Equipment Problems of Chevrolet Malibu - part 1

I have two separate incidents regarding the vacuum pump on my 2017 chevy Malibu. About two years ago, I was driving on the freeway, my brakes locked up, car was dying, turns out my vacuum pump had exploded internally, causing metal pieces to go into my engine, it was in my oil as well. I had to replace the vacuum pump, and because it broke, it threw off the timing on my camshaft. I had a mechanic look at it and he had to tap the camshaft back into timing. Today, October 2026, I was on my way home from work, and my brakes were locking up and grinding. I had to use a lot of pressure for the brakes to even work. The break is very hard. Again, another vacuum pump failure. I’m hoping this time it does not lead to another camshaft issue as that is an expensive repair.

See all problems of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

The back up camera has a safety recall. The vehicle intermittently will have a distorted view from the back up camera, it looks like it is looking down a tunnel and is round around it. I told the service representative, shea stover, this when we dropped the car off. We waited months to get safety recall completed as the dealership had to get the parts in. We had it scheduled for drop off on Wednesday xxx. We were notified on Thursday xxx there was additional maintenance recommended we approved. I received a call from shea stover, at hare Chevrolet noblesville indiana, in the service department later that day letting me know the vehicle is ready, never said safety recall was not completed. We took our [xxx] daughter to pick up the [xxx] as this is the vehicle we purchased for her to drive. I met with shea he directed me to pay inside again no mention that safety recall was not completed. I read paperwork as driving away and saw it appeared it was not done. We went back I spoke to shea and he says it was not distorted when the technician had vehicle and it had to to be happening while in the maintenance dept for them to complete the safety recall. I asked if we could take a picture or video of what it is doing, he said no it has to be happening when you bring it to be repaired. I was shocked! I called gm customer service supervisor that says the safety recall does not say it has to be occurring at the dealership to be fixed and they should have fixed. She assisted me in scheduling at a different dealership. I am hoping I will not have the same issue all though hare Chevrolet has marked the recall as complete on our Malibu and they refused to do the safety recall. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2025 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Esc light is on and steering started to be hard to steer . My vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety for myself and others was a very risky. . Vehicle was inspected by dealership, but was told that vehicle could not be scanned.

See all problems of the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Back-up camera has malfunctioned several times. We received a recall notice on it. We took it in for replacement today and were denied recall replacement as they said it worked today. But it has repeatedly malfunctioned while driving. We get a blank/black screen with a warning to service camera. It has also been shown with a blurry/fuzzy screen where you cannot make out the images at all. Dealer denied recall even though we have a letter with our VIN number for recall.

See all problems of the 2024 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Power steering assist motor is out and it was under recall in 2011 but it was out of the recall window but it has less than 150000 miles.

See all problems of the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

My vehicle is a 2024 Chevrolet Malibu, VIN [xxx]. It is showing recall n262551720 (NHTSA 26v212) concerning the rearview camera. My rearview camera is currently clear and functioning normally, with no distortion or blank screen. I am requesting that NHTSA review whether my specific VIN is actually part of the affected population for this recall and whether the recall should apply to my vehicle. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My 2023 Malibu VIN [xxx] has an active backup camera failure due to recall [xxx]. The remedy says unavailable, but the car is currently unsafe. I need to open a corporate case for a dealer loaner vehicle information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

My rear view camera is fuzzy and today it went out completely and the screen was black. Sometimes it shows what’s behind the car when I’m backing and then suddenly the screen goes black and I’m unable to see anything. It just started today 6/15/26z . I believe this is a safety hazard and could cause an accident while backing up putting myself and others at risk . There was no warning before this happened, I just noticed the screen was fuzzy on one side, then the fuzziness would go to the other side of the screen . I wasn’t sure what was happening until it completely went black .

The problem with this model is the cvt trasmission thats in the vehicle when put into drive mode it stalls to change gears and want change gears for about 5 min then it kicks in to go it does that very often I have took it to the dealership and spent tremendous mount of money the transmission are crapy and stalls the car when put into drive mode please help im not the only one experiencing this issue there is a Chevrolet Malibu group chat on facebook and other sites these transmission needs to be replaced by the dealership they sell these cars with this existing problems and jack the car prices up these is not right and upon taking it to them they act like they dont know the problem this is a big safety issues and can cause harmful to someone if on the interstate or traffic at a blind spot please investigate the work I got done problem still exists.

See all problems of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Failure - b000a-00 body control module error code - shift lever position not plausible . Safety - this causes the car to upon attempting to turn off the car say "shift into park" on the dashboard and the car refuses to turn fully off. This can cause the battery to drain excessively from repeated constant start/stop attempts and leaves the car in an impossible state. You cannot safely leave the car in this state but you have no choice until you get lucky enough to hope an attempt is recognized as parked and shut off normally. This could jeopardize safety in situations you need to turn your car off official bulletin number: gm TSB 23-na-119 there is no warning prior to failure, and no way to override it.

The car started giving warnings on the dash "shift to park" even though the shifter is in park. When it happens you can not shut the car off fully causing the battery to drain, you also can not lock the vehicle. The car only has 19k miles on it and gm refuses to fix because the car is out of the standard warranty period by six months.

See all problems of the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

2016 Chevrolet Malibu hybrid lt 1. 8l - current mileage 147,059 miles the factory exhaust heat exchanger failed internally, leaking engine coolant into the exhaust system. This caused check engine codes p0401 / p26be, loss of cabin heat, coolant loss, and exhaust fumes entering cabin. Gm has released 4 revisions of this part and all fail the same way, indicating known defective design. The part is currently on indefinite national backorder with no eta from gm (order #343585 from gmpartsnow on 08/22/2025 held without ship date). Dealers quote $1,587 and cannot obtain part either. This is a safety and emissions defect: coolant loss risks engine overheating, exhaust leak risks carbon monoxide in cabin, and coolant contaminates catalytic converter. Gm discontinued Malibu hybrid in 2019 without proper fix. This should be recalled. They produced a car, we bought it and now they don’t have the overpriced parts in stock to fix my car and when the parts is backordered, I keep driving it because I can’t work without my car which I very much need, the hybrid battery gets overheated, then they sell battery too and other damages too which will cost thousands to fix. This is a scam!.

See all problems of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

I am reporting a safety concern with my 2021 Chevrolet Malibu that is experiencing a “shift to park” failure. The vehicle displays a “shift to park” warning message even when the gear selector is fully placed in park. Because the vehicle incorrectly detects that it is not in park, it will not allow me to properly turn the vehicle off. This creates a concern because the vehicle may remain powered on when it should be shut down, potentially draining the battery and leaving the vehicle unable to start when needed. This issue appears to be a known problem affecting multiple Chevrolet vehicles, yet owners are still being required to pay out-of-pocket for repairs. My vehicle has just over 54,000 miles, and the repair estimate from Chevrolet is approximately $853. A gear position detection failure is concerning because the vehicle’s ability to recognize park is an important safety function. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this issue represents a safety defect and whether additional action is needed to protect vehicle owners.

Unknown, I parked the vehicle, got out of it, left car running for ac, locked the doors. The car was in park. Locks unlocked door, rear view camera display cut off, ac still running. I am viewing a house, so I walk around house and car still in park, 0-5min. I go in the house, 10-15 later, out of habit hit the lock buttons on car again, because I couldn't see it. When we exit the house the car is gone. Went in reverse and rolled across a road into a fence. When I arrived at the car, the doors were locked and the car was in reverse.

“steering assist is reduced, drive with care” is showing up for a couple second and disappearing. When that happens my car seems to shut off and the steering wheel stiffens and pull to either the left of right side. All this happens while driving. After the 3rd time of it happening within 10min, my gas fuel level dropped but when back up to the “original” level.

It said service to stabilitrak press the gas and it won't go its delayed. .

A screen popped up saying “reduced engine power” I was already omw to the shop to get one thing fixed. When they tried to pull my car in they say they he car wouldn’t drive and it was hard to accelerate and they had to put it in neutral to get it in the shop. They said they fixed the problem but when I left to go into the main road, my car wouldn’t accelerate to the speed I needed and cars were coming. They were beeping and thank god they were able to slow down because they’ve would’ve hit me. The car does not accelerate and the manias can’t figure out why. Upon doing my research there are 100’s of folks saying the same thing. Right now I am out of a car, I literally just moved on 6/30 and not only do I work doordash, I have a day job and an overnight job. My car is how I make my money and this issue is putting a lot of stress and frustration on me because I need to get to and from work to pay bills. I am waiting to hear back from another mechanic which is even more stressful. Waiting, trying to figure out who can fix this issue and what the issue is.

Component: air conditioning – a/c hose assembly / refrigerant discharge line the air conditioning refrigerant discharge line (a/c hose assembly) appears to have been improperly designed and/or installed during manufacturing. The rubber a/c hose was routed in a manner that caused it to rest against or press against the side of the engine. Over time, the engine heat and constant contact burned a hole through the hose, causing a rapid loss of refrigerant (freon). As a result of the refrigerant leak, the air conditioning system stopped blowing cold air, and the hvac system no longer functioned properly. This failure was not caused by normal wear and tear, but by the improper routing and placement of the a/c hose against the engine. The issue was confirmed by meineke service center through a diagnostic inspection and uv dye leak test, which identified the damaged refrigerant discharge line as the source of the leak. A significant safety concern is that simply replacing the hose does not permanently correct the problem if the replacement hose is routed in the same location. Without a manufacturer-provided redesign or long-term repair solution that prevents the hose from contacting the engine, the replacement part is at risk of failing in the same manner. There were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or other indications before the failure occurred. The air conditioning stopped blowing cold air after the refrigerant escaped through the damaged hose. I believe this is a manufacturing and/or design defect that could affect other vehicles with the same hose routing configuration. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue and determine whether a safety recall or manufacturer corrective action is warranted.

Transmission misfiring.

My back up camera stopped working it’s just a black screen now.

Car states shift to park when vehicle is already in park. It took multiple times to start car again and wiggling of shifter to get car to turn off. Car was repaired by a mechanic by replacing the transmission control and transmission shifter. Chevy is aware of the problem (which can drain the battery if not caught) but has not issued a recall only a technical service bulletin. Cost to me was $569. 00 for repair.

The car screen blanks in and out while driving. This has happened multiple times, I was only able to catch it on video once. . The video is too long to upload but I do have proof.

My back up camera just showing blank screen. It's a recall on my model. I was backing up it went blank. Causing me to hit a pole. I took it to jerry's Chevrolet they said can fix it but out of pocket and reimbursed later. I can't afford that. So, I can't even park between cars . This have become and inconvenience. Chevrolet knows the problem fails to do anything about it.

Acceleration issues. Started once put in drive didnt want to accelerate, acceleration issues now at higher speeds while driving.

See all problems of the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

When the vehicle is shifted into park and the ignition button is pressed, the vehicle fails to shut down. The dashboard displays a "shift to park" warning message, indicating the vehicle does not recognize that the gear selector is physically in the park position. To shut the engine off, the driver must repeatedly wiggle, slam, or cycle the gear shifter back and forth into park until the electrical sensor finally registers the connection. This creates a severe safety hazard, as the vehicle can roll away if left unsecured, drains the car battery, and prevents the doors from locking properly. Crucially, this defect traps drivers inside an operational vehicle for extended periods while they repeatedly struggle to force it to shut down. This poses an immediate risk of heat-related illness or death (hyperthermia), especially in high-temperature environments, during heatwaves, or for vulnerable occupants like children and the elderly who cannot exit the vehicle safely until it is off.

Vacuum pump failure causing hard brake pedal which made near to impossible to brake safely and properly that lead to timing chain issues.

I got the car on June 12th on June 16th when I had a severe car vacation not deploy and the seatbelt did not buckle when I bought the car they stated in the paperwork that the airbags have never been deployed and or never been deactivated and I had to find out the hard way 4 days later and due to the transmission shift gear cable when I was driving the car it went out of control and I had to work well that day.

See all problems of the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

The contact rented a 2024 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact was an uber driver. The contact stated that the VIN was previously included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 26v212000 (back over prevention) and 24v575000 (equipment). The contact believed that the vehicle should not have been rented with the open recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The VIN was not available.

Back up camera stopped working, there is a recall that was not completed before buying the car.

Back up camera is under recall with no fix and not working period. Goes to black screen with a message “ service vision system” dealership - dan cummins- refuses to repair due to no fix available.

The gear shift sometimes does read that it’s in park.

There have been numerous days that I press brake to start car in which it does not start. I wait until it will. The trunk seems unaligned as there's more gap on right side. Carpet in front floor is not correct as I have to tuck under trim by door constantly. Backup camera seems distorted and has been not correct in lines to park but remains distorted by the unclear view and awkward angle. While driving at times it feels like going into another gear and it's an automatic. The breaking at times is very hard and pushing passengers forward.

Telematics module failure.

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 🔎.

The back up camera randomly fails. There appears to be no rhyme or reason to it. It will work completely fine for days sometimes weeks and the all of a sudden it will only show a black screen that states system failure. Sometimes it will remain in system failure or a day or a week, its completely random. I see that there was a recall on the cameras for the chevy Malibu not working on the 23-25 cars but I think this might be an issue that goes back further and needs to be addressed. My car only has 70k miles on it and basic functions shouldn't be failing. The 2020 rear cameras need to be added to the recall.

See all problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.