What 859 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hev

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

WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN PARK, GET "PLACE IN PARK" MESSAGE ON DASH. IF NOT CLEARED, DASH LIGHTS STAY ON AND DRAIN BATTERY LEAVING DRIVER STRANDED. THIS COULD LEAD TO A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION, DEPENDING ON WHERE THIS OCCURS. DOING A SEARCH OF THE FIRST 70 CLAIMS ON YOUR SITE; 30% OF THEM ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE. WHY HAS NOTHING BEEN DONE TO RECTIFY THIS UNSAFE CONDITION? CLAIM #'S LOOKED AT: 11385598, 113384695, 11377868, 11377077,11373245, 11372867, 11367012, 11365172, 11363789. 11363275, 11361450, 11360384, 11360062, 11355051, 11353844, 11352179, 11351612, 11351422, 11350951, 11349692, 11348857. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN # 19-NA-206 BY GM (SEE ATTACHMENT) ON THIS ISSUE, BUT IT DOES NOT COVER THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH IT EFFECTS SEVERAL YEARS AND MAKES. THIS WOULD SEEM TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT OR QC PROBLEM, NOT SOMETHING INDUCED BY THE OPERATOR. THOUGH NO DEATHS OR INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY THIS PROBLEM, ONE COULD SPECULATE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME OR COULD BE. USUALLY THE QUESTION OF YOUR BATTERY BEING DEAD IS NOT ASKED AT THE DEATH OR INJURY SITE. THIS ISSUE CAN NOT ALWAYS BE DUPLICATED AT THE DEALERSHIP, SO IS OFTEN TURNED AWAY. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE WILL DO THIS MULTIPLE TIMES AND THAN STOP FOR AWHILE, THAN ACT UP AGAIN. EACH TIME IT HAS BEEN TAKEN IN TO BE LOOKED AT, THERE ARE NO CODES, AND THE SYMPTOM CAN NOT BE DUPLICATED. DRIVE IT HOME AND IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN, OR NOT. LAST TIME IT TOOK TWENTY MINUTES OF TURNING CAR ON AND OFF, SHIFTING IN AND OUT OF PARK, ETC TO GET CAR TO SENSE IT WAS INDEED IN PARK. I AM SUBMITTING THIS REPORT FOR A FRIEND BUT WOULD LIKE ALL FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION TO PASS ONTO HIM.

NHTSA ODI 11398980

MOST TIMES, WHEN I'M DONE DRIVING AND SHIFT MY CAR TO PARK A WARNING COMES UP MY DASH SAYING 'SHIFT TO PARK' EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK. I THEN HAVE TO RESTART MY CAR, CHANGE THE GEARS AND HOPE IT DOESN'T GIVE ME THAT MESSAGE AGAIN. I OFTEN HAVE TO REPEAT THIS PROCESS 2-3 TIMES AFTER I'M DONE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO PARK AND SHUT OFF MY CAR. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME THAT I SHIFT MY CAR TO PARK AND TRY AND SHUT MY CAR OFF, BUT IT HAPPENS A LOT OF THE TIME. IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING AND TIME CONSUMING. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON AND OFF FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW. MY SISTER ALSO HAS A 2016 MALIBU AND HERS IS DOING THE SAME EXACT THING.

NHTSA ODI 11398630

I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISON WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. IMMEDIATLY AFTER THE COLLISION THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE FAILED. I HAD TO USE THE CURB AND BUSHES TO STOP MY VEHICLE AFTER TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS FROM THE COLLISION SITE.

NHTSA ODI 11398719

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 IN THE CITY I GOT AN ERROR STATING ENGINE POWER REDUCED. LOST SPEED QUICKLY AND HAD LIMITED ABILITY TO ACCELERATE COULD NOT GO OVER 30 MPH OR ACCELERATE UP STEEP HILLS.

NHTSA ODI 11398773

WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, MY ENGINE REDUCED LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO DRIVE OVER 32 MPH. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH SEVERE INJURY CONSIDERING WHERE I WAS DRIVING. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS, WHY HASN'T IT BEEN RECALLED, WHEN WILL IT BE RECALLED?

NHTSA ODI 11398498

AS I WAS DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED MY ENGINE POWER REDUCED LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR SPEED SLOWED DOWN DRASTICALLY. WHEN DIAGNOSED IT SAID IT WAS THE ACCELERATOR POSITION PEDAL. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK. FROM WHAT I HEAR THIS IS COMMON WITH THE MABILU AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED SEEING THAT SOMEONE COULD LOSE THEIR LIFE.

NHTSA ODI 11397443

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

NHTSA ODI 11397086

WHEN I'M DRIVING I GET A MESSAGE SAYING 'ENGINE REDUCE POWER' AND I CAN'T GO OVER 25 MPH

NHTSA ODI 11397147

BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2020, EVERY TIME I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT OR BRAKE (WHEN COMING TO A STOP IN TRAFFIC) THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. I WOULD GET A WARNING THAT THE CAR WAS IN BATTERY SAVE MODE AND THE STABILITRAK LIGHT WOULD COME ON. THE MORNING OF JAN. 12, 2021, IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE 322. I BLOCKED RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR STARTED BACK UP. WHILE THIS WAS HAPPING NOTHING ON THE CAR WORKED. IT BLOW OUT COOL AIR AND THE RADIO AND WINDOWS DIDN'T WORK. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. NOT JUST FOR ME AND MY FAMILY BUT OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. I DID TAKE THE CAR TO BE SERVICED UNFORTUNATELY, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. INSTEAD OF RESTING ON THE BREAK IN TRAFFIC, WE PUT THE CAR IN PARK. YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT CAN BE PROBLEMATIC. IN ADDITION TO THAT, NOW IT SOUND LIKE SOME SORT OF LIQUID IS PASSING THROUGH WHEN I COME TO A STOP/PARK. FAST FORWARD TO WHAT HAS LEAD ME TO FILING A VEHICLE SAFETY COMPLAINT, THIS EVENING MY SON WAS DRIVING ON US 22 WHEN HE CALLED ME IN A PANIC BECAUSE WHILE DRIVING A WARNING DISPLAYED ON THE DASH ENGIN POWER REDUCED, TRACTION LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE SPEED REDUCED TO ABOUT 20 AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I TOLD HIM TO PUT ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND PULL OVER02 AS SOON AS IT WAS SAFE. HE DID AS I SAID AS I WAITED ON THE PHONE WITH HIM. HE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND LET IT REST FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. THE CAR STARTED BACK UP WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THE TRACTION LIGHT WENT OFF BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON. HE MADE IT HOME WITHOUT ANY MORE INCIDENTS. AS I STATED ABOVE YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I AM LEARNING THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH A CHEVY MALIBU (2016 64,763 MILES) WITH SAFETY ISSUES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I HOPE THAT NO ONE HAS TO LOSE THEIR LIFE BEFORE ACTION IS TAKING. THEY NEED TO RECALL AND GIVE A REFUND.

NHTSA ODI 11397064

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

MY ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED ' APPEARS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR'S SPEED DROPS & I CAN ONLY DRIVE AT 20-25 MPH. I RESTART THE CAR AND IT DRIVES FINE FOR 2MINS AND THEN GOES INTO LIMP MODE. IT'S A DANGEROUS SITUATION B/C I'M ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 60-65 AND THIS HAPPENS. I'M THANKFUL I DIDN'T GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. CODE P2138 IS WHAT MAKES THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. THROTTLE/PEDAL ACCELERATOR .

NHTSA ODI 11395549

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

DRIVING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND STABILATRACK LIGHTS FLASH AND LOSS OF POWER STARTS HAPPENING AND CAR WONT GO OVER 20MPH ... CHEVY CLAIMS ITS NORMAL AND DONT FIND A.REASON WHY IT HAPPENED. IVE HAD THE CAR AT CHEVY 6 TIMES FOR ISSUE AFTER ISSUE AND NOW THIS LOSS OF POWER ON A HIGHWAY NEARLY KILLED ME AS I COULD BARELY GET CAR TO A.SAFE LOCATION...

NHTSA ODI 11394779

THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER SYSTEM. I HAVE HAD THIS REPLACED ONCE ALREADY. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS! THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND WHEN U PRESS THE BRAKE THERE IS A LOUD GUSH OF AIR AND IT'S HARD TO STOP.

NHTSA ODI 11389806

16' CHEVY MALIBU, 170K MILES. REAR POPPING NOISE, BACK LEFT. HEARD A POP NOISE FROM BACK LEFT OF CAR AFTER LETTING OFF THE BRAKES FROM A STOPPED POSITION. TOOK THE LEFT REAR (LR) TIRE OFF AND FOUND LR BRAKE CALIPER PISTON TO HAVE FAILED AND WOULD NOT RESEED INTO CALIPER CAUSING POPPING NOISE. TOOK CAR TO PORTER CHEVROLET IN NEWARK, DE ON 1/20/21 FOR CALIPER REPLACEMENT AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER DUE TO MANY CARS BEING AFFECTED BY THE SAME ISSUE. I HAD PART ORDERED AND PICKED UP MY CAR UNTIL THE CALIPER COMES IN. WILL BRING CAR BACK TO PORTER WHEN PART COMES IN FOR REPLACEMENT AND HOPEFULLY RECALL CREDIT IN NEAR FUTURE. DO NOT LET DEALERSHIPS/ REPAIR SHOPS TELL YOU THAT IT IS THE REAR SHOCK! IT IS THE BRAKE CALIPER THAT IS MAKING THE POPPING NOISE.

NHTSA ODI 11389861

DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN MY CAR GOT A MESSAGE ON THE DASH SAYING 'REDUCED ENGINE SPEED' . I WENT FROM 60MPH TO 10MPS WITHIN SECONDS, THIS IS A SERIOUS LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING. ONCE IT SLOWS COMPLETELY DOWN IT STOPS AND I HAVE TO TURN OFF MY CAR AND RESTART IT JUST FOR IT KEEP HAPPENING. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME 'EVERYONE WITH A MALIBU IS HAVING THESE PROBLEM LAST AND THEY CAN NO FIX IT CAUSE THE CAN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME WITH ALL THE MALIBU'S HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM IS SHOULD BE A RECALL. I WENT TO A ANOTHER CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE EXACT SAME THING. CHEVY WANT US TO ENJOY THE CAR BUT WILL NOT GO THE EXTRA MILE TO DO RECALLS ON THEM WHEN THEY KNOW IT'S A BIG PROBLEM. MY CAR ALSO BE STUCK IN 'SHIFT TO PARK' WHEN IT'S ALREADY IN PARK, I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY RESTART MY CAR AND TURN IT OFF FOR THE MESSAGE TO GO ALWAYS AND MY CAR IS OFF, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS BECAUSE IF YOU LEAVE YOUR CAR IN SHIFT TO PARK THAT WILL COMPLETELY KILL YOUR BATTERY. ALSO, WHEN I START MY CAR IT SOUND LIKE A BUNCH OF WATER JUST MOVING AROUND BUT IT'S NOTHING LEAKING BUT YOU CAN HEAR THE WATER ONCE YOU START THE CAR. THE BRAKES ON THE CAR DO NOT LAST LONG ENOUGH! I WENT TO GET SOME BRAND NEW BRAKES IN OCTOBER AND WAS TOLD FROM TWO DIFFERENT CAR SHOPS THAT I NEED NEW BRAKES . THESE PROBLEMS IS RIDICULOUS AND DANGEROUS AND COULD BE FIXED BY RECALLING THE CARS AND FIXING THE PROBLEMS .

NHTSA ODI 11389541

ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE DISPLAYED " REDUCED ENGINE POWER". VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND I HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER TURNING OFF VEHICLE, WAITING A MINUTE, AND RESTARTING VEHICLE IT RAN OK FOR 5 MINUTES. SOMETIMES IT RUNS LONGER BEFORE THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON AND I LOSE POWER AGAIN. THIS IS DANGEROUS!!!

NHTSA ODI 11389297

WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AND DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH WARNING ENGINE POWER REDUCED MODE AND CAR WENT INTO LOW SPEED. TRIED ACCELERATING CAR WOULD NOT GO BEYOND 20 MPH

NHTSA ODI 11389048

SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK MY CAR WILL SUDDENLY GO INTO "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" MODE AND GO INTO LOW SPEED. IF I GET OUT OF THE CAR, LOCK IT, AND UNLOCK IT 30 SECONDS LATER IT WILL RESET AND THEN BE OKAY FOR A FEW MINUTES. THIS POWER REDUCTION IS EXCEEDINGLY DANGEROUS WHEN MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND SUDDENLY NEEDING TO PULL OVER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON BUT THEN DISAPPEAR SOMETIMES THE SAME DAY AFTER HAVING PARKED FOR A WHILE. TYPICALLY THE CAR GOES INTO THIS "REDUCED POWER MODE" AFTER ABOUT 45 MINUTES OF DRIVING. I WAS ABLE TO CAPTURE THE FOLLOWING ERROR CODES: P1101 (INTAKE AIR FLOW SYSTEM PERFORMANCE), P2122 (THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR D CIRCUIT LOW INPUT), AND P2138 (THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION SENSOR/SWITCH D/E VOLTAGE CORRELATION). REALLY HOPING THIS WILL BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GET IT FIXED MYSELF!

NHTSA ODI 11388626

I WAS DRIVING ONE DAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAVE SEEN 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD. THIS WARNING REDUCES THE CAR SPEED CONSIDERABLY AND THEREFORE SLOW THE CAR NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP TO GET IT CHECKED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT ONE OF MY INTAKE VALVE WAS DEFECTIVE. I HAD IT REPLACED AND PAID FOR THE SERVICE. I LEFT AND THE SAME DAY THE WARNING CAME BACK AGAIN AND SLOWED THE CAR. THE SPEED CAN GO FROM 60MPH TO LESS THAN 10MPH IN FEW SECONDS. STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AGAIN DOESN'T HELP THE CAR INCREASE SPEED. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND MANY OTHER DRIVERS HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSED IT AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE NOT DETECTED THE CAUSE OF THE WARNING 'ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED'. THEY TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND ARE ASKING ME TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. I THINK THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.

NHTSA ODI 11388429

MY VEHICLE HAS A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE BACKSEAT SOUNDS LIKE THE MUFFLER HITTING UP AGAINST THE BACKSEAT. WE AS CONSUMERS SHOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS CHEVROLET FAULT FROM THE START

NHTSA ODI 11387814

WHEN AUTO-STOPPED THE ENTIRE CAR SHUTS DOWN. IT TURNS COMPLETELY OFF AND STARTS MOVING BACKWARDS BEFORE TURNING BACK ON. A DIAGNOSTIC REVEALED A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER SUPPLY TRANSFORMER AND BATTERY CURRENT SENSOR CIRCUIT. THEY ARE ERODED I BELIEVE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS ANYTIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED - AT STOP SIGNS AND LIGHTS.

NHTSA ODI 11387381

ENGINE POWER REDUCED, THIS HAS HAPPENED COUNTLESS TIMES, SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2017, IT HAS BEEN TO BRYNER CHEVROLET IN JENKINTOWN, PA, WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED MORE TIMES, THAN I CAN COUNT. EACH REPAIT COSTING MORE AND MORE. I'M ASSUMING CHEVY IS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE, BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY FIX IT. IMAGINE BEING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND GOING FROM DOING 65 TO 20 UNEXPECTEDLY. THE PERSON BEHIND ME HAD TO SWERVE INTO ANOTHER LANE TO KEEP FROM REAR ENDING ME.

NHTSA ODI 11386461