Home · 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid · Complaints

What 859 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

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 (859)Crash / fire / injury (27)Engine (309)Electrical system (233)Transmission & drivetrain (174)Speed control (158)Brakes (104)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (77)Fuel system (53)Steering (42)Body & structure (41)Lights (19)

7 of 859 complaints match · Engine · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jul 8, 2025Electrical systemSpeed controlEngineCrash4 injuries1 death

Engine power reduced defect, causing affected models to lose power while driving at highway speeds. My son’s was driving 55 mph and then all of sudden the car decelerated to 20 mph in minutes before his 2016 Malibu stalled on [XXX]. Unfortunately the car did not make it to the emergency lane and as a result a SUV hit his car killing my daughter who was 33 weeks pregnant. The baby survived with lifelong injuries. Despite this recall, GM failed to notify vehicle owners, including the owner of the vehicle involved in the fatal accident on [XXX], in Dallas, Texas, resulting in my daughter’s death. This defect has been found in several 2016 Malibus, prompting a class action lawsuit against GM. Plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit reported having to restart their vehicles or replace faulty accelerator pedal position sensors to address the issue. GM's failure to notify vehicle owners of the safety recall constitutes negligence and gross negligence. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11672099

Apr 6, 2021LightsBody & structureEngineCrash

ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. INVOLVED IN A COLLISION

NHTSA ODI 11406747

Aug 6, 2020AirbagsEngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, SMOKE SEEPED INTO THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STOPPED CLOSE BY AND THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY HER SON AND SAW THERE WAS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF ANTIFREEZE LEFT IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER RIVERSIDE CHEVROLET (707 W 51ST ST, TULSA, OK 74107 918-446-7700) WHILE IT WAS RUNNING HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY THE DEALER WITH AN OIL CHANGE AND FLUID CHECKS TWO MONTHS EARLIER. THE DEALER SUGGESTED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEATER COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11343622

Jan 20, 2020Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngineCrash2 injuries

ON JAN 6 2020. I WAS DRIVING A 2016 CHEVY MALIBU, WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ENGINE REDUCE POWER LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AND LET THE CAR SEAT FOR MAYBE 10 MINS. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND BEGIN DRIVING AGAIN (IT WAS PULLING NORMAL). ABOUT 3 MILES DOWN THE ROAD I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE CAR STOP PULLING AND THE REDUCE ENGINE POWER LIGHT COMES ON WHICH LEAVES ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A INTERSECTION SECTION CAUSING A VEHICLE COMING FROM MY RIGHT SIDE TO SLAM INTO THE SIDE OF VEHICLE DEPLOYING ALL OF MY AIRBAGS AND MAKING ON-STAR ASSISTANCE COME ON. IN THE RESULT I HAVE NECK, BACK AND SIDE INJURY FROM THE IMPACT. WHICH IN THE RESULT I'M GETTING SUED BECAUSE MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN GOING LEFT. MY CAR WAS TOTALED OUT AND MY INSURANCE DON'T WANT TO PAY THE FULL VALUE OF WHAT I WAS LEASING IT FOR. WHICH I HAVE TO COME OUT THE POCKET WITH EXPENSES. AFTER REVIEWING THE "ENGINE REDUCE POWER" AND DOING MY RESEARCH I COME TO FIND OUT IT HAS BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. I COULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE!

NHTSA ODI 11300466

Sep 29, 2019Electrical systemEngineCrash

I OWN A 2016 CHEVY MALIBU AND ONE OF ITS FEATURES IS AN AUTO STOP/START FEATURE IN THE CAR. WHEN THIS CAR ENTERS THIS MODE WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF OF THE BREAK IT IS SUPPOSED TO START AGAIN BUT WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF OF THE BREAK IT WILL JUST COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, WHEN I TRY TO START THE CAR AGAIN IT WILL JUST STALL. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON JUNE 9TH 2019 WHERE THE CAR CUT OFF AND ROLLED BACK INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS IS JUST ONE OCCASION OF THE CAR CUTTING OFF ON ME AND BECOMING IMMOBILE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A BATTERY ISSUE AND A WIRING ISSUE I'VE GOTTEN BOTH ADDRESSED BUT IT STILL HAPPENS. I'VE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CHEVY THAT MAY ADDRESS THE ISSUE BUT I HAVE TO SEE. MY CAR CURRENTLY WON'T START. TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 24,2019

NHTSA ODI 11258818

Aug 13, 2019Electrical systemBrakesEngineCrash

EGINE POWER REDUCED LIGHT. THE CAR WONT GO OVER 20-30MPH. BRAKES MALFUNCTION CAUSING A SMALL FENDER BENDER. ITS HARD TO START WONT STAY RUNNING. IT EVEN LOST POWER ON THE HWY A FEW TIMES BEFORE THE WRECK.

NHTSA ODI 11243558

Jul 27, 2019Electronic Stability Control (esc)BrakesEngine1 injury

ENGINE FAILURE. MY CAR WENT COMPLETELY OUT WHILE DRIVING HOME. THE STABIKITRAK POP ON, ENGINE LIGHT POP ON, BRAKES LOCKED UP MAKING IT HARD FOR ME TO STOP THE CAR IN TRAFFIC. I HOPE THEY ARE PLANNING ON DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID FOR MY LIFE. THIS CAR IS DEFINITELY NOT SAFE.

NHTSA ODI 11235317

Working with the data? Download all 859 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 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 Hybrid verdict →