Home · 2015 Chevrolet Malibu Eco · Complaints

What 268 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (268)Crash / fire / injury (28)Engine (69)Electrical system (66)Airbags (49)Transmission & drivetrain (31)Speed control (28)Fuel system (18)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (16)Brakes (15)Visibility & wipers (14)Body & structure (13)

8 of 268 complaints match · Airbags · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jul 22, 2026AirbagsCrash1 injury

I was t-boned on the front side panel near the door at a high rate of speed. I would estimate well above the posted limit of 35 mph and my front and side airbags failed to deploy. I have video from the intersection and dash cam demonstrating the impact. My head hit off the steering wheel causing a concussion, neck and spine dislocations, bruising, and cracked xiphoid, dislocation on the left side of my chest, and cut on my ear. I went to the hospital, have the police report, and the two videos are also available. My car was totaled and towed to the lot off of Lamb, north of Craig Road.

NHTSA ODI 11752215

Apr 24, 2025AirbagsSeat beltsCrash

Unknown

NHTSA ODI 11656637

May 26, 2020SteeringTransmission & drivetrainElectrical systemAirbagsCrashFire1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIVE TO THE RIGHT AND THE WHEELS BEGAN TO LOSE TRACTION BEFORE THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE THEN SPUN OUT AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIR BAG. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED LOWER BACK AND LEFT SHOULDER INJURIES HOWEVER HAD NOT SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION DUE TO COVID-19. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A POLICE OFFICER WAS DRIVING BEHIND HER AND STOPPED TO ASSIST. POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSED THE DOORS, LOCKING THE DRIVER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED AT THE TIME OF THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LYNCH CHEVROLET OF MUKWONAGO (280 EAST WOLF RUN MUKWONAGO, WI 53149) WHO REPLACED AN ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND MODULE. NO FURTHER INFO WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED A SHIFT TO PARK FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE WOULD STILL OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. *DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11325954

Apr 25, 2019AirbagsSeatsCrash1 death

AIRBAG LIGHT IS KEEP COMING ON. I HAVE POWER SEATS AND PAYED TO GET THE PANEL FIXED AND THE PANEL IS HANGING AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11203659

May 17, 2018AirbagsCrash2 injuries

ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 I WAS DRIVING WAS DRIVING NORTH (23 MPH) AND WAS T-BONED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHO TOOK A 2 WAY STOP SIGN. I DID NOT HAVE A STOP SIGN. I WAS PUSHED ACROSS TWO LANES AND INTO A GRASSY FIELD. I WAS SLAMMED INTO IN BETWEEN THE PASSENGER DRIVERS SEAT AND THE BACK PASSENGER SEAT. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT AS WAS MY DAUGHTER WHOM WAS SITTING MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR THAT THAT HIT ME ALL THEIR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I WAS THE DRIVER AND MY DAUGHTER WAS A PASSENGER IN THE BACK . I BROKE MY NECK AND HAD DISPLACED FLUID IN MY KNEE. SHE HAD MINOR BRUISING IN HER CAR SEAT. I TRIED FILING AGAINST GM AND NOTHING WAS DONE. THEY CAME BACK CLAIMING THAT THE SYSTEM HAD NOT FAILED. I HAD NO FURTHER WAY OF PROVING OTHER WISE. I FEEL THAT MY CAR FALLS INTO A RECALL BUT THAT IT HAS NOT YET BEEN DISCOVERED OR ESTABLISHED. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT NOT ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED? NOT THE FRONT DRIVERS OR THE CURTAINS?

NHTSA ODI 11096504

Apr 6, 2018AirbagsCrash1 injury

2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG. DURING AN AUTO ACCIDENT THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *LD *TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THE AIRBAGS OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT SHARE THE AIRBAGS REPORT WITH THE CONSUMER. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11078168

Dec 19, 2016AirbagsCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE CONTACT STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT FAILED TO FILL UP. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,440

NHTSA ODI 10936331

Sep 21, 2016AirbagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Crash2 injuries

"TAKATA RECALL" DURING A SIDE IMPACT COLLISON AT 45MPH , THE SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY (NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED) AND THE STABILITRAK WAS DISABLED . AN ERROR MESSAGE OF SERVICE STABILITRAK APPEARED DURING THE ACCIDENT

NHTSA ODI 10908609

Working with the data? Download all 268 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 24, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2015 Chevrolet Malibu Eco verdict →