What 268 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

During the automatic start/stop function, the car stalls out after it stops itself. For example, I exited an interstate and came to a red stoplight. The car engaged the fuel saving system and shut down the engine. However, after I tried to press the gas to get the car to reengage, the car completely shut down requiring me to put the car in park on an exit ramp and re crank the car to get it to start again. Batteries were tested and no one can figure out what the problem is.

NHTSA ODI 11449639

On 11-11-21 my check engine light came on and message came up reducing engine power and also my speed was reduced. Stability track light came on. Took to shop they repaired but a week later same exact problems occurred. Took back to shop. So far hasn’t happened again. My husband Chevy equinox all of a sudden car does the same exact thing. The check engine light went off so he’s watching it

NHTSA ODI 11442121

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated the vehicle failed to start without warning. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,496.

NHTSA ODI 11440064

P16cf dtc and check engine light after some engine noise and an incident where I was trying to accelerate around an obstacle but was unable to. The car bottomed out and would not accelerate until I took my foot off the gas and tried again more slowly. It's an issue with the intake solenoid rocker arm (oil control valve). The issue with this particular part was noted on earlier Malibu models but not mine. I have not taken it to the dealer yet as I am out of the power train warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11438789

This 2015 Chevy Malibu has been serviced over 10 ten times for a stalling/check engine issue(s). Sometimes the check engine light will activate after stalling and other times it will not. This vehicle has only had 1 owner since the initial purchase with on-star showing all the times/dates that a problem was detected and reported via email (on star). The dealership has had ample attempts to fix the issues with the vehicle, as well as private ASE certified mechanic/shop after the issues continued with this problem vehicle. This vehicle is a lemon, it is not dependable, and the stalling issues seem to be an on-going issue with GM Chevy Malibu. On 05/15/2021 while in Natick Massachusetts, I was almost rear-ended after my vehicle stalled in traffic and I could not get to the BDL. As quickly as the vehicle stopped working, I was able to restart the vehicle and move it out of the road. This problem can not be ignored or downplayed, someone will eventual get hurt or killed because their vehicle stalls without reason or warning. I need a dependable vehicle and do not have the luxury to run to the dealership multiple times for an on-going problem.

NHTSA ODI 11421085

2015 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 2.5L ENGINE WITH ROCKER ARM OIL CONTROL VALVE MALFUNCTIONING. CHECK ENGINE CAME ON THURSDAY MAY 6, 2021 AND HAD IT DIAGNOSED MONDAY MAY 10, 2021. 2014'S HAVE A RECALL, BUT 2015S DO NOT AND MY MECHANIC CAN'T EVEN FIND A GM PART TO FIX THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11416066

WHEN TURNING LEFT FROM A STOP MY CAR ALL AT ONCE SAID ENGINE POWER REDUCED TO 25MPH, SERVICE AIRBAG, SERVICE STABILITRAC, AND SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST.

NHTSA ODI 11398628

THE CAR STALLS OUT WHILE IN TRAFFIC AND/OR IMMEDIATELY REDUCE SPEED FLASHING-ENGINE REDUCE CODE ON THE DASH, MINES IN PARTICULAR HAS FLASHED SERVICE TRACTION AND REDUCE ENGINE POWER ON THE DASH, DIAGNOSTIC TESTING IS NOT GIVING ANY CODES FOR A SPECIFIC REASON FOR THIS ISSUE, SEEM TO BE SOMETHING UP WITH THE SENSORS AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THIS CAR- CAUSING MULTIPLE ISSUES TO HAPPEN ALL AT ONE TIME. CHEVY DEALER NOT VERY HELP- SUGGESTING TO FIX RANDOM PARTS AND THE ISSUE CONTINUES. DECIDED NOT TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT DID DRIVE ON A BUSY STREET IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.

NHTSA ODI 11361017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT. THE CONTACT RAISED THE HOOD AND JIGGLED SOME UNKNOWN WIRES AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED THE FIRST TIME, IT WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE AN UNKNOWN SENSOR, ALTERNATOR, THE BATTERY, AND THE BATTERY CABLES WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 11360296

GM PART NUMBER 12633613 VVT REAR OIL CONTROL SOLENOID IS FAULTY CAUSING ENGINE JERKING. GM DOES NOT HAVE THIS PART AVAILABLE OR ANY AFTERMARKET PART, AND APPEARS TO HAVE STOPPED PRODUCING IT.

NHTSA ODI 11342065

ON JANUARY 15TH. AT 08:26AM WHILE DRIVING TO WORK MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ON JANUARY 19TH. THE CAR WAS DROPPED FOR SERVICE AT WESTGATE CHEVROLET IN EDMONTON, AB. AFTER TWO WEEKS OF TESTING AND MULTIPLE PART CHANGES THE DEALER ESTABLISHED THAT MY CAR HAS A FAULTY "INTAKE OIL CONTROL VALVE". THIS IS A WELL KNOWN FAILURE OF THE GM ECOTEC 2.5 LKW ENGINE. GM HAS BEEN TRYING TO REDESIGN THE PART SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2019. AS OF TODAY MAY 20TH, 2020 THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS STILL NOT BEEN MADE AVAILABLE AND MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT THE DEALER FOR 4 MONTHS NOW. MULTIPLE OWNERS OF 2014 AND 15 MALIBU'S AND IMPALA'S ARE SUFFERING THE SAME FAITH. LATELY GM CORPORATE HAS NOT EVEN RETURNED E-MAILS FROM MY DEALER AS TO WHEN THE NEW PART WILL ME MADE AVAILABLE. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR ON PART OF GM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11325347

I OWN A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU LTZ AND I CAN BE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THE 'SERVICE STABILITRACK' LIGHT WILL COME ON, THEN IT WILL SAY 'REDUCED ENGINE POWER'. I WILL HAVE TO PULL OVER, TURN CAR OFF, AND LET IT SIT FOR A MINUTE OR TWO, THEN CRANK BACK UP AND THOSE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF, BUT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO DO THIS EVERY 5-10 MILES, DEPENDING ON THE DISTANCE OF MY DESTINATION, WHICH POSES A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME, ESPECIALLY IF I'M TRAVELING AT NIGHT. THIS MOSTLY HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11325072

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TOWARDS THE BEGINNING OF DEC 2019. I TOOK IT TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHO STATED IT WAS DUE TO THE ROCKER ARM OIL CONTROL VALVE AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO ORDER THE PART. I WAITED UNTIL FEB 2020 WITH NO UPDATE ON WHEN THE PART WOULD ARRIVE SO I TOOK MY MALIBU TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WHO STATED IT NEED THE SAME PART AND THAT IT SHOULD BE THERE WITHIN A WEEK. AS OF MAY 2020 MY CAR IS STILL AT THAT DEALERSHIP WITHOUT AN ESTIMATED DATE IN WHEN THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. I CALLED GM AND THE ONLY THING THEY CAN DO IS OFFER $2500 TOWARDS A NEW CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11322922

I OWN A 2015 MALIBU LT 2.5L, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PASS THE STATE REQUIRED INSPECTION DUE TO A FAULTY OIL CONTROL SOLENOID. (GM PART #12633613 OR GM PART # 19419980) I HAVE INCURRED OVER $1000 IN DIAGNOSTIC FEES AND TAKEN THE CAR TO THREE (3) DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT MECHANICS AND TWO (2) GM CERTIFIED PARTS DEALERS TRYING TO GET THIS PART REPLACED. GM IS NO LONGER MANUFACTURING AND REFERRING CUSTOMERS TO AFTERMARKET PARTS.(AFTERMARKET PART RECOMMENDED IS THE DORMAN 916-806) IN DOING RESEARCH TRYING TO FIND THIS PART IT SEEMS THIS SAME PART HAS MALFUNCTIONED ON EVERY 2014-2015 YEAR MODEL MALIBU AND IMPALA AND GM IS STILL NOT ISSUING A RECALL. I HAVE FILED CUSTOMER SERVICE INQUIRIES/COMPLAINTS WITH MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS AND GM DIRECTLY. THIS IS AN EGREGIOUS EXAMPLE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND THEY ARE OFFERING NO ALTERNATIVE OTHER THAN BUYING A NEW CAR. THE CAR IS SHOWING A CODE ERROR P2646 (ROCKER ARM MALFUNCTION IN BANK 1 STUCK IN OFF POSITION). I HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM SINCE OCTOBER 2019, AND FILED THE OFFICIAL COMPLAINT WITH GM APRIL,2020. CASE # WITH GM 9-592-2813084

NHTSA ODI 11322424

THE CAR REDUCED SPEED WHILE MY WIFE AND GRANDS WHERE IN TRAFFIC ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT REDUCED TO 25 MPH ON HIGHWAY

NHTSA ODI 11321965

RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION ON THE DASH, ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK IT TO GET CHECKED & IT'S THE ROCKER ARM CONTROL VALVE. I'VE BEEN WAITING ON THIS PART SINCE LAST YEAR. I'M NOT ABLE TO USE MY REMOTE STARTER AS A RESULT, & I'M NOT ABLE TO GET A PLATE STICKER BCZ THE CAR WON'T PASS EMISSIONS. I FEEL THIS WILL START TO MESS UP THE ENGINE, & GM IS SAYING THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. I'M READING A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE, & FEEL THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL!

NHTSA ODI 11319575

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE ABNORMALLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL REPAIRED. THE PART WAS ORDERED BUT WAS STILL ON BACK ORDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED $2,500 TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DECLINED THE OFFER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11317198

MY AUTO STOP CAME ON WHILE AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I RELEASED THE BRAKE MY CAR SHUT OFF AND WON'T START I TRIED JUMPING CAR IT STILL WON'T WORK. THE TOW COMPANY THAT TOWED MY CAR HAS TOLD ME ABOUT A RECALL ON AUTO STOP

NHTSA ODI 11312286

MY CAR WAS DRIVING PERFECTLY FINE. IT HAD JUST PASSED THE ADMISSIONS TEST, AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I STARTED DRIVING MY CAR IN THE CITY LIMITS, AND WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT I SMELLED SMOKE. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE CAR BEHIND ME. AS I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT I REALIZED THAT IT WAS MY CAR THAT WAS SMOKING. UPON LIFTING MY HOOD I SEEN OIL EVERYWHERE AND MY ENGINE WAS SMOKING. AN ALERT CAME ACROSS MY SCREEN URGING ME TO DECREASE SPEED AND ADD OIL. AFTER INVESTIGATING IT WAS TOLD TO ME THAT IT IS MY ENGINE VARIABLE TIMING OIL CONTROL VALVE, AND GM IS CURRENTLY NOT MAKING ANYMORE AND THIS PART IS SOLD OUT EVERYWHERE. I NEED THIS PART IN ORDER FOR MY CAR TO RUN!!!!!

NHTSA ODI 11310913

MY CAR WAS DRIVING FINE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SERVICE STABILI TRACK LIGHT FLASHED ON MY SCREEN AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING BUT WENT OFF AFTER ABOUT 1 MINUTE . THE NEXT DAY WHILE ACCELERATING THE CAR STUTTERED AND FELT ALMOST LIKE I WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD WITH LITTLE RIVETS . ITS STOPPED AND AGAIN ALL THE LIGHTS DISSAPEARED. THIS MORNING AS SOON AS I STARTED MY CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE IT STUTTERS AND FEELS AS IF I'M DRIVING DOWN A RIVETED ROAD .

NHTSA ODI 11310683

MY VARIABLE VALVE TIMING SOLENOID WENT OUT ON MY CAR. THE PART NUMBER IS 12633613. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 10 DAYS AND CHEVY HAS FAILED TO EVEN GIVE THE SHOP AN ETA ON THIS PART. NOT ONE CHEVY DEALER IN THE COUNTRY HAS THE PART. ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICE.

NHTSA ODI 11310558

THE ROCKER ARM CONTROL VALVE HAS TO BE CHANGED ON MY CAR. GENERAL MOTORS AND CHEVEROLET CONTINUES TO SAY THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO GET THE PART. MY CHECK LIGHT HAS BEEN ON AND I NEED THIS MATTER CORRECTED. I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO BUY THE PART AND GET IT FIXED. I HAVE BEEN WAITING SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2019. THE PART NUMBER IS 12633613.

NHTSA ODI 11307958

MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 9/4/19 AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT I NEED THE ROCKER ARM SELANOID VALVE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME IT'S BEEN ON BACK ORDER SOME JUNE 2019. IT IS NOW 1/28/2020 AND CHEVY HAS YET TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ON WHEN PART WILL BE MANUFACTURED AND AVAILABLE. NO DEALERSHIP IN THE COUNTRY HAS THIS PART. VEHICLES MOSTLY AFFECT ARE 2014-2015 BUT MY DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN RECEIVING CALLS UP TO YEAR 2017. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE AFTER MARKET VERSION OF THE PART IS BEING PULLED FROM THE MARKET. CHEVY HAD YET TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND ISSUE A RECALL OR EVEN MANUFACTURER A NECESSARY PART FOR THE ENGINE!

NHTSA ODI 11302465

I OWN A 2015 MALIBU THAT HAS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT IS ON. IT NEEDS A PART (#12633613) THAT HAS NOT BEEN PRODUCED BY GM SINCE AT LEAST LAST AUGUST WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FIRST CAME ON. CONSEQUENTLY MY CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION SO I CANNOT GET LEGAL LICENSE PLATES. GM IS AWARE OF MY SITUATION. I HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER [XXX]. MY CASE HAS BEEN 'ESCALATED'. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MY CASE MANAGER, [XXX], FOR A MONTH NOW AND THIS WEEK WAS TOLD I HAVE NEW CASE MANAGER, [XXX], WHO IS HIGHER UP THAN [XXX]. WELL TODAY [XXX] FROM GM CALLED. SHE HAD NO ANSWERS FOR ME ON THE CAR. THE ONLY POSITIVE POINT IS THAT SHE CALLED ME FROM DETROIT. SO IT LOOKS LIKE I FINALLY GOT TO SOMEONE AT HEADQUARTERS. 'SHE UNDERSTANDS WHY I AM UPSET', AND WISHES THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE SHE COULD DO FOR ME BUT UNFORTUNATELY ALL SHE COULD TELL ME WAS 'THAT MY CASE HAS BEEN ESCALATED.' ADDITIONALLY, SHE COULD NOT TELL ME MY PART WAS BEING PRODUCED. SHE COULD NOT GIVE ME ANY SIGN THAT GM PLANNED TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP RESOLVE MY PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11302523

WHILE DRIVING THE VVT SOLENOID MALFUNCTIONED AND ALL THE OIL SPILLED OUT OF THE CAR RENDERING THE NON OPERABLE. THIS PART CAN NOT BE FOUND ANYWHERE. I WAS TOLD BE THE SEVERAL DEALSHIPS THAT THIS PART HAS BEEN SO BACK ORDER SINCE JUNE 2019 LEAVING ME WITHOUT A CAR AND WITH A CAR NOTE. GM SHOULD OFFER A CREDIT BACK TO THEIR CUSTOMERS!!

NHTSA ODI 11288146