2015 Chevrolet Malibu: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 389 complaints
389
Total Complaints
50,000mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
30
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
23,500
25th Percentile
50,000
Median Mileage
85,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Engine
69
Electrical System
64
Air Bags
46
Unknown Or Other
34
Power Train
28
Vehicle Speed Control
28
Fuel/Propulsion System
17
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
16
Service Brakes
15
Body
12
Severity Assessment
30
Crashes
17
Fires
18
Injuries
2
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"I HAVE BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH A PAUSE IN THE ENGINE WHEN I'M SPEEDING UP ONTO A HIGHWAY OR TO PASS ON THE HIGHWAY . IT'S MOST DANGEROUS WHEN I ENTER THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR INSTEAD OF JUST SPEEDING UP HAS BEEN KNOWN TO PAUSE.. AND THEN SPEED UP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT'S HARD T..."
"I HAVE BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH A PAUSE IN THE ENGINE WHEN I'M SPEEDING UP ONTO A HIGHWAY OR TO PASS ON THE HIGHWAY . IT'S MOST DANGEROUS WHEN I ENTER THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR INSTEAD OF JUST SPEEDING UP HAS BEEN KNOWN TO PAUSE.. AND THEN SPEED UP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT'S HARD T..."
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS IN THE DRIVE POSITION, THE VEHICLE MOVED IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12. UPDATED 1..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Engine
69 complaints
25th: 39,275 mi
Median: 66,000 mi
75th: 85,750 mi
Electrical System
64 complaints
25th: 25,394 mi
Median: 48,000 mi
75th: 82,000 mi
Air Bags
46 complaints
25th: 28,700 mi
Median: 48,000 mi
75th: 63,750 mi
Unknown Or Other
34 complaints
25th: 15,250 mi
Median: 47,500 mi
75th: 70,732 mi
Power Train
28 complaints
25th: 31,500 mi
Median: 80,000 mi
75th: 128,250 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
PA: 37
TX: 30
FL: 24
IL: 22
MI: 19
OH: 18
CA: 17
SC: 15
GA: 14
IN: 14
Who Files Complaints?
0.3%
Original Owners
99.7%
Second+ Owners
Chevrolet Malibu — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (3)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Ignition
Campaign 16V502000 | 05/07/2016
If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall
Side/Window
Campaign 15V666000 | 16/10/2015
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additi
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC custo
Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
Campaign 15V164000 | 23/03/2015
The Slide or Tilt roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed and the roof panel may auto-close unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a pinch injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Body Control Module (BCM) software to remove auto-close feature for certain switch positions, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15176.
Extend Your Engine Life
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
- Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
- Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
- Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
- Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
- Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage
Vehicle Rankings
Looking for a replacement?
Based on the data above, here are relevant options.
Affiliate link
Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28