Power Train Problems of Chevrolet Malibu - part 2

Chevrolet Malibu owners have reported 1,227 problems related to power train (under the power train category). The most recently reported issues are listed below. Also please check out the statistics and reliability analysis of Chevrolet Malibu based on all problems reported for the Malibu.

36 Power Train problem of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 06/29/2025

In the last 6 months I’ve had to put 3 brake boosters on my 2017 chevy Malibu and it’s not cheap…. I don’t know what else to do.

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37 Power Train problem of the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 06/29/2025

To whom it may concern, I am writing to report a serious issue concerning the recall history of my vehicle and to request an investigation into what appears to be unresolved and inaccurately closed recalls. Vehicle information: •make/model/year: 2018 chevy Malibu hybrid •date of purchase: 2018 (I have been the sole owner since) several safety recalls were previously listed for my vehicle on your website and through the manufacturer, but I recently checked again and now it states there are zero open recalls. I have never had these recalls repaired, and no dealership has performed or contacted me regarding these repairs. Furthermore, my vehicle is currently displaying check engine lights related to the same issues previously associated with the recalls. This suggests the issues were never addressed, yet they no longer appear in the recall system. I am concerned that: •these recalls may have been falsely marked as “completed” •there may be an internal data error causing safety risks to be hidden •I am being denied free repairs due to incorrect closure of these recalls please investigate this matter as I believe it affects not only my vehicle but possibly others. I can provide any documents, error codes, or additional details upon request. Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent safety concern. Sincerely, [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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38 Power Train problem of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 06/25/2025

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that upon arriving to her destination and shifting the vehicle into park, the message "shift to park" was displayed with the gear shifter already in park(p). The contact was able to turn off the vehicle however, the electrical features remained operable. The contact stated that after several attempts, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 54,000.

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39 Power Train problem of the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 06/14/2025

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle shuddered and jerked abnormally. On one occasion the vehicle stalled in the middle of a busy intersection. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission accumulator sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 130,000.

40 Power Train problem of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 06/04/2025

When putting my car in park and turning the car off I get a shift to park message.

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41 Power Train problem of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 06/01/2025

Car is not recognizing that is in park and displays a "shift to park message". Chevy has yet to address this well known issue and expects consumers to pay $700-$1000 for something they should be required to fix. This is a major safety issue.

42 Power Train problem of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 05/28/2025

I am filing a complaint regarding ongoing and worsening issues with my Chevrolet vehicle, which appear to point to broader defects involving the engine and electrical systems. Months ago, while driving, the car suddenly lost power and displayed "engine power reduced. " I had to keep using it due to work needs. Over time, it hesitated more during acceleration and felt increasingly unsafe. When I finally brought it to a Chevrolet service center, I was told the issue involved the pistons. The vehicle also regularly shows a "shift to park" warning even when the gear is in park, raising concerns about the transmission's reliability. The power loss continues, especially when going uphill — again triggering the "engine power reduced" alert and dropping the speed to no more than 35 mph. A diagnostic showed a p0302 code for a cylinder 2 misfire. The radio head unit, already replaced once under warranty, failed again after just 9 months. Prior to the worsening idle and gear issues, I also received network-related codes involving the ecm and transmission computers. Although I’ve replaced the alternator, the car still shows "service electric system" warnings, suggesting ongoing electrical problems. I also noticed gm’s n182195660 campaign involving predictive monitoring for stochastic pre-ignition (spi) on scp platforms. My car has the 2. 0l turbo engine, and I’m concerned it may be experiencing spi or coolant intrusion issues affecting overall performance and system integrity. I’m requesting that Chevrolet investigate these problems thoroughly and determine whether my vehicle qualifies for recall, extended warranty, or defect coverage. These issues are persistent, serious, and deserve immediate attention. Thank you for your time. I hope to see resolution soon.

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43 Power Train problem of the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 05/26/2025

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after shifting to park(p), the vehicle failed to recognize that the transmission had been shifted to park(p), preventing the contact from being able to turn off the vehicle. The contact stated that the message "shift to park" was displayed; however, there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the gear shifter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 28,619.

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44 Power Train problem of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 05/20/2025

It says that my engine had a problem. It told me to press my brake to start my car. But then it just kept shaking like it was trying to start. I have also had a notification saying to put my car in park when it already was. Today my car just stopped in the middle of the road in heavy traffic. We could have been hit getting out of the car or someone could have hit my car. It was towed to the local Chevrolet dealership to get checked out to see if it could be a recall. I don’t know what is wrong with it yet. There were no warning lamps prior to the failure. They appeared right when it happened.

45 Power Train problem of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 05/13/2025

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that when the vehicle was shifted into park(p), the message “shift to park” was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that during the failure, the contact was unable to turn off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,600.

46 Power Train problem of the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 05/11/2025

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.

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47 Power Train problem of the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 05/04/2025

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

48 Power Train problem of the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 04/30/2025

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.

49 Power Train problem of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 04/15/2025

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.

50 Power Train problem of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 04/07/2025

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.

51 Power Train problem of the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 04/07/2025

Transmission failed while driving in traffic.

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52 Power Train problem of the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 03/30/2025

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.

53 Power Train problem of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 03/29/2025

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.

54 Power Train problem of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 03/25/2025

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.

55 Power Train problem of the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 03/19/2025

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.

56 Power Train problem of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 03/13/2025

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.

57 Power Train problem of the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 03/11/2025

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.

58 Power Train problem of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 03/11/2025

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.

59 Power Train problem of the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 03/01/2025

I've taken my car in now 4 times to chevy dealers just to be told there was nothing wrong. Turnes out that my torque converter (transmission) is going bad. And I can't get a chevy dealer to honor my almost expired warranty.

60 Power Train problem of the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 02/14/2025

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 🔎.

61 Power Train problem of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 02/10/2025

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

62 Power Train problem of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 02/05/2025

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.

63 Power Train problem of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 02/04/2025

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.

64 Power Train problem of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 02/04/2025

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

65 Power Train problem of the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 02/01/2025

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.

66 Power Train problem of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 02/01/2025

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.

67 Power Train problem of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 01/27/2025

We have had multiple codes with loss of power.

68 Power Train problem of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 01/23/2025

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.

69 Power Train problem of the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 01/16/2025

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.

70 Power Train problem of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Failure Date: 01/13/2025

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.



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