What 810 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

REDUCE ENGINE POWER

NHTSA ODI 11320751

I HAVE A 2016 MALIBU THAT BACK WINDOW HAS BEEN LEAKING ( POURING) WATER THRU. RAIN AND CAN'T EVEN GET A CARWASH, WHICH, DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A CARE WASH KNOWING THAT THERE ARE WATER STAINS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM.WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THIS DEALERSHIP SAID I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS PROB A COUPLE MONTHS LATER HAD RECEIVED A LETTER OF A RECALL ABOUT THIS BUT DEALERSHIP SAID I WAS OVER MILES AND WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS SERVICE.,? IF IT IS A RECALL.... WHY?

NHTSA ODI 11319999

REDUCED ENGINE POWER WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ODI 11318927

I PURCHASED 2016 MALIBU 10/2016 AND AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR 6MONTHS THE CHECK ENGINE/REDUCE SPEED LIGHTS STARTING COMING ON. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK OVER 20TIMES AND THE ISSUES WAS NEVER FIXED. I ASK COULD THEY JUST REPLACE THE CALL SINCE THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO FIXED IT. SO, AND STILL HAVING THIS ISSUES. GM EXTENDED THE RECALL AND I TOOK IT BACK IN YESTERDAY MARCH 18, 2020. I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS FIXED AND TO PICK IT UP. SO, I GET THERE DIDN'T MAKE IT OUT THE LOT. SO, I RETURN BACK TO THE SERVICE DESK AND I WAS TOLD MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT. SO I ASK WHY THIS ISN'T ON MY SERVICE SHEET I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS WIPED OUT AND THAT I HAD TO REQUEST IT. PUTTING ME BACK IN DANGER. THIS HAS BEEN A HEADACHE. I FILE A LEMON LAW COMPLAINT AND THEY OFFER MY 4500 AND I OWE 18,000 ON A CAR THAT HAVE BEEN GIVING ME ISSUES FROM THE DAY ONE. GM OFFERING TO SETTLE OUT FOR 4500 IS ADMITTING FOUGHT

NHTSA ODI 11318732

I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR HAD A MESSAGE THAT SAID ENGINE POWER REDUCING AND THE CAR DROPPED SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY TO 15MPH AND ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK. NOW MY ENGINE LIGHT IS ON SINCE THEN. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT THE SHOP SINCE I BROUGHT IT BRAND NEW 0 MILES FOR SOME TYPE OF ENGINE RELATED FAILURE, SENSORS ETC. MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND NOW I AM FORCED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR MAINTENCE.

NHTSA ODI 11318199

WHILE DRIVING MY RADIO TURNED OFF SEVERAL TIMES, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. A MESSAGE SAYING LOW ENGINE POWER CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES AND STARTED TO GO SLOW WHILE IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI 11318172

THIRD REAR BRAKE LIGHT LEAKS/ALLOWS WATER INTO INSIDE OF CAR AND FRAME CRACKS ON BOTH SIDES. WATER LEAKS INTO HEADLINER AND TRUNK AND STAINS INTERIOR. CAR SMILES HUMID. HAPPENS VERY TIME IT RAINS AND WASH CAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. FIRST TIME PARTS WERE REPLACED, SECOND PARTS STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND ISSUE STILL OCCURS. POOR QUALITY PARTS.

NHTSA ODI 11317819

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE. AFTER ARRIVING AT MY DESTINATION, I PARKED MY CAR AND SHIFTED TO PARK. UPON TURNING THE CAR OFF, AN ERROR MESSAGE APPEARS DIRECTING ME TO "SHIFT TO PARK." THE CAR ONLY HAS 56000 MILES. THIS HAS BEEN FIXED PREVIOUSLY (CAR HAD ALMOST 40000 MILES AT THE FIRST OCCURENCE) AND NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. VERY FRUSTRATING. THE CAR WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO FULLY TURN THE CAR OFF WITH THIS ERROR MESSAGE AND IF YOU GET OUT AND SHUT THE DOOR, THE CAR ACTS AS IF IT IS STILL RUNNING BY HONKING AND NOT ALLOWING YOU TO LOCK YOUR VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11317839

I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR HAD A MESSAGE THAT SAID ENGINE POWER REDUCING AND THE CAR DROPPED SPEED DRASTICALLY ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK AND NOW MY ENGINE LIGHT IS ON SINCE THEN.

NHTSA ODI 11317477

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED TO PARK, THEN THE MESSAGE SHIFT TO PARK APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO RYDELL CHEVROLET LOCATED AT (18600 DEVONSHIRE ST, NORTHRIDGE, CA 91324), TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SHIFTER CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

NHTSA ODI 11317316

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY CEASED IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE AND THEN TO KINGDOM CHEVROLET LOCATED AT (6603 S. WESTERN AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60636 (773) 432-3000) WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED BY ANOTHER DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

NHTSA ODI 11317325

MY MALIBU LS HAS 28000 MILES I JUST PURCHASED FROM A CHEVY DEALERSHIP. I FIRST NOTICED ONE POP WHEN I WAS DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED, THEN NOTICED WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE FROM A RED LIGHT IT WOULD POP. WHEN IT IS WARMER OUTSIDE IT IS ALMOST EVERYTIME I STOP AND GO. I CAN ALSO LAY DOWN THE BACK SEATS AND PUT WEIGHT IN THE TRUNK AND YOU CAN HEAR THE POPPING NOISE. EVERYTIME ITS JUST ONE LOUD POP WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT YOU CAN ALSO HEAR IT.

NHTSA ODI 11316956

I PURCHASED MY CAR IN 2017 AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY PEDAL SENSOR NOW WHAT WILL BE 3 TIMES. EVERY TIME I HAD THE PEDAL SENSOR REPLACED IT WAS DUE TO A MESSAGE 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' THAT WOULD COME UP ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR WOULD LOSE POWER VERY QUICKLY WHETHER I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY OR MAIN STREETS WHICH WOULD REQUIRE ME TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON. SOMETIMES THE MESSAGE WOULD CLEAR OUT, BUT NOT TOO MUCH LONGER WHILE DRIVING, THE MESSAGE WOULD POP BACK UP AND I WOULD LOSE POWER AGAIN. EACH TIME THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THIS PART, IT WAS NEVER COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY. THIS DEFECT IS BEYOND DANGEROUS AND CAN CAUSE HARM NOT JUST TO THE DRIVER, BUT OTHERS ON THE ROAD AS WELL. THE CAR'S ENGINE POWER REDUCES TO 20-25MPH FROM 60-70MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED ME CAUSE TO BE REAR ENDED.

NHTSA ODI 11316845

I WAS DRIVING ON THE I-10 WEST HIGHWAY AT 70MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGE CAME ACROSS THE SCREEN & DUE TO THE LOSS OF ACCELERATION I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY AN 18 WHEELER BECAUSE I COULDN'T PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FAST ENOUGH...ALSO, ON SOME DAYS WHEN I START MY CAR IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY NOISE SO THEREFORE THE RADIO WILL NOT WORK, THE SIGNAL LIGHT SOUNDS DOESN'T WORK, NOR DOES THE SEATBELT SOUNDS WORK .

NHTSA ODI 11316556

THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF 2016-2018 CHEVY MALIBU OF ALL TRIM TYPES, PARTICULARLY AT LOW SPEEDS OR WHEN ONE SIDE OF REAR OF VEHICLE GOES OVER SMALL BUMPS. GM PUT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN RECOMMENDING THAT DEALERSHIPS AND SERVICE TECHNICIANS ADD A WASHER TO TOP OF BOTH REAR SHOCKS AND POSSIBLY REPLACE REAR SUSPENSION KNUCKLES. MANY DEALERSHIPS GIVE CUSTOMERS 'THE RUNAROUND', REQUIRING THEM TO PAY FOR DIAGNOSTIC FEES AND REPAIRS, PERFORMING OTHER REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS THAT DO NO FIX THE PROBLEM, AND TELLING CUSTOMERS TO JUST DEAL WITH IT. THIS REAR KNUCKLE PART IS ON A NATIONAL BACK ORDER, CAUSING DELAYS OF APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS FOR THE SAFE AND TIMELY REPAIR OF THIS ISSUE. WITHOUT THESE WASHERS ON THE REAR SHOCKS, THE TOP OF THE SHOCK MAKES PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE STRUT MOUNT, CAUSING THE SUSPENSION KNUCKLE TO FAIL, WHICH THEN CAUSES BUSHINGS TO FAIL. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD THAT CHEVROLET IS LARGELY IGNORING.

NHTSA ODI 11316451

DRIVING AT 65 MPH, CAR FLASHED WARNING OF "DECREASING ENGINE POWER." CAR BEGAN TO SLOW TO A SPEED OF BETWEEN 20-30 MPH. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE WITH MANY LARGE TRUCKS AND OTHER VEHICLES BEHIND ME. SOME HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS HITTING ME UNTIL I COULD FIND A SAFE SHOULDER TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11316051

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES UP AND THEN SAYS ENGINE POWER REDUCED. CANNOT ACCELERATE AT THAT TIME. IT HAPPENS WHEN I AM ON THE INTERSTATE AND SPEED REDUCES UNSAFELY. I HAVE TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OVER AND TURN CAR OFF AND RESTART. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES.

NHTSA ODI 11315943

THE CAR WAS DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED AND THEN SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN DRAMATICALLY. AN ERROR CODE, ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, CAME ON STARTING REDUCED ENGINE SPEED. THE CAR IS NOT ABLE TO SPEED UP AT ALL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI 11315674

ENGINE POWER REDUCED. CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN ON FREEWAY

NHTSA ODI 11312003

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR THE STREETS THE VEHICLE LOOSES POWER. A DASHBOARD LIGHT COMES ON ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE DASHBOARD SAYS ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO DROP SPEED AND LOSE POWER. IT REALLY UNSAFE AS TWICE I'VE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED.

NHTSA ODI 11312112

13 MONTHS AGO I BEGAN HAVING ACCELERATOR SENSOR ISSUES. DRIVING 40+ MPH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, "ENGINE REDUCED POWER", "STABILITRAK" CAME ON MY HUD. MY FATHER HAS A 2017 MALIBU AND THIS HAD JUST HAPPENED TO HIM, SO I KNEW TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON, BUT THE LIGHT STAYED ON AND THE CAR WOULDN'T ACCELERATE PAST 40MPH AND TOOK FOREVER TO GET UP TO SPEED. TOOK IT IN AND THEY "FIXED" IT. I HAD TO HAVE IT FIXED 3 TIMES IN 3 MONTHS. ALL SIMILAR SITUATIONS, DRIVING 45+ MPH. MY TOUCH SCREEN RADIO ALSO WENT OUT, AND HAD TO GET A NEW HEAD UNIT. STILL TO THIS DAY ONLY ONE OF THE USB SLOTS WORKS. SUMMER GOES ON, NO ISSUES. OCTOBER TIME FRAME, MY CAR SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING 60 MPH FOR A SPLIT SECOND. HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, RADIO, SPEEDOMETER, ALL OF IT AT 5AM. IT CAME BACK ON WITHIN 2 SECONDS AND THE CAR WAS FINE. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANYTHING. HAD A BUDDY OF MINE RUN A CODE CHECK AND NOTHING SHOWED UP. A MONTH LATER I HAD ANOTHER ACCELERATOR SENSOR ISSUE, DRIVING 60+ MPH. HAD TO DRIVE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD UNTIL I COULD GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. TOOK IT IN AND GOT IT FIXED FOR FREE SINCE THERE WAS A RECALL. 2 MONTHS GO BY, WE'RE IN JANUARY 2020 NOW, DRIVING 60+ AND MY CAR SHOWS "STABILITRAK" AND HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS OF THE PREVIOUS LOW POWER, AND NOT ACCELERATING. TURNS OUT TO BE THE AIR CHARGE COOLER. NOT A WEEK LATER AFTER GETTING IT BACK, DRIVING 70+ MPH AND MY CAR LOSES POWER. HAD TO TOW IT SINCE I WAS IN A DIFFERENT STATE. CYLINDER 1 HAS LOW PRESSURE AND THE CHARGE AIR COOLER IS FLOODED WITH DEBRIS. AND NOW CHEVY IS TELLING ME I HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE!! WTF?

NHTSA ODI 11311438

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE REDUCED MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE ROADWAY SAFELY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS DESIGNED. GEORGE MATICK CHEVROLET (14001 TELEGRAPH RD, REDFORD CHARTER TWP, MI 48239) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT SINCE THE WARNING LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED, THE TECHNICIAN WOULD BE UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,959.

NHTSA ODI 11310637

INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE OF "ENGINE POWER REDUCED". ENGINE POWER AND ACCELERATION WAS REDUCED DRAMATICALLY. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO CARS BEHIND ME OR I MAY HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED AND INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I PULLED OFF ON SHOULDER AND TURNED CAR OFF AND THEN TURNED CAR BACK ON AND ENGINE POWER AND ACCELERATION WAS RESTORED. ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON THOUGH.

NHTSA ODI 11309087

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, SPEED LIMIT WAS 70MPH I WAS GOING THAT SPEED THEN OUT OF NOWHERE I GOT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND A NOTICE ON MY DASH APPEARED AS 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' AND MY SPEED DRASTICALLY DECLINED I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY A SEMI TRUCK, I HAD PEOPLE IN THE BACK OF MY CAR AND WITH AN IMPACT FROM A TRAILER WE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR EVEN KILLED. THIS A REOCCURRING PROBLE WITH MALIBU'S FROM THE YEAR 2016-2019 GM KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT HAS DONE NOTHING TO RESOLVE IT. THIS ISSUE NOT ONLY PUTS THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE IN HARM BUT OTHERS AROUND AS WELL. THE PROBLEM IS THE THROTTLE BODY RESPONSE SENSOR WHICH IS ABOUT A $300-$500 FIX WHICH IS NOT AN CHEAP FIX. THEY NEED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS BECAUSE ONE DAY THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ANYBODY WITH THIS TYPE OF CAR AND IT CAN KILL SOMEONE.

NHTSA ODI 11308024

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE FIRST THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I GOT A DIAGNOSTICS IT WAS THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR CODE COMING UP. I HAD THE THOTLE CLEANED.... THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF 2 DAYA LATER. THEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HWY AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH THE MESSAGE ENGINE REDUCE POWER. I PULLED OVER SHUT THE CAR OFF FOR 10 SECONDS , START IT AGAIN AND DRIVE IT. IT DOES IT ON A DAILY NOW. AND IM TIRED OF IT THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR. I GOT IT AT 28,000 MILES IT IS NOW AT 53,000 MILES. CHEVROLET KNOW THAT THIS PROBLEM IS GOING ON WITH MANY OF THE MAILIBUS THEY NEED TO FIX IT. I JUST SPENT 1,100 ON THIS CAR FOR THE REPAIRS

NHTSA ODI 11307941