibu has suffered the consequences of poor mismanagement on this recall, and am demanding mitigation from gm to fix this issue.

I am writing to report a serious and dangerous issue that occurred with my 2020 Chevrolet Malibu lt on April 27th 2026. While driving on the interstate after work, my vehicle suddenly experienced a failure that made it extremely unsafe to operate. The brake pedal became extremely hard to press, and the vehicle did not want to slow down or stop properly. This created a very dangerous situation while I was driving at highway speeds. Additionally, I noticed that nearly all of the engine oil was gone, which is extremely concerning and may be related to the failure. Based on these symptoms, it appears the vacuum pump may have failed while the vehicle was in motion. This issue placed me at significant risk of an accident and could have resulted in serious injury. I am requesting an immediate investigation into this matter and assistance with repairs. I would also like to know if there are any recalls, known defects, or extended warranties related to this issue. Please advise on the next steps as soon as possible, as the vehicle is currently unsafe to drive.

See all problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Main seal leaking and engine needs replaced at 95,000 miles.

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, and the vehicle was driving sluggishly, with the check engine warning light illuminated and the message “engine power reduced” displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with turbocharger failure. The contact was informed that the turbocharger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 67,506.

The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, it failed to start up. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed dtc: p0016 was retrieved. The contact was informed that the camshaft position correlator and crankshaft and intake were not aligned and needed to be realigned. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 965,162.

See all problems of the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving and stopped at a traffic light, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond, and the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact stated that five minutes after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine control module needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 19v642000 (electrical system, fuel system, gasoline, engine); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.

My 2018 Malibu is stalling, it is covered under recall n192221960, and the dealer is refusing to properly scan or fix the issue. They did the recall and the car is still doing the same thing but worse.

The vehicle was purchased on 04/07 and represented with a mileage of 167,334 at the time of sale. No issues with the odometer or mileage accuracy were disclosed prior to purchase. On 04/08, the vehicle was taken to walmart auto care center for routine service, where it was identified and documented that the odometer/instrument cluster is not functioning and does not display or track mileage. Because the odometer is inoperative, the stated mileage cannot be verified, and the condition existed at the time of sale but was not disclosed. The vehicle was sold in a condition where accurate mileage could not be determined, despite a specific mileage being provided. The failure of the odometer creates a safety concern, as it prevents proper tracking of maintenance intervals, including oil changes, brake servicing, and other critical upkeep. This increases the risk of operating the vehicle with worn or unsafe components, which could lead to mechanical failure while driving. The issue has been confirmed by an independent service center, and documentation is available. The vehicle remains available for inspection upon request. No prior warnings, indicator lights, or disclosures were provided before purchase, and the defect was identified within one day of ownership.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? yes how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the car stalls and/or shuts down while in use has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? yes were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem before the failure, and when did they first appear? use purchase date 3/31/2026. First sign of issues 4/3/2026.

Failing turbo charger - gm website issued special coverage bulletin.

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.

See all problems of the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

I was driving and car suddenly reduced speed,engine light came on and message came across dash “engine power reduced” and a text was sent to tell me I have a transmission issue. Now car won’t drive past 25-30mph dealership indicated this is a faulty gas pedal which cost over $600 to repair. Did my research and this is apparently a “known” problem common in 2016-2022. Vehicles but is not an official recall. Also dealership said only “certain” VIN numbers with this problem are covered. I have a 2021 and I am not one of them. Not fair. It’s a known problem it should be fixed.

See all problems of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

The brake booster vacuum pump went out in my car it broke which caused hard breaking while driving vehicle. When the brake booster vacuum pump broke a piece of it damage my camshaft as well as my timing chain in my motor.

See all problems of the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

I have not been involved in no incident or accident with anybody but my vehicle is installing up and dying in the middle of the road the power steering is locking up the battery is draining and the car is cutting off I had the battery replaced and I'm still losing power in my battery and I can't figure out why I'm not too long after the battery dying and the vehicle starting up and dying it started overheating for no known reason at all shortly after sorting the overheat my navigational system and my radio has started to fail I took it to several places to have it put on machines they can figure out why the check engine light is on or why the battery is dying because it's showing that it has battery the battery life they don't know why it's falling up and down I'm checking till not sound but other than that they're not getting no read out on the machine they put it off of I'll contact the dealership because on certain 2013 chevy Malibu equals they have a recall on the general control module system burger is being defensive but I'm on my specific then there's not a recall online but everything that happens with the defective general control module it sounds like what's going on with my car I'll contact it the dealership and they told me that although they had the recalls on the defective funeral control module if I was to take it to a dealership and it proved to be an effective general control module that I was still going to be liable for out-of-pocket expenses because my car is not covered under the van recall and I'm not understanding how that right or how that's legal when they have all these defects of recalls on these cars and if that's what's going on with mine how is it not the same thing.

The electrical system has caused the car to stop mid traffic multiple times while driving. Had everything checked and it does it multiple times with my kids in the car. The transmission stalls and when you hit the gas it ramps up but doesn’t move until last minute and jumps causing the car to be unsafe nd jump into traffic . I see it has many recalls for this year and vehicle but yet my con isn’t showing up but it definitely has those issues . It not safe to drive at all. The electrical issue cause the battery to die over night constantly jumping it over and over to start it.

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and went into limp mode. The contact continued driving until being able to safely stop. Once the vehicle was stopped, it was turned off and restarted after a while. The failure occurred while the contact was attempting to accelerate and had become more persistent. The check engine warning light was illuminated with the message “reduce engine power” displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that there was a failure with the turbocharger. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that there was no recall for the issue. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

Component/system failure: the turbocharger system failed, specifically the wastegate arm, resulting in loss of boost and reduced engine performance. The failed component should be available for inspection upon request through the servicing dealership. Safety risk: the failure caused a sudden loss of engine power while driving, placing me and others at risk, especially in traffic situations where acceleration is required (such as merging, crossing intersections, or maintaining speed). This created a hazardous driving condition. Confirmation of issue: the problem was diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized dealership. The diagnosis stated: “turbocharger wastegate arm damaged causing loss of boost and dtc,” which matches known issues described in gm’s special coverage. Inspection history: the vehicle has been inspected by the dealership service department. It has not yet been inspected directly by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Warning signs prior to failure: yes. The vehicle displayed a check engine light and reduced engine power message prior to the failure. These symptoms began shortly before the vehicle experienced noticeable loss of acceleration and performance. Additional information: this failure is consistent with a known issue acknowledged by general motors under special coverage for similar vehicles experiencing turbocharger-related defects. Despite having the same failure and symptoms, my vehicle was excluded based on lot number, not condition or diagnosis.

Several things have been going wrong with this car. I have only had it for about 7 months. Minimal driving. Got the car with 84,000 miles and it now has 88,000 miles. About 2 months ago the check engine light came on. Got it into a shop and they said an oil change may possibly help with this. Got the oil change, cleared the code, drove it around and check engine light came back on. Brought it back to the shop and now the entire valve cover needs replaced. It’s been about 2 weeks since then haven’t had it fixed due to low funds. A couple days ago I was driving with two [xxx] olds in the car and was at a stop light. After about a minute the cars engine turned completely off lost all power including the center screen that displays your settings and radio, all lights, and the screen behind the wheel all with my foot on the break at a stop light. Due to this situation I was unable to turn my hazards on to alert the cars coming up being me at a green light absolutely panicked that we were going to get into an accident. A little while after the car turned back on, but unfortunately when trying to push down on the gas pedal nothing was happening. No revving sound and no movement of the car. Car still in drive. A police officer pulled up behind me to check if we were okay. He stayed to keep us safe until people came to push the car off to the side. During the push the wheel was almost completely locked up as well as the breaks. This is not the first time the breaks have locked up on me. Next day we got the car to a safe area to be parked. A couple days later went to try and turn the car on and immediately the car is shaking violently and making horrible noises. The car is unsafe for me to drive and unsafe for people on the road. This car is completely unable to be driven now also due to the horrible shaking. No recalls were found under my VIN, but all of these signs seem to be a problem for other people. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Fuel injector backing ring failing causing o-ring to dislodge and rupture due to high pressure fuel leaking past the seal. This is causing a major fire hazard. Gm seal kits will not fix the problem do to backer ring not being in the kit. Part number for the o-ring kit is 12673056. This part should not be sold without the backer ring. If installed without the rings they will fail and will be leaking fuel on the hot cylinder next to the ignition coils. Misfire and bad fuel smell and possible no start or fire!!.

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with turbocharger failure. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was under recall. The vehicle was repaired; however, after the vehicle was serviced, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the charger air cooler had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The vehicle was picked up and then taken to auto zone for a diagnostic test. The diagnostic test retrieved dtc: p0234 (turbocharger/supercharger "a" over boost condition (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,157.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, who associated the failure with TSB: n222372590. An appointment was scheduled with the dealer to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

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.

My car caught on fire under the hood. As I was driving on road I heard a sound and my car started slowing down and smoke started coming from under the hood got out the car not a minute later flames of smoke engulfed the car.

My car started overheating on my way home. I pulled over to find that there is a hole in my lower radiator hose, which was caused by the lower radiator hose being rubbed against the belt that is turned by the water pump. I had my wife and child bring me coolant on the side of the road where I was broken down. I eventually was able to get my car to my brothers but it required multiple stops and refilling of coolant. Once we got the car jacked up and the lower radiator hose replaced, we found the bottom of the radiator is loose and is pushing the lower radiator hose against the belt that rubbed the hole into the lower radiator hose. I then had my car towed to dan cummins in georgetown kentucky, located at 1470 cherry blossom way, georgetown, ky 40324. The mechanic drove my car that I had towed to the shop which damaged the new radiator hose that I had just put on the car. Dan cummins of georgetown kentucky, who is an authorized Chevrolet dealership, was informed (by me) that some 2016 chevy Malibu's have been recalled because of a faulty lower radiator mount causing the lower radiator hose to push against the belt which causes the lower radiator hose to get a hole and leak. Dan cummins suggested that I report my issue because my VIN is not covered by the recall. Authorized chevy dealer dan cummins also suggested that I take my car elsewhere to be repaired while refusing to cover the damage they caused to the brand new lower radiator hose that I had purchased and put on the car. I would like for my chevy Malibu with VIN [xxx] added to the recall so that I can have my chevy Malibu repaired by an authorized chevy dealership at no cost to me for something I did not do or cause. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The chevy Malibu turbo is malfunctioning and making a loud noise when driving also bringing up the engine light with codes.

I was driving and the reduced engine power came on. I almost crashed because I couldn't control the steering.

While driving the brake pedal became hard to push out of no where. Once the car got to the shop it stopped cranking. The shop is stating that the brake vacuum pump is the cause of the brake pedal messing up, and that it also caused other engine damages estimating $3000. 00.