Power Train Problems of Chevrolet Malibu - part 2

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that on several occasions while shifting into park(p), the message “shift to park” displayed on the instrument panel. The driver was forced to shift the gear shifter several times before the vehicle recognized that park(p) had been selected. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided an estimate for a diagnostic test. The contact stated that the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The manufacturer then referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

See all problems of the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Micro switch for park is faulty. “shit to park” error message. Vehicle is completely disabled and is not drivable.

See all problems of the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving or while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter failed to shift into drive. The contact had to shift into neutral, depress the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle responded as intended. The check engine warning light illuminated for 45 minutes and then stopped being illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred by the manufacturer to report the failure to the NHTSA hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the gear shifter was shifted to park(p); however, the shift to park message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact was informed that it would be several days before the diagnostic results could be provided. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000.

See all problems of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

When putting the vehicle into park, the vehicle says it is still not into park even though we shift it into park. The vehicle will roll down a grade.

See all problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

Transmission failed while driving in traffic.

See all problems of the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

I was going about 75 mph on the express way with one lane open due to construction. My car started losing power. I heard the chime and upon the dashboard were the words power reduced. My car slowed down in a matter of seconds to around 45 mph. A 18 wheeler was trailing behind me. I quickly jumped in the emergency lane to my right and took the next exit while riding the emergency lane. I shut the car off at the gas station, sat there for about 10 minutes, restarting my car helped temporarily. I was 3 hours away from home and had to drive back unknowingly if I will make it or not. I reached out to Chevrolet and was told to bring it in and leave it but they had no loaner cars for anyone at that time. I have replaced 2 sensors and now my start /stop has quit working. I spoke with 5 visitors at Chevrolet and we all were having the same issues. This is something ongoing according to my research on this particular vehicle and should be recalled ASAP.

The car completely lost power while being driven on a freeway in sacramento, California. The car was towed to a Chevrolet dealer in davis, California and they determined that the car lost power due to a faulty auxiliary battery negative cable assembly (part # 84085823). The Chevrolet dealer cannot find the part because gm has discontinued production of the part. Also, despite extensive internet searches for the part including after-market sites, e-bay, amazon, ac delco, all major auto part supply chains, etcetera, the part has not been found. The car has been at the dealer's facility for ~ 6 weeks with no resolution. The car is a hybrid, has been serviced regularly and properly, has never been in an accident and is very good shape. In other words, if the car is safely repaired, it is still going to be a very useful family vehicle. Gm representatives have told the dealer to try to find the part in a local junk yard. The car will likely not be safe if a junkyard part is ultimately used in the repair - the reason the the car is at the dealership is because the car completely died at freeway speed. The cost of the needed part was only ~ $50 (fifty dollars) when it was being produced.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the "shift to park" message was intermittently displayed on the instrument panel and the vehicle intermittently failed to completely shut off or lock. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

See all problems of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

My car keeps showing the “shift to park” code when I try to turn off my car even though it’s already in park. I have to wiggle the shifter and turn the car repeatedly on and off to try to get it to stop.

When the car was turned off a message appeared that said shift the park the gear indicator already stated the car was in park and the car gear shift was already in park. Looked into this issue and apparently there is an open recall for the year and make of my car but it for some reason does not include my VIN number.

The clutch solenoid started failing without warning or notice. This was finally confirmed by a transmission shop after a warning lamp related to the issue finally popped up after months of issues. My safety was put at risk due to the sudden and intermittent failure to shift into drive. This would sometimes lead to the engine stuttering then shutting off while still in drive. Attempts for dealers and private shops to nail down the issue were unsuccessful due to the system not reporting or recording any information related to this failure to shift. Again the danger came intermittently and suddenly when, shifting from park to drive, shifting from park - reverse - then drive. It would cause my vehicle to “stall out” in an active lane of traffic. This issue occurs from probably 60,000 - 90,000 miles when the system finally threw p0700 and p2714 codes to point to the issue.

When you put the car in park and shut the car off a message displays on the dash saying place vehicle in park. You have to wiggle the gear shifter for the message to disappear. It appears the gear shifter has a bad sensor.

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the lights on the gear shifter was flashing, with the power steering assist and parking assist messages displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked violently while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

See all problems of the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

When shifting into park, the car doesn't think it's in park and remains on.

Car showing warning : engine power reduced car decelerate unexpectedly car won’t accelerate past 20 mph intermittently - when putting car in park, car won’t recognize when in the park positioned and shows warning : shift to park.

See all problems of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

My car is displaying a "shift to park" message on the dashboard even when the shifter is already in the park position, preventing the vehicle from being turned off and potentially leading to a dead battery or the vehicle rolling away. The "shift to park" issue poses safety risks, as it can prevent drivers from turning off their vehicles and potentially lead to unintended movement. This issue is getting worse everyday.

"shift to park" error message and "engine power is reduced" error message.

Rocker arm malfunction. This car has repeatedly shut off while driving without warning and the rocker arm has been the only code. I saw this has been a problem for the 2014-2015 Malibu and impala models and this should be recalled due to faulty equipment and not to be repaired at the cost of the owners.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that on several occasions after shifting the gear shifter to park(p), and turning off the vehicle, the contact observed a dinging notification and the message "shift to park" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

We have had multiple codes with loss of power.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that occasionally while shifting into park(p), the computer failed register that the vehicle was in park(p). The message "shift to park" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that during the failure, the doors failed to lock. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the shifter, shifter harness, and the shifter switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 47,000.

Car will not turn off. Message of “shift to park” will appear even if shift is in park. This is a safety issue. I just bought my car 2 days ago and it keeps happening. The car is only at approximately 44,000 miles.

See all problems of the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

While driving, random and complete engine power loss for several seconds, unable to accelerate at all. After power is regained, a cloud of white smoke is seen from the exhaust. The vehicle then drives completely normal, and no codes show up on the dashboard. This has happened three times within two months at around 100000mi on the odometer. Complete power loss could result in being a hazard to other drivers, along with not allowing the driver to make decisions to avoid an accident or propel their vehicle forward. The vehicle is going in for inspection within the next two weeks to determine cause.

Engine power reduced light keeps coming on while driving and the car stalls and won't go over 20mph. Several repairs later and it is still happening almost daily. It has nearly caused an accident several times. This needs to be fixed and a recall for the issue needs to be issued by chevy. With this many people experiencing this problem, why isn't chevy obligated to address the issue?.

Engine power abruptly stopped while driving causing drivers behind me to almost rear end me. Dashboard displays ‘engine power is reduced. ’ it has happened since I purchased the vehicle in 2017 but had not done this in a few years. I’m on top of maintenance and did mention this issue to the dealer but no one reached out or offered a solution.

Shift to park notification. The car would show this light when it actually is in park already. Would not allow the car to shut off. Appears to be fixed after paying the extended warranty deductible at the dealership. I looked for a recall, but the 2022 Malibu lt is not included in the recall.

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding an ongoing issue I have encountered with my 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. Recently, I experienced a significant problem with the vehicle’s trunk and rear seat release mechanism, which has made it impossible for me to access the trunk or fold down the rear seats. The specific issues I am facing are as follows: trunk latch stuck: the trunk latch has become stuck, and I am unable to open the trunk manually or with the remote key fob. The latch mechanism appears to be malfunctioning, and it will not unlatch when attempting to open it. Remote key fob failure: the remote key fob, which is typically used to release the trunk, no longer works, making it impossible to access the trunk from outside the vehicle. Seat release mechanism: additionally, the release button for folding down the rear seats is also not functioning, and I cannot lower the seats from inside the cabin. Typically, this release mechanism can be accessed from the trunk; however, due to the trunk being inaccessible, I am unable to release the seats, which is an urgent issue. This situation is highly inconvenient and concerning, as I rely on the trunk and rear seats for storage and daily functionality. The inability to access the trunk or fold down the seats creates a major safety and usability issue, especially in situations where I need access to the trunk in emergencies. I kindly request that this issue be investigated and resolved as soon as possible. Ideally, I would like to have the trunk latch mechanism repaired and the seat release system fixed so that I can safely and reliably use my vehicle. Please let me know how we can proceed to address this matter, whether through an inspection, repair, or replacement of the defective components. Thank you for your prompt attention to this complaint. I look forward to your swift response and resolution to ensure that my vehicle remains functional and accessible.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the shift-to-park warning light was illuminated. The contact shifted the gear shifter until the warning light turned off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed transmission shifter assembly. The contact was informed that the transmission shifter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 31,803.

In December 2024, driving to work when car abruptly stopped (no power). Waited for a while for my husband to arrive. Vehicle started again, drove to tropical chevy at 8880biscayne blvd, miami shores, FL for diagnostic testing (paid $160. Result - transmission problem estimated at $1,800). Did not have vehicle fixed. Decided to have vehicle examined again in September 2025; paid $160 diagnostic fee, estimate a whopping $8,400!!!!! did not have car fixed.

Trouble going into forward gears. Hard shifts into reverse. Hard idle, had transmission valve body replaced in October. Same issues before and after replacement.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that upon parking and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message "shift to park" was displayed while the gear shifter was already in park(p). The contact stated that upon shifting out of park(p) and shifting back to park(p) several times, the vehicle failed to respond as needed, and the failure persisted. The contact stated that upon researching the failure online, the contact became aware that it was a common failure and that the battery needed to be disconnected. The contact disconnected the battery. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

Powertrain there is a problem with auto stop restarting then dying. The transmission not engaging after a complete stop like it is neutral this only happens after the car has been driven a bit everything at temp. Today stopped for trash service auto stop engaged got ready to go nothing gunning and gunning never died like no power though finally moved no more stops till home a problem sitting in road can not move. Have not taken to shop yet money for it now not.

Multiple times while driving this vehicle, get the message loss of engine power, abs light displays, and steering becomes difficult. Will be calling the dealership for repair. Once it resolved itself enough to drive over 100 miles after changing the battery, but the issue occurred again. Many searches online point to abs, or wheel issues. There are youtube videos but this is a safety issue that should be recalled and fixed. As a loyal chevy owner, I would love to have chevy back their vehicles and recall when there are some many instances of this widespread safety issue they would prioritize the safety of their vehicles.

See all problems of the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

The car has a reoccuring problem where is stalls in the middle of driving the vehicle. A warning comes up to shift to park. The car then restarts, runs extremely rough and stalls out. It then signals to shift to park again. The car is extremely unsafe. I took the vehicle to gm dealer and they said the car is "confused" between running on the battery and combustible engine. I have seen several similar issues with the cheverolt Malibu hybrid. I think gm knows they have an issue and one of the reasons they discontinued the model.