2018 Chevrolet Malibu: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 1166 complaints
1166
Total Complaints
44,700mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
34
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
20,000
25th Percentile
44,700
Median Mileage
60,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Engine
267
Electrical System
179
Power Train
154
Unknown Or Other
147
Vehicle Speed Control
106
Fuel/Propulsion System
83
Service Brakes
58
Steering
38
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
21
Air Bags
14
Severity Assessment
34
Crashes
6
Fires
26
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"HIT DEER DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED, DRIVERS SIDE. DAMAGE TO HEADLIGHT, BLINKER, GRILL, BUMPER AND SIDE PANEL. WAS CALLED BY ONSTAR DUE TO AIRBAG BEING DEPLOYED. HOWEVER, AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR IN CAR FOR SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AFTER INCIDENT."
"MY RIGHT BLINKER AND BRAKE LIGHT KEEP SHORTING OUT. IT WILL BE FINE FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN STOP WORKING. ALSO, THE INTERIOR CARPET IS TOO SHORT AND KEEP COMING OUT OF THE TRIM IN THE FRONT AREA S OF THE VEHICLE."
"MY RIGHT BLINKER AND BRAKE LIGHT KEEP SHORTING OUT. IT WILL BE FINE FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN STOP WORKING. ALSO, THE INTERIOR CARPET IS TOO SHORT AND KEEP COMING OUT OF THE TRIM IN THE FRONT AREA S OF THE VEHICLE."
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
267 complaints
25th: 25,050 mi
Median: 47,703 mi
75th: 60,000 mi
Electrical System
179 complaints
25th: 33,549 mi
Median: 46,203 mi
75th: 57,925 mi
Power Train
154 complaints
25th: 24,350 mi
Median: 42,000 mi
75th: 55,500 mi
Unknown Or Other
147 complaints
25th: 19,030 mi
Median: 37,403 mi
75th: 47,390 mi
Vehicle Speed Control
106 complaints
25th: 34,250 mi
Median: 51,257 mi
75th: 62,837 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 173
TX: 130
FL: 71
MI: 60
MD: 55
IL: 50
VA: 44
OH: 40
GA: 40
IN: 38
Who Files Complaints?
0.2%
Original Owners
99.8%
Second+ Owners
Chevrolet Malibu — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (6)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Occupant Classification
Campaign 18V400000 | 14/06/2018
In the event of a crash, improper air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18208.
Caliper
Campaign 18V576000 | 30/08/2018
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer servi
Fuel Pump
Campaign 18V358000 | 31/05/2018
A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222
Software
Campaign 19V642000 | 06/09/2019
Disabled fuel injectors would prevent the engine from starting and may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECM software, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N192221960.
Automatic Transmission
Campaign 20V668000 | 29/10/2020
Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet custom
Critical Fasteners
Campaign 21V649000 | 20/08/2021
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall
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
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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