10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
35,279 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #128

Jan 232021

Malibu

  • 77,000 miles
Driving on the expressway when my car got a message on the dash saying 'reduced engine speed'. I went from 60mph to 10mps within seconds, this is a serious life threatening problem when driving. Once it slows completely down it stops and I have to turn off my car and restart it just for it keep happening. When I took my car to a Chevy dealership they told me 'everyone with a Malibu is having these problem last and they can no fix it cause the can't figure out the problem. They also informed me with all the Malibu's having the same exact problem is should be a recall. I went to a another Chevy dealership and was told the exact same thing. Chevy want us to enjoy the car but will not go the extra mile to do recalls on them when they know it's a big problem. My car also be stuck in 'shift to park' when it's already in park, I have to constantly restart my car and turn it off for the message to go always and my car is off, which is ridiculous because if you leave your car in shift to park that will completely kill your battery. Also, when I start my car it sound like a bunch of water just moving around but it's nothing leaking but you can hear the water once you start the car. The brakes on the car do not last long enough! I went to get some brand new brakes in October and was told from two different car shops that I need new brakes. These problems is ridiculous and dangerous and could be fixed by recalling the cars and fixing the problems.

- Gary, IN, USA

problem #127

Dec 012020

Malibu

  • 80,000 miles
When auto-stopped the entire car shuts down. It turns completely off and starts moving backwards before turning back on. A diagnostic revealed a problem with the power supply transformer and battery current sensor circuit. They are eroded I believe. This problem occurs anytime the brakes are applied - at stop signs and lights.

- Gadsden, AL, USA

problem #126

Dec 242020

Malibu

  • 82,000 miles
I just experienced the check engine light on and reduced power alert on christmas eve: 12/24/20 this was so scary on highway and had to drive on the reduced power with my flashers on and terrified as car's wizzed past me! I was worried that I would breakdown and couldn't get home. I did make it home and was shaken by the experience. I have a 2016 Chevy Malibu and the dealership quoted $350 to fix it. It is still there as didn't have funds to fix it. Dealership said it is an issue with gas pedal not reading in system correctly. This is a huge safety risk because it happened while driving on highway going 60 mph, and it dropped speed to 35 mph! this is so dangerous! especially because it happened at night in a secluded area. This is super scary for a woman driver thinking I was going to breakdown at any moment. I have been driving uber since covid and no work available in my regular job. Since I don't have my car, I can't drive to make any money to fix it. I was unable to work on uber's biggest night of the year on new year's eve, losing out of a $500 night. GM should pay to get this fixed and for lost revenue due to unable to work.

- Athens, GA, USA

problem #125

Dec 232020

Malibu

  • 98,000 miles
When the car goes into the auto stop mode it completely dies and the light. No dash lights, no dome light, no hazard lights, literally nothing works. This has happened 3 times so far, and all three times I was in the middle of traffic. I'm not happy, I have had trouble out of this car with other issues sense I gotten it back in July of 2020

- Bossier City, LA, USA

problem #124

Dec 192020

Malibu

  • 63,000 miles
When put my car in park, a display comes on the dashboard saying put car in park. It's not recognizing that the car is in park and won't shut off! it has happened several times with the lasted being 12/19/2020!

- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

problem #123

Jul 012020

Malibu

  • miles
Vehicle has been giving problems since I purchased from the dealer, well about 60days into my purchase. Real problem is that it jerks constantly at times it doesn't move due to according to my own diagnostics the transmission converter torque solenoid and this should be happening. It happens every time I'm on the hey it takes too long to accelerate and many times not accelerating at all. It causes my gas to decrease. The other day I was 30min from my residence and it took 5 hours, literally for me to get home. Computer system started blinking consistently. Engine light stays on. Winsdahield wooer lifts stays on. Tc lights stays on. Everything about this car within 60 days stays on. This is horrible.

- Humble, TX, USA

problem #122

Jul 082020

Malibu

  • 63,000 miles
When vehicle comes to a stop and auto start happens, my radio shuts off. Battery sometimes does not hold charge. Could be the alternator or some kind of electrical misfire or contact. Doesn't happen every time vehicle is started.

- Kissimmee, FL, USA

problem #121

Dec 012020

Malibu

  • 40,000 miles
Over the last 6 months we have had to replace the battery on two occasions. Each time the entire charging system was checked with no faults identified. Recently, last 3 months, on multiple occasions vehicle will stall while in motion. This has occurred at various speeds from accelerating from a stop to at highway speeds. When vehicle stalls ability to control the vehicle is dramatically reduced; especially hazardous when in heavy traffic. On other occasions all accessories ac, radio, wiper blades, etc will all turn off and not restart until the engine is turned off and restarted. Another frequently reoccurring issue is the sound you normally hear when a turn signal is engaged will stop - this usually precedes the engine stalling. On most of these occasions the engine will restart - twice it required a jump start. On numerous occasions we receive various fault lights/messages that too were unfounded. Most frequent referencing the stability tracking. Restart the engine and fault is cleared only to return at later time. All of these issues are extremely hazardous and places my family and I in danger each time we operate the vehicle. Although there are numerous write ups detailing this systemic problem with multiple years of the Chevy Malibu GMC and Chevy will not acknowledge the problems and continue to levy charges and collect monies from owners for what probably should result in a recall in order to affect requisite repairs.

- Belton, TX, USA

problem #120

Dec 032018

Malibu

  • 30,000 miles
When placing my vehicle into the park position and trying to turn my engine off a message states to put the vehicle into the park position before the engine will shut off. The car stays on until it goes off by default which causes a draw on the battery. This issue has been happening consistently for the past two years and when I take it to the dealership I am told that they cannot duplicate the issue.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #119

Jun 102020

Malibu

  • 65,000 miles
I get routine service to my car & my engine is clicking, loudly. The check engine light continuously goes on & off & I was told by Chevrolet service department that they could not even run a diagnostics to see what the problem is because the check engine light was off when I got to the dealership. Sometimes 'service battery charging system' will illuminate but it too picks and chooses when to illuminate. Sometimes it shows 'battery saver activated' and this is the third battery I've purchased! the entire car will stall/shut off but the green light is illuminated to show the car is on but when I accelerate it won't budge! dangerous considering my car could stall at anytime and cause a collision. I've nearly gotten T-boned twice coming out a gas station entering a road because my car stalled in the middle of the street while traffic was coming from both directions! a service man at the Chevy dealership asked me was I experiencing issues with my auto start/stop when I told him what was happening. Yes! my car picks and chooses when it wants to do it. And when it does 'restart' the entire car reboots, the locks re-click, lights flicker, it'll be in drive and roll backwards until the ignition turns over! Chevy or at least the service techs are fully aware of an issue and won't fix it. Sometimes the car just won't start, all the power will go out. What happens when I'm out & the entire electrical system and engine won't start after at least starting 20 minutes prior! I've already got new pistons, a new alternator, 3 new batteries & get the routine maintenance. I have a mychevy account & every month my diagnostics report, shows an issue! if I'm in an accident & my child or I are injured, who is liable because my car decides to malfunction in the middle of a busy highway? Chevrolet for neglecting to service my car because the freaking check engine light isn't on!

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #118

Nov 012020

Malibu

  • 58,501 miles
My can says "shift to park" when the automobile is already in park. It will not allow me to lock the doors or turn off the driving lights.

- Reynoldsburg, OH, USA

problem #117

Nov 202020

Malibu

  • 250 miles
When the vehicle comes to a stop at a light, the vehicle shuts off while in drive, however the lights & radio remain on in the car & the start button still shows the car as 'on'. the engine will not rev & the car will not move forward when in drive. When attempting to turn the car off then on again, the car will not restart without a jump. When attempting to cut the car on without a jump, the doors lock & unlock on their own and all of the lights in the car, along with the lights on the dash, flicker on & off and there is a clicking noise but the car doesn't cut on.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #116

Sep 232020

Malibu

  • miles
When I place the car in park it does not register that it is park and a 'shift into park' error comes up. Everything stays on in the car and the battery drains if it's not corrected. It can take several attempts to get it to recognize it is in park. Must keep turning the car in and off until it senses it's in park. It has taken up to 10 times until it finally senses it.

- Aurora, IL, USA

problem #115

Nov 032020

Malibu

  • 30,000 miles
When I come to a stop and shift my 30K miles 2016 Malibu into "park", I sometimes get a message on the dash: "shift to park". the "P" for "park" is lit near the gear shifter. The car is in park. But, my headlights stay on and I can't lock my car, because the vehicle computer thinks the car is not in "park". I lock the doors with the switch on the inside of the door, but the car unlocks immediately. Sometimes, the situation clears up by repeatedly starting/shifting/braking/turning off the car. The problem is intermittent, but getting worse.

- Chagrin Falls, OH, USA

problem #114

Sep 222020

Malibu

  • 80,000 miles
While driving at various speeds, the brake pedal wade an abnormal grinding sound. The contact stated that extra effort was needed to depress the brake pedal. The contact also stated that the ABS system failed to operate as designed intermittently. The contact stated that on occasions the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle slid before coming to a stop. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: The approximate failure mileage was 80877

- Elm Grove, LA, USA

problem #113

Sep 212020

Malibu

  • 34,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that upon placing the gear shifter into park, the vehicle failed to recognize that the gear shifter was in the park position. The shift to park warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to napleton Buick GMC crystal lake (6305 northwest hwy, crystal lake, il 60014) and the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective gear shifter. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that there was no recall on the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 16V502000 (electrical system, power train). The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.

- Algonquin, IL, USA

problem #112

Feb 202020

Malibu

  • 148,000 miles
I have two problems with this vehicle, first is the engine power reduce thing which happened so many times with this car. Second is the shift to park problem that has been appearing in my dashboard for months now..

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #111

Sep 142020

Malibu

  • 100,000 miles
I came to a red light the car went into auto stop mode, the brakes started loosing pressure I let off of the brakes it continued to roll backwards almost hitting the car behind me then it finally kicked into gear and said service stabilitrak and and also said power assist reduced drive with care then had the codes P3055 and P3056 and the car has 100,000 miles and is serviced regularly

- Mineral, VA, USA

problem #110

Aug 252020

Malibu

  • 61,300 miles
2016 Chevy Malibu ls.. at times my engine will not shut off. I have to keep starting and trying to turn off. An alert says please put in park, I do and hold it in park but difficult to turn off. This happens when I have stopped at the store, home or wherever iam going to leave the vehicle. This has happened many times, the worst was two days ago at home, Tuesday, August 25, 2020

- Alamogordo, NM, USA

problem #109

May 012019

Malibu

  • miles
I bought this car & did not even have it a month and the sunroof would start to close and then would stop and open or get stuck half way open. When trying to get this to close the sunroof would close without putting being pressed. The wiring harness failed and was bad.

- Vincennes, IN, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »