"How reliable is the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?"

"Based on 307 NHTSA complaints, the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu has a median complaint mileage of 70000 miles. The most common issue is Engine."

"What are common problems with the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu is Engine, accounting for a significant portion of the 307 total complaints filed."

2020 Chevrolet Malibu: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 307 complaints

307

Total Complaints

70,000mi

Median Mileage

Engine

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

54,317 25th Percentile

70,000 Median Mileage

86,973 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Engine

Electrical System

Power Train

Unknown Or Other

Service Brakes

Vehicle Speed Control

Fuel/Propulsion System

Steering

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Air Bags

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"MY 2020 CHEV MALIBU, NEW 10/19, WAS PROMISED 29 MPG CITY BY CHEVROLET'S WEB SITE AND THE VEHICLE SALES STICKER. I AM ONLY GETTING AT THE VERY MOST 25 MPG AT THE VERY MOST. I LIVE IN SAN DIEGO AND DO DRIVE IN THE CITY FOR ALMOST ALL THE CURRENT 2,000 MILES. THIS IS THE PRIMARY REASON I BOUGHT THIS..."

"MY CAR HAD ONLY 600 MILES AND IS BRAND NEW. AFTER SITTING ON THE DRIVE OVERNIGHT THE CAR WOULDN'T START. THERE WAS A LOT OF CLICKING NOISES, BUT THE ENGINE WOULDN'T TURN. THAT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WERE ERROR CODES ON THE BATTERY, AND THAT THEY ..."

"CAR LOST POWER WHEN PASSING A TRUCK ON THE HIGHWAY, HARD START,IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR GOING ON THREE WEEKS TOMORROW. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE RESOLUTION CENTER SAID THE DEALERSHI..."

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 57 complaints

25th: 25,379 mi Median: 65,000 mi 75th: 80,000 mi

Electrical System 52 complaints

25th: 20,000 mi Median: 21,647 mi 75th: 53,000 mi

Power Train 50 complaints

25th: 56,000 mi Median: 70,000 mi 75th: 77,765 mi

Service Brakes 36 complaints

Median: 57,000 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

TX: 51 IN: 31 CA: 25 FL: 24 GA: 22 PA: 14 MI: 13 NC: 12 VA: 10 OH: 9

Chevrolet Malibu — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1997	693	82,750	Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	34
1998	1480	70,000	Rotor	53
1999	1227	60,000	Rotor	61
2000	1379	65,000	Electrical System	71
2001	1005	70,000	Electrical System	51
2002	754	68,607	Electrical System	28
2003	772	70,000	Electrical System	52
2004	1639	69,000	Steering	78
2005	1385	89,000	Steering	67
2006	1473	85,000	Steering	59
2007	1252	100,000	Steering	53
2008	1482	80,000	Steering	54
2009	2354	100,000	Steering	64
2010	2193	82,000	Steering	72
2011	1512	79,632	Electrical System	71
2012	1470	87,000	Electrical System	93
2013	1367	70,000	Electrical System	50
2014	561	60,000	Engine	32
2015	389	50,000	Engine	30
2016	1424	50,000	Engine	37
2017	1157	51,000	Engine	25
2018	1166	44,700	Engine	34
2019	293	41,750	Power Train	9
2021	99	21,000	Unknown Or Other	0
2022	116	42,000	Electrical System	6
2023	48	34,853	Electrical System	5

Active Recalls (1)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

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

Most complained Worst transmissions Worst engines Worst brakes Most crashes Compare vehicles

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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