What 810 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the shift to park warning message would illuminate on the instrument panel while attempting to park and shut off her vehicle. The contact would be forced to repeatedly move the gear shifter back and forth from the park (P) position until the system recognized the gear shifter in the park (P) position. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed her that her vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V502000 (Electrical System, Power Train). In addition, the contact mentioned that water had been entering the vehicle and leaking out of the middle taillight. Due to the failure, the middle taillight had become fogged and mildew had accumulated inside the trunk. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

NHTSA ODI 11446444

The morning I started my trip. My back up camera stayed on. I stopped turned the car off and back on. It was still on. Turned it off again. This time the camera went off. I was going up the cajon pass. No warning light or anything. Was coming up to my exit. Tried to slow down to exit. Couldn't press my brakes. They were rock hard to press. Took my foot off gas. Slowed down enough to get to the shoulder of the road. Once I was able to stop. My brakes were hard to press they made a clunk noise. I noticed the check engine light was on. I could of been killed had someone been in front of me and stopped. Or I could of killed someone. This is not the first time these brakes have done this. They did it earlier this year I wasn't able to press my brakes as and when I was it made the same noise. I had it towed to dealer to be fixed. They said they fixed it. This could of killed me or someone else as I was traveling on the freeway at faster speeds than the streets

NHTSA ODI 11435572

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, electrical system, power steering, and battery warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle proceeded to decelerate while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The battery saver warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to the radio and an electrical failure. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V084000 (Electrical System) or 16V502000 (Electrical System, Power Train). The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 49,000.

NHTSA ODI 11435131

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after shifting to the park position, the message "shift to park" displayed on the instrument panel and the vehicle was unable to be turned off. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the shifter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 71,000. The VIN was invalid.

NHTSA ODI 11431088

Car will randomly stall. I see GM recalled 500+ Malibu Hybrids for this problem, but mine is not one of them. This is the worst car I have ever owned.

NHTSA ODI 11430832

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, an error message on the instrument panel indicated that the vehicle was not in PARK. The vehicle was restarted, shifted to DRIVE, and back to PARK, and the vehicle operate as designed. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The contact stated she had experienced the failure several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 11426427

I have a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu and while driving on the highway, my engine light came on and my speed decelerated from 65 mph to 40. I took my car for a diagnostic test and the results were Trouble Codes: P2138, U0401-71 and C0242-00. I have done my research and from what I have found so far, is that several people have made Youtube videos about these codes, complaints and complaints on this website as well, and it has come to my understanding, that if enough people complain that this can be a safety issue, then maybe the "POWERS THAT BE", will help with this issue and possibly resolve it. This is and can be dangerous for an individual to drive at the average speed on most U.S. highways, 65, and they decelerate without warning down to 40 mph. I'm not sure why anyone does not se the dangers in this situation, especially with other motorists on the road driving at speeds of up to 70 mph, sometimes 75 mph. If I have vehicles behind me driving 65 or more and my vehicle decides to decelerate because of a sensor failure, the vehicle behind me is not going to know that there is a problem and may not have enough time to react before causing an accident. I am adding my concern not only to many individuals who have reported the same or similar experience , but in hopes that this issue would gain more attention.

NHTSA ODI 11421147

Every month my car will randomly say engine power reduced and will go no higher than 30mph. Which has happened on the highway and is super dangerous! I have seen many reports of the same problem but nothing being done about it. I took it to the dealership I got it from and I paid $100 dollars for diagnostics and the mechanic said the car computer needed updated...alright, the next day the message came back up and car couldn’t go higher than 30. I haven’t had this car for a year, and the shocks have popping noises, and whenever I put the car in park a message will appear saying shift car to park. And I have to literally roughly giggle the lever for it to read it’s in park or my car won’t turn off. I truly love this car but it has to many issues that shouldn’t be happening.

NHTSA ODI 11419120

A power reduced engine light came on and slowed the car down to 20 miles per hour very abruptly, it was very dangerous. It keeps doing this, the engine light turns off so it can't be detected, and now we can't take it into a dealership because its out of warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11418370

MY CAR WON'T SHIFT INTO PARK SOMETIMES AND THE SUSPENSION IS MAKING A POPPIN NOISE AND MY CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT WORKING

NHTSA ODI 11416676

FROM TIME TO TIME, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT REGISTER THE CAR IS IN PARK AND EXHIBITS A "SHIFT TO PARK" MESSAGE. IT CAN TAKE RESTARTING THE CAR UPWARDS OF 10 - 15 TIMES TO GET THE MESSAGE TO DISAPPEAR. THE CAR CANNOT BE LEFT IN THIS CONDITION AS THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THE CAR IS PARKED PROPERLY NOR WILL IT TURN OFF, WHICH COULD DRAIN THE BATTERY. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR YEARS, AND GM HAS ISSUED TSB 19-NA-206 (REV DEC 11, 2020). THIS IS WELL KNOWN AND PERVASIVE, YET GM HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL, OR BEEN PROACTIVE ABOUT THE FIX, AND IS NOT COVERING IT OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI 11415057

WHILE STATIONARY, AND READY TO SHUT OFF CAR, GET A MESSAGE TO SHIFT THE CAR TO PARK BUT IT ALREADY IS IN PARK. CAR WILL NOT SHUT OFF. HAVE TO KEEP MESSING WITH SHIFTER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE CAN FINALLY TURN CAR OFF. THIS HAPPENED CONSTANTLY. TOOK CAR TO DEALER, PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AS TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CONTROL PROBLEM AND I HAD TO PAY $445.08 TO FIX. SUPPOSEDLY CHEVROLET RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM IN JULY 2019 BEFORE THIS STARTED HAPPENING TO ME AND ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (I THINK NO. 18-NA-297) BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL DONE. MY POINT IS, IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT AND POSSIBILITY OF FIRE, IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM IF THE CAR CANNOT BE TURNED OFF QUICKLY. SO WHY DIDN'T THIS PROBLEM DESERVE TO MERIT A RECALL AND FREE REPAIRS?

NHTSA ODI 11413447

WAS DRIVING IN 45MPH STREET WHEN I GOT A 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' MESSAGE AND DROPPED SPEED TO 10MPH. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN VERY WELL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF I'M DRIVING ON HIGHWAY OR UPHILL FOR THE MATTER.

NHTSA ODI 11407388

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 55MPH - 2-LANE ROAD (4 DAYS AGO) WHEN A WARNING CAME ACROSS MY DASH THAT STATED "REDUCING ENGINE POWER". IT SLOWED MY VEHICLE DOWN A MININUM OF 20MPH AND WOULDN'T PICK UP SPEED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF MY VEHICLE. I RESTARTED IT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO AN AUTO SHOP AND THEY HOOKED IT UP. IT READ A P2138 CODE. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY, THIS COULD'VE CAUSED A DEVISTATING CRASH. I FOUND WHERE GM EXTENDED THE WARRANTY AND THIS FIX SHOULD NOT COST ME ANYTHING - I WILL SEE WHEN I TAKE IT IN TOMORROW.

NHTSA ODI 11407081

SHIFT TO PARK FAILURE AT 40,000 MILES.. MARCH 6, 2018 DIAGNOSED AS SHIFTER ASSEMBLY FAILURE..IN PARK.. ALERT ON DASHBOARD "SHIFT TO PARK"..IF ALERT ON DASHBOARD, AND RADIO AND OR WIPERS ON.. THEY STAY ON WITH CAR OFF. REOCCURED AT ADDITIONAL 50, 000 MILES. ON MARCH 19, 2021 .CORPORATE CHEVROLET AWARE..ISSUED REPAIR BULLETIN #18-NA-297, WHICH WAS REVISED TO 19-NA-206..MALIBU OWERS FORUM REPORT ISSUE WITH YEAR 2016-2019.. ALSO WITH OTHER MODELS..DANGEROUS...EXHAUSTS BATTERY..NOT SURE IF CAR IN PARK OR NOT ? ROLL RISK..CHEVROLET REFUSES TO FIX AS NO RECALL EXISTS..I BELIEVE WITH FREQUENT. ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND PARTS RECALLED..I HAVE GRAND CHILDREN IN MY VEHICLE AND AM CONCERNED FOR THEIR SAFETY.

NHTSA ODI 11403830

WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK TONIGHT. I WAS TAKING THE RAMP TO GET ON TO THE HIGHWAY AND MY CAR GAVE ME A WARNING THAT THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY RESERVED TO ONLY GOING 20 MPH. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AS I WAS TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11403785

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 55 MPH MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO STUTTER AND THEN IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TO A SPEED OF 20 MPH. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ANY FURTHER. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS'REDUCED ENGINE POWER' MESSAGE. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND RESTARTED. IT DROVE THIS TIME AT A SPPED OF 35. MADE IT HOME WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AND LET THE CAR SIT. THE NEXT DAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL IN BUT THE CAR DRIVE AT REGULAR SPEED.

NHTSA ODI 11403017

VEHICLE IS PLACED INTO THE PARK POSITION WHILE FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE. ONCE DASH SHOWS THAT IT IS IN PARK, FOOT IS RELEASED FROM THE BRAKE AND ENGINE IS SHUTOFF. AT THIS TIME A MESSAGE DISPLAYS ON THE DASH CONSOLE "ACTION REQUIRED: SHIFT TO PARK". THIS OCCURS THE MOST OFTEN ON AN INCLINE UPON WHICH THE MESSAGE "SWITCH TO PARK" LEADS TO CONCERN OF THE ROLLING BACK OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE THE MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED YOU ARE UNABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO THE BATTERY BEING DRAINED. THE ONLY RESOLUTION THAT I AM AWARE OF OTHER THAN GOING TO THE DEALER IS TO START THE CAR BACK UP (ENGINE WEAR, ADDITIONAL C02 EMISSIONS) AND ATTEMPT TO PLACE IT IN PARK AGAIN WITH THE HOPE THE MESSAGE WILL DISPLAY. IN PERFORMING RESEARCH THIS ISSUE IS DUE TO A POORLY MANUFACTURED MICROSWITCH WITHIN THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY, THE PERMANENT FIX IS TO HAVE THE DEALER REPLACE THE ENTIRE SHIFT ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ODI 11399828

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE AND THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH A MESSAGE TO SHIFT TO PARK. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED THE VEHICLE BACK INTO DRIVE AND BACK INTO PARK YET THE ERROR MESSAGE STATED SHIFT TO PARK. THE CONTACT STATED HE TRIED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND THE ENGINE SHUT-OFF HOWEVER, THE HEADLIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND THE RADIO REMAINED ON. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIDWAY CHEVROLET (2323 W BELL RD, PHOENIX, AZ 85023) WHERE THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THE PARK FAILURE MECHANISM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,863.

NHTSA ODI 11399179

"SERVICE PARK ASSIST SYSTEM" ALWAYS COMES BACK NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I'VE TAKEN IT TO A CHEVY DEALER! NO KNOWN FIX - STRAIGHT FROM GM THERE ISN'T ANY KNOWN FIX. THEY THOUGHT IT'S WHEN YOU USE REMOTE START ... WELL I DIDN'T USE THE REMOTE START AFTER CHEVY "REPROGRAMMED" THE CAR AND THE MESSAGE CAME BACK AND I CANNOT USE THE PARK ASSIST SYSTEM PLUS WHY HAVE A FEATURE THAT CANNOT BE USED. CAR IS BELOW 50,000 MILES AND VERY LIGHTLY DRIVEN - THE AVERAGE SPEED ACCORDING TO THE CAR'S COMPUTER IS 38 MPH. ALSO SERVICE TRANSMISSION COMES UP WITH SOME SOLENOID TROUBLE CODE AND DISPLAYS "SERVICE TRANSMISSION" AT FIRST INTERMITTENTLY, BUT NOW EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. IT BANGS INTO WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1 TO 2 WHEN DRIVEN. THE BODY PANEL ON THE DOOR BETWEEN THE DOORS IS FLAKING. I'VE GOTTEN A "SHIFT TO PARK" MESSAGE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY IN PARK WHICH DRAINS THE BATTERY.

NHTSA ODI 11398853

CAR SHOWED A "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" NOTIFICATION AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 15 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11397086

AS I WAS EXITING THE HIGHWAY THE JUST SLOWED TO A CRAWL . THE SCREEN SAID REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO ACCELERATE PAST 15 - 20 MILES PER HOUR. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO CARS FOLLOWING BEHIND ME AT THE TIME . I PULLED OVER SHUT THE CAR OFF AND ISSUE CONTINUED. I PLUGGED UP A CODE READER AND GOT P2138

NHTSA ODI 11396726

I NOTICED AN OIL LEAK IN MY GARAGE AND DRIVE WAY FROM MY VEHICLE WHICH IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S DEALERSHIP AND AN INDEPENDENT SHOP AND THEIR CONCLUSION FOR THE CAUSE OF THE OIL LEAK IS FROM A HEAD GASKET AND UPPER OIL PAN GASKET LEAK. THIS VEHICLE IS 4.5 YEARS OLD AND HAS 78,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD HAVE NOT PRESENTED AN ISSUE LIKE THIS EARLY IN ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY. THE LEAKING HEAD AND UPPER OIL PAN GASKETS CAUSES ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS OF OIL NOT BEING DISPOSED OF PROPERLY THAT COULD AFFECT OUR WILDLIFE AND FOOD SUPPLY. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER SIGNS OF THIS FAILURE THUS IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE AND COMMUTERS ALONG SIDE THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11395673

VEHICLE HAS BEEN GIVING PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER, WELL ABOUT 60DAYS INTO MY PURCHASE. REAL PROBLEM IS THAT IT JERKS CONSTANTLY AT TIMES IT DOESN'T MOVE DUE TO ACCORDING TO MY OWN DIAGNOSTICS THE TRANSMISSION CONVERTER TORQUE SOLENOID AND THIS SHOULD BE HAPPENING. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I'M ON THE HEY IT TAKES TOO LONG TO ACCELERATE AND MANY TIMES NOT ACCELERATING AT ALL. IT CAUSES MY GAS TO DECREASE. THE OTHER DAY I WAS 30MIN FROM MY RESIDENCE AND IT TOOK 5 HOURS, LITERALLY FOR ME TO GET HOME. COMPUTER SYSTEM STARTED BLINKING CONSISTENTLY. ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. WINSDAHIELD WOOER LIFTS STAYS ON. TC LIGHTS STAYS ON. EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS CAR WITHIN 60 DAYS STAYS ON. THIS IS HORRIBLE.

NHTSA ODI 11383490

WHEN I COME TO A STOP AND SHIFT MY 30K MILES 2016 MALIBU INTO "PARK", I SOMETIMES GET A MESSAGE ON THE DASH: "SHIFT TO PARK". THE "P" FOR "PARK" IS LIT NEAR THE GEAR SHIFTER. THE CAR IS IN PARK. BUT, MY HEADLIGHTS STAY ON AND I CAN'T LOCK MY CAR, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COMPUTER THINKS THE CAR IS NOT IN "PARK". I LOCK THE DOORS WITH THE SWITCH ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR, BUT THE CAR UNLOCKS IMMEDIATELY. SOMETIMES, THE SITUATION CLEARS UP BY REPEATEDLY STARTING/SHIFTING/BRAKING/TURNING OFF THE CAR. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, BUT GETTING WORSE.

NHTSA ODI 11372867