Home · 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Eco · Complaints

What 810 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (810)Crash / fire / injury (24)Engine (291)Electrical system (217)Transmission & drivetrain (170)Speed control (152)Brakes (91)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (75)Fuel system (46)Body & structure (39)Steering (39)Suspension (19)

217 of 810 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters · page 9 of 9

Jul 13, 2018Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

TAKATA RECALL - I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS LOCKING, UNLOCKING, AND TURNING ON MY CAR. WHEN THE CAR FINALLY GETS TURNED ON IT WILL SAY THAT THE KEYS ARE NOT DETECTED. OR WHEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE IT WILL TELL ME TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON. TAKATA RECALL - ABOUT ONCE A MONTH WHEN I TURN MY CAR ON, A LOUD BUZZING NOISE COMES ON FOR AROUND 30 SECONDS.

NHTSA ODI 11111166

Jul 11, 2018Electrical system

MY MALIBU ALL OF SUDDEN STARTED SENDING A MESSAGE WHEN I GO TO TURN THE CAR OFF THAT MY CAR NEEDS TO SHIFT TO PARK. I HAVE THE CAR IN PARK, BUT IT IS NOT REGISTERING IT IS IN PARK. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, IT HAPPENS 90% OF THE TIME WHEN I GO TO TURN THE CAR OFF.

NHTSA ODI 11110739

Jun 12, 2018Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE "REDUCE SPEED" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE'S SPEED WAS REDUCED TO 40 MPH. SIMULTANEOUSLY, A BELL CHIMED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 40 MPH. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED ON THEIR OWN ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. RYDELL CHEVROLET IN NORTH RIDGE, CALIFORNIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REPLACED THE ENGINE AT 5,000 MILES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. SANTA PAULA CHEVROLET IN SANTA PAULA, CALIFORNIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. ONSTAR WAS CONTACTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION THROTTLE FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 11101381

May 16, 2018Electrical systemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY DECELERATE AND THE "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" MESSAGE DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN CHEVROLET DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRE HARNESS WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. *TT

NHTSA ODI 11096366

Apr 16, 2018Electrical system

DRIVING HOME, TURNED OFF HIGHWAY, CAR STOPPED A FEW FEET ONTO SIDE ROAD--NO BRAKES, STEERING, NOTHING. THE ICON FOR THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON AND STAYED ON.(MANUAL SAYS IT IS THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP.) TURNED CAR OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART TO PUT CAR IN DRIVE. NO LUCK.; CALLED FOR A TOW. WAITED ALMOST 2 HOURS. TOWED HOME. THIS WAS IN THE EVENING. PRESENTLY WAITING FOR ANOTHER TOW TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP, THE FOLLOWING DAY IN THE AFTERNOON.

NHTSA ODI 11088391

Apr 4, 2018SuspensionElectrical systemLatches & locks

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY SHOOK, DECELERATED, AND THE BATTERY FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT OPERATE, WHICH PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER (ALL STAR CHEVROLET, 11377 AIRLINE HWY, BATON ROUGE, LA 70816) REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE COIL SPRING, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11083291

Mar 22, 2018Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED EVERYTIME IT WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE BEGAN AROUND MAY OF 2017. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-3961924193. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

NHTSA ODI 11080939

Mar 15, 2018Electrical system

WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES INTO AUTO STOP AND GOES TO COME BACK ON IT RANDOMLY HAS PROBLEMS, AND THE RADIO COMPLETELY CUTS OUT NOW THIS IS NOT EVERY TIME IS GOES INTO AUTO STOP IT'S JUST RANDOM I DO HAVE A VIDEO OF THE ISSUE. IT WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO UPLOAD THE VIDEO BUT YOU CAN EMAIL ME AND I CAN SEND IT TO YOU

NHTSA ODI 11079580

Feb 9, 2018Electrical systemAirbags

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR ACTIVATES EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO PASSENGER. RADIO SHORTS AND TURNS OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

NHTSA ODI 11071896

Dec 4, 2017Electrical systemSpeed controlEngine

I DECIDED TO LEASE A 2016 MALIBU OF FEBRUARY 2016. THE CAR WAS GREAT UNTIL MONTHS LATER I STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS. I WAS DRIVING TO SCHOOL ON THE FREEWAY IN OCTOBER 2016, WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY WENT INTO REDUCE SPEED ENGINE. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70 MPH. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE FREEWAY. AS I WAS DRIVING MY CAR DASHBOARD DISPLAY REDUCE SPEED ENGINE, THEN IMMEDIATELY MY CAR WENT FROM 70 MPH TO 30 MPH TO 20MPH. I MANAGE TO GET MY CAR TO THE EMERGENCY LANE OF THE FREEWAY. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED THAT FOLLOWING WEEK, WITH COMPLICATIONS OF TRYING TO GET A RENTAL CAR SO I CAN GO TO WORK AND SCHOOL. 2017 OCTOBER 31ST, I WAS DRIVING TO GO PICK UP MY SON FROM SCHOOL. I WAS ON A MAJOR STREET. MY CAR WENT INTO REDUCE SPEED ENGINE. I WAS DRIVING 35 MPH. MY CAR WENT FROM 35 TO 20 MPH'S AGAIN. I MANAGED TO PULL INTO A NEAR BANK. SHAKEN UP I PARKED MY CAR AND TURN IT OFF AND THEN BACK ON WITHIN FIVE MINUTES. THE LIGHT WAS STILL DISPLAY ON MY DASHBOARD. I DROVE TO MY SON SCHOOL. I COULDN'T DRIVE OVER 10 MPH. IT NORMALLY TAKE 10 MINUTES TO DRIVE TO MY SON SCHOOL IT 25. IT TOOK EVEN LONGER TO GET BACK HOME. NOVEMBER 30TH, SAME PROBLEM HAPPEN AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. ONCE AGAIN I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE DRIVING THE REDUCE SPEED ENGINE CAME ON. MY CAR SLOWED DOWN. I HAD CARS BEHIND ME HONKING THEIR HORNS AT ME NEARLY CAUSING A FEW ACCIDENTS. I MANAGE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY. I DID NOT WANT TO BE STUCK ON THE FREEWAY WHILE IT WAS DARK. I WAS STRANDED AT A NEARBY GAS STATION FOR CLOSE TO TWO HOURS. THE PROBLEMS I KEEP HAVING WITH THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS. I REFUSE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE ME OR MY SON OUR LIVES.

NHTSA ODI 11052142

Oct 8, 2017SteeringElectrical system

WHILE DRIVING ALERT ON PANEL SHOWED SERVICE POWER STEERING DRIVE CARE WHEN THIS HAPPENED CAR LOST TRACTION AND BRAKES NOT WORKED PROPERLY. 3 X MY CAR IS BEEN ON DAVIS MAUS SANFORD SERVICE LAST SERVICE AUGUST MY CAR WAS RETURNED 8/5/15 MANAGER ASSURED ME IT WAS FIXED AND SINCE 3 WEEKS AGO STARTED AGAIN NOW WHILE IS PARK AND TURNED OFF MESSAGE OF SWIFT TO PARK APPEARED AND ALL ELECTRONIC /RADIO ECT START ON AND ALARM ACTIVATION DOESN'T WORK.

NHTSA ODI 11032286

May 3, 2017Electrical system

I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JUNE OF 2016 AND HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL/SOFTWARE ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE LATEST ISSUE IS A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF THE ENTIRE INFOTAINMENT CENTER, INCLUDING CAUSING THE BLINKERS TO GO SILENT. SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH THE CAR SEEM TO POSE MUCH MORE OF A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE AND I FEEL OBLIGATED TO REPORT TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION REGARDING MY ISSUES WITH ENGINE POWER FAILURE. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE RECALLS REGARDING THE IGNITION STOP/START FUNCTION, THE BATTERY MONITOR MODULE TIMER, AND EVEN THE ENTIRE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE POWER FAILED, FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO EXIT I-94 SAFELY. THIS VEHICLE AND ENTIRE EXPERIENCE HAS ME FEELING FINANCIALLY VIOLATED AND PHYSICALLY UNSAFE.

NHTSA ODI 10983410

Mar 6, 2017Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED INDEPENDENTLY AFTER FIVE SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ECM MAY HAVE POSSIBLY FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS WERE FLASHED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE SENSORS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS WAS 9,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10958850

Feb 5, 2017Fuel systemElectrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

IN APRIL 2016 I WAS DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY SHUTDOWN AT A STOPLIGHT, IT WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO CHEVY DEALERSHIP BUT SPEED WOULD NOT GO PAST 20 MILES PER HOUR AND KEPT STOPPING. THEY CALLED IT AN " ELECTRICAL ISSUE" AT BILL ESTES CHEVROLET. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10949642

Nov 25, 2016Electrical systemBrakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THERE WAS A BEEPING SOUND COMING FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND THEN A RED LIGHT APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SHORTLY AFTER, THE BRAKES INVOLUNTARILY DEPRESSED, BUT THEN IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED PROPERLY. THE CONTACT FELT UNSAFE IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800.

NHTSA ODI 10927906

Aug 12, 2016Electrical system

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE FUSES IN DASH. EVEN WITH PULLERS NEED TO REMOVE FUSE F-10 AND F-41 IN ORDER TO FLAT TOW VEHICLE BEHIND MOTORHOME.

NHTSA ODI 10895375

Aug 11, 2016Electrical systemBrakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT IT WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED TO SAVE FUEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ODI 10895155

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Working with the data? Download all 810 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 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Eco verdict →